As I’ve begun to apply to colleges, I’ve begun to set my sights on the Ivies and other similar schools. However, besides Rutgers I don’t have any safeties and I was wondering if someone could help.\
SAT: 2340
SAT 2: Bio-M, Chem, Physics: All 800
GPA: 3.91 UW/4.41 W
Recs: One is from my bio teacher, should be fantastic. 10/10
The other is from my science competition adviser, should be great. 9/10
Counselor Rec: 7-9/10, not really sure.
APs: Bio, Chem, Macro/Micro, Calc BC, Physics 1, World: 5, APUSH: 4
Senior year APs: English, Physics C, Chinese, plus a university biology course
Extracurriculars:
Science Olympiad captain
Biology Olympiad captain
Science Bowl captain
Middle school Science Bowl coaching
Molecular biology research club
Varsity crew
Research at a biotech firm
@BestJunglerNA I would suggest you add TCNJ along with Rutgers. The new TCNJ STEM center will be open for you.
I think in your case a safety is purely relative. I would view Lehigh or University of Rochester as pretty much safety schools. Going too far down could backfire.
@BatesParent2019 Yeah, that makes sense. I guess “safety” isn’t the right word - Rutgers/TCNJ are schools I’d be happy going to that I have an extremely good chance of getting into. What schools do you think I have a decent, albeit not definite, chance at?
I always encourage people to apply to at least one safety that has EA/rolling decision. Many high level students in my area apply to UMichigan. If you apply early you should hear back by December – if you get in then it is a safety. Another choice that might also be a good financial option would be SUNY Binghamton or SUNY Stony Brook — the NYS school have very good OOS rates.
The nice thing about safeties is for all intents and purposes you only need 1. You might choose a second if you want a choice in March but by definition it’s not necessary.
@bestjunglerna You will walk into Rutgers and TCNJ and probably get the big merit package at TCNJ. I live in NJ I am familiar with that. So you have two academic and financial safeties.
Lehigh has a series of merit awards as does University of Rochester. With the near perfect stats you have its a very good bet the outcome will be excellent.
I think those four are great below your Ivy League applications, which are anyone’s guess given your desired course of study and ethnicity.
You might want swap out an Ivy or two for schools like Boston College, Notre Dame, Wash U, Tufts or Vanderbilt because of the Asian traffic at the Ivy League schools. You should do well with need-based money at all the schools except Rutgers and TCNJ.
Safeties must be affordable, so have you considered your cost constraints in relation to how much each proposed school (particularly safety candidates) costs.
“I always encourage people to apply to at least one safety that has EA/rolling decision. Many high level students in my area apply to UMichigan”
U Michigan a safety? LOL. Maybe for a Michigan student with top scores, grades and outstanding ECs. I don’t think it is a safety for any out of state students.
^^^ I made that assumption too but was told that high stats students in Michigan could consider UMich at least a match if not a safety. However, it’s a reach if one doesn’t live in Michigan. I would assume the “my area” mentioned in that post is Michigan.