Safety Schools?

College Search & Selection
1

Hi everyone,

I’m a junior from New Jersey. I’m male, Hispanic, white, and a pacific islander. For the most part, I know what reach and target schools I’ll be applying to, but am not sure as for safety schools. I’m looking for schools on the east coast or west coast, and would rather not go to a huge state school. (A big school is ok but the student-faculty ratio should be relatively small.) I’ll list my stats below and hopefully you guys can come up with some good schools for me.

ACT: Composite: 34 || 36 Math/35 English/33 Science/30 Reading/9.25 Essay
SAT 2: US History, Math 2, Spanish (No scores back yet, but expecting around 700 in each)
GPA: 3.875UW || 4.23W
AP: Macroeconomics: 5, Waiting on Psych and APUSH
Courseload through junior year: 3 AP’s, as many honors as possible – note that my school only allows 1 AP before junior year
Senior year Courseload: 4 AP’s, 2 Honors, 2 Regular
Extracurriculars: 4 years debate (2 jv 2 varsity), 3 years DECA, 2 years Stock Market Club, 4 years quizbowl, 2 years weather club, started a politics club junior year, 2 years model congress, 1 year model un, 2 years newspaper, 100+ volunteer hours, 3 summers working as lifeguard, summer at Brown program, 1 year soccer, 4 years tennis, 2 years NHS, random summer internship, soccer ref 7 years
Leadership: Founder of Politics Club, Varsity Tennis Captain, I run the soccer referee program in my town, NHS tutor, Head referee for many soccer matches
Awards: Made it to DECA Nationals and other various DECA awards, various debate awards, every high honor roll possible, various minor quizbowl awards, 2 varsity letters, passion award in 8th grade
Letters of recommendation: Outstanding letter from best teacher in school (my APUSH teacher and the tennis coach), other is undecided
Interests: Law, political science, psychology, economics

Safety Schools that I’m Considering atm: Northeastern, American, Villanova

Thanks a lot for reading and replying

2

There’s no doubt you are a very qualified applicant, but realistically I don’t think Northeastern, American and Villanova should be considered safeties. Northeastern and American (which have very low acceptance rates) are particularly well known for rejecting highly qualified applicants who don’t demonstrate interest.

Some ideas for safer safeties: Fordham, Clark, Syracuse

3

Safeties usually don’t give great aid. And, Safeties must be affordable. How much will your family pay each year?

4

^^^ Financial Aid is not a concern in my situation.

5

These sources can help you locate schools strong economics, some of which would be safe admits for you:

https://ideas.repec.org/top/top.uslacecon.html

https://ideas.repec.org/top/top.usecondept.html

6

For a rough guide, the following should be true for you to consider a school a safety (check last year’s CDS for their admissions stats):

  1. Admit rate is at least 40% -- the higher, the safer. Maybe even make that 50% to keep it simple.
  2. Your test score(s) and GPA are at or above the 75th percentile figures among admits.
  3. The school is affordable.
  4. You wouldn't mind attending and they have major(s) you're interested in.

And make sure you demonstrate genuine interest – most schools do not like to feel like they are being treated as safeties, and someone with your stats might be presumed to be thinking of a less selective school as a safety.

7

Prezbucky’s list of “must” for a good safety for a student with your stats is perfect. :slight_smile:

I think that if you apply in September to Penn State you’ll get in (as long as finances aren’t a concern - don’t expect FA). Their modified rolling admission system means that your odds of getting in are very high. Apply to Honors college but there odds are low.
I second Clark and Fordham (show interest = fill out the “request info form”, go visit if you can).

8

Oh good! Your parents have told you that they’ll pay full cost for any school? Great!

Your list of safeties may be fine, but you might want to add at least one for sure safety in case those suspect that they’re being used as a safety and use yield protection.

Fordham is a good choice.

BTW…are you a likely NMF or National Hispanic Recognition student?

9

You could apply to Northeastern or Villanova early action and would hear back before the end of December, possibly mid-December. (American has no EA.) You might get deferred (particularly at Northeastern), but if you get in you would have a good option in hand. And if you don’t get in, you’d have time to apply to a school or two that is more of a sure thing.

10

^Rolling admissions universities have Nov 30/Dec1 deadlines so that strategy isn’t totally applicable.
It’s possible to apply to Fordham, Clark, Villanova, Northeastern, Penn State EA, in October, then focus on your other choices Nov1st-Jan 1st. That way you’re covered no matter what.

11

Northeastern in particular considers “showing interest”. They tend to defer, offer NUIn or waitlist those they think are using them as a safety.