New to this process need help!!

College Search & Selection
1

Hello everyone, I am new here.

I am a sophomore in high school. I am attending a very stressful high school, students are constantly under pressure to succeed with many students going to the top colleges in the Country. Being a sophomore our councilors have begun the college “process”. The first problem is I was on an Exchange in Italy while our school began this process, so I was bombarded with all of this information a couple of days ago and I am so stressed. Also, my Mom is a Superintendent and has work in schools for almost 20 years, so she is very keen on me getting into very good schools.

So a little bit about me.
I want to be a veterinarian. That is my ultimate goal, no matter where I go to college. I have always loved learning and bettering my understanding of the world, which is why I am excited to go to college and would like to go to great schools.
I am currently taking four honors classes with a weighted GPA of 4.07 weighted and 3.67 unweighted
my first PSAT I scored a 1350 but that was with no studying so I plan on greatly increasing that.
Next year I am taking 2 AP classes 2 Honors and accelerated math. I am also taking three art courses (art, ceramics, and photo) so both academics and art are extremely important to me. Besides school and art I row, I plan on joining JV crew at this amazing boat house (CRI) than Varsity Crew senior year. Also, I am part of my school’s minds matter Club which tries to raise awareness about mental health in our school, which is something I am extremely passionate about, I am currently trying to organize a discussion between students hoping to raise awareness about mental health, and try to break the stigma in our school. Also, I am considering starting a Crew club at my school because Crew is a very expensive sport, and I would like it more accessible.

I guess I’m just here to get feedback, see what people think and/or what colleges people would recommend for me to consider. I also have a couple of colleges that I would consider to be my dream colleges/colleges that I’m thinking about.

I am looking for colleges that are very strong in studio arts/art and sciences. I am considering fairly large colleges that are in or around large cities or medium-sized colleges. I am open to small colleges but I would prefer not to be in the middle of nowhere, I would like to be exposed to new people/ideas.

Here’s my list so far:

Cornell
Brown-I would consider this to be my top dream school because they offer a dual degree with RISD where you study at both schools for five years total instead of four. Also, I don’t think I could only go to art school because I don’t plan on actively pursuing a career in art ie. an animator, designer, illustrator etc. however I would like to have my art in galleries.
UC Berkely
UCLA
New York University-I have mixed feelings about this school I’ve heard very great things about this school, but I have also heard very bad things.

I know some of these schools are extremely competitive, and where I am at now I doubt I will get into the more competitive schools. I am looking for advice on how to get into some of these more competitive schools, and any other schools to consider.

2

What’s your budget?

3

Drop the UC 's since they won’t get you to vet school. UC Davis might work (it’s THE prevet school in CA) but only if you can be full pay.
Right now you’re having dream schools. It’s easy. The real work is finding affordable safeties and matches.
Another difficult part is figuring out your parents’budget.
Finally, try to figure out fit rather than prestige, and finding options where you don’t have debt (vet school is super expensive ).

4

Of course, money is a factor, but it’s not the biggest issue. No matter where I get in we will figure out how to pay for it.

5

Even $60k/yr at the UCs?

6

Are you saying its unlikely that I will get into the schools I mentioned?

7

UCLA and UCB are Reach schools for most applicants and especially OOS. It may be worth your while to apply if is important to you but since Vet school will also be expensive, not worth spending $240K to attend these schools for undergrad. You have good stats right now but you have another year before you really need to solidify your college list. Start from the bottom up snd find some solid Match and Safety schools first, then add your Reach schools.

8

You only have reach schools on your list. I don’t see any matches or safeties. Additionally- I would have the money talk with your parents and have them fill out the NPCs for all of your schools. Will they pay $60,000 or $70,000+ per year?

The good news is that you are are not even a junior yet, so you still have plenty of time to research schools.

9

I have a brother who runs a lab at Brown and a daughter who’s at RISD & we have vets in our family so I say this with all respect…drop the idea of Brown/RISD. Unless you have a very clearly goal as an artist who is somehow also pursuing STEM (ie STEAM) that program makes no sense for your goals right now. The students who are there have very clear plans on what they’re studying and why. It only accepts about 20 each year and it is another level of insane rigor at already two rigorous schools. In order to survive freshman/foundation year at RISD you’ve gotta LOVE art and have that be a driving passion and goal.

I’d vote Cornell. But I’m biased since my niece is a large animal vet alum from the Vet School and I have a BS in Bio from there. BUT I also took as many art electives as I could and later in life got a BFA elsewhere. :wink:

In addition to Cornell, look at other schools with a strong biology department and which also has an art department so you can continue to take elective art classes too. Others universities I’m familiar with on the East Coast that fit that bill are Boston U and Syracuse.

And adding in to above comments - yes, save money on your BS if you have a good solid state school you can major in bio at. Then reach/spend your $ more at the graduate level for vet school.

10

You can major or minor in art at college, without going to Art School.

Unfortunately, unless you plan to have your parents sacrifice (hoping you have no siblings), that’s not likely. Each Spring there are students whose parents told them they’d figure it out, but in the end… they can’t. If your parents can’t save $3,000 a month for your college fund now, they won’t be able to find that money to pay for your college. Some parents refinance their home if they have equity or even raid their retirement (but then they’ll have to live with you once you have your own family, and if you find them problematic now, wait till you’re 40 with your own family and they’re both sick but want to boss you around. :p) Anyway who’d want to do that to their parents?
Some students mistakenly believe they can “just borrow money”. However, no bank will loan a young student.
You’re allowed to borrow 5.5K a year. That’s it.
Your PARENTS would have to borrow the rest, and if they stop qualifying, or if you have siblings who need money for college… everybody’s stuck.
You can start working now and save all your money though.
All in all it’ll come down to how much your parents have been able to save for you and how much they can cut from monthly expenses in order to pay your college. And if your parents make less than 75K or 125K, you’d get excellent financial aid from top schools (including Brown and Cornell).

If you truly want to be a vet, you need to think stategically.
First, you need to find two affordable safeties. That basically means two schools that would offer you full tuition to full ride for your stats (GPA X test scores).
Second, you need to find 5 affordable matches (where acceptance rates are 35%+).
Once you’re done with that, you can apply to Brown (nor the combined program, but a double major is possible) and Cornell. Both are “reach for everyone”, meaning that if you apply, you should add them on top of the others, because odds are you won’t get in. They reject 80-85% of qualified applicants.
Forget UCB/UCLA, considering your goals it makes no sense - THE prevet school in California is UC Davis and they don’t offer any financial aid, not to mention you wouldn’t be allowed to apply to California vet schools.

11

one of my parents currently makes 175k a year I don’t know about the other. However, my parents have been planning since I was born pretty much. Unfortuanlty I do have younger siblings.