Safety suggestions

College Search & Selection
1

<p>GPA: 3.9 UW, 4.6~ W (I don't know exactly yet, they only release the exact GPAs at the beginning of senior year, I'm just estimating)
SAT Composite: 2090 (710 M, 720 CR, 660 W)
Taking SAT IIs in the fall</p>

<p>Hard course load - I played it safe Freshman year as I was still unsure of my abilities, only about 1/2 honors. Sophomore year I got braver and only took 1 non-honors class. This year I took all honors for all courses that offered it. Senior year I will be doing the same, in addition to taking AP Lit Comp and AP US History. My school does not offer many APs (Lit Comp, US History, Art, Calculus, Biology), I was not interested in Biology or Art and unfortunately I didn't have full Algebra in middle school so I am forced to take Pre-Calculus Honors for senior year.</p>

<p>I haven't recieved my class rank yet, but I recieved the #1 overall score on our school administered proficiency test for graduation next year, so I am definitely in the top 1%</p>

<p>ECs:
(10,11,12) Literary Magazine, Lead Graphical Editor and Page Designer
(11,12) NJROTC Drill Team, New Cadet Commander
(11,12) National Honor Society</p>

<p>Awards:
2 Academic Letters (Freshman and Junior year, I was completely cheated out of a single class Sophomore year. =P)</p>

<p>Order of the Daedalians Award for excellence in JROTC Leadership and Academics. Awarded to only one person in the school annually, some years nobody is awarded.</p>

<p>Work Experience:
Summer job in 2004 working for a computer repair and troubleshooting retail shop, about 25 hours a week. I am not working this summer due to my attending a 1-week JROTC Summer Camp and 2-week Leadership Academy (where I will be promoted to an officer)</p>

<p>In addition, I play the guitar (electric and acoustic) and the mandolin.</p>

<p>Currently, I am applying to these colleges for an undecided Engineering track, most likely Electrical Engineering. I do have an interest in Materials Science as well, though:</p>

<p>Dartmouth (Reach)
University of Virginia (Reach/Match)
UMass Ann Arbor (Reach/Match)
Rose-Hulman (Match)
Bucknell University (Match)
Virginia Tech (Match/Safety)</p>

<p>Firstly, do my classifications of these colleges seem accurate based on my stats? Secondly, what would some good safeties or any other good similar colleges be?</p>

2

<p>Do you mean UMich Ann Arbor? or UMass Amherst</p>

3

<p>Probably Ann Arbor, because UMass would be a safety. :)</p>

<p>What about Lehigh - smaller engineering school, but would probably be a safety for you. Connecticut College? UConn? James Madison? American? (Do they have engineering?)</p>

<p>Guessing that you are a VA resident - if so, and if there is rolling admissions at a state school, apply there early in the application cycle. That'll give you a safety.</p>

4

<p>I considered Lehigh, but I have a few issues with the school. It's not diverse at ALL, is way too much of a drinker school for me, and is expensive as hell (40k plus a year).</p>

<p>American doesn't have engineering, I already checked them out. And no, I'm not a Virginia resident. NJ, actually.</p>

5

<p>...and you don't want Rutgers? ;)</p>

6

<p>For engineering, why not try Cornell? Not a safety, I know but a good suggestion, I think.</p>

7

<p>I've heard from many sources that Cornell winters are brutal, and I hate those. I know Michigan and Virginia are already pretty bad, but not as bad as Cornell gets.</p>

8

<p>Are you willing to go south?</p>

<p>I am curious as to why you are applying to Dartmouth for electrical engineering but not Penn or Columbia?
You'll get into most of them; I think UVA might be tough out of state.</p>

9

<p>VA is not bad. It gets cold, but it never gets to anything like 10 degrees. It snows - a bit. A snowstorm is like six inches that melts the next day.</p>

<p>Georgia Tech? Not sure how hard it is to get in there.</p>

10

<p>lehigh would not be a safety anyway. georgia tech would be a match/safety, not a sure bet. i would consider virginia tech a safety.</p>

11

<p>Look at Case Western, Lafayette, Bradley, & Drexel, Villanova for some easier acceptances, not neccesarily safeties, but pretty good assurance for you.</p>