<p>@Lagging: I tried a practice ACT… I found it harder and did worse on it. But thanks for the suggestion! As we speak, I’m actually doing some SAT prep lol. That’s not the only reason though- I also want to get out of here. A community college would mean staying… and apparently I have the grades for some NY schools. I mean, if I could get into, for example, SUNY Buffalo, as noimagination suggested, wouldn’t it be easier to transfer to there as opposed to a community college?</p>
<p>I know you said no NY, but…</p>
<p>Have you looked into HEOP? If not, do it right now. Read about it at [HEOP.org</a> | Learn Share Connect](<a href=“http://heop.org/]HEOP.org”>http://heop.org/)
Lots of schools in NY state participate. Here’s a link to the list :<a href=“http://www.heop.org/upload/Institutional_Roster_2012.pdf[/url]”>http://www.heop.org/upload/Institutional_Roster_2012.pdf</a></p>
<p>You might have a chance of gettting into HEOP. You don’t have to be a URM. Talk to your GC and ask for help applying.</p>
<p>From the SUNY Buffalo website:</p>
<p>Freshman Admission Criteria</p>
<p>Do you have what it takes?</p>
<p>Admission to UB is highly competitive, and our students are exceptionally talented. Of the incoming freshman class for fall 2011, 51 percent scored 1200 or higher on the SAT (critical reading and math); and 34 percent were in the top 10 percent of their high school class. In addition, all of our applicants have completed rigorous coursework in high school. This year, UB awarded more than $4 million in merit-based scholarships to incoming freshmen.</p>
<p>Suggested High School Coursework</p>
<p>Most successful students at UB have taken high school courses in basic academic knowledge areas. The following courses are not required for admission to UB, but are suggested as adequate preparation for university-level coursework:
Four years of English (with a substantial writing component)
Four years of social studies
Three years of college-preparatory science
Three years of a second language
At least three years of college-preparatory mathematics</p>
<p>Some students who havent completed such a program still qualify for admission; however, it might be necessary to take additional courses to strengthen your knowledge in one or more of those areas after you enter the university.</p>
<p>How We Decide</p>
<p>Freshman admission is based on consideration of a students academic record: high school average, rank-in-class, SAT (critical reading and math) or ACT score, and strength of the high school academic program. A student essay, recommendations, documented evidence of exceptional creative talent, demonstrated leadership, community service and special circumstances are also considered. If you submit both SAT and ACT scores, the higher score is considered. We also use the highest SAT critical reading and math scores from different test dates for a highest combined score. Note: The writing component of the SAT or ACT is required, but it is not currently used for admission decisions.</p>
<p>@jonri: Never heard of it until now. Thank you! I’m eligible for /now/, but if my mom finds a job I may no longer be eligible…</p>
<p>@ Wordworker: So 49% scored less. SLIGHTLY less than half. 66% were NOT in the top ten percent, so that is a lot (though I might be in the top ten percent. I don’t really know.)</p>
<p>By the end of Senior year, I’ll have had 4.5 years of English, five years of Social Studies (seven if you count Leadership. It used to be considered a S.S. class, now it’s just miscellaneous), four years of Science, four years of Foreign Language, and five and a half years of math. Idk what they’ll think of my average, rank, or SAT. My guidance counselor says I have too strong of a program. Idk about my essay, have many recs, I’m an art major for talent and am supposedly a good writer, president of two clubs and vice-prez of one + in a leadership class, and lots of community service. So I dunno’, maybe I could get in, maybe not. I’m trying out that college search tool thing. And who knows, Buffalo may not be for me. I’d still have to research it.</p>
<p>It is not better to go to a third tier college in the middle of nowhere than a community college close to home. That community college has resources to help you transfer to another school. Nobody looking to give you a job is going to care if you spent the first two years at your local CC or West Oklahoma School of the Whatever. </p>
<p>As for not staying in New York: You know New York is freaking huge, right? You are extremely fortunate to live in a state with so many in-state schools. Don’t let something as silly as a border dissuade you. There are places in NY state that are 5+ hours away from NYC. </p>
<p>[suny.edu</a> - The State University of New York](<a href=“http://www.suny.edu/]suny.edu”>http://www.suny.edu/)</p>
<p>I can understand having a difficult mother. . . but the better you position yourself now, the more likely you are to never have to move back in with her. Get saddled with a bunch of loans and you will have fewer options.</p>
<p>Another possible option? Give up on biomedical research and Latin and go to art school. Your test scores would be less of a problem, because art schools tend to care less about academics.</p>
<p>However, art schools do care about portfolios. You’d need a great one for admission and certainly for any aid. Is this even a possibility?</p>
<p>As a Dad, I will give you my best advice. I think your best chance of getting into the highest ranking school possible is to apply to an out of state, state flagship university.</p>
<p>They will no doubt want to get your higher out of state tuition.</p>
<p>Further, it is my belief that the competition is far tougher in the northeast. </p>
<p>Since you want warmer weather, I would look at such schools in the south, and the southwest. LSU and Mississippi are pretty cheap for out of staters.</p>
<p>Realistically, though, from a financial standpoint, a SUNY makes the most sense. New York is a big state. You will still be plenty far from your mother.</p>
<p>Your post is a bit confusing, because in some places you seem to be realistic, but then, in the next breath, you are mentioning IVY schools like Cornell. The fact Cornell sent you emails is of no signficance whatever, and is giving you false hope. </p>
<p>Even if you had a 2100 SAT, you STILL probably wouldn’t get into Cornell. Nor or your grades, or even your ECs, really at a Cornell quality level. I don’t think you are aware of how hard it is to get into Cornell. </p>
<p>No harm of applying to some reach schools, but in my view, a SUNY makes the most sense.
I disagree with some of the others that you need to go to a community college. Given your situation with your mother, that would make no sense in any case.</p>
<p>Now, you may not be too excited to go to a SUNY (it’s not the sexiest choice), but I know someone who got into medical school from SUNY Cortland, and another from Florida International University down here in Florida.</p>
<p>If you really feel you are IVY material, then work hard at the SUNY, and then transfer, or get into a good graduate school.</p>
<p>Also, your attitude that you should get these schools to give you everything for free is misplaced. Why would they want to do that? So I agree with the others that you first need to figure out how much you can afford to pay.</p>
<p>I would study all the SUNY schools and state flagship universities in US News & World Report, at the back of the magazine, and figure out how your stats compare to their requirements. </p>
<p>Also, with respect to your comment as to why you should have to go to a third tier university “when I have done all this work”, in all honesty, I am not sure you did any more work than most of the other kids on CC. Your grades and scores are what they are. The amount of work you put in is not particularly relevant at this point. In fact, I think you may be overdoing it, by taking too many AP classes this year.</p>
<p>Anyway, in sum, apply to some reaches, some SUNYs, and some out of state flagship universities, and you should wind up giving you a decent choice. Then you get to begin all over again, with a fresh start, to prove you really are Ivy material.</p>
<p>@gettinin: You have a point…</p>
<p>@Wordworker: Another possible option? Study my ass off and get a high SAT score.</p>
<p>@floridadad55: Yeah, I figured Cornell didn’t want me. I was just curious, I’m not big on going there. I mean, I WOULD, but it’s not on the list of colleges I’m actually applying for. I know it’s not easy to get into.</p>
<p>The point of this thread is to try and find some targets and safeties, and I added some stuff I would like in them. I guess CC is if all 10 schools reject me.</p>
<p>And no! I don’t think the schools SHOULD give me everything for free! I just know that some colleges give out free stuff, and if there’s any I’d like to be informed of them.</p>
<p>What I don’t get is why it’s apparently so hard for me to get into a good college, when a friend of mine had an average in the 80s, 1700 SAT, no ECs, and no APs, easy Senior year, and got into several universities. Yeah, her SAT is admittedly higher than mine, but it’s not as high as you all say is required, and I have more than her in everything else… is it really THAT hard to get into college today?</p>
<p>I think you’re missing the point.</p>
<p>YES, many schools would accept you…but most will not give you much aid.</p>
<p>Where is your friend attending college? WHO is paying for all the costs? </p>
<p>It’s not that hard GETTING into college these days, it’s hard to afford college these days.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’m not saying that I’m sure you are eligible for HEOP, but you can have employed parents and still be eligible.The income limits are in the link I posted. Remember that if you are going into your senior year, it will be calendar 2012 or 2011 which matters. </p>
<p>HEOP students are accepted into the participating colleges with lower test scores than those usually required. Plus, being in HEOP gives you special benefits that other students don’t get.</p>
<p>It truly is a great program. At least check it out.</p>
<p>You want to go to a good college? Forget the SATs even happened. This may be of use to you:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional/[/url]”>http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional/</a></p>
<p>There are even a few elite colleges and universities on this list (Wake Forest, Bowdoin, etc.)…</p>
<p>
I think you should apply to the SUNYs that interest you. If you are admitted and the financial aspects work out, great. If not, the most affordable option is a 2+2 plan starting at your local CC and then continuing your preferred state school.</p>
<p>The top SUNYs are competitive. It’s still worth applying, especially if you work hard and improve your test scores.
Terms like “good college” are useless without a more exact definition. You can potentially get a good education anywhere, including at a community college. Your stats are not competitive for the small set of top private universities that tend to offer very good financial aid.</p>
<p>" You want to go to a good college? Forget the SATs even happened. This may be of use to you:
<a href=“ACT/SAT Optional List - Fairtest”>http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional/</a>
There are even a few elite colleges and universities on this list (Wake Forest, Bowdoin, etc.)… "</p>
<p>This is not realistic advice. Bowdoin and Wake Forest are very expensive schools that do not meet full-need even if she could get in (and these schools are extremely competitive despite being SAT-optional).</p>
<p>@gettinin. your information is flat-out wrong. bowdoin and wake both meet full need, as will the majority of T30 universities and T15 colleges.</p>
<p>to the op: a full list of full need colleges are available on the usnews website. just google “colleges that meet %100 need”</p>
<p>@jonri: I did check it out! I looked at the income needed to be eligible, but my dad makes a bit more than that… I mean, we can still apply for it, it doesn’t hurt to try 
Thank you so much for the info <3</p>
<p>@noimagination: What’s a 2+2 plan? I’m probably just going to apply to ten places, if none of them work out, community college here I come. (though my grandpa is trying to enroll me in universities in his country. I don’t want to go e_e)</p>
<p>@babytitain: I LOVE YOU THANK YOU SO MUCH I DID NOT KNOW SUCH PLACES EXISTED FNGIODFNGODFNGIONDFNG.</p>
<p>Okay calm down. Do you think I could get into Wake Forest, or would that be a Reach and not a Target?</p>
<p><em>cricket</em> Bump</p>
<p>^^ can you AFFORD Wake Forest??? That is the question.</p>
<p>Because being admitted won’t do you any good unless either WF offers you great $$$ or you have someone to pay the $200,000+ price tag</p>
<p>@katliamom: Not really, but babytitain just said Wake Forest meets full need…</p>
<p>I’m looking at colleges than meet a 100 percent need. Some are</p>
<p>Colgate University
Duke University (I was actually interested in this school beforehand.)
Emory University
Georgetown University
Northwestern University
Rice University
Tufts University
Vanderbuilt University
University of Chicago
University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill (another college I was actually interested in beforehand)
University of Richmond
University of Virginia
Washington and Lee University
Washington University in St. Louis
Wesleyan University</p>
<p>These all seem to be very good colleges, and probably difficult to get into- would any of them be targets?</p>
<p>All the schools you listed attract top students with top scores nationwide. I think your SATs are too low for most of them. That, plus you needing substantial FA would make most of these schools significant reaches. The rule of thumb when looking for FA is to try schools where your stats put you in the upper, upper percentage of incoming freshmen.</p>