Need help deciding on safety schools

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi all, I will be a high school senior this fall and I'm currently working on my list of colleges I'll apply to. I already know what my reach schools are, but I need help choosing some safety schools. I'm an Illinois resident. UW gpa is 3.45. ACT is 34.
I've been taking all honors and AP classes since freshman year.
I have a job. I will have 100+ volunteer hours by the time I apply.
Wind Ensemble for 2 years (concert band since 5th grade).
Marching band for 3 years (section leader senior year)
Science Olympiad 2 years. Model UN 2 years.
I've been playing the piano for 12 years, and I plan on completing lvl 12 (highest lvl) of the ISMTA AIM exam before January.
I'm confident I'll be able to write strong essays.</p>

<p>It would be very helpful if anyone can list a few safety schools.
I would like to stay close to the midwest or the east coast.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>University of Illinois- Urbana Champaign is safety. What is your estimated family contribution ? Since you have a 34 ACT, can we assume you don’t qualify for need based aid ?</p>

3

<p>Intended majors?</p>

4

<p>How much can your family afford? To be a safety you must be happy to attend it, be assured of getting in, and able to afford it. Here is a thread with some safety options:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>An UW GPA of 3.45 probably moves UIUC to Match instead of Safety, even with a 34 ACT.</p>

<p>However, UIChicago, NIU and SIU would all be highly likely for admission and low in-state tuition. They would also likely offer merit aid based on the high test score. However, the third criteria for a Safety would be a school that the student would enjoy attending and we don’t have much information from OP on preferences.</p>

6

<p>I don’t understand the second part of post #2? A high ACT means there isn’t a need for financial aid??</p>

7

<p>Majority of students that get high score on SAT/ACT come from a high income family. They do not qualify for need based aid.</p>

8

<p>

</p>

<p>That is not a safe assumption for an individual student.</p>

9

<p>Safeties HAVE to be affordable since they often give lousy need based aid.</p>

<p>How much will your parents pay?</p>

<p>What is your weighted GPA and is it in your transcript?</p>

<p>What is your major and career goal?</p>

10

<p>** #7
XtremePower
Senior Member</p>

<p>Majority of students that get high score on SAT/ACT come from a high income family. They do not qualify for need based aid.
*</p>

<p>Even if that were true, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the family can/will pay full freight.</p>

11

<p>Capital University if you are looking for a music degree is excellent and you would get minimum of a full tuition scholarship with those stats.</p>

12

<p>Western Michigan would be a safety with a decent music school</p>

13

<p>Thanks for all the insight.
To answer some of your questions:
My weighted gpa is 4.1
My parents are willing to pay pretty much anything, so cost isn’t an issue.
I just need some pointers on schools that I’m guaranteed to get accepted into.
Possible majors: biology, psychology, or business</p>

14

<p>Bradley? Purdue? Indiana? Lake Forest? Marquette? Miami of Ohio?</p>

<p>You haven’t said anything about the size or environment you prefer/don’t prefer.</p>

15

<p>What is your rank? Or approximately.</p>

<p>A GPA lone is meaningless.</p>

16

<p>I would like a medium-large school. preferably in an urban/suburban setting.
My high school doesn’t rank but I would say I’m in the top 15% percent of my class of about 1000 students.</p>

17

<p>I just need some pointers on schools that I’m guaranteed to get accepted into.
Possible majors: biology, psychology, or business</p>

<p>Alabama would certainly accept you and would give you a full tuition merit scholarship.</p>

<p>Bama has good programs for bio, psych and business. What is your career goal?</p>

18

<p>As of now, I’m really interested in optometry.</p>

19

<p>

</p>

<p>post #2. Its clearly mentioned that " Since you have a 34 on the ACT, can we assume you don’t qualify for need-based aid ? " </p>

<p>Whether the parents will pay the tuition or OP will have to take out loans is a whole different story.</p>

20

<p>^^^</p>

<p>I know that. But just finding out whether a student doesn’t qualify for need based aid is rather worthless info unless you also find out whether the family will pay the full cost.</p>