<p>I realized that I don't want to be stuck with only a big school as my safety if that's what it comes to. I already have a match LAC (Oberlin), and so I want something a little less competitive than that (maybe with an admit rate of around 50%), preferably somewhere close to Michigan. It would also be great if they gave good merit aid.</p>
<p>I looked at Kalamazoo but my dad is gung-ho opposed to me applying there. I also looked at Grinnell (not a safety) but I'd prefer to be in a town.</p>
<p>I'm in the top 10% of my class, with a cumulative 3.7 (unweighted), and I got a 33 on the ACT. My SAT's were 750,750,660 but I'm not sending them unless asked for, because my SAT II's were unspeakable.</p>
<p>My S. looked at many LAC's throughout the midwest and ended up choosing Kalamazoo with a nice merit award. I'm curious as well to your Dad's opposition to such a high quality school. It's difficult to find a LAC in a mid-sized town close to Michigan, and certainly not one with a D1 university located next door. Having grown up in a large metropolitan area, S. scratched many schools off the list simply based on the isolation factor.</p>
<p>Probably simply the name and lack of one. My parents didn't want me to apply to Arcadia a.k.a Beaver College... that changed once I took them to see it.</p>
<p>My dad hires a lot of people (and has a LOT of outdated ideas about schools). He's always talking about what it looks like on a resume. I keep telling him that I'll end up going to grad/med/doctoral school anyway, but he says that he sees a school like Kalamazoo (that he claims he's never heard of) and tosses the application in the trash. He would much prefer that I go to Western/Eastern/Central/Northern/Saginaw/Grand Valley, etc.. because he says people have heard of it.</p>
<p>His opinions are super warped. I showed him the NYT article that said Kalamazoo was worth a trip, and he said I could apply but he wouldn't pay the tuition. (of course, they have a good track record with merit aid and often make it cheaper than the public alternatives for top students to encourage them to come there).</p>
<p>Regarding Oberlin, I agree that it's not a sure thing, but I think I have a solid chance there. They accept a lot of people from my school. I also agree that Macalester may be difficult. My major at Oberlin would be theatre, but I have a number of other interests that I could put down instead: art history, public policy, sociology, English among them.</p>
<p>Try looking at Beloit (I'll be starting at Oberlin and Beloit was high up on my list after that). I was also offered the presidential scholarship there while no merit at Oberlin =/</p>
<p>Several in Pennsylvania: Gettysburg College, Franklin and Marshall, Dickinson, Washington and Jefferson. Lake Forest in IL. Lawrence in Wisconsin is in the sticks, but gets rave reviews.</p>
<p>Lawrence is in Appleton, the middle city in a contiguous urban area known as the Fox Cities. Total population is around 140,000, and Green Bay, with another 100,000 or so, is only about twenty miles away. That actually makes it one of the larger urban areas in which a good midwestern LAC is located. Larger than Kalamazoo, for example, and much larger than the hometowns of any of the good Ohio LACs, or of Carleton, St. Olaf, Beloit, Grinnell, Knox or Earlham, just by way of comparison.</p>
<p>You're from Michigan, right? If you apply early to U of M, there is a good chance you will hear back in early November. And you have your 'safety' ... thus there is no need to consider "Western/Eastern/Central/Northern..." You can then focus on applying to more LACs that are matches.</p>
<p>And I second the choice of Kalamazoo College.</p>
<p>I probably should apply there, but I visited it and HATED it. It's been recommended to me so many times, but I thought the campus was ugly and the guides were stupid, and there was too much construction going on.</p>
<p>I'll have to think about that one.</p>
<p>Regarding Michigan schools, if I apply around September 1st, is there a chance I'll know by November? I'm applying to the RC, so there's no need for me to do a ton of LACs if I know I can just go to Michigan. But my guidance counselor told me that I may not know until after the Jan 1/15 deadlines. (oh and there's NO WAY I would ever consider western/central, etc - MSU , yes. But not those others.)</p>
<p>You're in-state with a 3.7 UW GPA (what's your Michigan GPA?), 33 ACT, 1500/2160 SAT. Assuming you are taking a vigorous curriculum, I like your chances at Michigan. If you apply early, you have a good chance of hearing back by early November. Btw, Michigan doesn't consider SAT II for admission.</p>
<p>whoa, really? they don't consider them at all?? are you sure?</p>
<p>It's actually a 1410 old, because I was 750CR, 660M, 750W (which is stupid because I got a 32 on the ACT math...)</p>
<p>two things, then (not to change the subject...) - is just the ACT okay, not sending the SAT transcript? And, is September 1 early enough to hear by November?</p>
<p>My Michigan GPA is about a 3.58. In the old formula that they no longer use, they gave a little extra (like .2 or something) to my school, though, because grade inflation absolutely does not exist. I don't know if they still do that.</p>
<p>It's ok if you just submit your ACT as only 55% of the enrolled freshmen submitted their SAT (compared to 66% for ACT). 1410/2160 is not as good as 1500/2160.</p>
<p>I'd be a little concern if your Michigan GPA is 3.6 as you're around borderline ... unless you are from a highly competitive feeder school.</p>
<p>Then I'll do just the ACT, because a 33 is supposed to equate to a 2240 or something, and my math is way better that way.</p>
<p>I do go to sort of a 'feeder' school (University Liggett). We send a ton of kids with grades lower than mine, although that wasn't the case this year. Apparently it's going to be easier for 2011 than it was for 2010 because of housing or something.</p>
<p>Ren--Housing still will be tight for the next incoming class at Michigan since Mosher Jordan Hall isn't scheduled to reopen until Fall '08. In an effort to manage enrollment, Michigan's admissions followed a pattern this year of deferring many applicants other than the clear-cut admits. Many kids waited well into the spring for a decision. Even after many months of deferment, many then were placed on a waitlist. This year's app is already up online. Get started on it ASAP...the earlier the better with rolling admissions.</p>