<p>I'm only a sophomore, but I am looking into colleges in the East Coast. My grades are 3.97 ish and I plan on taking 4 or 5 APs by the end of high school year. I plan on continuing rowing through high school and hope to row in college. My SAT won't be too great, probably around a 2000 or higher. I plan on just taking the ACT. I'm coming from a Catholic high school.</p>
<p>I have looked around for good universities and colleges, but I've like the liberal arts colleges the most. Specifically, Williams College, Wesleyan, Bowdoin, and the like have interested me. These colleges have rowing as a club or varsity sport. I know the schools I've are highly selective and require better academics and achievements, but I was wondering what other schools would be good for me. I hope to go to medical school after college. Basically, I am looking for a well-known college or small university with a good name, good academics, and rowing THAT is in the East Coast, preferably New England area. </p>
<p>PS. I love Williams College. It would be the ED for me, but I don't think its likely that I'll get in... :(</p>
<p>Trinity, Bates, Colby, and Connecticut College all have rowing teams. They compete in the same conference as Williams (NESCAC) but are less selective than Williams, Wesleyan, or Bowdoin.</p>
<p>At this point, Williams seems like a reach, but your only a sophmore. You have lots of time to prep for SATs and to take a more challenging curriculum. Also, if you’re a woman, Williams does recruit rowers. Also, look into the women’s colleges.</p>
<p>My son went to Williams. Unlike you he’d never even heard of it until the summer before senior year, but he knew it was the place for him as soon as he visited. He also applied ED, which, as long as you are sure you can afford it, will give you an advantage.</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about rowing, but some of the other schools that were on my son’s short list were Wesleyan, Hamilton, Kenyon, Amherst.</p>
<p>Being an academically accomplished athlete is a good profile for Williams. It helps if you could add one more interest or activity – something that involves the arts, leadership, environmental or social causes, outdoorsy activity. Really, whatever you are sincerely interested in. Small colleges in general like kids who can fill more than one extracurricular slot. </p>
<p>Why do you worry that your SAT won’t be too great? With a 3.97 GPA it should be. If there’s a specific reason that you don’t test well be prepared to address it in your application. Then don’t worry about it any more. Grades, ECs, recommendations and personal characteristics can compensate for relatively lower scores.</p>
<p>@awalczak: SLU: small classes, great academics, Study Abroad, Division III Athletics, good financial aid. Greek Life: no impact on the social life. (believe there is only one fraternity left) Ranked #55 on USNWR’s LAC Category. </p>
<p>SLU gives merit aid & need based aid. </p>
<p>Canton, NY, a nice little town & other schools nearby include Clarkson University, SUNY Potsdam & SUNY Canton.</p>
<p>For any name LAC or college, not just Williams, you’ll need to take the most challenging course load your HS offers. Is 4-5 AP’s typical at your school for your top students?</p>
<p>@slumom, momrath thanks for all your advice. I have learned a lot!</p>
<p>@GTalum If you mean 4-5 APs per year, then no. At most, our top students take 5 total. It is impossible to be in an AP class before junior year, and we don’t have that many options although it is a Catholic college prep school.</p>
<p>What would you recommend?</p>
<p>I will take at least 2 APs next year (Junior). AP USH, and AP Bio. I don’t know what other options I have. I have taken 2 science classes this year though, physics and chemistry. Maybe I could also take anatomy next year too (not AP). Senior year I will take AP Lang and Comp, AP Calc, and AP Chem or Physics. We only req 3 science classes, but I may end up with as many as 6 by senior year. I have already taken bio, am taking chem and phys, will take anatomy and ap bio, ap chem and maybe another one. My course rigor will turn out to be good.</p>
<p>Hobart and William Smith is a very fine LAC, and has a rowing team. It’s is in Upstate New York. It should provide a solid science foundation for med school. They also offer some nice merit scholarships. </p>
<p>A small university to consider is University of Rochester. They also have rowing, and very solid science background for Med school. They have the Rochester medical center right there, lots of opportunities for research.</p>
<p>First off, I would not think about ED until summer before your senior year. At this point just look around and see what you like and don’t like in school. There’s a very good chance that between now and when you apply you will change your mind over either the type of school you’d like or what you want to study. </p>
<p>That said, I second the vote for the NESCAC. All schools in that conference are really nice schools and I’ve liked all that I’ve toured (Wesleyan, Amherst, Colby, Trinity, Hamilton). Those are really the schools that offer the prototypical LAC experience. </p>
<p>Also worth considering would be Patriot League schools. Some are slightly larger than the schools I’ve just mentioned, but offer a somewhat similar experience (I would think). Perhaps the most similar to the others is Colgate (and maybe Holy Cross, which I really know nothing about). Lafayette is also a very nice school that I thought was similar to many of the New England LAC’s. </p>
<p>Would you consider schools in the South, or are you set on New England?</p>
<p>The Patriot League is a group of small (~3000 students) prestigious NE colleges that also happen to have division 1 sports programs: Colgate, West Point, Annapolis, American, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Bucknell, Fordham, Georgetown, Lehigh.</p>
<p>^^^ Fordham and Georgetown are only in the Patriot Leauge for football and I don’t think are generally considered Patriot League schools. This is splitting hairs, but I thought it should be noted. Both are good schools, but both are larger than Patriot League schools and will likely offer a different experience.</p>