Recommend safeties for a homeschooler

College Search & Selection
1

<p>While I daresay I would be a competitive applicant at a number of selective colleges, I am more than aware of the harsh realities of college admissions at top-tier schools. I'm currently planning to apply to Columbia, Harvard, Pomona, Rice, Saint Mary's (CA), Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCSD, and Yale. Saint Mary's is the only school where I would be guaranteed admission -- the UC's are probably matches, but they can be a little unpredictable with homeschool admissions.</p>

<p>Your task is to find a few safety schools for me! My stats and college preferences are below:</p>

<p>STATS
SAT I: 2290 (790M, 780W, 720CR)
SAT II: 760 (Math IIC), 750 (Chem), 740 (Bio M), 710 (US History)
AP's: 5 (Euro), 5 (Chem), waiting for scores on English Lang (probably 4 or 5), Biology (likely 5), US History (4, maybe 5), and Calc BC (really concerned about this one -- I'll be happy if I passed!)
Community college courses: Introductory Bio, Intro to Chem, General Chem, Genetics, Anatomy, Cell Biology, Calculus</p>

<p>Senior Schedule
AP English Lit
Engineering Physics (CC/AP)
AP Government
Differential Equations (CC)
Physiology (CC)
Russian 4</p>

<p>EC's
Summer research internship at the Center for Clinical Immunology at Stanford (CCIS)
Coordinating summer science clubs for children in neighborhood -- profits benefited Zambian AIDS orphans
Independent epidemiology research
Writing a book manuscript with my mom
Swim team (Coach's Award last year, and now I hold the team's season record for butterfly)
AWANA Journey 24-7 (Church scouting-type club)
Library volunteer work
Church choir</p>

<p>WHAT I WANT IN A COLLEGE
-strong biology/biochem/molecular bio program where I could further study immunology-- I want to be able to do graduate-level research (at either a grad school or med school) and take graduate-level courses
-Russian/Slavic studies available as a major or minor
-suburban or urban setting -- I like having lots of people nearby, but not necessarily all on campus
-no more than 7500 undergrads
-a reasonable amount of attention paid to undergrads
-moderate weather (doesn't have to be perfect, just okay during academic year)</p>

<p>So please go ahead and recommend some safeties!</p>

2

<p>Now that's a real toughie! The number of schools with decent Russian/Slavice studies majors, coupled with strong graduate level research in immunology is probably small. And then no more than 7,500 undergrads! And then a safety!</p>

<p>Look for a state university honors college, where the university has the two subjects, but you could be insulated from the large numbers. I would think there has to be one in the midwest that fits the bill - not Michigan - it wouldn't be a safety -- but an Ohio State? Illinois? Minnesota? (too cold); or does the Univ. of Miami have the Russian/Slavic studies thing? (they would clearly have the science....)</p>

3

<p>Might look at some eastern schools like Holy Cross-1hour to Boston- or Trinity College in Hartford.</p>

4

<p>With a safety school, IMO one often has to give up something. Are you willing to consider giving up or compromising on any of those items on your list? </p>

<p>If so, which ones?</p>

<p>If not, then perhaps you already have all the safety schools that you need (one).</p>