<p>I'm a rising junior with roughly a 3.9 GPA. I took my PSATs freshmen year and got at 204. I expect to do better when I take them this year, and better on the SATS. Realistically I can probably expect somewhere between 2100-2300 on my SATs. I'm taking 2 AP classes next year and 2 senior year. I'll probably be in the top 5% of my class. I do quite a few extra-curriculars, such as marching band, drama club, and Model UN. I work an irregular part-time job at my mother's work.</p>
<p>My dreams schools would probably be Vassar, Williams, Amherst, and other similar competitive liberal arts schools. The Ivys also have a certain allure for me, specifically Brown, Dartmouth, and Cornell. Basically, I know my reach schools and I know what my safeties will be. My issue is finding realistic schools that I can get into, but still be challenged at, and that still carry some prestige. I need some mid level target schools.</p>
<p>I prefer schools that are in slightly more rural areas; I don't want to live in the city. I live in New England and would prefer to stay in or around that area, probably no further than New York. I'd also like to look at some schools that will offer me a reasonable amount of financial aid or are fairly inexpensive. My family is well off, but I have three other siblings my parents will need to send to college. </p>
<p>I don't yet know what I want to go into, so prestige of certain departments doesn't matter too much to me. Unfortunately I am one of those brand name people, so the overall prestige of the school does. It's not by any means mandatory, but schools with good music or drama programs would be a plus.</p>
<p>If you guys can help me out by suggesting a few schools that I could look into, I would really appreciate it.</p>
<p>“My family is well off, but I have three other siblings my parents will need to send to college.”</p>
<p>You need to run some financial aid calculators (do an online search for them) to see what the schools estimate your family will have to contribute. If you do not qualify for aid (and well off families usually only get loans), you need to target lower-ranked schools where you will get merit or less expensive options. The schools you list do not give merit aid and the only lower cost you mentioned is Cornell if you are instate and planning to go the public section. </p>
<p>So… first, find out what the top schools are likely to expect your parents to pay. (The calculators are most helpful for top schools since lower schools don’t even try to meet need.) If they are ok with that, you just have to worry about getting into a school that meets need. </p>
<p>If you want aid beyond that, you need to search for schools that give merit aid. First, I suggest you widen your search area. Next, go over to the financial aid forum and look for a thread on schools that are generous with merit scholarships. You have good stats and should be able to get some money but it may not be as prestigious a school and/or it may be a little outside your geographic comfort zone. Another option, if you’re female, is to see what all-female schools offer merit money. </p>
<p>Two options which have lower costs than your school include William and Mary and St Mary’s College of Maryland which, despite its name, is a public liberal arts college. (oos tuition, room and board for each will you run just over $35K) Do you have any instate public options?</p>
<p>MK82492: I didn’t study for my PSAT. I plan to, and have already started studying for my next PSAT and SAT. But thanks for the advice!</p>
<p>2collegewego: Thank you for all the advice! I’ll have to sit down with my parents sometime soon and figure out exactly how much financial aid we expect to qualify for. I realize that all of my top schools are quite costly, and I anticipate that if I do get accepted and attend them that I will end up with quite a bit of debt. This is obviously part of the reason I’m looking into less prestigious schools. Although New England is my preferred region, I am willing to look outside of it if that’s what it takes to find a compatible school. I am female. The idea of an all girls school has crossed my mind, but I don’t think it would be the right fit for me. I do have several good, cheap in-state options, and if money ends up being a bigger issue than I anticipate, I am certainly covered. However, I would like to ideally attend college out of state. Thus far my parents have assured me that we do have the money to send me where I want to go, so financial aid is not my biggest concern, but once again, I will take all of your advice to heart.</p>