What colleges would you suggest given my qualifications?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I am of Asian & Pacific Islander decent and will be a senior next year. I live in Oregon and plan on going out of state for school. If you could please offer some suggestions for schools that would be my best fit given my interests and qualifications, that would be great! Thanks! </p>

<p>*GPA: Unweighted-- 4.0 Weighted--4.162 (rank 7/392; top 1%)
*ACT: 29
*Financial Situation: struggling </p>

<p>*Freshman Classes: Biology, Spanish II, Adv. Algebra, English 9, World History, Wellness, Weight Training, Web Design I</p>

<p>*Sophomore Classes: Chemistry, Spanish III, Pre-Calculus, English 10, US History, Geology, Marine Biology</p>

<p>*Junior Classes: AP Chemistry (score: 4), AP Calculus AB (score: 5), AP Government (score: 3), English 11, Honors Spanish IV, Honors Physics</p>

<p>*Senior Classes: AP Biology, AP Physics, AP Statistics, AP Spanish V, English 12, Web Design II, World History II</p>

<p>*Extracurriculars: </p>

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<p>(Freshman-9th)
Honorable Mention in Microbiology at the district science fair, qualified for statewide science fair </p>

<p>(Sophomore-10th)
1st place in Microbiology at the district science fair, Award for Best Representation of Field Knowledge, 2nd place in Microbiology at the statewide science fair, Award for Best Use of SI, qualified as student observer at the Intel-International Science and Engineering Fair </p>

<p>(Junior-11th)
1st place in Microbiology at the district science fair, Best In vitro Project Award, Scholarship to Oregon State University-$2000 for 4 years, Best in Fair at the district science fair (11), 1st place in Microbiology at the statewide science fair, Scholarship to University of Oregon-$5500 for 4 years, Best in Fair at the statewide science fair, 3rd place in Microbiology at the Intel-International Science and Engineering Fair</p>

<p>Will also be applying to Siemens and Intel STS competitions this fall.</p>

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<p>*Career Interests: Pre-Medicine; Major in Biology related studies, preferably Microbiology & Immunology</p>

<p>*Personality: Reserved, humble, studious, hard-working, conservative, diligent, self-motivated, and meticulous</p>

<p>Currently I am looking at the following schools (bear with me...I know it's a lot!): Bowdoin College, Carleton College, Colby College, Dartmouth College, Davidson College, Harvard College, Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, Oregon State University-Honors College, Pomona College, Princeton University, Rice University, Stanford University (top choice!), UC-Los Angeles, UChicago, URochester, WashU in St. Louis, Williams College, Brown University, Duke University</p>

<p>Could you possibly help in shortening this list and providing other suggestions given my interests/qualifications? Thank you very much!!</p>

2

<p><a href=“rank%207/392;%20top%201%”>I</a>
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<p>I don’t think that’s top 1%</p>

<p>Take UCLA off your list it won’t give you the aid you’d need.</p>

<p>With your current ACT 29, your chances at those top elite schools are not good. For many, your score is in the bottom quartile…that’s not a good place to be unless you have a hook, some connection, or you’re an athlete.</p>

<p>For instance…</p>

<p>Stanford, your top choice…</p>

<p>Test Scores
Middle 50% of
First-Year Students Percent Who
Submitted Scores
SAT Critical Reading: 660 - 760 92%
SAT Math: 680 - 780 92%
SAT Writing: 670 - 760 92%
ACT Composite: 30 - 34 5% </p>

<p>I think you need a more reasonable list unless you increase your scores. Otherwise you’ll be spending too much time and money on apps for schools where your chances are low.</p>

<p>Since it sounds like you’re low income, you might want to look at some Midwest LACs or private univs that give great aid and want more Asian students.</p>

3

<p>Honestly my advice is take the SAT. There is single-handedly nothing more you do to increase your changes at schools on your list. I know its nice to be at the top ranking wise, but you have that down and even if you slip a little it won’t matter as much as a test score that’s more in-line with your rank. I know many people who didn’t do well on the ACT and rocked the SAT, or vice versa. Trust me on this one - SAT all the way.</p>

4

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<p>So it’s top 1.8%. Those grades (and standing) are still excellent.</p>

<p>Yes, take the SAT. Prepare for it. Try to get 2100 or above. Or, prepare to re-take the ACT. </p>

<p>I agree with m2c’s advice to look at some Midwestern LACs (other than Carleton) that want more Asian Students. Possibilities include Grinnell, Oberlin, and Macalester. Also consider Whitman College (Walla Walla, WA). </p>

<p>In other words, your list needs more “match” schools. Even the ones I mentioned are quite selective but your chances should be very good. I’d drop Harvard and Princeton unless your scores go way up. You have many other great choices without wasting time & money on lottery tickets.</p>

5

<p>Hi everyone, </p>

<p>First off, thank you very much for all your great feedback, it really means a lot to me! I have taken the SAT already, but I just posted by ACT because it is better. My SAT score was an 1840. I know, I’m not the best standardized test taker, and it’s a shame that highly selective schools put so much emphasis on them. I am currently taking a speed reading course as my reading scores in both the SAT and ACT are the lowest (I usually run out of time because I get spend too much time on reading every detail of the story). If I can boost my ACT reading score on my next test (I am taking it in September again) I will most likely get into the 30s–as all my other sections I scored 30+. </p>

<p>If I can get my ACT into the 30+ range, will that increase my chances at the more selective schools I am looking at (Stanford, Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins - these are my top 3 bigger university choices)?</p>

6

<p>I think you definitely should do everything imaginable to increase the score, including practicing for a couple hours a day. Also I think the speed reading will help, one thing that might also help is learning how to “game” it a little - i.e. not read as literally and try to figure out what they are trying to get you to do as a test taker. I know its silly - but I know it works.</p>

<p>With a 30+ACT you’re definitely in play for schools like Vanderbilt, Emory and also solid for Rice, WashU, and Bowdoin. Stanford or Dartmouth is probably going to require a 33+, but you never know! Good luck on the test taking.</p>

7

<p>You need more than a 30 ACT to be in play for WashU, it’s 25/75 ACT scores are 32-34.</p>

<p>Your list seems to be all reaches except for one safety. You need to remove some super-reaches and add some matches.</p>

8

<p>To trim the list:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Determine your safeties for both admissions and cost (Oregon State? any others?).</p></li>
<li><p>Eliminate all schools you would not choose over your safeties.</p></li>
<li><p>Eliminate all schools which are unlikely to be affordable (e.g. UCLA with little or no financial aid for out of state students).</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Also note that majoring in biology is not required for pre-med, most pre-meds do not get into medical school, medical school is expensive, and biology job and career prospects at the bachelor’s level are poor. So be very careful about minimizing debt.</p>

9

<p>Might look at Holy Cross(don’t have to be religious) very good science schoo, with strong pre-med program. HC has nice campus 1 hour from Boston and offers pretty good financial aid,</p>