What colleges look good for me?

College Search & Selection
1

I am currently a junior in high school from Michigan. (I’m a male)
My cumulative weighted GPA is a 4.0664 (my school only weights AP classes, not honors) (thru sophomore year)
Unweighted is a 3.92
This year I am taking: FIRST SEMESTER JUST ENDED FOR JUNIOR YEAR WITH FOLLOWING GRADES
AP Stats: B
AP Microeconomics: A-
AP macroeconomics (second semester)
Honors Precalc: B+
Spanish 4: A-
Advanced SciFi: A
Advanced Comp (second semester)
Chemistry: A

I just got two Bs this semester (I have never had a B) and I’m not sure how that will impact my choices

28 on ACT second time (Math:28 Science:21 English:32 Reading:31 Writing:7) I know science is very poor, but I am hoping to improve it and get up to a 30-32 on the February ACT.

Extracurriculars:
Tennis all three years (varsity sophomore and junior year) planning on doing senior year

Golf all three years (varsity sophomore year and hopefully this year) and planning on doing senior year

Student Congress all three years (ran for a board position and lost, but I am the junior conference representative and chair of the school improvements committee)

Unified Sports (freshmen and sophomore year, not sure if I can this year— helped kids with disabilities play sports in this club)

Key Club all three years 20 hours of service each year

NHS junior year, and will do senior year

Worked at a camp over the summer as a counselor at a camp for kids with muscular dystrophy for a week

List of classes so far:
Freshmen year-- all As
Geophysical science
World History
Honors Geometry
English 9
Chamber winds band
spanish 2

Sophomore year-- all As or A-
Spanish 3
AP US history (5 on the AP exam, 740 on subject test)
health/personal fit
Honors Biology
Honors Alg 2 with trig
American literature

tested out of civics

So far my college list consists of:

University of Michigan (I know I have to get my ACT way up, but my parents want me to apply as much of my family has gone there including them, and it is a great in-state school)

University of South Carolina (Hoping I can get one of their in-state tuition scholarships?)

University of Wisconsin

Indiana University

I am planning on going into business, so what are my chances at these business schools? The Kelley School at IU is very good, along with Ross (U of M), Moore School (USC), and I think Wisco is ok for business. Does anyone have other recommendations?

2

Can you pay out of state tuition? State schools if you’re out of state can be very expensive. Check on that first.

3

Not sure about your financial situation. Often, though, private schools give enough financial aid to make the price lower than you would pay at as an OOS student at a public university, where only students earning the highest grades and test scores typically receive aid. You can’t go by the sticker price. For example, check out Miami of Ohio’s one-page chart at its admissions site that provides students a range of financial aid that they will receive based on test scores and GPA.

All the schools on your list are excellent, and it seems like you are looking for a large state school. I will say that a friend’s daughter recently attended another university in SC. They called her “Yankee Girl” and she was from Virginia.

If you are interested in USC, you might think about the University of Alabama, which gives a lot of aid to OOSs and has a student body very much made of OOSs.

How about Santa Clara University in Silicon Valley? Not a large state university but a terrific school and business school and internships are available at Silicon Valley companies. Weather is spectacular–sunny and warm pretty much year round. School gives merit aid. It seems to be drawing a lot more attention these days. Seems like you would be a competitive applicant. Good luck!

4

Try taking the SAT before you send any ACT scores out. See if it’s a better fit for you. Test score is your achilles heel right now

5

I think affordability is key. And look at Michigan State as well.

What are the parameters around OoS waiver at South Carolina?

6

All your target schools look excellent for undergrad business. Keep your grades up and finish junior year strong, and really work to get your ACT up. Indiana Kelley requires 30 ACT (superscore) plus 3.8 WGPA for autoadmit as you may know - very reachable by improving your Science subscore alone. May also want to add OSU if your Michigan alum family will allow! Good luck.

7

So Indiana does have autoadmit? I did not know that. Do you know anything about merit scholarships? @my2caligirls

8

OP: tell us a little more about your parameters for a school. Do you want more schools in other regions? Urban or suburban? Have you visited any of the schools you’ve listed?

9

@mybstnw
I would love to go out-of-state, but I understand that in-state is cheaper. I want a big school with good business programs, division 1 athletics, and I like either urban or suburban. I have visited IU and I loved it, and i have obviously been to U of M numerous times as we have season tickets for football, my sister currently goes there, and it is extremely close to my house. I am visiting South Carolina on the way to my spring break vacation, and I plan to visit Wisconsin this summer.

10

Michigan State is another obvious choice. Is that a contender?

Here’s a few more: Minnesota, Penn State, UNC (would be a big reach)

I guess I would also say to throw in a few medium sized schools such that you could have a change of heart. Both of my kids landed at schools that were not in their top 5 early lists. Is it football you enjoy, basketball? hockey? school spirit?

11

School spirit, football, and basketball. I did visit MSU and liked it however many students from my high school go there, and I would rather not know so many people. I would look at smaller schools. My other sister goes to Butler University in Indianapolis and they have good school spirit there, especially with basketball! @mybstnw

12

@pbmcdoug here is the IU Kelley page re autoadmit - https://kelley.iu.edu/Ugrad/Admissions/Future/page39066.html. The IU forum on CC is pretty active re Kelley and info on forum and IU website re merit. Good luck.