<p>My daughter is a math major-to-be, also interested in humanities (esp. English); unweighted GPA 3.6 (weighted 4.3--many advanced/AP courses), boards around 2000. She's compiling a list of places to apply and would love some input. She wants a range, from reaches to places where she might get significant financial support (she is also Hispanic). So far the list includes:</p>
<p>Hopkins
NYU
Cal Berkeley
Barnard (a reach, but she's a legacy)</p>
<p>Should she try for Cornell or Penn, or is that a waste of time? Where else would you recommend?</p>
<p>Amherst is also a reach but very good if your daughter has the resume to back up her interests. GPA isn’t everything. Also think about kenyon college.</p>
<p>All of the schools you listed are good; yes apply to Cornell.</p>
<p>Also check out the University Athletic Association schools (similar to Ivy League):</p>
<p>Brandeis University
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Emory University
New York University
University of Chicago
University of Rochester
Washington University in St. Louis</p>
<p>I don’t think Berkeley gives aid to out-of-state students so she would have to be in-state. If she is in CA then she should apply to other UC’s that she has a better chance of getting into. Look at the Patriot League schools.</p>
<p>Being a girl, a math major, and an underrepresented minority will open doors for her. She should contact the math departments of her prospective schools and ask about opportunities and programs that will fit her.</p>
<p>The following are the traditional “National Universities” that offer an Ivy-like education, but that are not techinically ivies. Note that these are still very competitive when it comes to admissions.</p>
<p>Stanford
MIT
Cal-Tech
Duke
Georgetown
Northwestern
Boston College
Notre Dame
Carnegie Mellon University
University of Chicago
John Hopkins
Vanderbuilt
Rice Univ.
WUSTL</p>
<p>Okay, no. Duke is considered to be equal to or better than most of the Ivies. JHU is weaker than some of the Ivies, but it is a peer of Cornell and Brown (ranked higher on US News, but I feel like it is weaker in some respects). Northwestern and Georgetown are also peers of many of the Ivies. </p>
<p>In any case, I think UCB is a good target. JHU and Cornell are going to be reaches.</p>
<p>The UCs don’t practice affirmative action on the level of the private schools the OP is considering, so OP’s chances at JHU, Cornell, etc should be better than for UCB. </p>
<p>Look up Proposition 209. CA publics don’t consider race, sex, or ethnicity in admission, while schools that practice AA consider race, sex, or ethnicity in order to give preference to underrepresented groups. </p>
<p>These are great ideas! In answer to questions, she will look in any location; prefers leafy green campus but in a large town/city; don’t think she can do Stanford etc. but many of these are awesome. What do you think of:</p>
<p>Hopkins
NYU
Barnard
Smith
Holyoke
Brandeis
Washington</p>
<p>Also, would Northwestern be too great a stretch? And is Lafayette as strong as these others?</p>
<p>Is money no object? Can you pay for her to go wherever she gets in?</p>
<p>If not, you need to consider cost into your list. Schools like NYU give horrible aid. JHU doesn’t give great aid, either. And, if you’re not instate for Calif (and low income) do not expect aid from any Calif state schools.</p>
<p>What is her M+CR SAT? Will she test again?</p>
<p>Being a female Hispanic may help at some schools, but not much at others. There are a good number of Hispanic women in top schools. It’s male URMs that are more in demand.</p>
<p>We are in New Jersey. Cost may be a factor, but at this point, we are researching possibilities without factoring in aid. I am a single parent with a not-huge income and I believe loans will be available. We also have some savings.</p>
<p>What are LACs and M+CR SATs? We are new to this as you might guess!</p>
<p>Agree that CA state schools may have to come off the list.</p>