Safeties?

College Search & Selection
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<p>I posted a similar thread a while ago, but since then my stats have changed a bit...</p>

<p>Current Junior...
GPA (uw): 3.86
GPA (w): 4.26 (should be higher, but I take a lot of unweighted class as part of my major)
Class Rank: 11 of 121
School Type: Magnet school for the arts
SAT: 1930 (680 CR, 660 M, 590 W), I will be taking one more time in June with the goal of a 700 in CR and a 650 in W...
ACT: 27 with 8 on essay
LORs: Should be good, there will be one from my APUSH teacher who loves me and either one from my AP English Lang teacher or dual enrollment professor
Rigor: Hardest classes possible, will graduate with 10 honors classes, 6 APs and 3 DEs (also four years of a language outside of school for credit)
Essays: Good, but not amazing
Subject Tests and AP exams: None taken yet, I will be taking in May
AP Classes (by the time of graduation): English Lang, English Lit, Bio, Calc AB, USH, Euro (may also be taking environmental)
Race: White
Gender: Female (sort of implied by username)</p>

<p>ECs (sorry the list is long)
- Yearbook
Copy Editor (11)
Ad Editor (11)
Editor-in-chief (12)
- Coach at The First Tee (250 hours+)
Member of junior advisory board (9, 10)
Vice president of junior advisory board (11)
Currently being nominated by the program for various national awards
Also may have a paid internship through them this summer
- National Art Honor Society
Membership officer (10, 11)
Favorite to be president next year
- Diller Teen Fellow
Selective program I participated in during sophomore and part of junior year
- J-SITE
A program where I take Hebrew classes for credit
Will also have three certificates of mastery by the end of the year (each one required a long term project)
- Teen Advisory Council at local library
Member since middle school
- Math Club
Member since 11th grade
- Volunteer at the Friendship Circle (200 hours+)
Good number of hours freshman and sophomore years, minimal hours this past year
- Teen Philanthropy Group
Member since 8th grade
- USY
Chapter newsletter editor (9)
Regional newsletter editor (10)
Chapter yearbook editor (10, 11)</p>

<p>Awards
- Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Silver Key (11)
- Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Silver Key (10, 11)
- Carson Scholar (11)</p>

<p>Other
I will be submitted an art supplement to all schools, it is strong/fairly unique (there will be glass and woven pieces in additional to more traditional pieces)</p>

<p>I am looking for safeties within around an eight hour radius (via car) of Pittsburgh. I prefer small LACs and am not opposed to all girls, but prefer co-ed. My intended major is neuroscience, but I am also okay with schools that have strong psych and bio programs. My family can contribute nothing, I would need to realistically be able to get a lot of merit aid (though if I go to a school in Pennsylvania I will get $7500 a year through a program called Pittsburgh Promise). I am willing to apply EA, but not ED, oh and my current safeties are Chatham, Muhlenberg, and Juniata.</p>

<p>Sorry this was so long, thanks in advance!</p>

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<p>What about Muhlenberg? It seems like a good combination for your interests.</p>

3

<p>Lol, I just edited like one minute before you posted. I forgot to include Muhlenberg… I am just hoping to find some more schools (my overall list is very reach heavy right now).</p>

4

<p>West Virginia University, check out their scholarships for non-residents.</p>

5

<p>What can your family afford? For a school to be a safety it must be affordable.</p>

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<p>They can contribute nothing, which means that you need financial aid, or they refuse to contribute anything, which means that you need merit aid. There is a world of difference. Many schools will supply financial aid to needy students, but if you are not needy, but your parents just refuse to pay, then you really do need to get merit aid for almost a full ride, and small private liberal arts colleges are most unlikely to give it to you. You really would need to get your SATs or ACTs up much higher. </p>

<p>Have your and your parents done the expected financial contribution calculators to figure out what colleges that meet full need would expect you to pay, and whether they can pay that. (It could be 0, but you need to do the math). </p>

<p>I think answering this question is critical to determine where you should apply.</p>

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<p>Good catch CRD. I missed the contribution statement in the wall of text.</p>

8

<p>They cannot afford to contribute anything. Single parent household, income around $50,000. If a school meets 100 percent of demonstrated need I am fine, but so few do, which means I would need to fill the gap with merit or loans…</p>

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<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-16.html#post15557250[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-16.html#post15557250&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>With an AFC = $0, your price limit at the maximum is probably around $8,500 if you are willing to take a $5,500 Stafford loan and work for $3,000 in earnings over the year (your ASC or actual student contribution). Less if you consider a smaller ASC to be more realistic.</p>

<p>With an income around $50,000, the colleges will likely calculate an EFC of $3000 to $5,000. Many colleges expect an ESC (expected student contribution) of up to $8,500, so a school that “meets full need” may come up with a net price of up to $13,500 – too expensive.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, Pennsylvania publics are awful with financial aid even for in-state students (e.g. Penn State will probably give you a net price of over $20,000).</p>

<p>Check the net price calculators at each school you are considering.</p>

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<p>Look into schools on this list where you are more than competitive</p>

<p>[Need-blind</a> admission - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“Need-blind admission - Wikipedia”>Need-blind admission - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>Definitely consider University of Rochester and University of Richmond. </p>

<p>I’m pretty sure Bryn Mawr, Mt Holyoke and Smith also have good financial aid even though they can’t guarantee to meet need. I know someone who got merit money at Bryn Mawr on top of financial aid.</p>