Need help classifying reach, match, and safety?

College Search & Selection
1

Pretty much what the title says. Also, I’m having trouble determining if I need to edit my college list (should I add, remove, or change schools). Here’s what I have so far (any suggestions are welcome):
MIT, UNC, Boston U, Geogia Tech, FSU, Vanderbilt, U Chicago, Northwestern, George Washington University

I am interested in majoring in either economics, math, statistics, business, engineering, or something similar. Sorry if that’s kind of broad I just haven’t decided exactly what I want to do with my life

Stats:
4.0 GPA (either val or sal)
36 ACT
2310 Old Sat; 1520 New Sat (Probably wont send either one bc of high ACT)
800 Math 2; Physics TBD
11 APs (Human Geo, World, Euro, Enviro Sci, Comp Sci, Stat, Physics 1, Physics Mech, USH, Calc AB, Lang)
All 5s…Will take Calc BC, Chem, and Physics E&M for sure this year maybe more
National Merit Semifinalist
IB Candidate

ECs:
President of MAO for 2 years. Awards at regional, state, and national level (no AIME or USAMO though)
History Bowl, HOSA, other minor competition clubs
Varsity Cross Country 4 years
Guitar, Piano, and Ukelele for over 10 years

Volunteering:
Established annual math competition for elementary and middle schoolers to foster their interest in math
Tutoring
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance…spread awareness of mental illness and participate in support groups
Member of school honor council (chosen as one of 15 members)…maintain integrity of academic community

It’s pretty stressful picking colleges to apply to and ideally I’d go to the same college/somewhere close to my long term girlfriend. At the same time, I want to make sure my list is right for me and idk where to go from here. Thanks for all the help!

2

EDIT: Not sure if this is pertinent but I have a part time job as a math tutor at Kumon. Also my family earns upwards of 150k a year so I don’t think I’ll receive much financial aid.

3

That’s an ok list if they are affordable.

4

Has your family said that the list prices of the schools (or net prices if they do offer financial aid or assured scholarships for you) are affordable? Note: consider costs of the required summer session at Florida public universities.

State of residency?

5

I’d recommend submitting BOTH the SAT and ACT to the colleges you apply to. Although it may seem redundant, it means a lot (and looks much better) to colleges if they can see you can master both tests.

6

Excellent stats! You have a shot at any college you apply to (though MIT will be reach for anyone). Since you don’t know what you want to study you’ll want to apply to one with a large enough range of excellent options. So base your criteria on affordability, location (where is your gf attending?), size, and where you think you’ll be happy.

Your list is pretty good if those are the schools you like best.

Not interested in LACs?

If finances are an issue, also apply to some slightly lower ranked schools that you’re likely to get good merit aid from.

If you apply to FSU, then apply to honors as you’re likely to get in.

I’d drop GTech unless you’re certain you’ll do engineering or really want to be in Atlanta (consider Emory then esp if you do biz).

BU and GW are safeties for you. Unless you want to be in DC, you have better options than GW.

Apply for the honors program at UNC.

Other possibilities on east coast since it seems you want to be there:

  • UVa (apply to Honors)
  • Brown (reach but you have a shot)
  • CMU
  • Cornell
7

Where did you get this completely unfounded idea?

Readers: it is false.

8

I agree with @marvin100 / I see no benefit for you sending the SAT. For all they know, if you had taken the SAT instead of the ACT you would have gotten a perfect score as well.

9

You’ve a wide range of locations on the schools, does long term girlfriend have a similar or dissimilar list? From a safety/match/reach standpoint is very well balanced assuming all are affordable with published merit or competitive scholarships but if GF is a factor additional recommendations may or may not help you supplement the list in the way you want.