Hello, I’m still unsure as to which colleges to apply to and would like have some parent advice as to where to send some applications.
My unweighted GPA is 3.58 (this is due to one class, which I got a D and a C in, but later retook for an A) weighted is 3.85. My UC GPA is 4.16 and my CSU GPA is 3.91. My parents make 200k< but merit scholarship would be be nice…doubt I qualify though. My SAT is 1320/1600 but I retook in October and am expecting 1400+. My ECs are strong and so are my recs. I’m applying to a lot of UCs and Cal Poly SLO, what are some privates that could be recommended to me that aren’t too hard to get in? Thank you!!
Interests? Major? Size Preferences?
@PengsPhils Interested in outdoor activities (hiking, biking, camping, backcountry, etc), music, Hillel, intramurals/club sports. Biology/neuroscience major, would prefer a smaller school but any suggestions are good. I like rural, but again, anything works.
Also, I’m in the top 12.5% of my class! Not sure if that makes a difference in the types of colleges I’d be good for
Santa Clara University, Brandeis University (in MA), Tufts University (it’s a reach though – and not so great for hiking like Brandeis), University of Rochester. These are small, are all somewhat of a reach, but are urban and not really outdoorsy other than perhaps University of Rochester.
Perhaps, for more rural schools, Grinnell College (again a reach), Ithaca College (should be a match/safety), Mount Holyoke College, St. Olaf College, Ohio Wesleyan University (should be a match), Whitman College (in Walla Walla, WA - also a match). Look at rural LACs.
@frontpage thanks! I have Brandeis on my list. I really like rural LAC’s but I can’t seem to find any that would be safeties/matches since I have a weird test score/GPA discrepancy
I suggest you consider adding at least some of the following to your list:
Mount Holyoke (if female)
St. Lawrence
Hobart and William Smith
Wheaton (MA)
Connecticut College
Kenyon (reach)
Colby? (Probably a reach.)
Take a look at Lewis and Clark College as a match school. They have an amazing outdoors program and a paddling club.
Look at St. Mary’s College of California. It’s probably a safety or low match for admissions which means you’d stand a good shot at merit. The college is in a bucolic setting east of the Berkeley hills. Amazing nearby hiking and biking and weather year-round is pretty awesome.
Cornell College in Iowa (Check out the one course at at time curriculum)
@apple23 @porcupine98 @Hellofagal @Otterma @5050mom1618 thank you!! added some and will research cornell and st. mary’s!
Tufts is going to be kind of “reachy”, but it does have a 2500 acre reservation about 2 miles away. My daughter would hike there as an quick urban escape. The Tufts Mountain Club is very active and it organizes trips to the reservation as well as a lodge that it owns in the White Mountains of New Hampshire (about 2 hours away).
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http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-north/middlesex-fells-reservation.html
Wheaton (MA) is probably more suburban than rural, but it has strong science programs. You can cross enroll at Brown, but there is some travel time involved. They offer merit- based aid.
University of Vermont is a small (by state school standards) rural school that will offer merit aid to out of state applicants.
Be aware that Bio/Neuro is not a great degree for finding a job with a bachelors…
@Mastadon yeah, I’m planning to go to graduate school in the future. Thanks for the suggestions! I’m applying to UVM already and will look into Wheaton!
I am a parent of both Brandeis and Rochester alums. If you cannot visit, you should try to go to an event in your state or if your high school has reps from these schools visit. Showing interest is important along with having outstanding essays. Alumni interviews also can be scheduled.
Quick - question - did you get that one bad grade in your freshman year? If so, the UCs won’t consider it in your gpa, which will help your chances.
^ Also, doesn’t the later A in that course cancel out the C and D? If not, you should mention that in your Common App.
@Mastadon yeah, I’m planning to go to graduate school in the future. Thanks for the suggestions! I’m applying to UVM already and will look into Wheaton!
@ThankYouforHelp @londondad no unfortunately. 
I got it sophomore year. I got a D in Spanish 2A and a C in Spanish 2B and I retook Spanish 2A and I got an A. I’m also taking Spanish 3AB right now and have an A so colleges will see that on my final 1st semester grades. My cousin told me to explain the grade on common app, but I don’t know how to do it without making an excuse about the grade
@bookmama22 Brandeis is having interviews in my area but i have an academic thing to go to tomorrow. Not sure if I should just cancel and go; is demonstrated interest really big for Brandeis?