Hey everyone,
I am a African American student currently residing in Iowa, however I studied middle school, freshman, and sophomore year in MidEast. Since I came back junior year, I’ve been working on maintaining my grades at the same level, however, my counselor urged me not to take any AP classes and so my transcript seems a little weak. Anyways, I am in need of a college list to apply to this year. I, so far, have Iowa State and U of Iowa, but I would like to see if I qualify elsewhere, though I realize that I may not be a competitive applicant. Any ideas or recommendations help!
Here are my stats:
9th grade: GPA: 4.0 ( mostly A+)
10th grade: 4.0 (mostly A+)
11th grade: 4.0 (mostly A+) (1 AP class and 2 honors)
ACT: Comp:31 E:30 M:36 R: 28 S:30
SAT: gonna take but practice exams are ~1470
SAT 2: might take in math & Chem
Extracurriculars ( my weak point):
8 years of soccer ( I couldn’t play for school junior year due to injuries)
Many religious related activities: volunteering, teaching, learning
9&10th grade: school broadcast
9&10th grade: school Vice President
Intended major: Chemical Engineering
Financial aid: yes a lot
Hooks: URM, first-gen college student (if African universities don’t count)
Race: African American/ black
Essay ideas: maybe talk about: changing schools 9 times; different cultures; being Muslim in America; etc.
Just throw in any college you guys think will be a good match. Thanks in advance. 
You are not a first gen college student since they consider any college in the world. If you do need a lot of financial aid, you can skip most OOS public universities. UMich is probably one of the exceptions for lower income OOS students. Your in-state flagship would be the best bet. You may also try some top private reach schools that offer very good need based aids.
Thanks @billcsho . I was just wondering which private reach schools would be a match or a low reach for me.
Those with good need based aids are mostly reach for anybody, but you may still want to give them a try. Not many are good for engineering anyway.
If you are a US citizen/PR, then you are not an int’l student.
You’re not first gen.
A lot of schools will be keen to keen to have you as a male AA.
Thanks for your responses and clarification guys. My big question is: Where should I apply next after applying to In-State Universities?
What about Wesleyan University, Cornell, Rice, and Northeastern. Are those reaches, matches, or high reaches?
They’re what I would call, realistic reaches. You’re not a shoo-in by a y means, but, no one would think you were crazy for trying.
Thanks @circuitrider . Do you think I should apply to colleges with 14%+ admission rate?
If you have a genuine safety, one that you would have absolutely no regrets attending AND is affordable, then stop looking at acceptance rates. Look at fit and where you can see yourself completely rocking. Some will be complete crap shoots. But, not all of them. Take a closer look at Northeastern. What drew you to it?
I see…hmmm…I know this is embarrassing to say, but the problem is that I’m like many other HS students who rare just looking for prestige, and have no other requirements or desires on their list.
Get a Fiske guide from your library.
All I want is a highly ranked engineering program with good financial aid. I just wanted some people to help me and throw out some names.
Cornell, duke, Vanderbilt, and rice all meet 100% need
The issue is that you need to figure out 1° what you like 2° how much you can afford. Your first concern should be finding two safeties.
Anyway, strong engineering you may not have heard of…
Embry Riddle, Rose-Hulman, Missouri Science and Tech, South Dakota Mines, Olin, Rice, Harvey Mudd
Up to, “just looking for prestige,” you seemed pretty aware (eg, realizing that, by skipping AP, you had missed some rigor.) The commendable part is that you maintained the A average. How advanced were your classes in STEM subjects? Have you done anything to pursue the engineering interest?
You do need that Fiske Guide. The more competitive colleges will look at rigor, in part, to gauge how you can do the work in their environments, especially in a difficult chemE major. They look at activities to see the mindset, how you take on challenges. Rather than just look at reputation, imo, you need a college where you can be empowered, do well, you want the right level of academic support available, so you can go on to meet your goals for the future.
And run the net price calculators (on college web sites,) to see what aid you might get. Good luck.
I agree with you guys. Not having AP classes really did reduce my exposure to rigorous classes. So are you suggesting that I go to an easier school or less research school?
I think what most people are recommending is to find one or two schools that give great financial aid and are safeties. A safety needs to be a school that you would be happy to attend, not one that you just apply to then would hate if you went there. After you have that, there is no harm done apply to schools like rice, cornell, and others especially if you can get application waivers
Hmmm… Are all safeties just public schools?
Not exactly. Safety relates to chance of admissions and cost. Of course, if you don’t like the campus or don’t think you’ll do well there, you shouldn’t apply there. If you can afford the sticker price of a private school and you can for sure get in, by all mean make it your safety. Do not, however, make a safely a school that requires either merit or financial aid scholarships for you to be able to attend there.
Look up lists of schools that meet 100% need and make those schools your number one priorities.