<p>Okay, here is my predicament. Hopefully some of you can help me out. I live in central Pennsylvania. I don't want to go too terribly far away from home (a drive rather than a flight home would be nice). I plan to major in science somewhere, not sure what yet, possibly molecular biology/biochemistry. What are some good colleges in the northeast for science? Schools that give merit aid would be excellent though I know a lot of upper tier schools don't give much. </p>
<p>Quick summary of my stats so you know where I stand:
SAT: 1540 (800 V, 740 M)
SAT II: 800 (bio) 780 (chem) 760 (IIC) 710 (writing)
GPA: something over 4.0, i'm not sure exactly, we use a stupid 5 point scale
Rank: 1/101
Taking hardest courseload possible
NMSF
Decent essays, excellent recs</p>
<p>I'm already applying to Penn State Schreyers Honors College, UDel Honors, and probably Cornell. If you could suggest some more I would greatly appreciate it. I just feel like there is a school out there that could be perfect for me that I'm just missing.</p>
<p>Take your pick. All these schools are within a 6 or 7 hour drive and they are all very good in the sciences:</p>
<p>Brown University
Carnegie Mellon University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Harvard University
Haverford College
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Middlebury College
Oberlin College
Princeton University
Swarthmore College
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Honors)
University of Pennsylvania
Yale University</p>
<p>If you can be moree specific, maybe I can narrow this list to a more reasonable number!!!</p>
<p>Do any of these or other colleges offer scholarships? Though my parents have told me not to let the cost be an issue and that they will figure out a way for me to go wherever I want, I can't help but feel guilty going to a costly school when I could go to a slightly less prestigious school and get a nice scholarship. My mom, who has been a stay-at-home mom for the past 25 years and also does a lot of volunteer work said "well, I can always get a job if I need to"... and well I don't want to make her do that. </p>
<p>Cornell is definately on my list. My sister lives in Ithaca and I really love it up there.</p>
<p>I don't know much about Oberlin and Middlebury, I'll have to check them out. Carnegie Mellon sounds like a good option also since its only 3 hours or so from home. </p>
<p>Also, any thoughts on Franklin & Marshall? </p>
<p>Have you thought about the three women's colleges that are strong in sciences and that offer merit aid? (Bryn Mawr, Smith, and Mount Holyoke?) Wiht your stats, you'd be a cinch to get in, and get a really top-notch science education.</p>
<p>As long as you're willing to look at smaller schools, Dickinson has a good science program and can be very generous with merit awards for people with your stats.</p>
<p>Might want to look at Duke-great science programs not in northeast. Might want to look at Holy Cross very god science programs with distinguished alumni and Holy Cross does give merit aid.</p>
<p>You might look at Villanova Honors program and their presidential scholarship. Full tuition if you get the scholarship and a good science program.</p>