I’m stressing because I’m having a hard time finding safety schools that I can get in, afford to go to, and would enjoy going to I would really appreciate your help in suggesting some safeties!!! I know I’ll probably have to sacrifice some of my preferences, but that’s okay. I’m more afraid of being rejected everywhere and not having anything to fall back on.
The biggest thing right now is finding schools I can afford. :-S
My stats-
GPA is 94.6 unweighted, 99.2 weighted on a 100-point scale with an upward trend. ACT superscore as of now is 31 and current rank is 13/404. I’ve taken the most rigorous course available in my high school, which will include 13 APs by the time I graduate. An AP Scholar w/ Distinction. I am also a QuestBridge Finalist
Extracurriculars:
-Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America; Texas Officer (10,11,12). TRiO Upward Bound (11,12). Science Bowl (10,11,12) Secretary (12). Teen Court (10,11,12): Bailiff and clerk. Action Plan Committee (10): Student rep. NHS (11,12)
Job/Work Experience: Current internship at my school’s bistro
Volunteer/Community service: ~100ish hours
Summer Activities: FCCLA summer camp (10,11), national voting delegate and state rep at nationals
About me
State: Texas (Dallas area)
School: Public “magnet”
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Gender: Female
First-generation
EFC: ~2800
What I want!!! I am willing to sacrifice some preferences except for major Please don’t limit your suggestions based on these
~Major: looking to Poli Sci or biology
~Size- medium to large school
~Setting- urban setting or near a big city
~On campus housing
~Far away from home
~Environment: lively school with a lot of activities going on
Bryn Mawr and Mount Holyoke aren’t really safeties. They’re more like match schools - maybe low matches, but OP’s stats fall right in their middle 50%/average student range. However, you are likely to get admitted and they do meet full financial need, so there’s that!
Agnes Scott and Spelman would both be safeties for you, and they fit your other criteria as well, but they’re both small colleges. (Spelman is in a consortium with two other undergraduate colleges/universities, so the atmosphere can feel more medium-sized than small depending on how involved you get. But campus life is very lively. I went there for undergrad.) Agnes Scott is pretty generous with financial aid. Spelman isn’t, but you’d be likely in contention for one of their Dean’s (full tuition) or Presidential (full ride) scholarships.
Occidental would be pretty safe for you - you are basically in the top 25-30% of applicants - and they do meet full need. They are small but fit all of your other requirements. Oxy is also co-ed if that matters.
With a rank of 13 out of 404, that puts you in the top 10%. Isn’t UT-Austin a safety for you, then? Texas A&M would be too. Another choice is UT-Dallas. I don’t know if those would be financial safeties for you, though. Their net price calculators are pretty unhelpful (they tell you the median grant and then estimate that your family contribution can be anywhere between $0 and the full cost of attendance - really guys?), but it may be worth talking to someone in the financial aid office there.
Need to be affordable/far away from home. What are your parents willing/able to pay and do they support your desire to go out of state? Are you looking for schools that meet full need. Do you know your EFC?
In the practical (but not far from home) category, I also was going to suggest UT-Austin and UT-Dallas. For the former, you’d be in the top 7% auto admit category. For the latter, you’d probably be in range for merit scholarships/honors. Southwestern (near Austin) might be worth a look.
With a better sense of your financial parameters, people will be able to make better recommendations.
Alabama and South Carolina would give you a lot of money if you don’t want to stay in state. UT Austin would be a great school for you to save some money since it’s in state. A lot of private colleges are generous with money, but they’re also probably smaller than you’d like. Have you checked out Tulane?
Perhaps not a safety, I would definitely consider taking a look at Rice University. It has a great bio program,
generous finical aid (They meet 100% of demonstrated need), and is right in Houston.
Tulane (New Orleans), Wake Forest (Winston Salem), and Emory (Atlanta) all have the bio programs you’re looking for and, purportedly, meet all demonstrated need. While by no means safety schools, given your GPA, URM status, and ACT scores I think you have fighting chance!
How was your PSAT? Do you know about the National Hispanic Recognition program? There are schools that give full tuition scholarships for being a NHS – check it out. The index is significantly lower than NMSF. University of Nebraska, Fordham, and I think Arizona State might give you full tuition.
I second Occidental. Look into Layette College as well. Run the NPC to be sure its affordable. When I ran it for my daughter it came really close to our EFC without loans.
If your highest priority is price, I would look at large public universities
Univ. of South Carolina, Clemson, Fl. State, U of Miami, Ohio State, U Wisconsin, U of Tennessee, etc.
One of the most popular schools I’ve heard of for poli sci is Georgetown but price-wise that isn’t great.
Other schools in D.C. would be awesome for poli sci too though… Catholic Univ., George Washington U, Univ. of D.C., etc.
And you will be able to get in somewhere, everyone will. And wherever you end up, you will be happy fate works like that. But if you’re not, you can always transfer. Colleges LOVE LOVE LOVE transfer students. And even though it seems like college is the only option, it really isn’t. Talk to your counselor about other options if you’re worried, maybe they will be more attractive to you.
@liloandstitch12 out-of-state publics, which usually aren’t great with aid, would likely be much more expensive for OP than a prestigious private school like Georgetown which meets full need.
@liloandstitch12: out of state public flagships are very expensive and don’t provide financial aid to oos applicants. They may provide merit aid, but the deadline typically was December 1.
Georgetown is a reach for everyone but it meets 100%, which would likely make it cheaper even than an instate public.
I would look into Gettysburg. They have great programs in polisci and biology. It also has on campus housing, is far away, and has a lot of activities. I think you would get a scholarship and financial aid.
I would second GWU and also look at American U and Catholic U in DC. You cannot go wrong studying poly sci in DC. Check, however, on their financial aid which can be sometimes inconsistent.
I would really appreciate your help in suggesting some safeties!!! I know I’ll probably have to sacrifice some of my preferences, but that’s okay. I’m more afraid of being rejected everywhere and not having anything to fall back on.