<p>Hello, I have selected a ton of colleges I want to apply to and my parents want me to cut down the list to at most ten. The type of school I am looking for is a big sports school with good academics and a relaxed atmosphere. My family can afford to pay about 30k per year the rest would be loans. Here are my stats:</p>
<p>Ranked 16/223
2090 SAT: 740 Math/660 CR/690 Writing (Taking ACT in fall)
3.6 UW GPA
All honors and college courses: 6+ APs (Hardest load possible)
Over 90% on every NYS Regent's Exam
Two Years National Honors Society
Employed for one year
Competitively Sailing for 2 years</p>
<p>Safeties-
Alabama: (with full tuition)
Buffalo (in state)</p>
<p>Matches-
University of Colorado (hoping for merit aid)
University of Miami (hoping for merit and financial aid)
Tulane University (hoping for merit and financial aid)
Ohio State University
Syracuse University (hoping for financial aid)
University of Wisconsin
University of Maryland
Pitt
University of Minnesota</p>
<p>Reaches-
Northwestern
UNC
UVA</p>
<p>why not Penn State???</p>
<p>Good comprehensive list:
University of Colorado
University of Miami
Ohio State University
Syracuse University
University of Wisconsin
University of Maryland
Boston College
UNC
UVA</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Eliminate any schools that you would not choose over your safeties.</p></li>
<li><p>Eliminate any schools that are unlikely to be affordable after typical need and merit aid from those schools. Some here have suggested not to take more loans than the government subsidized loan limit (currently $23,000 for four years); others have suggested to limit total loans to about half of the expected pay one may get from a job after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in your major ($15,000 to $35,000 over four years depending on major and school, based on career surveys).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Minnesota and Virginia Tech are two out of state public schools with total out of state cost of attendance that may fit in your cost limit. What major(s) are you considering?</p>
<p>Be sure to apply for the Presidential Scholarship at Alabama – this will bring your cost of attendance down to about $15,000 per year.</p>
<p>You might be able to get some merit scholarships from Ohio State as well. I got about $10,000 and I had pretty similar stats to yours.</p>