<p>What do you think you might want to major in?</p>
<p>I think Biology... Although I'm not really sure.</p>
<p>But I KNOW I want to do pre-med and go to med school.</p>
<p>If you are a "horrible test taker" going to med school is going to be quite a challenge--think of the need to maintain very solid grades and the MCATs and large amount of memorization needed in your class work, and then the tests after med school too. Leave some wiggle roomin your college choices in case your ambitions shift. That is, go somewhere that has good academics AND where you will be happy.</p>
<p>dancebabe: if you could re-take SAT and get just a 1250 (instead of 1230) you might want to look at Ramapo College of New Jersey, which offers various amounts of Merit Aid to out-of-staters which, while relatively small, are going to be applied to an out-of-state tutition of only about $16K. Seems like a really good school also.
On the subject of really starting ahead of the game regardless of aid money, look at NY State (SUNY) schools. OOS tuition and fees at all SUNY schools is less than $12K a year, so as compared to a private school bill of >$30K you are already way to the good. In addition, many SUNY schools will offer moderate scholarships, renewable for 4 years, even for students whose records/test scores are not super-high. The question there might be how much prestige/status you are willing to give up in order to get money. For example, I think a person with your record would have a good chance at places like SUNY at Potsdam and SUNY at Fredonia, but those might not be your cup of tea. SUNY Albany and SUNY Buffalo are also relartively generous with merit scholarships, I have heard, but I'm not sure of how these apply to OOS applicants. Good luck.</p>
<p>Honestly, "prestige/status" is not a big deal to me. I want a nice education. I don't care about the labeling. I say this because I have been told SEVERAL times that most people do not really care about your undergrad schooling, but your graduate schooling (with the exception of engineering). </p>
<p>I have SUNY Binghamton and Albany on my lists, but I will look into Potsdam, Fredonia, and Buffalo.</p>
<p>Is it really hard to bump my SAT 20 pts?</p>
<p>How many times have you taken the SAT? What kind of prep have you done? It may be very possible to raise your score and give you better merit aid.</p>
<p>I understand wanting to leave the state you were raised in. My NJ born and bred daughter has an anywhere but here point of view on college.</p>
<p>I have taken the SAT twice.
1st time: 1190
2nd time: 1150</p>
<p>Funny thing is I took a course in between. I knew walking out of the test that I had done MUCH worse. I felt like there were soooo many more English sections for some reason. I don't know why. Anyways, I'm planning on taking it again in October. I'm not going to do some of the things she had me do.</p>
<p>anymore feedback?</p>
<p>Bumppp!!!!</p>
<p>Take a look at Muhlenberg in Allentown PA. Small liberal arts college with very good academics. They are more concerned with grades, rigor of high school curriculum and whether you and the school are a good match than with SAT scores. They offer significant merit scholarships, and talent scholarships in dance. Has a very strong dance program and performing arts program in general. Also, Muhlenberg has a very strong "pre-med" program and a reputation for placing graduates in med school. Well worth looking at.</p>
<p>PS- I think you may be impressed with the Dance programs at Potsdam and Fredonia as well, performing arts are a central focus of these schools (of course comprehensive liberal arts curricula are also offered).</p>
<p>Okay so the list so far:
TCNJ
Franklin & Marshall
Marist
Muhlenberg
Dickinson
Moravian
Connecticut College
Drew
Rampo College of NJ
SUNY Potsdam
SUNY Fredonia</p>
<p>Any other suggestions? I actually wouldn't mind a bit bigger of a school.</p>
<p>you could also check out trinity college in connecticut.</p>
<p>TCNJ
Franklin & Marshall
Marist
Muhlenberg
Dickinson
Moravian
Connecticut College
Drew
Rampo College of NJ
SUNY Potsdam
SUNY Fredonia
Trinity College</p>
<p>la la la anymore?</p>
<p>bump......</p>
<p>any other suggestions?</p>
<p>I am sorry to keep repeating what may be a discouraging and negative message but I really think, you are taking a very long way around the issue of college selection. The schools on your list are by and large not necessarily worth traveling hundreds of miles to attend. That is, there is nothing wrong with them but they are not unique. My guess is that the reason you are hearing about some NY and NJ smaller state schools is because that's where people on this board are from and that is what they The same is true of the private schools; Marist and Muhlenberg are fine schools but again, are they really so special that you need to travel to
Bethlehem or Poughkeepsie (neither of which are particularly garden spots of the Northeast) to attend them? My guess is that unless you get a lot larger percentage of tuition assistance than the usual merit grant is, the answer is no. Trinity and Connecticut College are better known adn mreo conventionally prestigious, but that leads me to think substantial merit money is iffy. </p>
<p>There is nothing to tell me that North Carolina or Virginia (or Massachusetts or Illinois for that matter) do not have comparable schools, public and private, and in the case of NC adn Virginia, you will also have better weather than New York, especially upstate new York. There is a limit to how far afield one can or should go in the quest for getting away from home.</p>
<p>I also think you may not be factoring in the cost involved in traveling to and from school. If finances are tight to the point that you are letting the possibility of merit aid shape your decisions to a major extent, you ought to take into account the time and money involved in traveling to a faraway school. It will cut into whatever tuition break you get and may well come close to equaling out in the end. Merit money does not mean a full ride--it often means a few thousand dollars, just a smallish percentage of the total cost.</p>
<p>I agree with mattmom, but I will say that Marist is beautiful school that did offer my son a very nice merit/financial aid package. The merit money was not extremely high, but their COA was lower to begin with than schools with the larger merit aid $$. Also, their gpa was around a 2.8 to keep the award that my son received. They do gap quite bit for financial aid, so if your efc is low, this school might not be the best choice.</p>
<p>I don't want to stay in the South, that's why I am looking at colleges up north. Your definition of "better weather" might differ from mine. I absolutely LOVE snow and cold weather. In the south, we rarely get that. and yes, I have traveled up north when it has been substantially cold. </p>
<p>It's not the fact that my father can't pay for it. He can. It's just that he's not willing to pay for anymore than 50k. Just like with me buying a car. He did not just hand me car, although he definitely could have paid for one. I had to pay for half of it. Same time of deal for college. I need to pay for some of it, unless I get scholarships. </p>
<p>He's paying for our trip up there and is fine with that. I am just trying to find a school where they will give me a substantial amount of money. Obviously, I will never get anything like that. But, hey, I"m just looking.</p>