Tentative College List

College Search & Selection
1

<p>While only a junior, I am going on my first college visit this month to U Mich and have started to seriously think about colleges. I'm going to be a physics major. What I'm looking for in colleges include: small teacher to student ratio, not on the West coast (I like the seasons), respected physics department, research opportunities for undergrads, within 30 minutes of a large city, and a larger school in general. Here's some quick stats before I give my tentative list.</p>

<p>GPA (end of sophomore year): 3.96
Weighted GPA (end of sophomore year): 4.75
6 Honors Classes
12 AP classes along with French at a local community college by graduation</p>

<p>ACT: 33
SAT: Taking next month along with probably 3 subject tests</p>

<p>EC's (projected):
Soccer (1 year)
Tennis (4 years)
350 hours of volunteering at a major hospital
French club (4 years)
Math team (2 years)
Science Bowl (2 years)
Student Council (3 years)
Conducted research for two weeks at an observatory last summer and had my research poster published in their journal
Applying for multiple physics research programs for next summer, fingers crossed
A few online physics classes through Coursera</p>

<p>Schools I'm looking at:
Columbia
Duke
U Mich (related to a professor and former dean of undergrads there)
UIUC (applying in-state)
Georgia Tech
Reed
Northwestern (in-state)</p>

<p>So I'm not looking for chances really. Just trying to show who I am and what I want so I might find some more possible matches. Thanks for any help!</p>

2

<p>Check the map for Reed :stuck_out_tongue: The others are good physics schools, too. I might add Chicago, Princeton, CMU. For safeties, UPitt (43K COA but lots of money for you) and UMCP (43K COA minus the aid you’d probably get). Speaking of aid, have you run any net price calculators and rec’d from mom and dad a hard figure that they will provide each year? You’re not going anywhere you cannot afford, so don’t finish the list til you know you can afford each school; only a couple should be financially uncertain, and none of the safeties can be financially risky. </p>

3

<p>I was thinking Chicago, but I’ve heard the campus life sucks. Though, its only a 40 minute drive so I should probably check it out. And yeah, I would love Princeton, but that would be like the lottery getting in there. And Reed just because I’ve always wanted to play around with a nuclear fusion reactor :D</p>

<p>And I don’t think money is too big of a problem in admissions. I was talking with my mom the other day about it and she said that they would support whatever schools I picked, no matter the cost. Thumbs up to them!</p>

4

<p>really, now run out and cut the grass!</p>

<p>These are pretty much all reaches-for-anyone, except for UIUC, a safety, and UMich, a match with a really good physics department. I’d get more than one safety, just in case UIUC loses the app or something unexpected happens. Then I’d get another match or two. Check out UPitt and UMCP. I’ve been impressed by them, esp. UMCP. </p>

5

<p>Matches: Boston College, U Rochester, Boston U.</p>