Need suggestions for schools to look into :)

College Search & Selection
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<p>I thought that maybe if I got suggestions from people I could find a place to start my "serious" college search. Therefore, I need your help in finding safety, match, and possible reach schools. </p>

<p>I'm going to be a junior and am trying to get some research done before the school year starts. </p>

<p>School: Public</p>

<p>GPA: 3.34 (unweighted) - Chemistry lowered my GPA immensely so it should be back up to a 3.6 or 3.7 by the end of Junior year. </p>

<p>9th Grade Schedule: Honors English
Honors Bio
Honors French
Honors World History
CP Geometry
Creative Writing
Computer Applications</p>

<p>10th Grade Schedule: Honors English
Honors Chem
Honors French 3
Honors U.S. History
CP Algebra II
Honors Contemporary Issues
Contemporary Irish Literature</p>

<p>11th Grade Schedule: APUSH
AP English Language and Composition
AP Art History
Honors French 4
Honors Civil Liberties and Law
Honors SAT Math
Honors Golden Age of Greece
CP Math Topics</p>

<p>In my senior year I hope to take AP English Literature, AP Euro History, AP World History, AP French, and AP US Gov. World History and US Gov are offered on Virtual High School so I have to check if they will let me do both. </p>

<p>ECs: (they are weak, I'm afraid) Varsity Softball since Freshman year, Model UN, History Club, and Student Council</p>

<p>I don't know if this could count on a college app but it took up a lot of time. I have played club softball for 4 years and was captain. I decided not to play next year. </p>

<p>Volunteer: Obama campaign (making phone calls and going around neighborhoods), Organize for America (making calls, knocking on doors, and possibly organizing event), Relay for Life, and I am going to start volunteering for Birthday Wishes. They throw birthday parties for homeless children. </p>

<p>Major: History, Classics, or Political Science</p>

<p>I prefer liberal arts schools in or close to cities with a study abroad program. The school has to have a good History program though. I am almost 90% sure that is going to be my major, and I want to study within a good program. </p>

<p>Any schools you have to suggest will be much appreciated.</p>

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<p>Yeah, we cant give suggestions without SAT/ACT scores…</p>

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<p>Since you said you were primarily interested in liberal arts colleges, I’ll include only those on the list. To account for your SAT/ACT scores, I’ll just assume scores comparable to the level of the rest of your application, though obviously if your scores are very high or very low, that will alter your chances. </p>

<p>Reaches: Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore, Pomona</p>

<p>High Matches: Haverford, Claremont-McKenna, Wesleyan, </p>

<p>Matches: Colgate, Oberlin, Reed (you said you worked for Obama’s campaign, so this could be a pretty good fit socially as well) Macalester (Same for this college, too)</p>

<p>Safeties: Whitman, Occidental, Pitzer, Rhodes</p>

<p>Without knowing precisely what your interests are, or what you’re looking for in a college, this was the best list I could devise. </p>

<p>The good thing about liberal arts colleges is that they are able to focus more on the individual, so with good, compelling essays, Reaches suddenly become more plausible.</p>

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<p>^^ Most of the schools mentioned above are rated too low (i.e. Reed is a reach, Macelester the same). And for you to get your cum UW GPA to a 3.6 this year you’d need a 4.1 (that’s tough unweighted). :)</p>

<p>Most LACs will have a good history dept. The classics and Poly Sci may be differentiators. I’m still thinking of some…</p>

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<p>In which state do you live? Are you willing to go anywhere?</p>

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<p>Top colleges want you to challenge yourself by taking a good portion of the most advanced courses your HS offers. They would generally prefer that you get a B in AP than an A in Honors, if you have a choice.</p>

<p>I would add Whitman to the list of reaches.</p>

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<p>Trinity College, Haverford, Tufts (what a wierd name), and maybe Brown if your down with it not being a LAC</p>

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<p>

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<p>Not as weird as misspelling ‘weird’.</p>

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<p>I’m worried that Bho’s list is too ambitious. I’d recommend taking a look at Colby, Colgate and Oberlin.</p>

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<p>Have you taken the PSAT or any SAT/ACT practice tests? Which parts of the country are you interested in?</p>

<p>That being said, you say small school near a city with a strong history department and my immediate thought is Macalester. There really aren’t too many LACs within big cities, so one of those is going to have to give a little.</p>

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<p>Macalester’s Classics offerings do not seem to be very strong. The department has only 2 full-time tenured faculty members, with the rest of the department cobbled together between adjuncts and visiting instructors.</p>

<p>Davidson, Holy Cross, and Trinity (TX) come to mind. Barnard and Wellesley if female.</p>

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<p>Erin’s Dad - Getting it up is going to be hard, but all the classes I am taking involve stuff I am good at so I am hoping I can get mostly As. I expect A+ in Civil Libs and SAT Math since those are electives in my school. </p>

<p>collegehelp - I live in Massachusetts and I will pretty much go anywhere. </p>

<p>teenage_cliche - I have taken the PSAT. I would have to dig through my filing cabinet to find the score though. I am taking it again in October since my school gives it to us. </p>

<p>Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. They are really helping.</p>

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<p>Are you female, and if so are you interested in women’s colleges? If so I second Barnard and add Smith and maybe Mount Holyoke.</p>