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College Search & Selection
1

<p>So, the school year is underway and I'm supposed to be putting the finishing touches on my list of schools...the problem is that I can't seem to narrow it down to any less than about 10 and I am getting nervous that there is a school out there perfect for me that i have completely overlooked. </p>

<p>So i was hoping that i could post what I'm looking for in a school and my stats and you guys could give me a few suggestions on schools that might match me/what im looking for, if you have the time. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. </p>

<p>What i want in a school:
-private
-2000-8000 student population but could go either way
-location near a major city (w/in 1 hour)
-mostly in the Midwest, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic
-strong in math and science specifically physics/astronomy
-very strong academics, but not extremely competitive atmosphere- more laid back
-an intelligent wellrounded student body, but also knows how to have fun and take (often) breaks from studying
-Preferably strong school spirit and good sports- but not a necessity</p>

<p>My stats:</p>

<p>I am a white male at a private school in Ohio. </p>

<p>4.15 Weighted GPA...3.9 UW
Ranked in the top 5% but don't have exact rankings
34 ACT (35 M, 34 R, 34 E, 33 S)- Much better than my SAT and will be sending this wherever i can
2100 on the SAT (680 CR, 760 M, 660 W) </p>

<p>Our school does not let us take APs/Adv. until Junior Year and i have taken as many as my school will let me. </p>

<p>Extracurriculars </p>

<p>Football (all 4 years)
Track (3 years)- Captain next year
National Honor Society
Student Ambassador
Student Government- Senior Class President
Justice League
Junior Leadership Akron- one of only two kids from my school to get invited
about 300 hours of community service including service trip to El Salvador this summer
Theology Club-founder- encourage religious diversity with trips to different local religious sights</p>

<p>First generation college</p>

<p>Will have great recs-one from the principal of my school- and very good essays</p>

<p>Thanks for taking the time to read all of that and I really do appreciate any kind of feedback you can give and hope it will help to lower the level of my nerves. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Northwestern, Penn, Brown, Carnegie Mellon, Tufts, Lehigh, Boston College, Trinity, Holy Cross, Georgetown.</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I've only got 1 of those on my list :( Anyone else?</p>

4

<p>Swarthmore (outside Philadelphia) immediately comes to mind for astronomy.</p>

<p>Case Western, U Chicago, U Rochester, Boston U, and Johns Hopkins. Brown is superb for planetary geology.</p>

5

<p>If you don't mind being 2-3 hours from a city instead of 1, Williams truly sounds like it'll be a good fit.</p>

6

<p>Have you looked at Brandeis?</p>

7

<p>If you can ignore the big city thing I'd strongly recommend Dartmouth. The campus life is so vibrant you'll never even think of the city. The area actually has about 75,000 residents and Boston is an hour away, and I think you'll love it (awesome "spirit", tons of big weekends, "social" ivy, awesome study abroad, sophomore summer and its feeling of "camp Dartmouth," etc.) Everyone is super friendly and chill, and academically its awesome. </p>

<p>Of all th schools I've been to, I'd recommend: </p>

<p>Super Reach:
Princeton
Stanford</p>

<p>Reach
Dartmouth
Penn
Brown
Duke</p>

<p>Slight Reach
Northwestern
Georgetown
Cornell (although its more intense than the other Ivies and big)
Wash U</p>

<p>High Match
Emory
UNC (big but an AWESOME college town and social life)</p>

8

<p>Warblers, all those schools you listed hardly have non-competitive friendly student bodies who have fun. I would avoid almost all those schools.</p>

9

<p>That's true. I tended to focus more on the academic aspect than student body (and sports). They're not that bad, though. Take Chicago's Kuviasungnerk festival and Scav Hunt as examples, or Swarthmore's Crum Regatta. Even studious 18-22 year olds can't be serious all the time.</p>

10

<p>Yeah but this is college, its the time of your life. You don't want to settle fr anything but the best experience if you don't have to (say financial reasons). </p>

<p>UChicago might be fun one weekend a year, but Brown will be fun every weekend and every night for that matter AND it will have equally capable students who do just as well.</p>

11

<p>Thanks for all the responses. Many of the schools you have been recommening are on my list which makes me feel a lot better. What kind of chances do you think id have at a place like Dartmouth?</p>

12

<p>I think you have more than a decent shot. Its not certain, but you're absolutely in the running.</p>

13

<p>Wash U is a reach</p>