<p>I was going to apply to both Pomona and Stanford, but my college list changed and I would like to rule out one of them.I did the net price calculators on both, and Pomona was $3000 more than Stanford, but I don't really think I can rule out Pomona when a total of $12000 is so small in the grand scheme of college costs.
Here are some things I am looking for:
Great undergrad Political Science & Biology programs and a concentration, minor, major, or classes in Global or Public Health
Mostly small class sizes, (less than ~40-50) mostly taught by professors
Good career/fellowship advisors and offices (I want to get a medical degree and hopefully a PhD in Public Policy, Biology, or Public Health through a MD/PhD program, so I need support in applying to medical school)
Rigorous yet not cutthroat atmosphere
Intellectual students who are really interested in learning, not just getting a degree
Opportunities and organizations for political activism and volunteer work in healthcare
Interesting, approachable professors (for the most part)
Not too much drinking or drug use (I'm fine with some of both, but I don't want everyone getting drunk or high on the weekends)
Vibrant residential life
Study-Abroad Program that is affiliated with the university/college, preferably in South Africa, Botswana, Nigeria or Kenya
I would very much like to apply to the one that I have the best chance of getting into (my academic information is below)
I go to a large, public school and rank somewhere in the top 3%
Cumulative Unweighted GPA: 3.95
I have only taken 2 AP classes (European History & AP English Language & Composition) as the school I attended in 9th & 10th grade did not offer honors or AP classes, but I am taking 6 more this year (AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Environmental Science, AP English Literature & Composition, AP US History).
I have also taken 3 college courses (one at UW Madison, one at a local community/technical college and another at American University) and I am taking another this year at UW-Madison under my school district's dual-enrollment program.
US History SAT II: 800; Literature SAT II: 740
AP US History (4) (Self-studied, taken in 9th grade), AP European History (5), AP English Language & Composition (5)
ACT: 35 (English, 35; Math, 32; Reading 36; Science 35)
SAT: 2270 (Critical Reading: 800; Math: 750; Writing: 720)
I have good, but not outstanding extracurriculars except for my independent research of history and volunteering with a political campaign. I also have about 600 volunteer hours.
Thanks for reading!</p>
<p>Take a look at the other schools on your list. If they are mostly universities, go with Stanford. If they are mostly LACs, go with Pomona.</p>
<p>What prevents you from applying to both?</p>
<p>I think any student has a better chance at Pomona than Stanford statistically if that is the criteria. You need the abroad program to be affiliated, really? You aren’t asking us to look that up for your are you? I don’t know, my daughter’s school only had certain affiliated programs, but they had many many approved programs, which she choose over the affiliated program and also had a process for getting a program approved for you if the huge list of preapproved didn’t work. So that seems a bizarre requirement to me. In the end, I don’t think anyone can pick your preference for you.</p>
<p>if thinking about takin bio. major, apply to stanford and harvard.</p>
<p>It makes little practical sense to rule one out before you get accepted into both. From a statistical perspective your chances, as are the chances of other applicants with stats similar to yours or even higher, relatively low. These are two very selective colleges. So in the abstract you may pick the ‘better’ academic/social choice, but if you don’t get accepted why does it matter? Apply to both.</p>