Schools that are Realistic?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm currently a Junior in Highschool, and I'm coming across some of the hardest decisions I have to make (COLLEGE, OH NO.)
So - I used to be one of those kids with big dreams (YALE, HARVARD, BROWN), you know the type. And now I've realized all of a sudden that these impossible schools are NOT for me. I am completely unprepared.
Now I need help. I don't even know how to go about looking for realistic schools, and I would really appreciate some guidance.</p>

<p>Word of caution: I have not taken the SAT yet.</p>

<p>alright, here goes.
Current UNweighted GPA = 3.6
Current weighted GPA = 4.01</p>

<p>Freshman Year: uw: 3.67 ---- w: 4.26
Sophomore Year: uw - ??? ----- w: 4.31</p>

<p>PSAT: 66 math, 75 reading, 78 writing: So projected SAT: approx. 2190 - 2250</p>

<p>Extra Curriculars:
Played piano for 11 years
(nothing competitive)
Volunteer with Keyclub and with local hospital
Part of creative writing club
Co-president of a third LOCAL volunteer club
Member of the National Science Honors Society
Member of the Junior Classical League of American, and the National Latin Honors Society (I consider these to be the same thing, haha)</p>

<p>Transcript (sort of? :) )
Freshman Year: Honors Bio, Honors Latin, Honors Literature: Academic History and Math. electives were creative writing and programming</p>

<p>Sophomore Year: Honors Chemistry, Honors Latin, Honors Literature, Honors Math. Academic History. electives were issues in science, web design, art (only taken for credit..)</p>

<p>Junior Year: Honors Physics, Honors Latin, AP Lang&Comp, Honors Math, Honors History. electives are Advanced creative writing, General Anatomy and Phys. and Forensic Sciences</p>

<p>For the most part, I've got B+s to A+s in ALL of these classes. The only places where there are slip ups in my grade are the MATH courses, which I have never been good at. Science is my strong subject, and I plan on being a doctor.</p>

<p>Also, I'm Indian. So I'm a minority, if that helps. And I'm just 3 months short of being 2 years too young for my grade level.</p>

<p>ALRIGHT. So you've got all this information to work with! Can you guys help decide on some realistic schools for me?</p>

2

<p>What kind of school are you looking for? Big university or small LAC? East coast/west coast/midwest? What kind of vibe do you want - intellectual, artsy, athletic, party school?</p>

3

<p>Also, what state are you from?</p>

4

<p>I’m from Jersey.
And, the type of school doesn’t really matter too much…well. A little.</p>

<p>I wanted a school in a suburban area or a small city. If it’s in a large city, I wanted it near one of those huge park things :stuck_out_tongue: (picky)
The vibe doesn’t matter so much, as long as the party-life is MILD. I don’t want to be too distracted.</p>

<p>ALSO: East Coast is preferred, but I really don’t mind getting away from home…</p>

5

<p>Decent SAT, rather low GPA, ECs seem pretty decent, and whatnot with the improvement…</p>

<p>i’d say a good state university, maybe some of the higher-ups. definietly not HYPSM, though. (Just saying)</p>

6

<p>haha, I understand :slight_smile:
Like I said, I never really thought about anything else. I just sort of assumed my way through highschool, and I haven’t tried as hard as I should have.
So no ivies for me, but I’d like to try my hand at a truly good school.</p>

7

<p>bump bump?</p>

8

<p>East Coast Suggestions, of all selectivity levels, types, etc. </p>

<p>Syracuse University (NY)
University of Rocheseter (NY)
UCONN (CT)
Ithaca College (NY)
Skidmore College (NY)
Mt. Holyoke (MA) Are you female?
Connecticut College (CT)
Wheaton College (MA)
University of Vermont (VT)
Hobart & William Smith (NY)
Colgate University (NY)
Hamilton College (NY)
Providence College (RI)
College of the Holy Cross (MA)
Hampshire College (MA)
Bennington College (VT)
Bard College (NY)
Sarah Lawrence (NY)</p>

9

<p>St. Lawrence University (NY)
Alfred University (NY)
Smith College (MA) If female
Brandeis University (MA)
UMASS-Amherst (MA)
Union College (NY)
Trinity College (CT)
Boston University (MA)
Northeastern University (MA)
Wellesley College (MA) if female</p>

10

<p>

^only a minority if your native american. Your an indian from new jersey, sort of an anti-hook bro. Assuming your PSAT scores translate to SAt scores, you could get into some good schools. (contrary 2 what you hear on CC, not all good schools are ranked top 15 US news) The ony problem I see is that your not taking enough AP’s. Ap’s aren’t just about padding your transcript. They really help prepare for college work by making your problem-solving and thinking skills stronger. EC’s are good man.
Colleges:
Syracuse University (super cold though)
Northeastern University (i think too urbanish)
Penn State (pretty big part school
UMichigan (probably a low-mid reach but good school all around)
University of Rochester
Villanova U
George Washington University (probably too urbanish)
Boston College
Boston University
University of Washington (i’m not sure if you’d like it here, but research??)
Brandeis University
Colgate University (small campus feel, big parks, has some prestige)</p>

<p>At some of these schools, I’m pretty sure your high SAT score (assuming) will get you some sort of merit aid. I’d advise you to visit some colleges during the summer to get a feel for what you really want. Vist>college view book. First step is to get that SAT score down though. Good luck :)</p>

11

<p>OP, another approach - in addition to looking at the schoosl that people suggest here - is to try playing around with the college board’s or some other site’s college selection tools.</p>

<p>The purpose is NOT to find you a college right now, but to have you start - in an easy, non-threatening way - to start looking into what kind of colleges you might be interested in. Things like small, large, type of student body, whether you want to be a Big Fish (top 25% of the incoming class) or - like one of my kids - like to hang with people who are smarter :-)</p>

<p>So check out those sites and get back to us about what interests you and why (e.g., “Syracuse looks good because of the size and it has a strong athletic culture and I like NYU because it’s in the city but I want a central campus like Villanova but not so business oriented and I want to be right in the middle of the class, not too much smarter or too much slower.”)</p>

<p>In using the sites you will start learning about what interests you, which will start you on the path . . . and we can help!!!</p>

<p>Good luck!!!</p>

12

<p>Thank you all very much!
I’ll be looking into these suggestions :slight_smile: </p>

<p>also: to the person who said I’m not taking enough APs :frowning:
unfortunately, this is this is the first year that I’m allowed to start taking them at my school. And I was a little nervous about it: I’ve realized it’s not all that bad.
I’ve got more for next year:
AP Bio
AP Calc AB
AP Latin Vergil
AP Eng. Lit
AP Psych </p>

<p>So a total of 6 AP courses by the time I graduate? a little better, I hope!</p>

13

<p>I like RADtomato’s list for you.
I would add U Maryland, U Delaware, and if you’d like some scholarship $$$, UMass Amherst. You’d also get into the NJ State Universities to save some real money- Rutgers NB and TCNJ are good schools.</p>

<p>Plug for GWU: Yes, it’s urban, but we have the worlds best park- The National Mall is just a few blocks away. Try joining a kickball league an playing on the National Mall- unforgettable.</p>

14

<p>another question:
my preferences aside, what would be some good REACH schools for me? low-mid reach?
Thanks again :)</p>

15

<p>Dude I don’t see why you wouldn’t apply to an ivy-league school. I mean it will be very hard for you to get into hypsm, but I think you have a shot at Cornell or even brown and dartmouth. All I’m saying is don’t sell yourself short. Just go for it. </p>

<p>Best of luck!!</p>

16

<p>I honestly don’t think you understand what a confidence booster that was for me!
Even if you were just being nice, thank you so much!
I’ve got energy to continue my hunt :slight_smile: </p>

<p>Also: I’ve found my “matches”.
I really do want a school that has a medium sized campus. I basically want a “pretty” school, if I can get it!
I really don’t want a party school, and I couldn’t care less about greek life!</p>

17

<p>Don’t sell yourself short - apply to at least one or two schools that you may think are out of your reach. You’d be surprised, grades don’t mean everything in all cases. You have a lot of extracurriculars to juggle with school, and that might mean a lot to someone. You should also have one or two “safety” schools to guarantee admittance to a college. The bulk should fall somewhere in the middle. </p>

<p>PA has some nice, small liberal arts colleges - Moravian College (I just graduated from there this December, and LOVED it - some really great profs there and lots of research and internship opportunities for students looking to continue on to graduate school), Lehigh University (considered a local “Ivy” as it is very selective), Lafayette College, and Muhlenberg College (these last two are also selective at about a 40% acceptance rate).</p>

<p>Since you want to be a doctor, it will be very important for you to have good recommendations, good grades, and good opportunities as an undergraduate student to get into medical school. I would suggest a smaller college so your professors can really get to know you and offer you suggestions and opportunities that students at larger universities practically have to fight to get. Don’t just look at how selective a school is, either - look at the specific biology program or whatever you’d be majoring in as an undergrad and see what kind of research and other opportunities the department offers to pad your resume, and take advantage of them as early as possible when you attend that school! It shows that you are serious about what you want to do when you have more experience to talk about than just grades. Good luck =)</p>

18

<p>Thanks so much!!
Any other suggestions for good reach schools? :)</p>

19

<p>Sorry:
bump!
Reach schools, anyone? o:</p>

20

<p>Not a reach, but University of Pittsburgh is medium sized and in a city. And the Steelers are in the Super Bowl.</p>