Suggest match schools, schools where I would get nice merit aid?

<p>I posted this in the parents thread I frequent, but I wanted to get other input as well. Then schools have to be on the east coast from Massachusetts to Florida.</p>

<p>I am interested in psychology/neuroscience/cognitive science, so I would like schools with reputable departments. And also where I would get merit aid and/or need based aid. </p>

<p>Here are my stats:
4.01 Simple GPA (I was terrified to check but it went up from 3.97 so that made my summer) on our transcripts it says out of 4.0 but I know for a fact they calculate it out of 4.3..... And it's UW.
SAT (will definitely take again ONE more time to improve math)
700W/620M/680CR
CR+M = 1300
EDIT: SAT IIs
MathII- 600
US History- 630
Will take math II again and biology. Maybe US history. </p>

<p>Over 500 volunteer hours, 99% with same organization.
(We had to make resumes to give to our teachers when they wrote our recommendations)
20+ academic awards, mainly math and science (and Latin :) ) most are student of the month and student of year (highest grade out of everyone for the whole year)
A few officer positions, making varsity track and placing at SWC/State championships.
The MIT program I'll be going to where I'll do research, make a project, and present that in a competition. </p>

<p>If you need anything let me know, I never know what to put. </p>

<p>Schools considering (if you have suggestions, I'd like around 2500+ populations) in small to big cities. </p>

<p>U of Miami
U of Central Florida
Rollins College
Stetson University
Emory University
Smith College
Wesleyan University
University of Massachusetts
U of Connecticut (grr, just to "have", this is my flagship)
Clark University
Johns Hopkins (iffy)</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

<p>There is nothing wrong with UCONN, #27 USNWR’s National Public Universities!
(OK, I do confess I have 3 alum in my family) :)</p>

<p>What about Syracuse? Does SU have the majors(s) you are seeking?
Full disclosure, I am an SU alum.</p>

<p>How may AP or honors type classes does your HS offer and how many are included in your GPA? That will help more selective schools assess you as well. Also, what leadership roles did you have that will make you stand out? Many state schools calculate merit aid based on GPA / SAT / ACT alone, but private or smaller schools take more into consideration before passing out merit or scholarships.</p>

<p>The schools you listed are pretty ambitious. You may very well get in, but I don’t know about merit aid. Definitely keep UCONN for a financial safety. Consider looking at small LACs, even though they may not have the stellar departments you are shooting for. You are much more likely to be offered aid, because they want people like you to build up their reputations. I know that Bard is trying to promote their science programs, and offering scholarships to people to major in science.</p>

<p>That looks like a good list with a nice rance of safety-match-reach schools, for admission purposes. For aid purposes, I think it still needs work. Your chances at merit aid from Wesleyan or Hopkins, even if you get in, are slim to none (even if your M score improves somewhat). Most of the New England LACs offer little or no merit aid (Smith, I believe, is an exception). Check out some of the Midwestern or Southern LACs, where you might have a shot at $5K-$10K in merit aid if your scores improve. Examples: Colorado College, Grinnell, Macalester, Oberlin (reaches for admission + merit); Rhodes, Centre College (matches for admission + merit); Earlham, Hendrix (low matches for admission + merit). Colorado, Macalester, and Rhodes would fit your “small to big cities” criterion better than the others.</p>

<p>SLUMOM- Syracuse does have the major I’m interested in and also some interesting majors. I will look more into it, it was on my list before. Yes I know UCONN is a really good school ;)</p>

<p>SnowFlakeVT- my school offers 9 or 10 and I will be taking 6. 2 years of self studying a language (A+). All honors except language is in weighted. Those are calculated in. In weighted GPA for ranking but not for UW. </p>

<p>tk- those schools are not in geographic range. I have been given the range of massachusetts to Florida, east coast only. Have to be touching Atlantic with the exception of ga because I have family near by. </p>

<p>Danceclass- I will look into bard. Thanks. </p>

<p>Thanks everyone!</p>

<p>My college search is now widened to the entire country, but I’d like some
Bigger schools. Thanks!</p>

<p>Clark University could be a safety for you. It is known for neuroscience/psychology. The merit aid is pretty good. Kids with similar stats have been offered >$15,000/year. There is a tuition-free fifth year for those who qualify.</p>

<p>thanks merlin!</p>

<p>NYU, Rutgers, University of illinois, James Madison University</p>