<p>What is your major of interest?</p>
<p>Georgia Tech is right in the middle of Atlanta, but it’s a tech school, and an outlier from the other schools posted in this thread.</p>
<p>If you want an urban school in the midwest, I’ll put in an obligatory plug for the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities. Also look at Pitt.</p>
<p>gadad got it right: what type of urban experience are you seeking OP?</p>
<p>Obviously, everyone has a different definition based on their own personal factors. For those that don’t think Yale to be “urban” for example, what else could it be? Suburban? Rural? Small Town?</p>
<p>Yes, both Georgetown and George Washington are both “urban” by traditional definitions, but offer a much different undergrad experience.</p>
<p>@citybycity… free USC trams take you right to LA LIVE which is the area that includes the staples center, espnzone, and a bunch of other mid-to-upscale restaurants. and by the way, the tram ride is maybe 10 minutes long, although probably closer to 5.</p>
<p>I’ve looked at Pitt and while I liked it overall it was simply too close to home and my parents and I don’t consider it to be challenging enough. I know it has an honors college, as do most schools, but we wanted more of the student body to be in the upper percentiles. I’m not saying it’s a bad college, because it’s not at all. I just want to do as well as I can. I haven’t yet taken the ACT or SAT, but I’m taking them both in a few weeks. I live in Ohio and my parents can afford about $30,000 on the high end. I don’t really have any idea about my major except that I’m interested in history and considering doing something with Spanish. That’s about as far as I’ve gotten. As for the urban experience, I think I’m looking for a college within a city, nothing too suburban or rural. When I visited Pitt, the campus was quite nice. I’m looking for a college within a larger city. Well, I tried to answer all your questions. Thanks for all the replies, they’ve been really helpful</p>
<p>^ It’s okay to look for a high-stat student body. That wasn’t something I cared about, but if it’s a priority for you by all means apply to highly ranked schools. But your entire list cannot be made up of Ivies. You need safeties and matches.</p>
<p>I don’t think the correlation between test scores and “challenge” is as clear as you make it out to be.</p>
<p>You should at least apply to an in-state public option as a safety. I personally think Ohio State is a nice option.</p>
<p>In addition to the two I mentioned earlier, check out U Iowa and SUNY Buffalo.</p>
<p>I don’t believe anybody’s mentioned Fordham. Not exactly high stat, but may fit your criteria at least as a safety.</p>
<p>“LA: UCLA (though it’s not really in the city, only in sucky Westwood), USC (again, not really in LA - but closer to downtown than UCLA)”</p>
<p>I’m sorry, but what? “Not really in L.A.” is a meaningless statement in this context. Both the Westside (save Culver City, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, etc.) and Exposition Park are parts of the city of Los Angeles. L.A. is not a typical urban environment because there is no easily defined urban center. Unless you’re defining its urban center as downtown, which is slightly odd because it’s certainly not a very “happening” place despite ever-present rumors of revitalization. L.A. really is a city of villages and if you are interested in living here you just have to realize that and be okay with it. Going to school in L.A. is never going to be a walkable, typically urban experience. </p>
<p>And if you do go to UCLA or USC, just know that your experience will be improved by having a car.</p>