Urgent - Need some financial safeties/matches...Econ major.

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am applying to Penn (Wharton), Cornell (CALS AEM), Dartmouth (CAS), Northwestern (CAS), and Vanderbilt (CAS). I am also required to apply to two in-state schools, so I have applied to UF and FSU. I'd like to think that I can get into one of the first 5 I listed, but in the worst case, I'd still like to do better then UF/FSU (not saying they're bad schools). The problem is, when I look at schools that fit my major, that are slightly lower than my targets, for example, University of Michigan at Ann-Arbor, they are completely out of my price range, and I doubt I'd get a full tuition merit scholarship. Therefore, I need schools good in econ that would be low-mid matches, but would also be accessible financially. Preferably ones that meet 100% of FAFSA with as little in loans or none at all if possible, or schools where I'd be a top choice for full or very close to full tuition scholarships. My parents make about 35K a year. I have like 3 days to talk to my GC about this, so I need school recommendations ASAP.
Here are my stats...</p>

<p>Objective:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I (breakdown): 1440/2200
[</em>] ACT: 31
[<em>] SAT II: MathI: 690, Lit: 630
[</em>] UW GPA (out of 4.0): 3.7 (92/100)
[<em>] W GPA (out of 4.0): 4.8
[</em>] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): Top 2% of 6350.
[<em>] AP (place score in parenthesis):USH 4, English Lang 4
[</em>] IB (place score in parenthesis): Math Studies 6, Environment 5
[<em>] Senior Year Course Load: IB English, IB Information Technology, IB Visual Arts, IB Spanish, IB TOK, Honors Calculus, Weightlifting, Team Sports
[</em>] Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): 4.0+ GPA Honor Roll 4 yrs, 2 state level awards for playwriting, 1 regional award for art, Magna Cum Laude[/ul]
Subjective:
[ul][<em>] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): 12 years travel/competitive soccer (Captain), 4 years JV/varsity soccer (JV captain 10th grade), 2 yrs NHS, 2 yrs Recycling Club, 2 yrs Political Science Club, 2 yrs Chess Club
[</em>] Job/Work Experience: 3 years cashier. 2 years babysitting.
[<em>] Volunteer/Community service: ~250 hours. Split up between IB CAS, NHS, and other volunteering.
[</em>] Essays: Above average.
[<em>] Teacher Recommendation: Good.
[</em>] Counselor Rec: Probably generic, don't really know him too well.[/ul]
Other
[ul][<em>] State (if domestic applicant):Florida
[</em>]Nationality: Swiss
[<em>] Country (if international applicant):
[</em>] School Type: Public
[<em>] Ethnicity: Caucasian (European)
[</em>] Gender: Male
[<em>]Income Bracket: ~35,000
[</em>] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): First Generation[/ul]</p>

<p>Thanks in advance.</p>

2

<p>You should try to retake the SAT if possible. With your current SAT, and if your are not a permanent resident of the US:
High reach: Dartmouth, Wharton
Reach: Northwestern, Cornell, Vandy</p>

3

<p>I can’t retake it anymore, and I’m still waiting on the actual scores from December 4th, but I’m 95% sure it will be within 30 points of that. Also I don’t so much need chances, but need recs for other schools.
BUMP before school.</p>

4

<p>*SAT I (breakdown): 1440/2200
ACT: 31
SAT II: MathI: 690, Lit: 630
UW GPA (out of 4.0): 3.7 (92/100) </p>

<p>Preferably ones that meet 100% of FAFSA with as little in loans or none at all if possible, or schools where I’d be a top choice for full or very close to full tuition scholarships. My parents make about 35K a year.
*</p>

<p>The problem is that safety schools generally do not/cannot meet need. Some will give you big merit scholarships, but you will still have to take out loans and such to meet Cost of Attendance. Even a full tuition scholarship is going to leave you with room, board, and books to cover…and a Pell grant isn’t going to cover those costs.</p>

<p>Your stats are good, but not in the category for high merit at top schools that give merit (like UMich). UI (Kelley) only gives a $9k per year scholarship for your stats and I think the deadline has passed.</p>

<p>Students with high aspirations like yours (UPenn), who also have HUGE need and good-but-not-stellar-stats, often have a very hard time coming up with affordable safeties because they want those financial safeties to be just a few rungs below ivies/elites. That’s not where financial safeties are. Financial safeties are going to be mid-tiers and below.</p>

<p>You need at least a full tuition scholarship so that Pell, a student loan, and maybe some summer earnings can cover the rest.</p>

<p>I remember talking to you earlier…Did you apply to the schools that give huge merit, but had Dec 1st deadlines for scholarship consideration? If not, then your choices will be more limited.</p>

5

<p>Are you an International student or a USA student (FL) ?
What is your URM ?</p>

6

<p>There are lots of LACs that meet need that have fine Econ departments. Vassar needs males and your stats would do fine there, Bates, Carleton, Trinity CT, Davidson, Colgate.</p>

<p>I would add at least a couple, your list is heavy on reaches.</p>

7

<p>Agree some very good LAC’s like Holy Cross(don’t have to be religious) and Colgate are need blind for admissions-meet need. Holy Cross has nice campus 1 hour from Boston and has good alumni network.</p>

8

<p>I am a USA student (permanent resident, moved to the US at 5 years old).
I will check out some of those listed, thanks. Any others?</p>

9

<p>Take a look at the midwestern LACs: Grinnell, Oberlin, Macalester for generous financial aid used to attract students who might otherwise overlook the midwest - it helps that you are male and international as well. Grinnell has a relationship with the London School of Economics (as do many others) - they offer a year long student abroad option. </p>

<p>Another possibility: Have you considered the studying looking at schools abroad? Friend’s daughter is at Edinburgh and loving it. Her mother says it’s half the price of a US school.</p>

10

<p>Since you are from Florida I imagine you qualify for Bright Futures? While University of Florida may not have a top econ program, it is certainly a financial safety for you.</p>