I am a rising senior in high school and have done a lot of research on different colleges and have visited a bunch so far and have narrowed down my list but I need safety schols!!!
My school doesn’t rank or give gpas but for the most part have straight A’s and my gpa is around a 3.95 UW. I have taken almost every AP and hardest class I can but my school only offers 4 total, because all the classes in my school are considered honors (and I’m not going to submit my AP score bc it sucked.) Have also taken college classes outside school.
I have a 2200 SAT (750 cr, 660 m, 790 w). I have 660s on the subject tests now but am going to retake them this year.
Really good ECs and leadership positions and community service, recs should be good, and writing is my strong suit so I hope my essay & supps will be good.
White girl, good public school in nyc, no hooks…
My list as of now:
Yale University
Tufts University
Bowdoin College
Georgetown University
Emory University
Brandeis University
Occidental College
American University
SUNY Binghamton
Clark University
SUNY New Paltz
Looking for mid sized school like 6000 that’s not in the middle of nowhere, not a huge fratty/sporty school but don’t want too artsy/granola type. Obviously not every school on my list fits perfectly with what I want but I am willing to compromise. Plan on studying psychology/legal studies/american studies or something along those lines, not 100% sure yet but definitely social sciences area. Mostly looking on east coast but I liked a few schools enough to consider them even if they’re a plane ride away.
Can anyone help come up with schools that might be safeties for me and are similar to other schools I’m interested in?!! Thanks in advance!
your M+CR is a 1410, unfortunately, schools don’t care about the W.
Safeties rarely give much/any need-based aid, but some give merit scholarships.
Safeties must be affordable.
How much will your parents pay each year? Ask them, please don’t guess.
Have you considered UVA or Northeastern? Both are strong in psychology/social sciences. Are you willing to go farther from home? Hope this helps!
UVA a safety?? Neither UVA nor Northeastern can b considered safeties; Clark and SUNY New Paltz probably good safeties.
Not sure what that is based on. I have seen people get just as much or more need based aid from schools that were clearly “safeties” for them (hate that term, but will roll with it for now). In any case you have not indicated that finances are an issue. Are they? Some schools are more known for providing good need-based packages than others, regardless if the student is in their 90th percentile or their 10th. So this is important to know before rattling off schools. @travgal1
BTW, I think a few of those schools on your current list are highly likely to accept you, so I think you have some safeties. I guess you are looking for a few more?
^^^
Typically, students’ safeties (safe admissions) are their state schools or low-tier or unranked privates. Typically, those schools do not have a lot of need based institutional aid to give.
Certainly, it’s not 100%, for a Calif resident who has a guaranteed admittance to a UC and who has a low income, then a UC will pretty much “meet need” or come close. However, that is not typical.
Have you visited any schools? What are your parents able/willing to pay? You need to have that information to determine which schools to even apply to - there are NPC available with each school you look at on-line.
Agree with mom2 about your standardized test scoring. You mention SAT but not ACT. You would need CR + M score to go up 10 points (1420) to have ACT equiv of 32 - which is needed for Presidential Scholarship (4 years tuition) at a school like UA as a OOS student (that is automatic merit based on applying in time, I believe Dec time frame). UA has GPA plus ACT/SAT on this merit scholarship.
You are in NY. Are you/your parents looking and wanting you to stay within a certain geographic distance?
“studying psychology/legal studies/american studies or something along those lines, not 100% sure yet but definitely social sciences area. Mostly looking on east coast but I liked a few schools enough to consider them even if they’re a plane ride away.”
So what are your career goals?
Have you considered a larger school with a strong honors college?
Have you chosen your list based on the areas you are wanting to study along with your other criteria “Looking for mid sized school like 6000 that’s not in the middle of nowhere, not a huge fratty/sporty school but don’t want too artsy/granola type.”
If you have a strong ability to pay, you will want to include schools that you are likely to gain admission. Most on your posted list are not. A few are.
Forbes Aug 17 issue (should be on the news stands now) is their ‘college issue’ with “America’s Top 200 Colleges” and there are some related articles - liberal arts, best values, most grateful graduates, etc. I think some of the schools that they rank may be schools you have not looked at or known about.
If you look at particular school information, look at the freshman admission information and their percentile ACT/SAT - and where you would stand. Schools want students to help their standing. As you say, you have no ‘hooks’.