Possible Safeties?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I've been browsing CC for users with comparable stats and looking to see what their safety/low match schools are for my own reference, but I haven't been able to find a school(s) that I would be happy with. If anyone could suggest some safety and/or low match schools for me, it would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>My Stats:
GPA = 4.0 UW/4.3 W
ACT = 35 Composite (35 English, 33 Math, 35 Reading, 36 Science, 8 Essay)
SAT = 2120 (750 Writing, 720 Reading, 650 Math)
SAT II = 690 Math 2, 700 Chemistry, 720 US History
Rank = top 1% (summer college classes not in GPA yet, one of top 3/350, probably 1)
AP Classes/Scores = AP World History (5), APUSH (4), AP English Language (5), AP Chemistry (4), will take AP English Literature, AP Biology, AP US Government, AP Macroeconomics, AP Calculus AB</p>

<p>ECs:
Varsity Tennis (9, 10, 11, 12) - Captain 10, possible Captain 12
Women's Chorus (10, 11) - Award-winning 11
Chamber Choir (11, 12) - Award-winning 11, paid performances
Combined Concert Choir (11) - Award-winning 11
Sports Medicine Club (11, 12)
Science Club (10, 11, 12) - Vice President 11, Secretary 12
Hospital Volunteer (summer before 11)
Sound Technician for Community Play (9)
Actor in Community Play (10)</p>

<p>Preferences:
I would prefer schools in the East or West in non-landlocked states (not the Midwest). I have considered University of Alabama due to their full-tuition scholarship, which I would be eligible for, but do not love the idea of being in the South. Preferably, these schools would offer some sort of merit-based aid. I do not want to go to a religious school. </p>

<p>Other Notes:
I am applying to (reach/match/safety based on my information, estimates from websites, the school's stats, and past experiences with decisions on other applicants with comparable qualifications)
Stanford (high reach)
Harvard (high reach)
Pomona (reach)
Washington and Lee (low reach)
USC (match)
UC Berkeley (high match)
UC Santa Barbara (low match)
UC Davis (match)
Johns Hopkins (mid/high match)
Lehigh or Swarthmore (haven't decided, either match or reach)
Sonoma State (major safety)
I live in California, if that makes a difference.
I am a white female.</p>

<p>Thank You!</p>

2

<p>For safeties, start with some of the other UCs.
If you like small liberal arts colleges, have a look at the University of Richmond (a solid east coast LAC that is generous with merit aid.) It’s more of a low match than a true safety.</p>

<p>Other low match + merit possibilities:
American U.
Case Western
Clark
Juniata
Rhodes
University of Denver
Ursinus</p>

3

<p>have considered University of Alabama due to their full-tuition scholarship, which I would be eligible for, but do not love the idea of being in the South</p>

<p>Don’t fear UA and “the South”. UA has lots of OOS students from all over the US. The state of Calif is #5 in sending kids to Bama…so you’d see some native sons and daughters there as well. </p>

<p>The city of Tuscaloosa is southern in hospitality, charm, and friendliness, but otherwise you’d think you were in any good-sized city. </p>

<p>Visit the very popular Bama forum here on CC and you’ll meet folks from all over the US.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-alabama/[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-alabama/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>What is your major and career goal?</p>

4

<p>I intend to major in Biology with a concentration in Neuroscience/Neurobiology if available. If I were to double major or switch my major, it would be Political Science.</p>

5

<p>This thread has a lot of useful info.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/881237-ivy-caliber-safeties-matches-condensed-advice.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/881237-ivy-caliber-safeties-matches-condensed-advice.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>My CA DD has similar stats and is using UMass-Amherst and U of Washington as her safeties. You should get into most if not all the UC’s you are applying to. You might also consider Cal-Poly, which would probably be a match if you declare a STEM major but a low match/safety if you declare a social sciences major. Why is Sonoma State on your list? It’s a commuter school with nothing nearby of interest, just strip malls and fast food joints. No charm at all as far as I can tell.</p>

7

<p>How is your financial situation? UMass Amherst would be a good safety stats-wise but not finance-wise since you’re out of state (although you have incredible test scores and stats). Merit aid for OOS students is not generous.</p>

8

<p>Look at schools that are very stats driven. Two that come to mind are McGill and the University of Toronto (both are close to water btw). Both decide admission purely off gpa and test scores, and with a 4.0 and a 35 ACT you will get in, most likely with merit aid. Both have strong life sciences departments, including neuroscience (the great Brenda Milner currently lectures at McGill). You should particularly look at McGill since they have cheaper international student rates (which since Canadian universities are so heavily subsidized means their international rates are generally cheaper than most OOS rates in the US) and a larger proportion of American students. Because they are so data driven for admissions, both these schools are safeties for you, and they are both much more prestigious safeties than any other safety universities on this thread.</p>

<p>Downside: Montreal and Toronto have cold winters.</p>

9

<p>

Depends what you consider “generous.” With OP’s stats, she’d be a good candidate for a $10k-$12k/year merit scholarship from UMass, which would bring down the COA to about $25k-28k, which is exactly what it costs to attend a UC as an IS student in CA.</p>

10

<p>True, DGDzDad, but again…the question is whether OP/OP’s family can afford/is willing to shell that much money out for either a UC (which, if she got merit, would be cheaper, plus if she qualifies for B&G) or an OOS public school.</p>

11

<p>The UCs cost $25k-28k for instate students? I thought as public universities they would have a more reasonable price tag for Californians, because that is pretty extreme.</p>

12

<p>DGDzDad, Sonoma State has a fairly significant percent of its students living on or near campus. According to its CDS, 90% of all freshmen live on campus, and for good reason. The campus is very charming, much nicer than the typical Cal State. While I agree that it’s below the OP’s academic abilities, it’s certainly not a commuter school. </p>

<p>Though it’s not a safety, you might want to consider the Emory Scholars program [Emory</a> Scholars | Emory College of Arts and Sciences Admission](<a href=“http://www.emory.edu/admission/financial_aid/merit_scholarships/emory_scholars.html]Emory”>Admission | Emory University | Atlanta GA) Yes Emory is in the South, but it sources from all over the US and Atlanta has around 5 million people in its metro area. Atlanta is about as Southern as Miami is. That is, while they’re technically in the Southeast, culturally they’re far from it (or at least the stereotypical South). Emory also has an outstanding political science department and is poring money into its neuroscience and behavioral biology major. Within the medical and biological research community, Emory is an extremely well respected school.</p>

<p>I’m somewhat surprised you don’t have UCSD on your list given its good poly sci department and outstanding neuroscience faculty. It’s easily a match for you, and it’s extremely close to a spectacular beach.</p>

<p>I second Tk’s suggestion of Rhodes. It will feel much less Southern than Washington & Lee. Tulane, if you express a bit of interest or apply ASAP, will give you great merit. It attracts a heavy Northeastern student body and New Orleans isn’t Southern in the same way that Tuscaloosa is. University of Miami could also work although it’s more selective than Tulane since its acceptance rate isn’t partially caused by mass mailing applications.</p>

<p>You may also want to consider:
-University of Pittsburgh (apply early)
-University of Oregon Clark Honors College [Scholarships</a> | Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships](<a href=“Scholarships | Financial Aid & Scholarships”>Scholarships | Financial Aid & Scholarships)
-University of Rochester (not a safety but if accepted, you’ll get merit aid)
-Bryn Mawr (also allows cross registration at UPenn and Haverford)
-Occidental College (match, little merit available)</p>

13

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<p>UC merit is extremely rare. Since she’s a tennis player, I’m guessing she’s not B&G qualified. Not intended as a stereotype, just an educated guess.</p>

14

<p>

Yes, that’s not a misquote. My DD is applying IS to UCLA and Cal and each is about $27k/year for tuition/room/board, excluding books, transportation, and incidentals. But on the bright side, at least for that price you get fewer class offerings, larger class sizes, forced triples, and a reasonable likelihood that you can graduate in only five years.</p>

15

<p>To be fair, the UCs also give some of the best need based financial aid of any state schools in the country. Also, many of the UCs have among the highest four year grad rates of any public schools in the US. With the exception of one girl that suffered a mental breakdown this year, and another that took a year off to work for a gas company, all of my friends will have no difficulty graduating in four years or fewer.</p>

16

<p>

m2ck - You are a great ambassador for 'Bama, and I’m sure the South is full of lovely cities with great universities and friendly people, but there many prospective college students who were raised in liberal environments and who are simply put off by the idea of living in a state (even temporarily for college) where the majority of denizens are anti-gay, anti-abortion, pro-gun, and pro-school-prayer. Not trying to get myself in trouble with the “CC police” here, but it’s just a fact. I’m sure there are many Red State kids and parents from the other end of the political spectrum who feel the same way about the idea of going to school in San Francisco, New York, or Boston.</p>

17

<p>@DGDzDad
You might as well go to a private school for that amount of cash, wow. I can maybe understand Berkeley and UCLA charging that much, just because they are famous enough that people will actually shell out that much for name brand, but I am surprised the other UCs are able to get away with it. Just out of curiosity how much higher are the OOS state costs for the UCs, it must be terrifying? </p>

<p>Also is these types of fees typical for American public universities, as I was under the impression that most were around $10k for instate students.</p>

<p>@caitiann
FYI: McGill arts is $14k+ $2k for health insurance internationals, which seems like a bargain compared to the prices listed on this thread.</p>

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<p>Private schools often have list prices up to $60,000 per year.</p>

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<p>$20,000 to $30,000 in-state, or $30,000 to $55,000 out-of-state, would be the more typical all-in (including tuition, room board, books, misc) list prices for state universities in the US. A few, like South Dakota State, cost less.</p>

19

<p>

Maybe for tuition only. I was talking tuition/room/board. CSU’s are @$10k for IS tuition, but unless you’re going to live at home and commute, the COA is in the low 20’s.</p>

20

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</p>

<p>The game that most CA parents of high-stat kids seem to play is to apply to several UC’s as a fall-back and then apply to OOS privates and hope to land a good merit and/or FA package that will bring down the cost to the UC level and maybe beat it. Sometimes you can, sometimes not. Hopefully you’ll get into a few UC’s and have some reasonable OOS options as well, and then a decision to make.</p>