Safety Schools for Neuroscience

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am a high school senior getting ready to apply to colleges now and I know that I want to go into neuroscience. I have pretty good credentials so I plan on applying to some Ivy League schools like Brown, Dartmouth, Princeton, UPenn, and Yale. I understand, though, that acceptance into Ivy League schools is unpredictable and I probably won't make it into any of these schools. I plan on applying to other schools as well for this reason like Johns Hopkins, Washington University in St. Louis, and Duke. These schools are also very selective, though, so I need some safety schools that would have good neuroscience programs.<br>
Here are some of my credentials:</p>

<p>-2nd in my class of 559
-4.67 Cumulative GPA (4.0 unweighted)
-35 composite ACT (English: 36, Reading: 36, Math: 33, Science: 33)
-2300 SAT score (Reading: 770, Math: 760, Writing: 770)
-232 PSAT score (National Merit Semifinalist)
-AP Scholar with Honors (US History: 5, Lang. and Comp.: 5, Chemistry: 4, Calc AB: 3 (I plan on doing better on Calc BC))
-760 SAT Chemistry; 750 SAT US History
-Played on the varsity tennis team
-2nd place at the National Academic Games Competition in World Events in 2009 and 2011; 3rd place in 2010
-Captain of the Academic Games Team
-Senator in Student Council in 12th grade (VP in 9th grade, Pres in 10th grade, Representative in 11th grade)
-PA Youth and Government (speech and debate)
-Volunteering at the local library
-National Honor Society
-Founded the school bowling team
-Attended the BASF Science Academy (I was selected; did not have to pay)
-Worked as a tutor at Kumon Math and Reading Center</p>

<p>I'm sure that I have a small chance of making it into one of the schools listed above, but I obviously also want some schools that I am sure to get into, or at least have a fairly good chance. Please comment and thank you.</p>

2

<p>Look at the University of Pittsburgh. Highly rated neuroscience and you should get money (full tuition possibly) with your numbers.</p>

3

<p>I don’t know what part of the country you are from , which would make a difference in suggesting schools. For example, Emory has a strong program, but if you are from ca, then I could suggest other options.</p>

4

<p>What’s your budget? If you need aid, you’ll need to consider cost/aid in your safety school choice(s).</p>

5

<p>I am from Pittsburgh, actually, and I don’t really want to go as far as California. Also, I am not sure of my price range, but I will certainly be applying for and needing financial aid, whether it be need- or merit-based. Any more suggestions?</p>

6

<p>^ The strategies for need-based aid v. merit aid tend to be rather different. A key issue is whether your parents are able and willing to cover your Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
If not, then you need to look for schools that either have costs below the EFC, or that offer merit aid that would cover the gap. </p>

<p>WUSTL, JHU and Duke all offer some merit aid (unlike the Ivies) but competition for it is very strong. Brandeis, Rochester, Wake Forest and Case Western are less selective “target” schools where your chances for significant merit aid should be higher. Pitt ought to be a good safety.</p>

7

<p>Definitely Pitt unless you know you want to leave town. U Rochester ought to be a safety (pending finances, but you’re likely to get merit aid). If you want something smaller, Lafayette offers neuro and you’d get merit aid.</p>

<p>Check on Case. When my guy wanted neuro he told me they had something similar, but not neuro - perhaps cognitive? It’s still a brain science, but the two are different.</p>