What are some realistic colleges for me?

College Search & Selection
1

SAT: 2140 (670 Math, 740 CR, 730 Writing)
I’m expecting a 2270 by the time I apply to colleges with an 800 in math.

-GPA: 95/100, 3.9 uw, 4.05 weighted (My school doesn’t give many APs)

-Class Rank: 9/110 (Top 9%)

-AP/advanced course: 4 AP Biology, 4 AP Language and Composition, B Calculus I at Cornell Summer college.
Will be taking AP Calc AB (but I’ll be studying later math like Calc ii and Calc iii in this class. My school doesn’t offer anything higher than AB), and AP European History.
*My school only allows 2 APs per year, beginning junior year, so I’m taking as many as I can.

-EC’s: National Honor Society, National Hispanic Recognition Scholar, Chess Club (President, have won official tournaments), Comic book club, Member of the Bronx Scifest Research Program at Lehman, Vice President of Student council.

Volunteer activities: Tutoring in algebra, chemistry, trigonometry, and calculus; Science lab assistant; Parent-teacher translator; Physics research assistant.

Notable events: Finalist at MiT iNSPiRe (presented a research paper at MiT); Cornell Summer College on a full scholarship, Calculus; 97th percentile junior ranking in Chess after four tournaments; Translator (English - Spanish - Japanese - French).

State: New York
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Gender: Male
School type: Public School
Hooks: URM, first generation, low-income area.
Adjusted Annual lncome: 30,000-48,000 (Household of 3)

Regents (I heard they don’t really care about these though):
ELA 79
Global history 98
Algebra ii 99
Algebra 100
Geometry 96
Living environment 86
Chemistry 94
Japanese 90
US History 98

I want to be a physics major, so the school I’m looking for has to have both a pretty good physics and math program. Let me have it.

2

Congratulations on your stats, and all those languages you know! I’m also a physics major, well astrophysics, but they’re very similar. Are you planning on only attending in the New York area?

3

Thanks fellow physicser. No, I’m willing to attend a school pretty much anywhere in the U.S. so long as I meet its financial demands.

4

Cornell and Renssalaer should be somewhere on your list.

5

Is Rensselaer’s math program very good? I’m asking because on http://math-colleges.com/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute Rensselaer is rated at 161. Admittedly though, I’m not sure how credible of a source that is.

6

I read through the link provided and would go a little further than you and call it clearly not credible. Based on the language used, I would say it was produced in a foreign country by a group or individual that has little knowledge of U.S. schools. Their “data” also seem to be systemically erroneous.

RPI has a great physics program and at least a very good math program.

7

I would apply to some of the following, several of which say they meet full need and are need blind:

Johns Hopkins
Brandeis (not need blind, but you would be an attractive candidate and it claims to meet full need)
Stony Brook
Ohio State - apply for the Morrill Scholarship by Nov. 1 http://undergrad.osu.edu/money-matters/scholarships.html
Cornell
Chicago
possibly University of Rochester and Case Western (don’t know if you’d get enough aid)
Macaulay Program at Baruch or City College

You should also consider looking at schools that offer scholarships for National Hispanic Scholars (I assume you haven’t received official recognition of this though, since I believe it comes in September) and schools that offer guaranteed scholarships for your stats. For example, at University of Alabama, your stats would qualify you as a Presidential Scholar, which would give you four years of tuition.

8

@merc81 Awesome, I’m glad that’s cleared up. Thanks for the suggestions.

@midatlmom Wow, I’d never heard of scholarships for being a National Hispanic Scholar. That’s amazing. Thanks for the long and well thought out list. May I ask how the list would be extended if I managed a 2270 SAT like I hope for?

9

Thanks for correcting my spelling (Rensselaer).

10

Carleton
Grinnell
Haverford
Reed
Wesleyan

11

Well, if your scores go up significantly, you could add one or two Ivies or more competitive schools to your list (because they will probably give you full aid if you get in). You might consider UPenn and Northwestern as additions, but there are probably others.

And in terms of National Hispanic Recognition awards, many schools have backed away from this, but there are still some (I don’t know if they would interest you), that offer scholarships. For example, University of Alabama at Birmingham offers full tuition, fees, a housing allowance and a $2500 stipend for National Hispanic Scholars http://www.uab.edu/students/paying-for-uab/scholarships/item/280-national-scholarships.

Also, take a look at Fordham - it has an EA option and there are a number of possible scholarships you might qualify for. For example, you would be a candidate for a Presidential or Semifinalist Scholarship (Hispanic Recognition and in top 10% of your class) http://www.fordham.edu/info/21251/fordham_scholarships_and_grants/2532/scholarships

12

I like U Rochester more than RPI and they were both in my son’s final list. I think U Roch has better physics, at least optics for sure. And they gave us a bit better financial aid than RPI.