<p>I don’t think they would mind me applying to those schools as safeties, but they would be unhappy if I attended there. I’m not trying to imply that they’re bad schools, it’s just that I’ve been raised to think in a different way. They would be perfectly content if I got into George Washington or University of Richmond as well. </p>
<p>Thank you about the boarding school suggestion. It was the first time I’ve heard of it, but I don’t think they would be happy if I graduated college a year know. I know I seem difficult, but they’re putting a lot of pressure on me but not doing anything to help me with the process. I don’t even know what to do anymore and my counselor is not helpful.</p>
<p>If you apply to a selective test-optional school without sending scores, then your GPA, rank, and ECs better be above average for enrolled students. </p>
<p>Test optional schools that are less selective than Wake Forest include:
Agnes Scott
American U.
Clark University
College of the Atlantic
Dickinson
Earlham
Goucher
Guilford
Hobart & Wm Smith
Ithaca
Lawrence University
Muhlenberg
Sarah Lawrence
Sewanee
Union College
Washington College</p>
<p>Lawrence University is a private LAC in Wisconsin. It seems to have a strong physics program and pretty good need-based aid.</p>
<p>Thank you so much! I can finally start being realistic about which colleges could accept me. Do you guys know of Sarah Lawrence has a good physics program?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Sarah Lawrence is excellent for writing and the humanities, but not for the sciences.
Lawrence is the university that’s excellent at physics yet accessible with your academic achievements while not being out of reach due to your SAT. With its R1 program it’d be a very good opportunity.
[LU-R1</a> | Lawrence University](<a href=“http://www.lawrence.edu/academics/programs/lu-r1]LU-R1”>http://www.lawrence.edu/academics/programs/lu-r1)
Dickinson is very good at science. A little less selective is Muhlenberg, cited above. Great at science and not too selective you have Juniata college. All three are in Pennsylvania.
College of Wooster and Allegheny are two other good schools for your stats.Earlham, Beloit, as well.
Look at Colleges that Change lives. <a href=“http://www.ctcl.org/[/url]”>http://www.ctcl.org/</a>
Agnes Scott is strong in physics and astrophysics, I believe.</p>
<p>Don’t panic. Just study for the SATs and take the ACT if you can in the next month. Then you know you gave it your best shot. You may be surprised. S2 raised his ACT dramatically in November of senior year so it can be done.</p>
<p>I think speaking 5 languages is an asset and your dance is as well. There have been many suggestions for good options for you. I agree with Lawrence since they also have strong music(arts) and strong science. Take a look at Dickinson also because they have have strong science and an ‘international’ feel (not sure about dance there). As a safety, apply to Washington College, they have built a newer science building and it is not that far from Virginia. We liked it a lot.</p>
<p>Have you run the NPC’s on each website?
Don’t look at “sticker price”, what matters is the price YOUR family would pay.
You need to at least apply to a few test optional schools and have a few schools your family feels are “prestigious enough” but accessible for you.
Agnes Scott should fit the bill - old school for the Southern elite’s daughters, now very dynamic and well-respected, good physics program.
Lawrence, with the R1 program, should definitely be on your radar. You’ll get an excellent education there and have excellent prospects.
Dickinson will totally appreciate the fact you speak 5 languages, and you’d probably be able to study science in a country where one of these languages is spoken.
I second Washington College and it would likely satisfy your family’s quest for old-school respectability.
Lots of possibilities for you academically, so run the NPCs and let us know how much your family can pay, if they can pay their EFC, if you’ll need merit, etc.
BTW, at some of the above schools, if you get a higher SAT scores, you will probably get merit money.</p>
<p>I just redid the net price calculators for them. They’re still the same price and Lawrence is the mpst expensive out of the others mentioned. I don’t think my parents will be able to pay much ~$4000. The colleges are four or five times the price.</p>
<p>Talk with your parents.
You are unlikely to find colleges that cost $4,000. UVA, in-state, would cost $26,500 (of course, you’d get $5,500 in loans and UVA meets need so you would probably pay less than that - run the NPCs for UVA to get an idea. What does the NPC tell you?) Even community colleges can cost more, depending on where you go and whether you live at home. Room and board alone can be $8-15,000.
Try to figure out the situation.
Are they lower-income, with very few savings?
Did they expect you’d get into a top school and money would take care of itself?
Did they think you’d win a full tuition scholarship, or even a full ride?
Or are they unwilling to pay more than 4,000 if it’s not HYPSM etc?
Do you have a high EFC they can’t meet, or a very low EFC?</p>
<p>We are middle class.They would be willing to pay a lot more if it was some of the “prestigious” schools though. I ran at the net price for UVA and URichmond and I would practically have to pay nothing, but of course my stats are not high enough. I didn’t realize other colleges wouldn’t be as cheap before. I just looked at the price for Reed and it would be affordable, but it seems difficult to get into as well.</p>
<p>Yes, Reed is very difficult to get into. It’s very intense, and intensely intellectual.</p>
<p>Each school calculates financial aid differently. Some schools meet 100% need but few do. Regardless of the school, you’ll always get a different offer if you’re in the top 25% or in the middle 50%.
So start looking for schools where you’re in the top 25%.</p>
<p>Your solutions:1° ask for a rescore (because a 2000+ estimate that turns into a 1590 may mean there was an error. Mistakes happen. Not often, but if you did practice tests and regularly scored 2000-2200, then it’s possible something went wrong; again: if it was based on a hunch and friends telling you it’d be easy, then don’t ask for a rescore).
2° Take the ACT, some students do better on it. 3° Retake the SAT.
In short: try to get your scores in line with your other stats.</p>
<p>You can still register but hurry as late registration is soon over. Test dates: Dec 7 for the SAT or SAT subjects, Dec 14 for the ACT.</p>
<p>Then, look at the test optional schools. Wake Forest is the best one but there are plenty others.</p>
<p>You can also look at test flexible schools: do you have 1 AP 4 or 5 in math or science, 1 AP 4 or 5 in history or a social science, and another AP 5? Then you can apply to some prestigious schools such as Bowdoin, Bryn Mawr, etc. The AP scores would replace your SAT scores.</p>
<p>There is no point in asking for a rescore, I probably got the correct score. I am retaking the SAT on the 7th and I will be practicing everyday. Hopefully it’ll go up to a 1800. My old counselor said that JMU and VT would be safeties last year and she is quite knowledgeable. Wouldn’t Wake Forest be a reach for me?</p>
<p>Wake Forest is test optional. So, with your current curriculum and GPA, you’d have a shot. Your SAT score really doesn’t mesh with your academics; could be a one-time fluke, could be the test (that’s why it’s worth it to try the ACT too).</p>
<p>I assume your counselor thought you’d get higher than that because with your current score JMU and Vtech are not safeties. Your current SAT score places you in the bottom 20-25% students, and those who are admitted with these stats tend to be athletes, legacies, and kids who had to overcome incredible obstacles.</p>
<p>Wait till we have that second SAT score but check out every school, fill out the “request information” form to get the free brochures (that may get your parents interested), do not discard URichmond etc. In short, keep your options open.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your help. I have cleared my head and my mom supports me applying to lesser known colleges as long as their education is good. I’m going to make my college list now.</p>
<p>Wake Forest may be test optional but realize that it only means more weight would be placed on other areas of your application and I’m not so sure a 3.5 GPA would cut it at a school as highly ranked as WFU. But give it a shot, you never know if you don’t try.</p>
<p>Did your SAT sitting offer the service where you can see what you actually got right/wrong, like the PSAT sends? If so, order that if you still can so you can see what you missed and go over everything.</p>
<p>Also try the ACT. My S did much better on it than on the SAT.</p>
<p>iSab: this is wonderful news that your mother came around and is going to support you. Check out all the schools mentioned on this thread, start reading the Fiske Guide or Insider’s Guide or Princeton Review’s best colleges, and don’t hesitate to come back.</p>
<p>Your parents need to face the reality of your score and GPA and you do too. Definitely take the SAT or ACT again, but raising your score 500 points would be a surprise. We are very fortunate to have some really wonderful public universities and colleges in Virginia. You should not discount them because they aren’t “ivy league”. I suggest you visit several and learn about the programs they offer (for example CNU has an honors program that provides some scholarship money that you may qualify for - and there is no way that CNU is more expensive instate than Penn State as an OOS student). Additionally, Virginia provides money to in state students who attend private colleges (last year about 3K) - so keep that in mind as well. Another path to the upper level schools is to do the community college program that allow you to transfer to UVA, W&M and Tech if you get the qualifying community college GPA (usually above a 3.0). I think with your current GPA, SAT, and activities you should consider:</p>
<p>Safeties:
Old Dominion
Longwood
Radford
Mary Washington</p>
<p>Medium Chance:
Christopher Newport
VCU
JMU
Va. Tech
George Mason</p>
<p>Reaches:
UVA
W&M
Univ. of Richmond</p>
<p>Others to Consider in Virginia:
Sweet Briar College
Lynchburg College
Liberty University
Roanoke College
Hollins University
Ferrum College
Shenandoah College
Hampton University
Mary Baldwin
UVA - Wise
Randolph Macon</p>
<p>There is no shame is going to a state or private school in Virginia. You are ultimately trying to get the very best education that your scores qualify you for. Better to mourn and move on to what is realistic for you and your budget.</p>
<p>My gpa is actually a 3.87 weighed. My school does not provide an unweighted gpa, but I’m assuming they do nit count the honors bonus. My grades are pretty decent besides for math. That is why my gpa seems so low.</p>
Check out all the schools mentioned on this thread, start reading the Fiske Guide or Insider’s Guide or Princeton Review’s best colleges, and don’t hesitate to come back.</p>