Not even sure what to do... How to start looking?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi, everyone,</p>

<p>Throughout high school, as far as the college search goes, I've taken a nonchalant position. My parents never stressed the importance of college, besides the fact that it is important to go, and now, I'm wondering how to even begin a college search. I'm a junior this year. A large number of my friends have already decided on their top college picks, or have at least thought about their planned profession and taken the SAT and/or the ACT.</p>

<p>What I would like to know is what I should do to begin my college search. Is the first step to take the SAT and ACT? Or is it to look around at tentative college choices and pick an area of study?</p>

<p>I'll post some info about myself...</p>

<p>HS Graduation Year: 2012
HS Type: College Prep/Classical Education
Freshmen GPA: Unknown (Skipped 9th grade...Still trying to figure out how that fits in)
Sophomore GPA: 4.6 Weighted
Current GPA: 5.00 Weighted, 4.00 Unweighted
Class Rank (Freshman): Unknown
Class Rank (Sophomore): 7/112
Class Rank (Current): Unknown (School doesn't rank), but definitely top 5%
PSAT Scores: 189 - Sophomore, 212 - Junior</p>

<p>AP Scores Received: US History - 4
Current Courseload: DC Sociology, DC Philosophy, AP Language and Composition, Honors Economics, Honors French III, Honors Chemistry I, AP U.S. Gov. and Politics, Honors Pre-Calculus, Honors Latin III, more courses TBA
Extracurriculars: Cross Country Running, International Club (Founding Member), National Honor Society
Community Service: I'm not sure of the exact count, but I know that I have at least 20 hours.</p>

<p>Strong in Social Studies, English, French, Latin (Linguistics)
Weaker in Math </p>

<p>As it is, my tentative career choice is in Pharmacy or Medicine, with minors in French and Classical Languages. I was looking at Asbury College and Calvin College, or possibly IU or Ball State. </p>

<p>What do I need to do now? I'm thinking that the first logical step would be to take the SAT/ACT. Is that correct? Would taking the January 22nd SAT give me enough time to prep? Should I start doing college visits? </p>

<p>One of my teachers (she went to Cornell University) suggested that I look at Ivy colleges, and my uncle (who went to UChicago, John Hopkins, and Princeton, and has invested for MIT) told me that I'd be able to get into anywhere I'd like to.</p>

<p>Based on what I've read on these boards, though, it's a lot more difficult to get into colleges nowadays. These past years, I've just padded my GPA and taken full courseloads. This year, I got a 212 on the PSAT, so I'll certainly be Commended and may make the NMS cutoff for my state. But I don't think it's a good idea for me to just sit back anymore.</p>

<p>So what do I need to do first?</p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

2

<p>First: your grades are excellent. Congratulations.
Second - yes, take the SATs, ACTs, and consider taking some SAT2s. The selective schools require them.
Meantime, speak frankly with your parents – what are they able to pay? Have them look at the costs of various schools, about filing FAFSA, about various loans available to them. This is crucial: it’s no fun falling in love with a school, getting in, and having to go elsewhere because you realize you can’t afford the tuition. Also discuss with your parents the possibility of visiting some campuses, perhaps during your spring break? Or next summer?</p>

<p>Ask yourself what kind of a school appeals to you: geographic location? large/small? Urban/suburban/rural? A university or a liberal arts college (LAC)?</p>

<p>Compile a list of perhaps 7-10 schools. They should include ‘reaches’ (Ivy League, Stanford, UChicago, Johns Hopkins etc.) matches (where your scores/grades and interest fit the school’s and admitted students’ profile) and safeties (your state university, for example.)</p>

<p>It’s a lot to think about – but there are also a lot of sources of information, starting with this website, and including princetonreview.com and collegeboard.com. Good luck – as a junior, you’re right on time with seriously tackling the whole college search/decision stuff.</p>

3

<p>Thank you so much for the advice! I’ll make sure to follow it.</p>

<p>I’ve never talked to my parents about how to pay for college. They think that I’ll be a good candidate for scholarships, but that obviously won’t cover everything. But I’d be able to pay some, I’m sure. I’ll have to check with them and see. And I could go visit colleges in the IN/OH/MI/IL/KY area soon.</p>

<p>I just did the College SuperMatch search here on the CC website, and it gave me </p>

<p>The University of Texas at Austin
WU - St. Louis
Columbia University
UChicago
John Hopkins
UPenn
Vanderbilt
UCLA
Georgetown University </p>

<p>All of those had above 90% match rates. I stuck in my projected SAT (2120) and ACT (32) for scores, since I have nothing else to go on testwise at the moment. Some of those colleges are top-tier, and I don’t really see myself actually being able to get in, so…</p>

<p>How can you be sure that a school is a reach or a safety? Is it based on research of generally accepted students? And I’m not sure just how to narrow down the college environment that I’d like. I was homeschooled from PreK-10th grade, so I’m pretty socially reserved. But it might be good for me to go to a larger college. I certainly want to go to a college in or near a large city.</p>

<p>Alright…Well, I’ll start looking around. How much time do people usually need to prep for the SAT and ACT? </p>

<p>Thank you again for your help!</p>

<p>How many SAT IIs do colleges require? By next year, I should be ready to take the US History, Math (1 and 2), Biology (E…Maybe M), Chemistry, French, Latin, Literature, and maybe Physics. That sounds like overkill, though. Are SAT II’s far more difficult than AP tests?</p>

4

<p>You can get into some of the schools you mentioned. Aim for lower Ivies and generally top 30 schools. You have a decent shot at those schools.</p>

<p>Take SATIIs in June when you’ve had a year to learn the material. SATIIs are usually easier than AP exams. Good colleges require 2 or 3, I’d take 4 (so you can pick your best scores to send to colleges). And also, dont take Math 1 and 2. It’s redundant. I’d recommend you take Math 2 when you finish pre-calculus.</p>

<p>Reserved, not partiers tend to like LACs also. Take a look at the elite LACs.</p>

5

<p>Go to your local library or bookstore and get a college guide such as the Fiske Guide or the Insiders Guide.</p>

<p>Take the Jan SAT and plan to take at least two subject tests in May or June. The college board publishes practice tests so you can see which subject tests you are most comfortable with. </p>

<p>If you live near one or more colleges, take the opportunity to visit when they are offering information sessions and tours. Get a feel for some different college campuses (university, liberal arts college, city, rural, public private, etc).</p>

<p>After that, you’ll have a better idea where to focus your search. Good luck!</p>

6

<p>Seriously, you do not need any sort of college guide.
Throughout my junior year, I found collegeconfidential to be more helpful than my college counselor. Just browse through and see if you fit…</p>

7

<p>Thank you, everyone! Your advice is much appreciated. I think that will try to sign up for the January SAT. I hope that I can at least hit 2120 (my projected score based on my PSAT). Would it be bad to sign up for the Feb. 7th ACT, too? Does that create too much stress, or are the tests similar enough that it wouldn’t kill you to take both in close proximity? I’ll also look into the SAT IIs for June. </p>

<p>Personally, I didn’t want to look up college rankings or anything because I didn’t want to be scared half to death. I’d describe myself as an above average, but certainly not elite, student. I could push myself to apply for Ivies, possibly, but it wouldn’t happen right off the top of my head (like it seems to for many people on these boards). </p>

<p>This has been extremely informative! (I never would’ve known to take the SAT IIs at the end of the year)</p>

8

<p>I disagree with averby about the value of college guides, especially those I mentioned. because they have detailed narratives about each school. Getting advice here on college confidential is more useful after you have done some initial research yourself. College choice is not solely based on SAT scores and grades; its what you want to get out of your college experience. Before you ask others for advice, you have to do some thinking about what is important to you. Taking a look through the guides will give you an idea of what different schools have to offer, in terms of academics, social, local environment, sports, diversity etc. which will help you to consider what you are looking to get out of your college.</p>

9

<p>Thinking about Pharmacy? UCONN has an excellent program.
Also, UCONN has a great Honors Program.</p>

10

<p>Most schools have college fairs - our high school has them every spring. Watch for those and visit the booths. You can ask questions and just get a feel for different schools.</p>

<p>Then be sure and start visiting colleges. Nothing beats visiting to get a feel for what a school is like.</p>

11

<p>If you are an Indiana resident and want to stay in the Midwest, there are several good options for pharmacy. Butler has early assurnace into their pharmacy program. You will get done in 6 years, and the school has great job placement. Purdue is best known for its pharmacy program and does have slight preference for Purdue undergrads, as well as pre-pharmacy counselors. Manchester College would give you a lot of merit aid, and is opening a new pharmacy school next year. They will not be doing early assurance, but have stated a strong preference for their undergrads.
Ohio has numerous pharmacy schools as well.
Of course, you can go anywhere to take the prereqs, but these are schools to consider in addition to the regular ones that you will here about on CC.
More info on pharmacy programs is here:
[AACP</a> - Admissions](<a href=“http://www.aacp.org/resources/student/pharmacyforyou/admissions/Pages/default.aspx#06andearlyassuranceprograms]AACP”>Admissions | AACP)</p>

12

<p>^Some people have suggested Butler to me, and I’m familiar with the campus (my sister did dance down there for 10 years). Purdue, UCincinnati, or Ohio State are also good places that I could visit, since they’re close by. </p>

<p>I did go to a college fair, but it was very general and I didn’t get too much specific info. Plus, it was for Christian colleges only, so they were all private. I found a few good options there (Cedarville, Calvin, Asbury), but nothing too major. </p>

<p>Thanks for the link to the AACP page! That has a ton of good info.</p>

<p>At this point, I think that it’s definitely established that I need to take the SAT/ACT before I can know anything else. Should I sign up for just the SAT? Or is it easy to take both the SAT and ACT at the same time? In the meanwhile, I’ll check out some college guides and read up on the requirements for pharmacy studies and whether I’d be able to fit my requested minors into my curriculum. </p>

<p>Thanks, everyone!</p>

13

<p>since it is your first time, I think it is fine to sign up and begin to study, as long as you expect to take the tests more than once. My DS tok them both at end of sophomore year and then determined that SAT was not for him, so he then focused on ther ACT. he is also a junior and is looking at various Indiana schools.</p>

<p>With your initial information (regardless of major) I would figure out what kind of campus that you like by traveling to a variety of LACs, large univeristies and smaller national schools. On this site and others you will can connect with people interested in all sorts of schools. Because my DS wants to be an optometrist, we are saving money in ndergrad by focusing on state schools with merit aid and LACs that have excellent med school acceptances and merit aid. he looked at pharmacy, so I am familiar with those schools as well. </p>

<p>Once you sit down with your family and figure out how much they will be expected to pay (EFC) and how much they CAN pay, it will help you narrow things down. I am proud of you for jumping into it. </p>

<p>BTW, if you do decide to apply to IU, work with your GC to get the app in soon ASAP your senior year. There are some very competitive scholarships that are decided soon, and some that require the school to recommend you. Also, the “auto” merit aid has a November deadline. With your scores, you should have a huge choice of colleges. Just make sure you pick the best fit for the best price for your family.</p>