<p>I'm a Senior this fall and in need of some guidance in choosing where to apply. I have a weighted GPA of 4.1, I get mostly As, some Bs, scored a 1930 on my first shot at the SAT - 650 in Math and Reading, 630 in Writing (I'm planning on taking it again in October and 3 subject tests in November). </p>
<p>I'm looking for a college with a lot of exposure to film and media, so I can explore and find out more about it. I'm very interested in it, but I don't have much knowledge of film or media. Also, great programs in Piano Performance and Communications is a must as I'm planning on double majoring in the two. It's also preferred the college is relatively easy to double major in Music and Communications.</p>
<p>Currently, my list looks something like this (in no particular order)
Indiana University Bloomington
University of Southern California
Webster University
Binghamton University
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Texas at Austin
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Rochester
New York University
Ithaca
Syracuse
Penn State</p>
<p>Any suggestions? Are these generally good colleges for what I'm looking for?</p>
<p>Take off IUB, UMich, UCLA, NYU, Penn State. You won’t get anything but federal FA from those schools (which maxes out at $11K as a freshman). Are you in the top 8% of your class to get into UT?</p>
<p>Since you need FA, you need to remove all those OOS publics and NYU. They won’t give you the aid you need. Publics don’t even have enough money to help all of their instate kids…they certainly can’t help the OOS kids who have higher costs. UVA and UNC are exceptions, but they require high stats and are hard to get into.</p>
<p>You need a better list.</p>
<p>First find out how much your family will pay and your likely FAFSA EFC. With that info and your stats, you can then make a reasonable list that takes all of that info into consideration.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that most schools cannot meet the need of students. For you to get the best aid package, you need to look at some schools where your stats are well within the top 25% of the school. Texas has some of those schools. Some OOS school might work, too.</p>
<p>Also, retest both the SAT and ACT, better scores will help you too.</p>
<p>No, I’m not in the top 8%. However, my class size is 154 students, does that make a difference? </p>
<p>Thanks, I think I’m going to take off UCLA, NYU, and Penn State. I will need financial aid, but I am trying to keep my options open for the schools that have really caught my eye and I really want to attend. Yes, I’m also looking for more in-state schools to keep my options open on a financial aspect. </p>
<p>Size of school doesn’t matter but if you’re not top 8% which is close to auto admit then you have to compete for the remaining slots and I doubt your scores will get you there.</p>
<p>I will plug for my alma mater rutgers. Downtown new brunswick is home to 4 theaters & proximal to nyc/philli. We have a distinct school for fine arts & offer the bfa for visual arts, photography, music performance, dance, production, art, art history, music. One can also select a regular b.a. Program in music if one does not get into mason gross school of the arts. Our facilities are among the best in the nation. I was a big fan of our classical music choirs on campus & the college does offer excellent programs in each instrument. Our communication school is an upper level undgrad program & is also highly rated.</p>