Safeties? Matches?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Okay, so I'm going to have a meeting with a college counselor of sorts from my high school (basically a counselor, just deals with college stuff instead) in two weeks and she wants a list of 12-15 colleges that I'm interested in. So I have seven colleges that I really liked when I visited, or found really interesting and think I may like.</p>

<p>I need 5-8 more colleges, preferably safeties or matches, because while I know about all the big name schools, the less well-known ones which could serve as safeties are basically unknown to me right now. I've looked through college books, but there are so many random colleges, I don't know how to decide whether to like them or not, i.e. Drexel, Case Western...</p>

<p>Generally, I like the suburban colleges. I've loved the small colleges, but am not really disaffected by middle or large-sized colleges. I like the sun.</p>

<p>Stats:</p>

<p>General:
School: suburban public school in Massachusetts, guess we're competitive (lol there was an article about the amazing girls at our school and its competitiveness in the NY Times like a month ago)
GPA: ehh. I don't really know, actually. It's in the A- range.
Class rank: N/A
Race: Asian
Sex: Female</p>

<p>Relevant Classes:
AP Computer Science AB last year
AP USHistory, AP Chemistry, AP Biology this year
self-studying AP Economics
other classes: Honors classes in math, english, science, history; regular French</p>

<p>Next Year probable classes:
AP English Lit
AP Psych
AP Physics
AP Calc BC
Honors Chinese 6
French 4
Chem TA</p>

<p>Test Scores:
AP Comp Sci AB: 5
SAT II Chem: 730
SAT: 750CR, 800M, 680W (i got an 8 on my essay...)</p>

<p>Activities:
JV Soccer 3 years
Varsity Indoor Track 3 years
Indoor Track captain next year
Varsity Outdoor Track 3 years (captain speeches were today!)
Science Team (we're going to Nationals for Science Olympiad this year) 2 years
work at an ice cream store starting this year
GSA 2 years
sometimes I help out the asian culture club</p>

<p>Other stuff:
I went to CTY for 6 years
I've done the AMC and the AIME 2 years, this year I was high scorer for AMC12.
Took the Chem National Olympiad, although I definitely failed that miserably
I participated in robotics competitions.</p>

<p>Interests:
Engineering. Math. vaguely Physics. maybe Chemistry. essentially hard science and math.</p>

<p>Schools I've already decided on:
CalTech (top)
Harvey Mudd (high)
UCSD (sort of)
Hampshire (high, but haven't visited yet)
UChicago (high, but haven't visited yet)
MIT (ehn, my dad wants me to apply, and it's not like it will hurt)
RPI (safety)</p>

<p>Thanks guys!</p>

2

<p>You have a nice list developing. I'd suggest schools like Bucknell, Lafayette, and Lehigh, but looking at your list, it appears you aren't thrilled with preppy type schools. Some others you might want to check out as possible safeties/matches: Smith College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Rose-Hulman. And, you might also want to check out Swarthmore if you haven't already - not a safety for anyone, but I suspect you'd find it a good match for what you seem to be looking for. You also would be in range, stats-wise, for Olin College of Engineering in Mass, which I think is absolutely one of the most amazing schools (and free!) in the country. And, do look at Rice as well.</p>

3

<p>Berkely and UCLA might not be safeties but you should try and apply ( they are basically matches), University of Michigan is a atch. University of Washington is a safety. University of Texas-Austin...i don't nkow..a lot of the big name public schools are good.</p>