Recommend me safeties for biology?

College Search & Selection
1

Here’s my app:

Major: Cell/molecular biology

Demographic: Asian, female, 80k household, New York in suburban Long Island. Noncustodial mom is footing half of tuition, I have a budget of around 60k per year.

School: Public. My school is ranked ~#200 in NY on niche

Rank: 4/200, so top 2%

SAT: 1580, bio 780, chem 750

ACT: 36

GPA: 96/100 UW (either like a 3.8 or 4.0?), 105% W

AP:
Human geo, world history, seminar, chemistry, apush, environmental science - 4. Biology, language, research - 5
Senior courses: AP Lit, Physics C, Calc BC, Gov, Econ. Taking most challenging courses in my school and doubled honors + AP science

Extracurriculars:

  1. Science Olympiad / officer - 13 regional medals, major participation and leadership role, made NY states
  2. USABO semifinalist / founder - 9th and 11th
  3. Science bowl nationals - 11th
  4. Quiz bowl, won 3rd and 4th in like two competitions
  5. Principal chair violinist, played as level 5 NYSSMA soloist, qualified for LISFA, in chamber orchestra and Tri-M honor society, also in a quartet
  6. Alzheimer’s research over the summer
  7. Small stuff like commended merit, honor roll, ap national scholar / ap capstone diploma, weekly program at stony brook, nhs, accepted to a research symposium / summer camp at cold spring harbor lab
  8. Worked at my moms medical clinic, ~100 hours
  9. Published in Celebrating Art book contest

As of now, I don’t really have any preferences besides the best biology research program and the best chances of me being accepted and maybe something towards the north. Maybe a school with a very nerdy student body. For now I’ll take as many suggestions as I can and weed them out as I do more research.

So far, my RD list consists of U Rochester, Stony Brook, NYU, Tufts.

I’ll take ED / ED2 suggestions as well as safeties. Thank you!

2

If you like Rochester, consider Case Western Reserve. It would be a match for you and you should see some merit money.

The SUNYs are good safeties with your stats.

Have you considered Cornell for your reach?

3

With your stats and budget, I would think that U of Wisconsin would be a safety( even out of state). At the graduate level, they are really strong in everything biology and chemistry (think stem cells). Although that doesn’t always transfer to the undergraduate level, a determined undergraduate can have a lot of opportunities.