I can only use the Coalition application now and Lafayette isn’t on it.
Okay, so I did more digging and was thinking of applying to Bucknell. Would say my chances are in the category with Skidmore, Union, Lafayette, etc.? Or, would my chances be similar to Vassar?
Bucknell would be more in line with Union than Vassar, do you have a major(s) you’re interested in? Bucknell has engineering and typically that’s the hardest school to get into. Your ECs have robotics and student govt which are a little different, so when applying, tighten them up so you present a more consistent app.
U.S. News provides “selectivity ranks,” which should offer you a rough sense of comparative difficulty of admission. Below they are listed for your schools of current interest plus two others:
︎5. Hamilton
︎12. Vassar
︎19. Colgate
︎28. Denison
︎32. Union
︎34. Bucknell
︎41. Lafayette
︎59. Skidmore
︎68. Trinity (CT)
Note that aspects such as whether a school considers financial need in admissions decisions (i.e., is “need aware”) or whether a school favors male or female applicants can substantially impact results for individual applicants.
Overall, it appears you have added needed range to your list. You might also consider Trinity (CT) and, further afield, Denison. Each offers a computer science major.
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I really am interested in CS only as a major and a minor in economics.
I have applied to the SUNY schools since I am in nys. It is just that I know I will get better aid in the LACs that meet 100% demonstrated need. I’ve talked to the aid office at Hamilton, Vassar, and Colgate. All 3 provide alot better aid compared to Binghamton or Stony.
Also, would you be able to recommend schools that are specifically on the Coalition app?
@merc81 respect your research-based approach to admissions but when you rank by “selectivity” are you pulling out the 5-10% (can’t remember exactly) used in the liberal arts calculation or are you purchasing data that allows you to cut it that way? Obviously, seeing Trinity at 68 looks odd since I am use to looking at the normal LA top 50.
Skidmore would most certainly be easier. The others should be somewhat easier. I would read more about the ones I shared and choose 2 from the top and 1 from the safe list. Maybe you did that, besides the safe list?
OP, why only schools on the Coalition app? Have you already applied to 20 schools on common app?
What can/will your parents pay for college? What’s your FAFSA EFC?
Have you been accepted anywhere affordable yet?
@michaeluwill: USN provides selectivity ranks for its overall top 50 National Liberal Arts Colleges in its print edition. As a basis, it appears to use its “student excellence” formula, which considers the standardized scoring and high school class standing profiles for attending students. In context, USN’s information appears consistent. Trinity, for example, enrolls 46% of its students from the top 10% of their high school classes (to the extent that data are available for this measure), a figure substantially lower than that for colleges with which it is often associated.
That makes sense that they have that, but I was not aware. The top 10% and 25% that they seem to focus on for rankings has always troubled me. Of course, it does consider peer group which can be particularly relevant, but nothing beats the careful viewing of a transcript for me to determine the strength of an applicant.
This analysis, based on faculty scholarship, will help you compare economics departments across potential choices:
https://ideas.repec.org/top/top.uslacecon.html
Note that the rankings have not been normalized for department/school size.
I saw the Coalition App list and for LACs and in-state publics that have CS, you’ve hit most of them. Some other ones to consider would be Tufts and Lehigh. But that would be adding another two reaches (Lehigh in RD is probably a reach).
I have maxed out the common app and do regret not opting for more competitive schools but my EFC is 0.
Some schools have their own app too, so that could be an option…why do you want to send more apps?
Do you have an affordable safety that you’ve applied to/been accepted to?