<p>Hey I know there are lots of these out here but I would be extremely greatful if anyone could take a look and help me out.</p>
<p>so profile:</p>
<p>rising senior
GPA: 3.5 ish unweighted
but. i've taken science with the grade ahead of me throughout high school (taking physics as an 8th grader, chem as a 9th grader, bio as a sophomore) as well as being two years ahead in math (geometry+adv algebra (algebra 2) as an 8th grader, pre calc as a freshman, calc as a sophomore). does that help me at all?</p>
<p>taken 11 AP tests so far, gotten 4s/5s besides one 3</p>
<p>ECs:
Debate - 2 years (9th+10th)
Math Club - 3 years (9th, 11th and going to be in it next year)
Quiz Bowl - 2 years (9th+10th)
Robotics - 3 years (10th,11th,12th) -- CAD subteam lead
French Club - 1 maybe 2 years (11th, maybe 12th) - was co-President
School Orchestra - 3 years (play the violin) probably only taking it 2nd semester this year due to scheduling conflict</p>
<p>SAT: 2150 retaking it
ACT: 33 retaking it
SAT IIs: Math II 770
French 780
English 750</p>
<p>does the fact that I took classes ahead of my grade make up for my GPA?
do you have any suggestions for what colleges would be good matches, I really am lost.
I'm 1st generation so my parents don't really know how the American undergrad system works...my dad went to Harvard for grad school/post grad</p>
<p>that's about it, replies are greatly appreciated :D thanks!!</p>
<p>oh and I’m thinking of going into Economics and/or International Relations and maybe a minor in computer science…don’t know if that’s feasible but yeah something along those lines</p>
<p>You ought to try for U Chicago Economics, along with some top LAC’s like Colgate and Hamilton, as well. Maybe Kalamazoo as a safety, and they have arguably the best study abroad program of any college in the nation.</p>
<p>Coolbreeze can help you out more here since he has been heavily planning his way into the world doing the same major.</p>
<p>All the usual questions: What size school? Location? Weather? Culture (jock, artsy, frat, quirky, intellectual, etc…? Co-ed? Religious? Need financial aid? etc…</p>
<p>There are hundreds of schools that would make decent safeties for you, as you well know. If you want useful suggestions, you have to give us a little more help.</p>
<p>@collegebound: yeah i realize they don’t count in my gpa but the rest do and what I was mainly asking was if colleges would take into account that I took classes above my grade level…and if that would make up for the fact that I didn’t get As in them…</p>
<p>@M’s Mom: size of school is something I’m flexible on, as long as small schools have stuff to do and big schools break down so that people aren’t just a blob, don’t know if that makes sense. I guess I might enjoy a big school more but it really isn’t that important. As for location, I strongly prefer the coasts, having lived in the midwest for a lot of my life. Weather depends on location, I don’t really have a strong preference, warm weather is definitely preferred but I’m happy with cold weather too. I don’t really care about the culture, I’ve moved enough to be able to adapt/fit in anywhere. Co-ed is a must though. I don’t mind religion as long as it’s not overbearing, I’m not really religious so I don’t need it but I don’t mind if others around me are. </p>
<p>Thanks for the questions, this is my first post so I wasn’t exactly sure what people need to know to help me. </p>
<p>@fireflyscout: My school doesn’t have class rank so I really don’t know, I was on the honor roll, forgot to mention that I guess</p>
<p>best IR schools for undergrads with a specific IR-major:
Tufts
Princeton
Georgetown*
Johns Hopkins*
NYU*
George Washington*</p>
<p>of those schools, I would say Princeton, Georgetown, Hopkins, and NYU are also very good for Economics. Tufts and GWU are good, but not up there with the other four.</p>
<p>I would say Hopkins, Georgetown and NYU would be reasonable to low reaches for you, while Princeton is a high reach for just about anyone.
Tufts is a low-reach/high-match and GW is a match.</p>
<p>*= within reasonable proximity to highly international cities that are prime for internships.
JHU, Georgetown, and GWU are all near or within D.C.
NYU is in NYC.</p>
<p>edit, as for also having a strong program in computer science for undergrads:</p>
<p>Princeton, NYU, and Johns Hopkins all fit that ticket</p>
Of course you’re lost. There’s not a single word in your 1st post about what you’re looking for. Do you want to go to school in a large city, a suburb, or a rural area? What size clases do you want? Are you looking for a lecture format or more of an emphasis on seminars? What type of advising system do you want? What activities and clubs are you hoping to participate in while in college? Are there some fields you think you’d have an interest in studying so you can look for schools that have a strength (or at least a presence) in those areas?</p>
<p>In some countries your score on a national test determines where you can go to college. You seem to be assuming that grades, scores, and activities are the US counterpart. That’s not really how it works here.</p>
<p>Having people throw out a bunch of names is not going to help you at this point, since you have no way of choosing between them (at least based on what you’ve said so far). Since its mid-summer, there is no need to decide anything right away. Step back and do the process right. First read thru a book such as “Admission Matters” by Springer or any other book about college admissions that discusses fit; what it means and how to find it. You should also have your parents read it so they understand the system. Then start visiting some sample schools to see what its really like at various types; visit a large campus and a small one, a campus in the city and one in the stix. Only after you know what you’re looking for will you have a chance of recognizing it when you see it.</p>
<p>“size of school is something I’m flexible on, as long as small schools have stuff to do and big schools break down so that people aren’t just a blob, don’t know if that makes sense. I guess I might enjoy a big school more but it really isn’t that important. As for location, I strongly prefer the coasts, having lived in the midwest for a lot of my life. Weather depends on location, I don’t really have a strong preference, warm weather is definitely preferred but I’m happy with cold weather too. I don’t really care about the culture, I’ve moved enough to be able to adapt/fit in anywhere. Co-ed is a must though. I don’t mind religion as long as it’s not overbearing, I’m not really religious so I don’t need it but I don’t mind if others around me are.”</p>
<p>“I’m thinking of going into Economics and/or International Relations and maybe a minor in computer science…don’t know if that’s feasible but yeah something along those lines”</p>
<p>I answered some of these questions farther up in the post but yeah, I do have a general idea of what I’m looking for, my question here is, what are some reasonable reaches/matches/safeties for me?</p>
<p>and then you can throw in Georgetown and Tufts in there as Reach and low-reach respectively, but the three I listed first are your best bets and matches.</p>
<p>So now I’m thinking more along the lines of International Business major…so business school as an undergrad. Do people recommend this vs. double-majoring in econ/ir? Also, what schools would be a good match? I’ve decided I’d probably want a bigger school…
Responses are appreciated, thanks :)</p>
<p>I’m always hesitant to post on these threads, 'cause what do I know? (I’m a parent, btw). But I’ve never seen the point of an undergrad business major. I say, major in something else undergrad and then get an MBA if you want. I was an international affairs major at George Washington U with a concentration in international economics (probably could have double majored, but never really looked into it). (Went on to get a Ph.D. in Economics and for work for an international organization–pretty interesting work.)</p>
<p>Your scores are looking good and personally, I think it is a plus that you are a year ahead in math and science. Does you school have math beyond calculus? Definately look into the 3 IR schools in DC: Georgetown (reachiest), GW, and American (least reachy).</p>
<p>@ astromom: See, that’s what I thought too so I was going to major in Econ/IR, but talking to someone who majored in Business as an undergrad, she told me that the econ majors are the people who don’t get into business school…is that true? My school does not offer math beyond calculus, I’m taking AP Stats online this year as my math, but because of scheduling conflicts, I’m not taking a science, will that hurt my chances at a college?</p>
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