Opinions/Recommendations for Schools

College Search & Selection
1

<p>yo. (Don't worry there's a quick overview below if you don't want to read all of this)
So I live in Michigan and go to a competitive public school in a good city.
I was a lazy kid in 9th grade. As in, In my Honors Sophomore English class (American Literature) I didn't start semester papers until the night before. It got out of hand, but recently I've been doing better. </p>

<p>Regardless, I have a 3.89 weighted GPA and around a high 3.7 unweighted. I'm two years ahead in math, and I've always been in all honors courses except my graduation requirement classes. </p>

<p>I'm enrolled in AP Calculus AB, AP US Government, AP Microeconomics (1st semester, I got an A), AP Macroeconomics, Honors Debate, and Chemistry (There is no honors chemistry at my school just Chemistry and Remedial Chem.)</p>

<p>My senior year courses are as follows: AP Calculus BC, AP Spanish, AP Statistics, Honors Physics, Honors Humanities I (first semester), Honors Humanities II (second semester), Interpersonal Communication, and Photoshop (Art Credit Required to graduate :/)
*Side note- Honors Humanities is like a course on the Classics e.g. Plato, Socrates</p>

<p>I've taken the following/will take this year AP Tests: Calculus AB, US Government, Comparative Government, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Human Geography</p>

<p>Anyway, so I took the ACT sophomore year and got a 30 (disappointed), so I was like ok I'll study and do better. Thus, I took a Princeton Review Course and studied for the state mandated March ACT and got a.....31...... Needless to say, I was angry. I had already signed up for the April ACT at that point so I was like ok whatever and I took it no studying before hand. Got a 35 (E: 35, M: 36, R: 36, S:32, Essay: 10)..... It was a happy day. </p>

<p>I'm interested in Business and Economics and would like to go into International Business and Law. I REALLY love the University of Michigan, The University of Pennsylvania, and The University of Chicago. But the major issue is that my family's income is around $250,000 to $300,000....So I'm in a weird situation where I don't qualify for any kind of need-based aid, but my father cannot just write a check for 50,000 every year.</p>

<p>As for Extra Currics, I'm on Varsity Tennis and the Captain. I've been on it for 4 years. I'm Executive Board for National Honor Society, VP of History Club, VP and one of teh founders of Student Investment Club, and a general member of Model United Nations. Also, I'm interning this summer for Rick Snyder's Campaign for Governor of Michigan, and I applied to an Economics summer program but I have yet to hear back from them yet.</p>

<p>Quick overview if you don't want to read that^
GPA: 3.89W, 3.75UW
Rank: ~50/513
SAT: Should I take it? I have a great vocabulary...
SAT IIs: Math II soon and what other ones should I take?
ACT: 35 (E: 35, M: 36, R: 36, S:32, Essay: 10)
APs: Calculus AB, US Gov't, Comparative Gov't, Microecon, Macroecon, Human Geography
Senior year classes: AP Calculus BC, AP Spanish, AP Statistics, Honors Physics, Honors Humanities
ECs: Tennis (4 years varsity and Capt), NHS (Exec Board), History Club (VP), Student Investment Club (VP), Model United Nations. Internship for Rick Snyder in the gubernatorial election, Possible summer economics program.
White, Male, Income of $250,000-$300,000
I'm also 1/8 Spanish, which according to the Common App is Hispanic. Is 1/8 ENOUGH to be considered Hispanic? I mean I don't want to put down Hispanic and then get like charged with fraud or something....</p>

<p>As of now this is my list of colleges that I'm interested in/will apply to:
The University of Michigan (LSA and Ross Pre-Admit)
The University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
The University of Chicago
Northwestern University
Case Western Reserve University (my dad wants me to apply there....)
Kalamazoo College</p>

<p>Any suggestions for other schools? or experiences with these schools? Chances?
thanks in advance.</p>

2

<p>Check out Cornell, Georgetown, and Northwestern</p>

3

<p>alright, thanks. I was considering Cornell, but I’m not sure about Top Ivies.
Are there any specific reasons why I should look into those schools?</p>

4

<p>Don’t bother taking the SAT. You already have a great ACT score, so at this point it would just be more stress and more money sent to Collegeboard’s coffers.</p>

<p>I’m in a similar income situation as you…on another thread here someone recommended Kalamazoo to me for the merit aid, so that sounds like a good option. No new school recommendations, sorry.</p>

5

<p>Alright thanks. Yeah I live a few hours East of Kalamazoo and I really enjoyed my visit there. The only issue I have with it is that it’s must smaller than my high school, 1300ish compared to about 6000 (my school is 3 schools of 2000 each all on one campus and we all walk among the three schools for classes e.g. if you have ap economics you have to walk to school A even if you are a student at school B)
Also, when I visited I got a pamphlet about merit aid and I qualify for an automatic Half Ride, but then if I receive that I can apply for a full ride</p>

6

<p>I’m interested in Business and Economics and would like to go into International Business and Law. I REALLY love the University of Michigan, The University of Pennsylvania, and The University of Chicago. But the major issue is that my family’s income is around $250,000 to $300,000……So I’m in a weird situation where I don’t qualify for any kind of need-based aid, but my father cannot just write a check for 50,000 every year.</p>

<p>Ok…some of the people above seem to be ignoring this VERY important part of your post. What would be the point of getting accepted to UPenn or Cornell if your dad has already told you he can’t pay for them???</p>

<p>Your problem is that you won’t qualify for ANY financial aid at all. Your parents will be expected to pay the entire COA. No school will give you aid. </p>

<p>So, applying to schools like Cornell, UPenn, etc will leave you with a huge bill that you can’t pay.</p>

<p>**So, how much can your dad pay each year? If you don’t know, ask. THAT answer will be the single most important factor for where you can apply. ** </p>

<p>You will likely have to include some schools that will give you huge merit for your stats.</p>

<p>Can your dad pay in-state COA for UMich? If so, that would be one good choice…but you’ll need some others that he can pay for either outright or with the assistance of merit scholarships.</p>

<p>And, if law school (or B-school) is in your future, you need to minimize any loans for undergrad, because law (or B-school) school is expensive.</p>

7

<p>Haha whaddup PCEP, I am located 3-4 miles from there!</p>

<p>and Michigan/kalamazoo/case western seems near an auto admit for you. All the other schools, seem like tiny-higher reaches. </p>

<p>And if you have money troubles, well not so much parental support, then do Michigan, you can’t go wrong there. Also State put together some pretty legit packages for a kid at my school U of D jesuit (Full ride honors college, auto admit to med school, professors assistant, paid to do research) and you could look into them i guess. But to me Michigan seems the best for you- top 4 undergrad business school, lovely campus, ann arbor is an awesome town. </p>

<p>Also check out Berkelely for business, and also georgetown would be good for the international aspect.</p>

<p>ALSO to mom2collegekids, he will be instate to Umichigan so that = 25,000 or so a year and much less than others.</p>

8

<p>*
Also check out Berkelely for business,*</p>

<p>Berkeley won’t work…that’s $50k per year for OOS.</p>

9

<p>Oh ya forgot he is limited keep remembering the (250k-300k), kill the Berkeley was just naming off decent business schools.</p>

10

<p>Thanks. ahahah yeah P-CEP is pretty notorious.
Yeah that’s my main issue. My dad said he could easily pay for me to go to Michigan he just doesnt want to spend 1/6 of our family’s gross income on me going to college. Also, Law and B-school are what I plan on doing, both actually, so that would cost a lot so that’s why I’m ATTEMPTING to minimize my undergraduate costs while still getting a great education from a prestigious school so I can get into the Tier 1 graduate schools.
On a side note, what would be better to do first, Law school or Business school? or possibly a joint MBA/JD Program?</p>

11

<p>You can do undergrad business then Law school i guess and maybe pursue MBA after you are settled. But remember if you want to do law+Mba do you want to pay off a lifetime of debt? Also Michigan had 60 or so go to its law school right out of graduating undergrad there so its not like that hampers you.</p>

12

<p>yeah that’s what I was thinking of doing. I don’t want massive amounts of debt but I really want to go to great schools</p>

13

<p>It looks like your choice of schools is pretty regional (ie other than Penn, they’re all in the Midwest). Some other top Midwestern schools would be Wisconsin-Madison, WUSTL, Notre Dame, Oberlin, and perhaps Carnegie Mellon (a teeny stretch to be considered in the Midwest). But if you give more specifics on what you want in a school, people can give you better suggestions on schools all over the country.</p>

14

<p>With your income, it would be a waste of your time to apply to private colleges unless you can convince your parents they want to pay the bill. Most do not just pay out of current income, colleges also expect families have saved and are willing to borrow.</p>

<p>For business school, it’s a catch 22. They want you to have substantial, strong work experience for 4 or 5 years after college before you apply. The better the undergrad school you attend, the easier it is to get a job that will lead to a top business school.</p>

<p>Top colleges are way overrepresented at top law and business schools. So the bottom line is in your position I might negotiate with your parents to pay all they can for undergrad with your contributing with loans and summer work to go to the best college you can given your goals.</p>

15

<p>Schools with Good Business that are not that expensive:
UVA (McIntire)
UNC (Kenan-Flagler)
IU (Kelley) - Midwest
William & Mary (Mason)
UIUC - Midwest
MSU (Broad) - Midwest
UW-Madison - Midwest</p>

16

<p>*Also, Law and B-school are what I plan on doing, both actually, so that would cost a lot so that’s why I’m ATTEMPTING to minimize my undergraduate costs while still getting a great education from a prestigious school so I can get into the Tier 1 graduate schools.
On a side note, what would be better to do first, Law school or Business school? or possibly a joint MBA/JD Program? *</p>

<p>I would have a little chat with dad and do a little negotiating since you have such long-term plans that involve a lot of education and money.</p>

<p>I would ask my dad…“If I go to UMich, MSU, or a good mid-tier school that won’t cost much (because of merit scholarships and such), will you help me with law and business school?” You’re a good candidate for big merit at many schools…perhaps even at Umich or MSU. Indiana would give you $9k, but that’s still more expensive than UMich. There are also mid-tiers that would give you big merit for your stats - such as free tuition. That would mean your dad’s cost would be about $12-15k per year (for room, board, books, etc) </p>

<p>There are many mid-tiers that will do a fine job educating you and you can still get into a Tier 1 law school or top business school. </p>

<p>Your goal needs to be to graduate with as little debt as possible. For undergrad/grad/law school, the most you can borrow with Stafford loans (combined) is $138k. (That’s about $1600 a month). That loan amount wouldn’t even pay for law school, much less undergrad or B-school. That’s why you need to negotiate with your dad to get help throughout your entire education.</p>

<p>A joint program would probably take less time and cost less overall.</p>