Safeties similar to U Chicago, Rice, Carleton

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi, College Search & Selection. Homeschooler (public school in 9th, though) here, seeking some advice.</p>

<p>2380 SAT (800CR/780M)
800x5 SAT II
3.9 unweighted GPA, 4.0 college GPA
5 Biology, 5 Environmental Science, 5 English Language, 5 US History, 5 World History, 5 Psychology, 4 Chemistry, 5 US Government</p>

<p>As far as extracurricular activities go, I'm somewhat of a dabbler. I work 20 hours a week selling loofahs at Bed, Bath, & Beyond. I make and sell stained glass. I've written two unpublished novels: one science fiction and one high fantasy, complete with obligatory medieval hand-drawn map. I build detailed replicas, be it the local castle or a Mussolini miniature. I fence leisurely, go on frequent roadtrips to historical sites, and write a lot in November. In conclusion, I work 20 hours a week.</p>

<p>I researched with a professor about a few very early European battles, and eventually, I was given a few independent responsibilities to the research. Basically, I've constructed several maps depicting the routes taken during a few skirmishes and brawls from the 1100s. I wrote and presented papers summarizing my findings, and traveled to the site of these battles with the professor & company to further our research. Publication in process. Fun stuff.</p>

<p>Honestly, although college has always lurked, it's never been at the forefront of my mind. I've done a fair amount of searching in the last few days, and come up with the following schools:
Rice
U Chicago
Carleton
Swarthmore
William and Mary (OOS, North Carolinian)
Brown and Yale, maybe. Possibly.</p>

<p>I'm seriously lacking in the safety department. I'm in the <$50k income bracket, and will probably be going on a massive roadtrip with a friend to visit colleges if my mom deems it dandy. I suppose you can get an idea of what I'm looking for from the schools I've found so far. I've very flexible on pretty much all criteria; I'm going for feel rather than a school simply fitting a certain mold.</p>

<p>Thank you for reading my slightly frazzled babbling, and extra thanks for suggestions!</p>

2

<p>I’m seriously lacking in the safety department. I’m in the <$50k income bracket,</p>

<p>When you’re lowish income, have high stats, and in need of safeties, you have to choose your schools VERY CAREFULLY, because while you’ll get accepted to any safety school, many will not be affordable.</p>

<p>Most safety schools do NOT have the means to meet the financial needs of their students. However, some will give big merit to students with high stats like yourself.</p>

<p>For instance, you could easily get accepted to a low or mid level private that costs $50k or an OOS public that costs $40k per year, but if those schools don’t have the means to give you any money, then they aren’t really safeties for you. </p>

<p>You need schools that will be financial safety schools - those are schools that will be affordable because of big merit scholarships, maybe some gov’t grants (if your EFC is low enough), small loan, work study, and maybe a small amount of family contribution. </p>

<p>Safeties similar to U Chicago, Rice, Carleton</p>

<p>Ok…this is like asking for Mazdas that are like Ferraris. </p>

<p>If a safety school was like UChicago, Rice, etc, it would be a reach. </p>

<p>What is your likely major? When looking for financial safeties, you need to find affordable schools that you like and will have a strong program in your major. </p>

<p>What else do you want in a school? Quiet campus? Big campus? Small campus? Rah rah sports to watch? City setting? Rural setting?</p>

<p>Do you know what your likely EFC is? Can your mom pay that amount?</p>

<p>Do you have a non-custodial parent? If so, some/all of your reach schools will consider his income/assets as well.</p>

3

<p>Santa Clara University in California, if you don’t mind its being a Jesuit-run school.</p>

<p>If you’re considering public, the New College of Florida is good – [New</a> College of Florida - A Public Honors College for the Liberal Arts](<a href=“http://www.ncf.edu/]New”>http://www.ncf.edu/)</p>

4

<p>mom2collegekids has really good points, before you proceed you need to know the answer to those questions. But some schools with similar “feel” as U Chicago and Carleton might be the following: Reed, which is very intellectual, Wesleyan and Vassar (though I wouldnt consider this two safeties exactly maybe more like high matches), Smith , Bryn Mawr and Wellesley if you are a woman (although Wellesley might be more of high match as well). You might also like Macalester, Bates, Sarah Lawrence and Oberlin.</p>

5

<p>Santa Clara would be more of a match than a financial safety. It doesn’t meet need, and it has a COA of over $50k per year. It’s average FA package is about half the cost of attendance, which could leave a student with big need with a huge gap.</p>

<p>It would be fine to apply to as match, but for it to be a financial safety, the student would have to know that it would be affordable thru assured grants, scholarships, small loans, family/student contribution, work-study, etc.</p>

6

<p>Though I’d hesitate to call Macalester College a safety, I’d recommend that you look into it as well. I’m pretty sure you’d get in, and it offers very good aid - as well as merit scholarships that, with your stats, I think you’d be a good contender for.</p>

<p>What state are you from? Does your state university have good merit programs?</p>

<p>Also, if you have any questions about Carleton, feel free to PM me and ask. Carleton gives great ad, by the way.</p>

7

<p>Add Grinnell to your list. They give merit aid and good FA. They have a student group that does Dagohir (sp?) foam swordfighting (which I think is medieval swordfighting) and I think they have an annual Renaissance fair.</p>

8

<p>I agree with SDonCC. Many kids applying to Carleton and Swarthmore also apply to Grinnell which has not just great FA, but also merit aid, for which you will qualify. Culture comparable to Brown’s and Carleton’s, but a litter more understated. No distribution requirements, like Brown.</p>

9

<p>Reed is a great choice and meets need (for most students) but is not a safety. DD2 loved Carleton and is now attending Lewis and Clark. She also fences with the club there, Rennaissance style with knives, etc. Any chance you are NMF? There are many great scholarships for those students.</p>

10

<p>You are an exceptionally competitive applicant. Your stats are great and the things you do with your life are quite enviable. i don’t normally say this, but you don’t need to have a very expansive safety list, because I am almost positive you will be accepted into at least several of the schools you listed.</p>

11

<p>I think you’re in at Carleton, esp if you show genuine interest, ie, visit and interview. BTW, isn’t Columbia more like UChicago than Brown is?</p>

<p>As for a safety, how about Case Western? They are a peer to UChicago but with wide open admissions.</p>

12

<p>I have to agree that schools like Grinnell, Macalester, and Reed are “of a kind” with the schools you list but, although are fairly high probability “gets” for someone with your profile, aren’t quite “sure bets”. UNC-Chapel Hill (given your NC residency) would probably qualify (even at 32% acceptance rate), but probably isn’t what you’re looking for.</p>

<p>I think Occidental and St. Olaf, however, probably qualify as near certainties for you and are close to the style you are looking for. Both are also 100% need-based schools, too. (see [Colleges</a> that Meet the Financial Needs of Students | InsideCollege.com](<a href=“The Best College Rankings and Lists | Inside College | CollegeXpress”>The Best College Rankings and Lists | Inside College | CollegeXpress)) I would recommend, at least, that if you get to Carleton take some time to look at St. Olaf, too (five minutes across town), keeping it as a “sure bet” school in mind. I don’t know if you want to go all the way out to CA to investigate Occidental, but if you do while your are there you might want to look at Pomona as another possible more selective school for your list.</p>

<p>Finally, I agree that if you are female Bryn Mawr and Smith could qualify as foundational schools for you that could give you the combination of intellectual atmosphere and student community that you seem to be seeking.</p>

13

<p>UNC-Asheville is as close to those other schools and still be a safety, esp as an in-state student. Smaller, undergrad focused and you are a cinch to get in there. Good luck.</p>

14

<p>

UNC is what you make of it. You can’t do much better for history, and if the OP qualifies for the Carolina Covenant, the OP would have all need met with no loans. You have intellectuals at UNC, like a friend of mine who got into Chicago but couldn’t afford it (as did I), but they’re not all over the place like at some college campuses.

The problem with UNCA is that there is virtually no academic flexibility. The core curriculum and major requirements are absurdly intense and allow for almost no electives. Unless you have a clear idea of your prospective major going in as a freshman and don’t want to double major or add a minor, graduating in four years is often unlikely.</p>

<p>Davidson is well worth a look and is probably the best option in NC. It was the second college (after Princeton) to go loan-free for all students, and it has a remarkable mix of strong academics, beautiful campus, good weather, decent athletics, and loads of school spirit. My Chicago interviewer was a Davidson professor and kept pushing me to apply to Davidson and Swarthmore instead, schools he considered having the academics of Chicago with a much better atmosphere. Given your stats, you would be a strong contender for the Belk scholarship.</p>

<p>In the Midwest, I think of Oberlin for a safe match. Nearly 30% at Oberlin receive merit scholarships as opposed to 13% at Grinnell. </p>

<p>Safeties with decent-to-excellent merit aid:</p>

<p>Beloit
Centre
Denison
Hendrix
Lawrence U
Rhodes
Whitman
Willamette
Wooster</p>

<p>Not all of these will have the quirky feel that you may be looking for, but it’s a place to start.</p>

15

<p>Cross Rochester off for good merit aid. Any merit aid given is subtracted from your grants. And the aid is not that generous.</p>

<p>Thus, if you would otherwise get 30k in grants and get a 10k scholarship, you now get 20k in grants and 10k in scholarship.</p>

16

<p>The student needs safety recommendations that will **assuredly **be affordable. A safety isn’t a safety if it’s unknown if it will be affordable.</p>

<p>Lowish income kids with high stats need to apply to some schools that will either meet need or will give assured HUGE merit.</p>

17

<p>You are a very competitive applicant. My son graduated from UChicago last year; he also applied to Brandeis and Case as they felt similar to UChicago. If you are accepted at Chicago, their Oddessy scholarship should help a good bit with your family income level. Good luck - and pay attention to your essays.</p>

18

<p>Both Davidson and Oberlin are good recommendations for the OP to consider, but neither can be counted as a “safety” (nor, IMO, any school with under 40% admission rate – UNC is >40% for NC residents). Most of the other schools listed (Beloit, et al) probably qualify, but I’d be leary of considering Whitman and Rhodes as sure-bet admissions for anyone.</p>

<p>Merit aid is certainly a worthwhile goal for the OP, but FA at 100%-need schools might also be sufficient for the OP’s needs. Both strategies are worth pursuing.</p>

19

<p>First, thank you all very much for the responses. Everyone has been incredibly helpful.</p>

<p>Second, I had a nice long post typed up addressing everyone, but CC logged me out and then my laptop crashed. I take that as a sign I should be more succinct.</p>

<p>My family’s EFC is <5k, and while we could probably scrape together the amount specified, it would be a considerable financial strain. My father recently gained employment and is also in the <50k bracket, but I don’t communicate with him and he only occasionally pays child support. I have no idea if that has any bearing on anything.</p>

<p>I’ll probably major in History. A walkable campus would be nice, as would an abundance of older architecture. I party, but not in excess; a school with the scene present, not dominating, would be preferable. I might enjoy watching a game, but rah-rah sports aren’t necessary. Location is not a concern at all – I want a vibrant campus, so whether there’s a diner/foreboding forest or booming city life (which I would venture into if it was there) outside the gates of college is a non-issue.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, I took the PSAT in 9th grade and never looked back. I believe I qualify for the Carolina Covenant scholarship and am applying to UNC (I do like the school, and I would rather not be shunned).</p>

<p>Schools that caught my eye:
Lewis and Clark
Reed
Hendrix
Oberlin
Wesleyan
Case Western
Vassar
Davidson
Grinnell</p>

<p>I also found Kenyon, and I like it a lot.</p>

<p>I’m still pilfering around and doing some research, though. Sorry if I missed anything.</p>

20

<p>What is your efc? You need to find out that. If you can get needed base FA and Merit Based scholarship then it will open a lot of door for you…</p>

<p>UChicago has 30 presidential scholarships for tuition full ride, but it still leave short of about $20,000 for the room and board, if your needed base FA can cover that, you will be ok.</p>

<p>You are on the boarderline of Quest Bridge, check that out. Also, if you don;t mind miliitary, ROTC or those Acadamies.</p>