Suggestions for Matches and Safeties

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello guys, I’m a rising senior and I would like some suggestions for some match or safety schools that fit my stats and interests. Even suggestions for reaches would be very helpful because I’m not entirely sure right now. In fact, any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated :]. </p>

<p>I’m a beginner here on college confidential so I’m not entirely sure how to format my stats (i.e. whether it should be the same as the ones on the college-acception threads), but I’ll give it my best shot:</p>

<p>What I’m Looking For:
Location: - preferably in the northeast, especially New York
- preferably in, around, or close to a city
Majors: - number 1 choice: biology (biotechnology, bioengineering, biochemistry)
- number 2 choice: chemistry
- number 3 choice: or engineering</p>

<p>Stats:
SAT: 2330 (compounded score): 800 Math, 800 Writing, 730 CR
SAT IIs: 800 Biology, 800 Math II, 780 US History
GPA: 4.00 unweighted, 5.51 weighted
Rank: top 3-4% (no exact rank offered)</p>

<p>APs:
(I know these do not count as much as SATs and GPA in the college process, but I will display them anyways :])
Computer Science AB – 5, United States History – 5
planned to take for next year: Biology, English Literature, Calculus BC, considering Chemistry</p>

<p>State: NJ
School Type: public, large (class size: 570ish, total size: 2300ish), competitive
Ethnicity: Asian (Chinese)
Gender: Male
Income: ~$100,000
(oh god, affirmative action is going to screw me over)</p>

<p>Workload for next year: 3 AP courses, 1 Honors course, 1 Advanced Course, self-studying for another AP</p>

<p>Extra Curriculars:
- Cross Country (9-12): Varsity for 3 years, Captain for 1 year; one of top teams in the county
- Winter/Indoor Track (9-12): JV 1 year, Varsity for 2 years, Captain for 1 year
- Spring/Outdoor Track (9-12): JV 1 year, Varsity for 2 years, Captain for 1 year</p>

<ul>
<li>Science Olympiad (11-12): NJ Regionals – 4th/20 in Ecology, 4th/20 in Forensics; NJ States – 5th/26 in Environmental Chemistry</li>
<li><p>Waksman (Genetics Club) (12)</p></li>
<li><p>Future Business Leaders of America (11): NJ Regionals – 3rd/23 in Computer Applications</p></li>
<li><p>Private Art Classes (9-10): won 2 awards; I’m probably going to submit an art supplement.</p></li>
<li><p>Yearbook Photographer (11-12)</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Community Service/Volunteering:
- Environmental Program (9-12): ~150 hours; spread environmental awareness, grow and cultivate a large native plant garden to preserve native plants and a vegetable garden to donate food to shelters, host community events
positions: Vice President (help organize community events such as Park Cleanups), Secretary (keeps track of members and hours) , and Photographer (documents and takes photos of all events)</p>

<ul>
<li>School Tutoring (11-12): ~20 hours: tutored two students in Algebra II and Biology</li>
</ul>

<p>I’m also in every Honors Society my school provides (National Honors Society, Science, English, French, History)
but I highly doubt they matter, from what I’ve seen.</p>

<p>That’s what I have for now.
Also, I have 1 more SAT test date available to take the SAT Is or IIs (October). But is there any point for me to retake the SAT I or take a SAT II? If so, which one would be more worthwhile?</p>

<p>Thank you for your time.</p>

2

<p>What are your post-bachelor plans/goals/interests?</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the response.
Aside from going to graduate school to get my masters degree, I’m not entirely sure yet.
I simply haven’t planned that far ahead enough.</p>

4

<p>Well since you’re interested in science/engineering, you might check out wpi. It’s in Worcester which in my opinion is not a fantastic city but it’s less than an hour from Boston. Not sure about admit rates but you’d probably get in. And in my opinion it has a good campus vibe.</p>

5

<p>You have really good stats, so other than those top schools that are always a reach, pretty much everything else is going to be a safety or a match (more safeties than matches, IMO).</p>

<p>For a reach, I’d suggest MIT, mainly because they offer a common core for freshman year, which would let you explore your different majors you are considering a bit more before having to commit to one, which usually happens 2nd year. </p>

<p>For matches/safeties in the Northeast: RIT, RPI, WPI, Northeastern, </p>

<p>What about the flagship of your state’s university?</p>

<p>What about financial safety? with 100K income, you probably aren’t going to get “enough” financial aid to make schools actually affordable, sadly. You and your parents need to sit down and figure out what you can afford to pay for year for college, and then try to find some schools that fit. Possibilities include NJIT, Pitt, U of Rochester and SUNY Buffalo.</p>

<p>Did you take the PSAT Junior year, and was your score likely in NM range? If so there are some assured scholarships you will be able to count on once you get confirmation (probably next month) of your NM semi-finalist status (and jump through the hoops to get to finalist).</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

6

<p>5.51 weighted GPA? Man, times have changed since I got out of high school 4 years ago. What’s, um, the highest you can get?</p>

<p>Also, Worcester is a terrible, terrible city and I don’t hate anyone enough to ask them to live there. You might as well as try RPI in Rensselaer (if you don’t mind “The Ratio”). Have you thought about McGill in Montreal?</p>

7

<p>This post gives some schools that provide good undergrad prep for advanced degrees in bio-related fields:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/893945-undergraduate-origin-biology-phds.html?highlight=ipeds#post1064465794[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/893945-undergraduate-origin-biology-phds.html?highlight=ipeds#post1064465794&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Thanks for all the responses guys :].
To answer some of your questions:</p>

<p>I’m aware that Financial Aid is going to a problem for me. I have an older sister who just graduated from highschool and is starting college in the fall as well, so that may factor in and help me a little bit. </p>

<p>I did take the PSAT and received a 219, which is not very good for me.
Unfortunately, the cut-off in my state was 221 this year so I don’t think I made it as one of the semi-finalists. </p>

<p>The highest possible weighted GPA at my school is a 6.</p>

<p>Thanks for the link, vossron.</p>

9

<p>Excellent post MathmomVT. Good recommendations.</p>