Recommend Some Universities for Me Based on What I Have and Want?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Okay, so I always aimed for the top schools. However, at this point I know I probably won't make it, and I need some places I can actually get into. So, can you guys recommend some universities that I am very likely to get into based on what I have (and want), and maybe some colleges I'm almost guaranteed to get into? Also, don't judge me for wanting to go to the top schools and not being the best student, please.</p>

<p>My Transcript (There are missing classes, which I will add on here): <a href="http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t120/brinazarski2/Transcript.jpg%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t120/brinazarski2/Transcript.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>S.O. Leaders H: 88
Latin 6 H: 99
USHSGOV2AP: 89
ADV DRAW TECH 2 H: 94
ENG 6 AP LANG/COMP: 93
ADV DIGITAL ART 2 H: 96
WEIGHT TRN: 97 (not averaged)
AdvALG&TRIG TRM 2of2X: 76
CHEM 2 H: 88
Extra Trig Class I took on a Saturday: 95
Health Class I'm taking now (might be Honors): most likely a 100</p>

<p>H at the end of anything means Honors (they still haven't added H to all the classes on the link I gave, but if they're not AP, they're all Honors) The Trig class is counted like an AP. My average is weighted, though at the moment I'm sure my weighted average is higher because of the unaveraged classes.</p>

<p>Predicted Senior Year Schedule:
-Leadership
-AP Latin
-AP Micro and Macroeconomics
-AP Studio Art
-Lunch (;D)
-AP Literature
-Weight Training
-AP BC Calc/AB Calc/Stats/Regular Pre-Calc (aiming for college level though)
-AP Bio</p>

<p>I might not get all of these classes, and if I don't I probably won't fill my schedule. Stupid me didn't realize all the extracurriculars I'm taking Senior year that require me to have more frees; this here is a full schedule and it's too late to change it. If anything, I might add an Advanced Digital Art class to a free just because I want to graduate an art major, but that's it. I plan on a 0-7 schedule if any APs get kicked out of my schedule. If I did manage to get out after 7th, I might take a course or two (of a subject I'm not taking) at a nearby college.</p>

<p>Regents Not Included on my transcript:</p>

<p>Chem: 76
Trig: 89
US: 87
Latin: 95</p>

<p>AP Tests:</p>

<p>US: 2
English Language: 3
(not very impressive, I know)</p>

<p>SATs:
SAT I: R: 540 M: 530 W: 500
SAT IIs: Lit: 480 Math 1: 600 US: 460 (yes, kill me)</p>

<p>I plan on retaking the SAT twice, and am studying for it, however I honestly don't think my score will go up much. I am also retaking the SAT IIs, PROBABLY the same ones except US. Instead of US I'll take Latin; I wanted to take it earlier but my teacher recommended I wait. Might take the ACT, unlikely (didn't do so well on a practice test Sophomore year, and never really studied for it, so eh)</p>

<p>Awards:
-Don't know if this counts, but my school gave me an award for Outstanding Achievement; Dedication to the school magazine in my Junior year.
- Also don't know if this counts. i was awarded one of the top 50 members in Key Club, but I uhm... heh... lost the award. I'm surprisingly one of the more active members.
- THIS one should count. Silver medal on the National Latin Exam.</p>

<p>Recommendations: Getting lots of good ones, lol. Got one from my job as well</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Freshman Year: None! :P</p>

<p>Leadership Team: Junior and Senior Year
Latin Club: Sophomore Year (Regular Member), Junior Year President, HOPEFULLY President in Senior Year but EXTREMELY unlikely. Probably will continue to be apart of it.
School Literary and Art Magazine: Editor from Sophomore to Senior year.
Green Club: Sophomore Year only
Bridge to Medicine Club: (I was in it for a few weeks in Sophomore Year; don't think that counts.) Junior Year regular member, Senior Year Vice-President.
Key Club: Sophomore Year- Senior Year, regular member.
Archon Honors Society: End of Junior Year- Senior Year, regular member.
Arista National Honors Society: End of Junior Year- Senior Year, regular member.</p>

<p>Last year I got 144 hours volunteering for a big green company in Poland. Still working for them this year; haven't gotten my hours yet since I'm still working. I've also started working for an Anti-Cyberbullying organization, so no hours yet. And this isn't an extracurricular but... Polish is my second language. However, I've gotten worse at it and it's hard to speak so Idk if I could say if I'm fluent, or if I should put it down.</p>

<p>Parents:</p>

<p>Mom's been out of work for years. I get reduced lunch and fee waivers. My parents are divorced, and my dad makes little. My mom didn't finish college. My dad was born in Poland, and he went to the University of Warsaw (which was like the Harvard of Poland at the time, dunno if that means anything), and then he came here and did nothing. Haha. He went to Baruch for a bit, but that's it. I was born here. Polish, German, Irish, and slightly Native American. I think my grandpa on my mom's side's grandparents/parents came to Ellis Island, while grandma on mom's side has been here since... 1500s? 1600s? 1700s? Don't know if that matters, probably not, just thought I'd include it.</p>

<p>So yeah, I think that's about it. So, what do I feel is mandatory for my college? Well, I want to go to a university that isn't in New York or California. I want to become a medical researcher someday, so I suppose they should have a Biology/Biochem major.</p>

<p>Now, what would I /like/ in a university, but is not mandatory?:</p>

<ol>
<li>The ability to triple major (or more than triple! But I don't think that's possible.). One major I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE is Latin. Other majors, well, I'm pretty flexible. What my plan was was main major: towards becoming a med researcher. Second major: A job that makes a lot of money (hey, I'd like to be safe ^^;). Third: Latin. Latin teacher sounds pretty cool <3 I like art, if I went into it it'd be animation or graphic design, I also love languages and computers and stuff. I like a lot of things... so I'm really flexible ^^;</li>
<li>FINANCIAL AID! Anyone who could give me a full ride. Don't know if I'm eligible anywhere, but it's worth a shot, amirite?</li>
<li>Someone who accepts a 3 in English and a 2 in US, and the rest of my APs when I take them. I heard that almost no college accepts a two, but I guess almost was the keyword, so if anyone knows about said college... just let me know.</li>
<li>The ability to minor! :D If there's a point in it.</li>
<li>A college in a warm climate. Maybe a really nice, comfortable climate. I hate the cold.</li>
<li>Small classes... that hopefully don't have a lot of group work.</li>
<li>Pets! Particularly 4 cats.</li>
<li>Free food! I don't know if such a place exists, but I need to eat.</li>
<li>Free stuff! Some colleges give free laptops to students, or free iPads or whatever. Free stuff is nice.</li>
<li>Free WiFi! Who doesn't like free WiFi?</li>
<li>A free gym! The fact that this is number 11 on my list is pathetic!</li>
<li>Free cable, just so I can be distracted from my college work! (kidding about the distractions, serious about the free cable)</li>
<li>Easy place to find jobs! Even more pathetic that this is at the end of my list!</li>
</ol>

<p>As for partying schools... well, I'm not a social butterfly. If there's partying, I don't care, I'll just stay in my corner. Religious schools? I'm not really religious... so I'd rather not have to take extra religious classes. I also plan on transferring out of whatever school I get into; just reapplying to better schools as well as my dream schools.</p>

<p>I THINK I'm done. If I think of anything or find out anything I might add more, but das about it. Sorry with torturing you guys with all of that. I appreciate any and all help I get!</p>

2

<p>If you are going to transfer out of the school you may be better off going to a community college for 2 years and transferring</p>

3

<p>Not going to community with these grades and ECs. I heard it’s easier to transfer if you come from a good school as opposed to a community college. Yeah, I could go, but I’d rather some place where all my hard work won’t go to waste. Besides, I might like the school and stay, or another college might not want me, and I am not staying in New York, no way. By thanks for the suggestion, I did consider it at one point!</p>

4

<p>Another thing to add to my not mandatory list: 14. Honors classes, if they’re beneficial, which I apparently just heard they were…</p>

5

<p>Also, some stuff to add:</p>

<ul>
<li>That green company I volunteered for, I illustrated their book, which was published in Poland. The artwork is terrible and not pro at all. I mean it’s not stick figures, but it’s not something I’d show off either. Not my
best work.</li>
<li>I’m also published in the school magazine. My artwork and writing. Don’t know if that counts, since I’m the Editor ^^;…</li>
</ul>

6

<p>In-state public university or community college may be the most likely safety candidates that you can afford. Your test scores may not be high enough to give you much of selection of <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt; .</p>

7

<p>There are some things you might end up ‘paying for’ but it’s factored into the cost of attendance. In the immediate sense, most every major school in America will have free internet and free gym access. </p>

<p>If you live on campus, you might be able to bring fish or amphibious pets. A smaller number of institutions allow things like rodents, but typically on designated floors; and it’s still not especially common. Bringing four cats is a pipe dream, though. There are only a tiny number (MIT comes to mind?) of schools that allow a pet as involved as a cat. I can’t imagine any in the country will allow four cats. You might be able to find living arrangements that allow it off campus- depending heavily, of course, on the school’s policies wrt freshmen and your financial outlook. But realistically, no, you’ll be leaving your cats home (especially first year). </p>

<p>Food isn’t ‘free’, but if you eat your meals at the dining hall on campus it’s again a buried cost. If you elect for a board plan (and many schools enforce that for freshmen) then you won’t need to ‘pay’ for food each day. This answer applies to most of your questions: you get a bill from the school. You pay it via a combination of financial aid (grants, loans, etc) and any financial contribution that can be made directly by you or your parents.</p>

<p>Also, I’d seriously reconsider your plan to triple major. While you got impressive marks in several courses, you’ve admitted that you performed less well than you hoped to in high school. Academic success is as much about hard work as it is a natural aptitude. Finishing a bachelor’s degree can be a daunting prospect for many people. Finishing three can be incredibly challenging if you’re aiming for a typical college stay, and so I’d dial back on the plans a little bit.</p>

8

<p>@ucbalumnus: Ah, I see… I understand. I’m still working on raising my scores though. But there’s also need-based financial aid, isn’t there? I found one college on that list that would give me something. (skimmed through quickly, g2g soon lol) By the way, these averages they want- are they based on the average with which you apply, or the averages you have by the end of senior year? Like, say, I had a 3.6, but by the end of Senior year I had a 3.9, would I suddenly be qualified for the 3.8 scholarship that I wasn’t qualified for when I applied? Senior year I wasn’t planning on putting my all into it. Like, I wasn’t going to slack off, but I was going to keep my average over a 94 (if it drops, I get kicked out of the Honors societies.) However, if it’ll help me get financial aid, I will take Senior year very seriously and go back to my goal of getting the highest grade possible in every class.</p>

<p>@SRyJohn: Most of that stuff I wanted in a college was optional… I don’t think such a dream school exists, but it’d be awesome if I could find a college that at least some of it. I didn’t know that about the gym or Internet; in the e-mails I’ve gotten, when the colleges say why they’re “oh-so-good,” some people are like “We have a free gym! And WiFi!” So I didn’t think everyone had that. Plus, on one of my school’s “Like” pages, the students complained about gym, and an alumnus came and said we’d better appreciate because there’s no free gym in college, so I wasn’t sure.</p>

<p>Well, I don’t think I really could bring all four… but I could bring less if it were possible. I still would like some pet on campus… but at the same time that might add to my costs. Depends on how I’m faring at the school, I guess.</p>

<p>As for triple majoring, well… I’m kind of a person that doesn’t give up no matter what. You can call me stubborn and an idiot for it, but if I had given up I wouldn’t be able to list any of the stuff I’d listed, and I probably would’ve dropped to a 2.-something or a low 3 GPA. Just because I didn’t do as well as I hoped in high school doesn’t mean I’ll totally flunk college. I might extend my stay if necessary (and possible), and heck, I might give up on the triple major and stick with two or even one (if possible). But I doubt I’d give up, it’s just not in my personality.</p>

<p>But thanks for the advice so far! Both of you!</p>

9

<p>Hard work never goes to waste.</p>

<p>But right now you need massive aid, and you have test scores that suggest you’re a risky candidate.</p>

<p>You really have your best chance at a community college. You’ll probably find supportive teaching and a chance to take introductory math and science classes without the brutal competition from premed-obsessed classmates.</p>

<p>If you do very well, you can apply to an honors program (be sure the school has one).</p>

<p>You’ll be ready to finish elsewhere and to get into graduate school. You’ll minimize your debt. You’ll have professors who know you well and can recommend you strongly.</p>

<p>Persistence is good, but stubbornness can be a roadblock.</p>

10

<p>The biggest problem that you face is that you don’t have the scores to get into the schools that give the best aid…except for maybe your instate publics.</p>

<p>You say that you don’t think your scores are going to increase that much. Right now, you have a 1070 Math + CR. You would need to raise that by a couple hundred points to have a shot at the schools with the best aid.</p>

<p>You have quite a list of “wants,” but you need to be realistic. You can only go where you can afford. </p>

<p>At this point, I do not think that they are many/any schools that fit most of your requirements. An Honors program will require higher scores for admittance. You want warmer climates, but you won’t likely be able to afford those schools. I don’t know of any school that gives credit for a 2 in an AP class. Free food? You have to either buy a meal plan or go to the grocery store. I doubt any on-campus housing at schools that will accept you will allow your cats.</p>

<p>The above quote is right…“Persistence is good, but stubborness can be a roadblock.” </p>

<p>You need to seriously look at SUNYs/CUNYs that will accept you. With Pell, Tap, student loans, and work study, affording a NY public may be affordable.</p>

11

<p>

</p>

<p>Yes, but it is usually best at in-state public schools and private schools that are probably too selective for you to have a reasonable chance of admission at, given your test scores. Many other schools will come up short of meeting your need.</p>

12

<p>@ Wordworker: I think it would be a waste. I mean, I stressed myself out severely this whole time during high school, just to get into an Ivy League, or at least some good school. Community colleges don’t care, you could have a GED and go there. (not that having a GED is bad.) Can’t I take loans? Also, I have “rich” (not that rich, but above average) grandparents in another country who saved up a lot of money for my college, and my grandpa here /may/ fund me. (he’s never impressed with anything I do, so.) Call me stupid, but I’m not too concerned about money. Financial aid would help, but if I can’t get it, that just sucks for me. That’s why it’s not on my mandatory list, my mandatory list is that it not be in New York or California. I’d LOVE a warm climate, but that doesn’t mean I won’t go to a school in Alaska.</p>

<p>@ mom2collegekids: Read what I said to Wordworker. If I HAVE to stay in New York, it has to be FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR from New York City. I am NOT staying here, no way.</p>

<p>@ Everyone: … so based on what I have and what I want, can anyone suggest schools for me? Financial aid is nice. It is not mandatory. I get that I probably can’t get all that stuff I want, I was just asking in case anyone knew. Thanks. Off-site I already got a list of suggestions:</p>

<p>“University of Science and The Arts of Oklahoma
University of North Carolina—Ashville
University of Dallas
Gardner-Webb University
Texas A&M—Corpus Christi
Kennesaw State
Fairfield University
University of Toledo”</p>

<p>(side note- just checked the Oklahoma one. “Tuition: In-state, $3,744 annually; Out-of-state, $8,904 annually” Not bad at all. There are affordable colleges out there.)</p>

<p>I don’t know if I can actually get into those schools, but that is what I asked for. Appreciate the advice, but I did say I’m not staying in New York.</p>

13

<p>If you slack off this year, you’ll strengthen the evidence that you’ll be a risk. Any admission is always conditional until the college gets your final grades. This site is filled with threads written by frantic seniors who goofed off and now worry that their admissions will be rescinded.</p>

<p>Nobody has said you have to be in New York City. The last time I looked, New York was a large state with lots of colleges.</p>

<p>Don’t be so quick to dismiss community colleges. When you show up, you probably must take placement tests in English and math. If your scores indicate that you aren’t ready for college courses, you’ll take remedial courses. For as long as necessary. Many people who start never graduate. If you get the degree, you’ve had to earn it.</p>

<p>At big name schools, you can look forward to a lot of indifferent teaching by professors and graduate students who care only about their own research. Community colleges hire people who like teaching and enjoy helping students grow academically and personally.</p>

<p>If you want to become a biomedical researcher, you’re in for lots of math and science. At big name schools, you’ll take the intro classes with hundreds of desperate pre-meds who are trying to avoid getting weeded out. The same classes at community colleges should be more supportive. Later, when you take the advanced courses elsewhere, the cutthroat atmosphere will be diminished because the weeded-out students will be gone.</p>

<p>In no way are we negating your struggles. But admission to a particular school isn’t just an entitlement given out for hard work. We’re trying to help you get what you say you ultimately want, and we’re encouraging you to take the most effective paths.</p>

14

<p>Many if not most of the schools you’ve listed are third tier schools about as easy to get into as community college. Most of the students at those schools come from the immediate area, so you’re not going to find a lot of diversity. You will probably not feel fulfilled at these schools. </p>

<p>You might want to try the college search available on this web site to see which schools you qualify for. I think you can do better than this list. </p>

<p>However, you need to get the money situation settled BEFORE you apply to college. You need to know what you’ll be able to afford and whether your various family members will actually pay when the time comes. You can’t depend solely on loans. Even if you could qualify for as much as you need, you will be saddled with debt that will follow you for years if you try to attend a school you cannot afford. </p>

<p>I understand that you’ve worked hard and would rather not go to a community college. Look at it this way: you’ve worked hard so that you’re as prepared as possible for the next step in your life, no matter it leads you. It’s better to stick it out for a year or two at a community college and transfer to a higher caliber school than to stubbornly refuse to even consider it. </p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

15

<p>You’re not concerned about debt. Who is going to cosign yor loans?? A freshman can only take out 5.5k in loans by themself. After that, you need to take out private loans and need a consigner with good credit and an income. Even if you could get large loans should not take them out for undergrad - the path the biomedical research is long, PhD students are underpaid, and biomedical researchers themselves don’t make enough to pay off 100k+ in loans. </p>

<p>Merit aid is difficult, almost impossible with your test scores. Schools that meet need are out of your reach - way too selective. Less selective private schools don’t meet need. </p>

<p>I want to second the statement that most of the schools you posted are regional universities and aren’t much more selective than the local CC. </p>

<p>Going to CC doesn’t mean your hard work is wasted - the work ethic will still carry over and help you do better in CC.</p>

16

<p>UNC Asheville and Fairfield really seem to be the only schools that you posted that are any good </p>

<p>And I don’t think your scores are high enough for either one</p>

17

<p>@ Wordworker: I know. My average is staying about the same. I’m probably going to make an effort to keep it up because I’ve heard some jobs ask for your high school GPA O_o Even if they don’t, I might get kicked out of the Honors society, so… yeah. Gotta’ keep that average up.</p>

<p>If anything, it has to be as far away from NYC as possible. I’d rather go out-of-state. I don’t know if it means anything… but Cornell has sent me like three e-mails in the past month. I opted-out of the thing where colleges e-mail you constantly and whatnot, just because I heard it doesn’t actually mean they want you. So Idk.</p>

<p>@gettinin: Well, what am I going to do? It seems after all I’ve done I have nowhere to go. I feel that, from what everyone’s telling me, all the work I’ve done still puts me at something third tier.</p>

<p>I’ll look into the college search… and wouldn’t it be better to go to a school better than a CC, and transfer from there into a good college? I heard it’s easier that way. But thanks.</p>

<p>@everyone: Look… the real reason I want to get out is because I have issues with my mother. I know tons of teenagers do, but I really can’t stand her. I wish I graduated early just so I could leave (I had that option.), but I decided to stay another year to raise my average (and chances of getting into a good college) and lower any debt by taking AP classes. My mother has a lot of mental problems, and goes to a therapist but I wouldn’t say it helps. I wouldn’t say she’s abusive, but I cannot stand living with her. When I go to visit my grandparents, I have huge breakdowns in front of them that I hide from her (because she never takes them seriously.) My grandparents are so scared for me. I was taken to a psychologist last year and she said it seems like I have depression (it was one visit, didn’t bother to go back because talking about it never helps.) My grandpa was against antidepressants, but this year he became even more scared that he started to consider them. They observed that just talking to her would put me in a bad mood. I’ve noticed my temper has gotten worse and I’m scared of living with her any longer. When I’m away from her I’m MUCH calmer. I know, you guys may be like “your parents are divorced, live with your dad” but it’s not that easy. They live REALLY close to each other; she would never leave me alone. The farther I am from her, the less I have to deal with her. Sorry if I sound like a whiny teenager and all, but I actually started crying typing this and all this is just upsetting me more. On top of everything, you guys say “Oh, this gave you a good work ethic” but just because I do no work doesn’t mean I won’t give 210% when necessary to do so. If I spent these years with no extracurriculars, I would’ve been happier. I always heard that ECs were important, but now you guys are making it seem like no college is going to care that I did all this work. Would it be the same if I had these grades and a perfect SAT, but no ECs?</p>

<p>I’m still studying for the SAT, and retaking it twice, once in October, once in November. Maybe I’ll improve. I’ve improved many times in high school, so I can still improve on the SAT. I don’t want to take another practice test yet, as I feel I need more studying before I do so. What would you guys say is the /minimum/ SAT score needed for aid and to get into a good school? Not that I’m aiming low, but if I take a practice test and don’t get a 2400, I don’t want to be freaking out saying I’ll never get anywhere in life.</p>

18

<p>

[Sunk</a> costs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“Sunk cost - Wikipedia”>Sunk cost - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>You need to figure out what you can afford to pay. If either or both of your parents are willing to help fund your education, that will help…but it will also give your mother a seat at the bargaining table. Try to find out whether the other family members you mentioned plan to contribute.</p>

<p>There is no such thing as “free” stuff. Every “free” item has been paid for by someone.</p>

<p>SUNY Buffalo and Geneseo are both very good schools not in NYC.</p>

19

<p>(side note- just checked the Oklahoma one. “Tuition: In-state, $3,744 annually; Out-of-state, $8,904 annually” Not b</p>

<p>Don’t know what you looked at, but the OOS costs are:</p>

<p>Tuition and fees …$12,025<br>
Room and board …$5,140 </p>

<p>Estimated Total $17,165 </p>

<p>PLUS…</p>

<p>Books and supplies $1000
Estimated personal expenses $2000
Transportation expenses $1000</p>

<p>So you need to add about $4k to the $17k…for about $21k per year. If your relatives will pay, then fine. Otherwise, cost will be an issue.</p>

<p>YOU can only borrow $5500 for freshman year. </p>

<p>this school has only 4% OOS students. That strongly suggests that it is largely commuter/suitcases.</p>

20

<p>The weakest part of your application are the test scores. If you could get those scores up then you’d have a better shot at merit aid at many more schools. Maybe you should give the ACT a try. The SAT might just not be the test for you. </p>

<p>The problem with low test scores (even if you worked hard in school) is that they imply that your school is relatively not difficult/highly grade inflated. Majority of merit aid include test scores. A 30 ACT or 2000 SAT would be ideal and reasonable goals that would qualify you for some merit aid. Even a 28 ACT can qualify you at some schools.</p>

<p>Also, I know you don’t want a community college because of “hard work,” but majority of college classes are based off tests- not class work. You don’t seem to be a very good test taker. While it might be easier to transfer from a more competitive school, that’s only if you have the grades.</p>