Safety Schools?

College Search & Selection
1

So I’m currently a senior, and I’ve already applied to a few “safety” schools early action (UMass Amherst, Providence College, Emmanuel College, CUA, and Merrimack College). However, I’m now worried that these are schools that I either won’t want to go to- UMA and Merrimack, or schools that I may not get too much merit from (Providence). I’m looking to go to school in New England or the Mid-Atlantic, I prefer small-ish schools and I really just want a school that I am pretty much guaranteed a pretty good merit aid/financial aid package. If anyone has any ideas, that would be great!!! My stats are as follows if that’ll help:

GPA:
W: 4.24 (School doesn’t rank UW; GPA is out of 4.0) Rank: Top 10% (approx 800 class size, again school doesn’t give exact rank)
Class Rigor:

Freshman Year:
Accepted and entered in an accelerated program within my high school, took all advanced classes w/in this program
Honors Latin

Sophomore Year:
APUSH
Honors Latin

Junior Year:
APUSH (2 Year class at my school, got a 3- Didn’t include score on common app)
Took Principles of Biology 1 and 2 through a UMASS university, got a B in both semesters
High Honors Pre-Calculus with Advanced Calculus A
High Honors English
Honors Forensics
Honors Latin

Senior Year:
AP US Gov’t
AP Calc BC
AP Literature
AP Psychology
Dual Enrollment Sociology (w community college)
Honors Genetics

I’ve gotten mostly all A’s (especially in all my AP classes- possibly getting a high B in calc bc this quarter but A’s in all other classes) and some Bs. I’ve gotten one C in latin my junior year but second semester brought it up to a low B, but this has really been the only class I’ve struggled with)

ECs:
4 year member of Varsity Swim team, voted Captain my senior year and led team of over 50 girls, won championship in 2014
2 year member of Lacrosse team
Congressional Debate Planning Committee senior year- planned and helped run a Congressional debate at my high school, worked as a question runner as well
Student Council member for 2 years
Lots of Community Service- over 120 hours for an organization that helps families during Christmas time, other hours working for local Food Bank
Member of the BPA, Science Club, Yearbook Committee
Worked 36 hours/week over the summer as a lifeguard and a swim lessons instructor, have many certifications that include a Management Certification

SAT:
CR- 670, Math- 650, Total- 1320
Essay- highest score 19/24 (Superscore (???) would be a 21)

Essay- wrote about my job lifeguarding and the people I encountered while working and how it affected me and my drive to help people/“change the world” in some way, basically calling to light that I have grown up pretty privileged; honestly wasn’t thrilled with it (but I’m very undecided), got feedback from 2 English teachers, a mentor, and a family member and everyone thought it was very good

Recommendations are from my English Teacher and Calculus teacher whom I’ve both had for 2 years, calculus one was pretty good but English one was very good.

Major: Undecided, possibly history, political science/government, or education

2

Look into Clark and Muhlenberg.

3

@lalalemma I’ve looked into Clark before but I didn’t think a lot of merit aid would be realistic but maybe I’m wrong? I’ll check out Muhlenberg though, thanks!

4

Not sure what your financial needs are but SUNY schools have good OOS rates – SUNY Geneseo is an excellent school with about 5,500 students.

5

You’d probably get substantial merit aid from Susquehanna University in PA.

6

How much can your family afford? I see from your other thread that you are from MA.

7

<<<
However, I’m now worried that these are schools that I either won’t want to go to- UMA and Merrimack, or schools that I may not get too much merit from (Providence).
<<<

THEN NONE OF THOSE SCHOOLS ARE SAFETIES!!!

Safeties are schools that will admit you, you like, AND you know FOR SURE that they are affordable based on ASSURED grants/scholarships and/or family funds.

How much will your parents pay each year???

Which schools will accept you, you like AND you know you have ALL costs covered???

8

Maybe look at U of VT (there are some merit awards for out of state students; check for guidelines), Ithaca College, Clark, Muhlenberg, and other Colleges That Change Lives schools (CTCL.org) where you’d be reasonably well positioned for merit scholarships. Dickinson (Carlisle, PA) might be worth a look. If you’re willing to consider Ohio, check out Denison (very strong in swimming) and College of Wooster.

Do you know what your parents are willing/able to pay and what your EFC (expected family contribution) is likely to be? Liberal Arts colleges typically provide merit scholarships in the 20-30K range which will still leave an annual bill of 35-50K these days, and tuition keeps rising. Out of state public universities, if they offer merit-based discounts to bring tuition down to in-state rates, also might be an option for you.

9

@mom2collegekids adding to what you’re saying, Safeties ideally should also be schools that you’d actually like to attend. This is a hard category to fill, but in my thinking it’s no good to have a school that you hate, but accepts you and you can afford. Best to have a school that you are at minimum okay about attending and will accept you and you can afford, all 3 please.

10

^^^
I agree!

<< Safeties are schools that will admit you, you like, AND you know FOR SURE that they are affordable based on ASSURED grants/scholarships and/or family funds.

11

IMO it is usually harder to find good safety schools as compared to finding good match/reach schools. Too many people don’t put enough time and energy into finding safety schools.

Other ideas for the OP might be Marist and Siena.

12

Looks like you are OK with Catholic colleges. Your stats put you in the range for about $20,000/year merit at St. Joseph’s, Loyola Maryland, and Scranton, leaving approx. annual cost for tuition, fees, R&B of $37,000 (St. Joe’s) $40,000 (Loyola), and $33,500 (Scranton). Don’t know how they are for your choice of majors. These schools are at approximately the level of Providence.

If these are too pricey, you might drop down a level and check out Canisius (Buffalo), St,. Bonaventure (rural NY), and LaSalle (Philadelphia). All cost less and/or have more extensive merit opportunities than the three mentioned above, as they are less selective.

13

@mom2collegekids I considered them safety schools just in that I knew I would get in and would get some type of merit aid. I made this thread trying to find more schools that were safety by that sense AND that I would like to go to.