Time is Running Out....The Perfect College

<p>Parents,</p>

<p>I really need your help. I know this post does not belong over here, but you are the experienced ones on this board who can actually help me. I am a high school senior from Alabama who is seeking to go to college in a large city to study international business and/or finance. I need help on deciding on what school is right for me. Weather and location will not matter much- I can adjust quite easily. School size, diversity and graduate job placement are the more important factors to me. I want to attend a mid-large school (7,000-20,000) with at least 10% minorities. I would rather be in a large city (L.A., NY, Miami, Houston) but suburban areas are ok too. Any help will be greatly appreciated. These are my stats:</p>

<p>African American Male
Alabama Resident
Class Rank: 2/125
GPA: 3.97 UW
ACT: 26
EC'S:
SGA President 12
SGA VP 11
Science Club VP 11
Senior Class President
School Web site webmaster
Dual-enrollment student (4.0 GPA)
part-time job for two years
Student Introduction to Engineering 10
Leadership Development Institute 9
Rural Science Scholars Program 11
Summer abroad 8
many others...</p>

<p>Please help me as time is winding down for my decision...thanks very much</p>

<p>When you say "10% minority"...do you mean 10% African American or 10% any minority? Or, 10% URM? </p>

<p>When you aim high, the 10% African American population is tough to find. Stanford has it....but that's a longshot for anyone. If you mean 10% any kind of minority, you can find that at many schools...esp if you are including Asians. Would you consider Emory? Atlanta is a nice city for African Americans....unless you are sick of the south. I don't really know what the 26 ACT equates to on SATs, so I'm struggling with quick answers.</p>

<p>Here is a website with a table for comparision.
<a href="http://www.eguidancecounselor.com/act_sat_comparison.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.eguidancecounselor.com/act_sat_comparison.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Scroll down to the middle of the page.</p>

<p>3.97 senior who has yet to request or send in apps? </p>

<p>Consider a parachute to Gap Year? With some SAT prep boosters and retakes?</p>

<p>Something doesn't add up...</p>

<p>Better go straight to the thread about colleges that are accepting apps still... Most good ones that are left "close" Feb 1 or Feb 15th.</p>

<p>3.97
If I remember correctly, haven't you already been accepted by Loyola, Kettering, Colo. School of mines and Rhodes? (OK, I looked back, as I had read these posts before). Have you gotten in elsewhere?? Why the change of heart?? Or are you just messin' with us?? :)</p>

<p>He never said that he hadn't applied anywhere yet. Maybe he's just looking for any last minute options before calling it a day and making his decision on where to attend.</p>

<p>You can try the University of Michigan. They have a good URM mix. Ann Arbor is a great college town.</p>

<p>With SAT I and SAT IIs, he could apply to UPenn...possibly next year. Philly is a large city..I don't know if UPenn will accept ACT alone.</p>

<p>If his SAT is comparable to his ACT, UPenn is a stretch...but you never know. I know 2 black kids with higher SATs who were deferred ED at UPenn. Perhaps if his background demonstrates a disadvantage he'll have a shot.</p>

<p><<he never="" said="" that="" he="" hadn't="" applied="" anywhere="" yet.="" maybe="" he's="" just="" looking="" for="" any="" last="" minute="" options="" before="" calling="" it="" a="" day="" and="" making="" his="" decision="" on="" where="" to="" attend="">></he></p>

<p>That's true, but I think the OP has applied to, and been accepted at, a LOT of schools -- not sure how he can expect to find a perfect school at this late date. See <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=202130#post202130%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?p=202130#post202130&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>threepointnineseven -- relax. You've been accepted at a number of good schools, just go back through them and figure out which of them is your best option.</p>

<p>ooooh! good detective work!</p>

<p>Threepointseven, You certainly have a choice of a lot of schools...and I noticed on the list that you called Loyola of New Orleans "perfect." It's a great school that seems to have everything you're looking for --- don't second guess yourself at this point. You can always transfer if you decide on something different. Best of luck to you in making your decision!</p>

<p>3.7-
That is quite a list of acceptances! Congrats. If I count correctly, you have 31 schools to choose from. That is a daunting task. I can't imagine that it would be helpful to add to that list. Now is the time to narrow down, not expand that list. I agree with Carolyn- if Loyola seemed pefect, it sounds like a match. Perhaps you can spend an overnight as a prospy to solidify your decision. That can really help. Good luck.</p>

<p>Thank you all very much for the quick responses. I don't care too much about the 10% of minorities being AA, just as long as there is a little diversity on campus. I guess you are right. Maybe Loyola is perfect, but I don't really know. I feel like I'm selling myself short by not going for a bigger city out of the South. I don't really know how to choose because I can see myself happy in a lot of different places (N,S,E,W). I guess I'm going to have to continue to drive myself crazy until the last minute and pick a school at random the last week of July.</p>

<p>It is unrealistic to look for a perfect school. No college will be perfect. Much of what you get out of your college experience will be what you make out of the opportunities you will have on the campus that you choose. Think about it. You are not now at he h.s. that would be perfect for you. When you chose a h.s., more than likely you went to your neighborhood high or chose from options in your town. You didn't search across the US for the perfect place. You made the best of the opportunities that you had.</p>

<p>Now, you have an overabundance of college choices and need to select from the schools that you have been accepted to. If you can't make up your mind, getting some support from a counselor could be in order. There is absolutely no need to be applying to additional colleges.</p>

<p>Correction on what I just said: I notice that you say that you have been admitted to Brandeis. From what I can tell, the only way that you could have been admitted is ED. If so, you must go to Brandeis because you signed a form indicating that if accepted, you'll go there.</p>

<p>NSM, he might have applied using Brandeis' Blue Ribbon Application. It's not early decision; the college gives you your admissions answer about 4-6 weeks after the application is submitted. But it's not binding.</p>

<p>Thanks Northstarmom. I am just really confused and my guidance counselor does not strongly support students who desire to go out of state. All she talks about is how horrible the out-of-state fees are, but what she fails to understand is that the colleges I'm strongly considering are private, so tuition is the same for all. And yes I was a Blue Ribbon Applicant at Brandeis. They sent an application back in November and I recieved an acceptance letter very quickly.</p>

<p>What part of Alabama are you from? I hail from the Gulf Coast.</p>