Rising Senior Trying To Figure Out Where To Go

College Search & Selection
1

<p>For goodness sake, I wrote a huge post, and apparently I was logged out. I have to type it all over again. </p>

<p>I am going to be a senior, and I need ideas for colleges. I have no idea what I want to major in. I have many reach schools, and I know that I will probably not be accepted to them. I have 3 safety schools so far. I need match schools that I can look up.
I live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I would love to stay in the area, but if I can't I would like to stay on the east coast from Maryland and up. Also, I am willing to look into schools in Chicago and Detroit because I love those areas as well. </p>

<p>All I know is that I would really love to minor in music, so a college that offers music minors would be nice, too.</p>

<p>SAT's
CR 620 790 Writing 790 Math (I plan on retaking in October to raise CR.)</p>

<p>ACT
Composite 31 Math 31 Reading 31 Science 30 English 31 Combined English/Writing 29 <a href="I%20plan%20on%20taking%20it%20again%20in%20September%20or%20October.">8 on essay</a></p>

<p>SAT II
Math II 770 Chemistry 710 (I plan on retaking Chemistry, and I am thinking of maybe taking another test.)</p>

<p>GPA
I'm not exactly sure of my unweighted because my school's system is different, but I'm assuming about a 3.5 or maybe a little higher. My weighted is about a 6.0 on a 6.0 scale. (It will change because my junior year hasn't been factored in. Getting my GPA is a difficult process in my school.)</p>

<p>Class Rank
I am about the top 2% in a school of 3000 students. The top 50 or so students are very competitive. </p>

<p>AP
AP World History 4
I have taken AP Calc AB, AP Chemistry, AP Statistics, and AP US History. I have yet to get my scores back.
Next year, I am taking AP Calc BC, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Government and Politics, and AP Computer Science.</p>

<p>Classes
Other than the AP's listed above, my classes consist of mostly honors classes. The only class that isn't honors or AP is my Japanese class. My school doesn't offer honors Japanese until senior year.
I have gotten all A's except for 3 classes, AP World History, AP US History, and Honors English (11). Those classes I got B's in.
English was probably the hardest class I have ever taken in my life, and it was an honors class. Colleges won't care, but I wanted to state my case.</p>

<p>EC
NHS (For one year and counting. Next year I will be a cabinet member.)
Goodwill Ambassadors (For 2 years and counting. Next year I will be the president.) This small club allows students to give back to the staff & faculty in our school.
I have volunteered for many hours because of school. In freshman and sophomore year, I helped with Special Olympics. Last year, NHS went to Citizen's Bank Park to help the For Pete's Sake Walk. NHS also requires 3 hours every semester.</p>

<p>I spend lots of my time with my Chinese School. I have learned Chinese there since I was 5, and I have been teaching Chinese Yo-Yo there for about 4 years. Along with teaching, I volunteer with my school at various events such as the International Spring Festival. </p>

<p>In addition, I am in the Philadelphia Sinfonia. We perform in many places during the year such as the Kimmel Center and the Mann Center. I have been in the orchestra for 3 years and counting. I am currently a first violin. I have taken violin lessons with one of the best teachers in the area for about 7 years. He teaches kids from everywhere in the Tri-State area.</p>

<p>I know that my grades, scores, and EC's are not that great, but I'm wondering what match schools would be good for me based on my description. Tuition-wise, I don't really care right now because I just want to get a list of schools, then I'll find out which ones I can and cannot afford.</p>

<p>If there is anything you would like to know, please ask!</p>

2

<p>Also, if anyone could please help me by listing a couple majors that would be great. I know that I would like to go into the math/science field. I know that I would not like to major in anything Biology or Physics related. (The only science I liked was Chemistry…) Thank you!</p>

3

<p>What are your academic interests (generally speaking)?
What kind of social environment are you looking for?
What is your goal/purpose in pursuing higher education?

I don’t recommend that. You should start by finding a couple of options you know you can afford and get into.</p>

<p>EDIT:
The sciences are interrelated…you aren’t going to go very far in chemistry, for example, without studying some physics. Can you be a little more specific about what you liked and didn’t like?</p>

4

<p>I don’t really have subjects that I dreaded. All I know is that I don’t do very well in subjects where I have to memorize straight up facts in order to do well.
My dad was saying that I should probably go into engineering. I suppose I would like it, but I want to know what options are out there. I’ve been looking around, but no sites have given me options. </p>

<p>Socially, I don’t really know, either. I want to be in a school with about the same number of males and females, and I would like to have lots of things to do while not doing school work.</p>

5

<p>

</p>

<p>Well, you could major in math (pure or applied), statistics, or computer science as well. Engineering involves designing things using math and science (most heavily physics). Other sciences include geology and astronomy, but those are physics-related. Economics and finance can be heavily mathematical for those preparing to go to graduate school in those fields.</p>

<p>If you and your parents are concerned about job and career prospects, note that biology and chemistry majors do not have very good job and career prospects at the bachelor’s degree level.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Not a good idea. You should start by discussing with your parents what they are able and willing to contribute to your college education (which may be anywhere from $0 to full price of $60,000 per year anywhere). Then check the net price calculators at each college’s web site to see if need-based financial aid calculations’ expected family contribution (EFC) is not higher than what they will actually contribute. If most schools’ EFC is higher than what they will actually contribute, then you need to find sufficient merit scholarship opportunities.</p>

<p>If your parents are vague or uncertain about what they are willing and able to contribute, then you need to include some very low cost safeties in your application list. Consider the schools listed here if your in-state public schools (or the community college + transfer option) are not suitable or low cost enough: <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;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>It is difficult to switch into most engineering programs, but not hard at all to move from engineering to math or pure science. So it seems to me that you might want to start out with engineering, if you think that might be a good option for you.</p>

<p>You should talk with your parents and find out how much they are willing and able to contribute to fund your education.</p>

7

<p>Thank you for the input. My parents are really vague about the whole college thing. My dad is a little crazy; his parents are willing to pay for any Ivy League schools. (Apparently, they’re rich, but I don’t really know…)
I know I don’t have a chance at any Ivy League schools, so I’m going to look around at some schools with low tuition in state. I know that I will apply to Penn State, Drexel, and the University of Pittsburgh. I am in a one-income family. Are there any other colleges with somewhat low tuition in my state that would fit a major in engineering or math?</p>

8

<p>Some of the Ivy League schools do have more-generous-than-usual financial aid, although many of them (other than Princeton and Cornell) are not that well known for engineering.</p>

<p>Penn State, Carnegie Mellon, Drexel, and Pittsburgh are the most obvious engineering schools in Pennsylvania. UPenn also has engineering and is in the Ivy League if that is desired to get the grandparents’ money. Bucknell is a smaller school with engineering. You can use [ABET</a> -](<a href=“http://www.abet.org%5DABET”>http://www.abet.org) to search for schools with engineering or a specific type of engineering.</p>

<p>But if your parents are being vague about the finances (especially if they won’t run the net price calculators or give you information to run them), then you must have some cheap safeties to avoid being let down later.</p>

9

<p>Unfortunately, Pennsylvania has relatively expensive in-state universities. That said, you should still start your list with Penn State, Pitt, and Temple. Find out ASAP whether your family can afford to pay for your in-state public choices.</p>

<p>There are some out-of-state public universities worth considering as well. SUNY-Buffalo and -Stony Brook are both very good STEM universities with reasonable prices.</p>

<p>Once you have some affordable options, you can start looking at other places that might offer financial aid. In some cases this will be merit-based; we can help you find schools that offer a chance at academic scholarships. Did you take the PSAT?</p>

<p>Depending on your family finances, you may also qualify for need-based financial aid at some schools. You and your parents should calculate an EFC number. The [official</a> forms](<a href=“http://ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/082511EFCFormulaGuide1213.pdf]official”>http://ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/082511EFCFormulaGuide1213.pdf) are one way to do this; there are also many easier-to-use calculators available online. I’m sure someone here can recommend a good source.</p>

10

<p>I did take the PSAT, but I didn’t do too well. I got a 209. I don’t think that’s going to qualify me for anything…</p>

11

<p>Halladay 34,</p>

<p>Your options will not really become clear util you re-take the SAT in October and see if you can raise the CR score. If you can get that score around 700, you might have a shot at Cornell, which has a terrific engineering program. </p>

<p>If that does not happen no worries, there are many other good options. Try Carnegie Mellon (often takes students with lopsided SAT scores that are very high on the math side like yours), Case Western (a safety for you) but in Cleveland, Lehigh and Bucknell (two LACs with very solid engineering programs that should be matches), and the University of Rochester (match). Good luck!</p>

12

<p>Thank you very much for the reply! I’ve heard of most of these schools, I just need to look into them more. Thanks again!</p>

13

<p>

The PA cutoff last year was 215, so you are very close but probably below the bar.</p>

<p>My advice right now is to have the money talk with your parents, and to make sure you apply to your in-state public universities with plenty of time to spare. Pitt can be generous with merit aid at times.</p>