What colleges sound like matches for me?

College Search & Selection
1

Asian Indian male from Northern VA magnet school (so probably no hooks)

GPA: 3.62W (school doesn’t report UW)

Rank: Magnet does not rank, probably in top 30%

Scores: 34 ACT (Breakdown: 36E, 33M, 34R, 34S)

Courses:
AP Chem
AP Bio
AP Physics
APUSH
AP Gov
AP World
AP Lang
AP Calc AB
AP Calc BC
DE English Lit

ECs:

Captain of Policy Debate - did it all 3 years, would have placed MetroFinals if I had a partner
MUN officer - went to two conferences and am planning my own
German National Honor Society Secretary - organized group to give kids sports equipment
Research Internship at Hospital
Choreographer for bollywood dance group
Junior Research Project in Environmental Science - studied plant science and won #2 at my school’s symposium
Involved in a group that helped give underprivileged kids sports equipment - I did this again
Writer for Yearbook Club -
Member of student government sophomore year

Teacher Recs:
They’ll be good, but nothing to write home about (no pun intended). All I know is that they won’t be bad enough to cost me my application, but they’re not so super amazing that I’ll get in purely based on them. Both teachers know me well and have for a while and they both like me.

Essays:
I’m a very good writer, and I’m thinking about hiring a counselor to maybe help me write mine.

Colleges I’m applying to ED:
Duke
UChicago (EDII)

I have no hopes of getting in and would be ecstatic. Would love to hear your recommendations on other top-15 ish where I’d have even marginally higher chances (I was thinking maybe Stern or Vandy)

Colleges I’m applying to EA:
UMich (talked to debate admin)
UVA (in state)
UNC-CH
GMU
VCU (rolling)

Colleges I’m applying to RD
William and Mary
Virginia Tech
UW(?)
UC Berkeley(?)
UCLA(?)
(I need more matches here, I have too many reaches)

I would appreciate any recommendations on where to apply, because I know that I have a good chance of being rejected from every school here except GMU, VCU, and maybe Tech.

2

Tulane

University of Miami

University of South Carolina

SMU

3

What qualifications are you looking for in a school? Size? Part of the country? Social scene? Urban/suburban/rural? Social scene? What field of study are you considering? etc. If you answer questions, I will definitely recommend some schools :slight_smile:

4

No financial aid at the UC’s. can your parents pay $60,000/year?

5

Thanks so much!

I would prefer a campus that looks good over all. If it’s an urban campus but looks like UChicago’s or UW’s I’d go for it. If it’s rural and looks like Dartmouth’s that’s fine, too.

In terms of size, I’d either like a school with >25k students (or a strong alumni network to make up for it), or with >8k students (or heavy undergraduate focus to make up for it).

My parents would prefer something close to home, but I’m fine with any part of the country to be honest.

In terms of social scene I’d like a relax atmosphere, but I’d really hate going to a school with a drinking problem (it’s just not my thing). I’m not stuck up and want to have fun, but I’d prefer to do it in a way that doesn’t destroy my liver ;). I’d also like a school that’s good at some sort of sports so that I can have a team to root for once football or march madness season comes along.

I’m considering economics and pre med so far, but I don’t know how my interests will change in college.

For qualifications, I’m honestly just looking for a really good school that I have a solid chance of getting into.

6

I’m an only child from fairly well off parents so paying for college isn’t too big of a problem for me. I’ve been blessed to be in a situation in which my parents are working their hands to the bone to provide for me, and tell me that instead of trying to pay them back by going to a cheaper college, I should go to the best one I get into so that their efforts will be worth it.

7

If you don’t get Duke, you won’t get Chicago either. Is there a school with a 25% acceptance rate or higher you might like for ED II?

8

What about ED Emory or Vandy? Those will have significantly higher chances. As for business school/economics matches, look at Santa Clara University, Villanova, IU - Kelley, Babson (?), Boston College, Northeastern, and American University.

9

Sounds like you don’t care too much about size as long as it’s not small. What I’ve gathered is that you want a medium/big school with minimal partying, good sports and a really nice campus. Looks like you have a pretty good list so far but, I agree, you definitely need a few more targets/safeties.
I recommend:
Northwestern (Reach)- About 8k undergrads but a fair number of grads. It’s D1 with a lot of school spirit. Some drinking but if drinking’s not your thing, it definitely doesn’t dominate. It’s in Evanston, which is right next to Chicago. Beautiful campus.
Wake Forest (Target)- It’s 4k undergrads but has good sports and a nice campus.
Northeastern (Target/reach)- About 13k undergrads, it’s in Boston but the campus is pretty nice. Very pre-professional like Northwestern (not sure if that’s something you want or not).
UT-Austin- (Target) Big, beautiful campus, good athletics
Notre Dame (Reach)- Pre-med and economics are very popular, gorgeous campus, Catholic, pretty conservative (once again, not sure how you feel about these last two), really good athletics, school spirit
Villanova- 10k, nice campus

Ok, so I got pretty tired/lazy at the end. Definitely search these schools. I don’t know a whole lot about all of them (so if anyone thinks one of the schools shouldn’t be on this list (or disagrees with something I wrote), definitely say so), but most of the schools I immediately thought of were the ones you already had.

10

I thought Chicago was known for giving kids with lower grades a chance?

Emory does sound like a good option though. I’m thinking maybe ED Duke and EDII Emory, or ED Vandy EDII Emory

11

Well, if by lower grades you mean a 3.7 gpa with a 34 ACT. And a 5% shot.

Safeties would include ASU Barrett (excellent honors college) and Penn State (apply in September and you’ll get your answer fast due to your high ACT + sounds like you enjoy economics+SODA; go for Schreyer, one of the country’s best Honor’s colleges).

Other possibilities could include UNC Asheville, Ithaca, SUNY Geneseo, UVermont. Apply to the Honors college at all.

For matches, Elon, Villanova, but also George Washington, American?

12

Look at University of Pittsburgh. Nice urban campus, good sports teams, and strong academics in a multicultural, friendly city. I think you would definitely get in and possibly get merit.

13

If you think of Stern, you should look at Kelly at Indiana and Boston College. Take a look at Wake Forest, has good B school.
UCB and UCLA is going to be a stretch for you. You have nothing to lose trying. But I thought you cannot directly being admitted into Hass UG. Try those school who will give you direct admittance first, otherwise it will be a struggle as soon as you get there.

14

Do you go to TJ?
If so, what does your GC think of your chances at UVA and VT (and other instates for that matter) ?

Given that in state schools can’t fill their incoming class with all the highly qualified TJ students that apply, GC should be able to give you an idea where you would fall in the TJ admissions pool…

15

If from TJ, then UVA is a reach. Coming from TJ, students have trouble getting into UVA if they don’t have above a GPA above 4.0 W. I’m doubtful its TJ though- 3.6 W is not top 30% at TJ…that’s probably not even 50%. Also TJ calculates both W and UW.

Source: I went to TJ and was told by my counselor that 3.6 UW was mid-class (even though TJ doesn’t rank). My counselor there was also the source for the GPA to get into UVA from TJ.