PLEASE help me find schools to apply to!!!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi! I'm a junior from California and really need help finding schools to apply to!I plan on majoring in Political Science. I would prefer to be on either the West or East Coast, but I'm open as far as geography. However, I'm pretty liberal and I would prefer if the school wasn't extremely conservative. I'm looking for a mid- to large-sized school that gives out pretty good aid, whether it be need-based or merit. I definitely want coed. Thank you SO MUCH for all of your help!!!</p>

<p>SAT I: 2260, first sitting (800 CR, 780 W, 680 M). May retake.
SAT II: 780 World History, took US History earlier this month (expecting 750+) and possibly Lit.
Unweighted GPA: 4.0, Weighted: 4.5
Rank: Top 2-3% (not finalized)
AP (place score in parenthesis): World History, US History, US Government & Politics, Physics B, Microecon, Literature, Physics C, Calculus AB. Lots of honors classes with a pretty rigorous schedule.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars: President of a language club, president of a political club, Editor-in-chief of newspaper, Mock Trial team (went to state), Board of Directors for a school-based charity, LINK Leader, peer tutor</p>

<p>Job/Work Experience: Intern for a congressman (summer '13); intern for huge national political organization (13-14 school year) intern for city government (summer '14), intern for a US senator (summer '14).
Volunteer/Community service: Tutoring, volunteer at a hospital, SPCA volunteer</p>

<p>State: CA
School Type: Ranked as a US News gold school (top 500 in nation); public
Race(s): White/Middle Eastern
Possible hook: I'm a dual citizen of the US and Tunisia
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: 70,000</p>

<p>Thanks so much!!!</p>

2

<p>YOU are in great shape for admission anywhere in the country. Only the Top 30 or so are going to be academic reaches. Your family’s income make you a good target for FA anywhere. You’re an automatic full tuition (and perhaps full ride) at a number of colleges. </p>

<p>OUR problem is that there are several thousand colleges to mention. In my opinion, you should consider finally having 5 reaches, 3 matches, and 2 safeties, if your family can afford that many apps (some schools like Case Western and Tulane, low matches or academic safeties for you, will not require an app fee [and will offer you gobs of money]). </p>

<p>You’ll have to do the research. Look at as many Top 30s as you like and pick 10 for your list and narrow it down to 5–these schools will like your whole package including the leadership in your ECs; look at the other several thousand, and find 30 matches that you’ll narrow to 3; look at the remaining thousands, including your state flagship perhaps, and pick 2 safeties that: you’ll absolutely get into, absolutely be able to afford, absolutely is strong in your intended major, and absolutely you will go to if it comes to that.</p>

<p>Enjoy the search and your senior year. You’ve done a great job preparing for college applications. </p>

3

<p>Thanks for your advice!</p>

4

<p>Look at the full tuition threads in the financial aid forum</p>

5

<p>As a CA resident with a $70k income, you’ll automatically get free tuition & fees at any UC you’re admitted to. :)</p>

<p><a href=“http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/paying-for-uc/glossary/blue-and-gold/”>http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/paying-for-uc/glossary/blue-and-gold/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>PS: Berkeley sounds like a good fit for you.</p>

6

<p>Thanks @Lilliana330‌! I agree, Berkeley sounds great :)</p>

7

<p>@frozens No problem :slight_smile: You should be able to build a nice match/safety list from the UC’s. All UC’s will be pretty liberal, but after Berkeley, UCLA/Davis/Santa Cruz come to mind.</p>

<p>Plenty of reaches to choose from afterwards.</p>

8

<p>If you want a UC safety, and UCs are affordable after financial aid, you can sign up for UCR’s admission guarantee during June or July, then include UCR in your regular UC application.
<a href=“http://vcsaweb.ucr.edu/Admissions/WhyUCR/ourGuarantee”>http://vcsaweb.ucr.edu/Admissions/WhyUCR/ourGuarantee&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>You can check UCR affordability here:
<a href=“http://vcsaweb.ucr.edu/FinAidManualCalculator/”>http://vcsaweb.ucr.edu/FinAidManualCalculator/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>Thanks @ucbalumnus‌! Would you still recommend signing up for that if I have ELC?</p>

10

<p>There is no cost to signing up; if you prefer UCR over UCM (the likely campus where ELC students who get shut out of other UCs are offered), then sign up for that admission guarantee.</p>

11

<p>Thank you for your advice!</p>

12

<p>Thank you for your advice!</p>