Time-critical: Should I aim higher?

College Search & Selection
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<p>Academic stuff:
GPA weighted 3.2 :-( * Last Quarter I had a 4.15, and I've got my recommendations highlighting that.
Mostly Honors classes, the poor GPA is because I slacked off my first two years. I regret it now, but it can't be helped.</p>

<p>ACT composite 32</p>

<p>SAT:
Best: CR: 800 Math: 670 Writing: 630
Other: CR: 670 Math: 690 Writing: 650</p>

<p>5's on Biology and US History AP exams
US History SAT Subject test 720
Biology (E) SAT Subject test 780 </p>

<p>Music stuff:
I've done four years of band, four years of jazz band, and four years of pep band.
I've taken flute and piano lessons for nine years
I'm the Saxophone section leader, there's 20 members in our section</p>

<p>Science stuff:
Science Bowl for 3 years now
Envirothon for 3 years now, last year's team went to state finals</p>

<p>Sports stuff:
Judo for 13 years, I just passed my brown belt test and I help teach on occasion
Swimming for 5 years at the local swim club</p>

<p>Volunteering stuff:
I've worked over 250 hours over the course of five years leading a group of teenagers into the Glen Helen Nature Preserve to help remove invasive plant species</p>

<p>Work experience:
probably 10 hours a week as concession stands worker at Idle Hour from June to August. Not fun, but I'm including it because I have to.</p>

<hr>

<p>I am intending to eventually end up teaching as a career. Whether I get a doctor's in biology and teach at a university or teach music education at a high school, I don't know. I'm looking for a school with good programs in each category. I love environmental sciences and music.</p>

<p>Applying to (currently):
OSU (cheap and good)
University of Dayton (I get 80% off tuition here as my mom works here)
Earlham College (love the campus and the atmosphere, expensive)
Bowling Green State University (Great music education program)
Ohio University (ditto)</p>

<p>As for a college, I live in Ohio - Anywhere in the eastern midwest and Atlantic/New England area is fine, even though my list is mainly local. Should I aim for a "better" college like Case Western? I don't want to pay the application fee for an empty chance.</p>

<p>And I also know the spirit of this community - PLEASE don't say, "Well, gee, you suck, You can't get into any Ivy League school." I know that. I don't really WANT to go to a place that is hyper-competitive. I just want a good education in a great setting.</p>

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<p>You got some nice commitment
good SAT scores
You’re not applying to top Ivy League schools, so u gots a great chance to get in. Aim higher if you want to. Up to you how u wanna spend ur high school years. However, i don’t know about the colleges your applying to, so can’t say much
Good Luck</p>

3

<p>woah…big difference in your SAT scores
did you take the 670 one like a year before the time you got the 800?</p>

<p>I would say you are in at all of them…or very good chances</p>

4

<p>I took them 5 months apart. I think one of the scores was a fluke. I also think that my math scores were flukes and I should have gotten more like a 760… but that’s wishful thinking.</p>

<p>Yeah, I know I’m pretty much in at those five. I just need some colleges that are a bit harder to get into. Not like NWestern/WashU/etc, I don’t think I’d make it there unless the admin officer was having a really good day. Just a tier below them.</p>

5

<p>If you’re a NMSF you should consider Denison. Not far away and they have full tuition scholarships for NMFs. Otherwise I think your list is very good with good rationale for your choices. If you are happy with them there is no reason to add any others. UD is a very good school so you are fortunate to be able to go there on the cheap.</p>

6

<p>Have your mom look into whether you’d qualify for a tuition discount at other schools. There are leagues among the colleges in which they offer discounts to the children of any member; they realize kids often want to go away for college so they set up these reciprocal agreements.</p>

7

<p>I’d say you look pretty good for Case Western (and they are very generous with the $$).</p>

8

<p>Yes, you should also look at a couple of more selective colleges. Who knows, but the 800 CR SAT (the most unusual by far to get an 800 in) and the upward trend in GPA should get you some positive attention. Case sounds very reasonable.</p>

9

<p>None of the colleges I can suggest will offer you a better educational experience than Earlham. (You’ll love the folks in the music department, and biology department can compete with any of the LACs.)</p>

10

<p>@mikemac: My mom has only been teaching full-time for one year, so I don’t have that opportunity, unfortunately. :-/
@hmom5 and palmalk: I’m probably applying to Case, but I believe they need an interview - fortunately their deadline is in mid-January so I should be able to arrange something.
@mini: Earlham is my number one choice, but I don’t qualify for any merit-based aid there. Major bad thing. The admissions officer told me (basically, she said that she was the first to look at he application and would do everything she could to get me in, so that’s probably a plus but who knows) that I am in there, so I’m not worried.</p>

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<p>I agree with mini.</p>

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<p>@Consolation: Again, Our family isn’t rich, and I wouldn’t get much, if any, merit aid from them. :-/ I don’t know how big of an impact that will be for my choice, but we’ll see once I get financial aid information.</p>

13

<p>BTW, Case’s online application is free. I do think you would do well at a smaller school than OSU, and some of them(not Case) are crying out for guys, so try to play that angle.</p>

14

<p>My D applied to Case last year - there was not a required interview at that time! (Unless you were applying to their BA/MD program). Maybe they’ve changed.</p>

15

<p>I just checked- yeah, no interview necessary. I’ll probably do one anyways, as I feel it would increase my chances of acceptance.</p>

16

<p>Well, Indiana University is known for its music program, and I believe that at least one of the LACs in your region (Otterbein or Muhlenburg?) is also. And there is St. Olaf’s, in Minnesota.</p>

<p>I’d assume that of these St. Olaf’s is probably the reachiest, followed by IU and then O and M about the same, but I might be wrong. (I’ve lent out my reference materials.)</p>

<p>When FA is crucial, casting a wider net is wise. I would consider applying to about 10 schools. The application fee is meaningless in comparison to the cost of attending, and FA offers can vary very widely.</p>

17

<p>@Consolation: I forgot about Indiana, I’ll check them out. I’m applying to about ten… in addition to the five listed on the first post (OSU, Earlham, OU, UDayton, BGSU), I’ve added:</p>

<p>SUNY Binghamton - Great public school, very cheap even for out of state, legacy (grandparents + 5-6 uncles and aunts)
Syracuse University - Great private school, not cheap, but I hear they have good financial aid, legacy (grandfather)
Case Western Reserve University - great private school, not cheap.
SUNY Stony Brook - Great research university, cheep cheep
Denison University </p>

<p>And I’m considering adding SUNY Buffalo or maybe Geneseo.</p>

<p>The reasoning for adding these is that they are all a bit more selective than the ones I’ve already applied to, and I’m hoping to broaden my options a little.</p>

<p>I’ve got some major legacy at SUNY - Basically my entire extended family attended SUNY Binghamton. Though it’s not direct, I hope that it will play at least a minor role in my applications.</p>

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<p>Is legacy considered at state schools?</p>

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<p>On college board it says that it’s considered, and both of the schools have spots on their applications to say you have had family members on there.</p>