What do you think of my college list?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Ok, so I will preface this by saying that I'm a sophomore, that I know I'm probably too early to be doing this and a lot could change in the next year in a half. But please just humor me? I've been reading thread after thread on here and now I'm starting to panic about my college situation!</p>

<p>So here it is. I want to whittle the list down to eight or less eventually, though:
Colgate University
Gonzaga University
Linfield College
Pomona College
Pitzer College
University of Portland
Santa Clara University
Scripps College
Seattle University
University of Washington
Western Washington University
Whitman College
Whitworth University</p>

<p>I'm female, living in Washington state. I'm white and Native American. I have a 4.16 weighted GPA right now, 4.0 weighted. I expect to be in the 4.3-4.5 range by the time I graduate, and have 7 AP's total. I go to a very rigorous private school; I have no idea what my rank is because the vast majority of the people in my sophomore class have 4.2's, 4.16's or 4.0's. My PSAT score this year was 195 (my math score was low, but that's a long story involving me taking algebra 2 before geometry), and my PLAN was a 27. </p>

<p>As far as EC's go, I've been dancing for 13 years and have numerous leadership positions as far as that goes, I'm a Student Ambassador and hold one of five Officer positions (the leaders of the Ambassador program), a Big Sister for incoming 9th graders, I'm in National Honors Society, I volunteer at a food bank all year round and as a camp counselor in the summer. I know my EC's are nothing special, maybe even weak, but everything I do I'm very passionate about and that has to count for something, right?</p>

<p>By my own diagnosis, Gonzaga, U of P, Santa Clara, Seattle U, UW and Whitworth are my matches. Western and Linfield are safeties, and the rest are reaches. I know I probably will have next to no shot at Pomona, but I absolutely love it so I think I'm going to try anyway.</p>

<p>So do you guys think I'm accurate? Or am I grossly misjudging my ability to be accepted to these colleges? I've just been reading threads where people with 2400's who are national debate champions and have research internships and whatever are being rejected everywhere, so now I'm super worried. Also, should I have some more safeties? Can anyone suggest any? (NOT Washington State.)</p>

<p>Thank you everyone!!</p>

2

<p>As you probably see from the threads started this time of year- getting in is not the only concern. You need to have a real discussion with family as to what they can realistically contribute to your college education. That has a lot to do with fashioning a good list. You may be able to afford anything (but you should be clear with your family we are talking 58K or so per year for some places), but you may come out best seeking out a lower ranked college so you can maximize your merit money. Now is the time to talk about these issues so you can target your search.</p>

3

<p>You make a very good point, quite a few of these places I couldn’t afford to go to without some serious financial aid. I’ve just been so worried that I won’t even be able to get in in the first place! However, there are also quite a few on there that I definitely could afford to go to - Western, for example, as well as UW, and I’ve heard that people from my school have a reputation of getting good money from Catholic schools - that makes Gonzaga, U of P, Seattle U and Santa Clara more reasonable if that’s true. I know that we haven’t been able to save much for college because of my high school tuition, though. I do know of some other very affordable schools, but I just can’t bring myself to put Eastern Washington U on my list…</p>

4

<p>That’s the thing- there are a lot of schools that offer merit money. Some do not stack the money (meaning if you get outside money they reduce their merit money) and others do not. Some will give you a lot more money if you are one of the highest stat applicants for the school (My D got the highest scholarship at a not particularly selective school- but it made the school a financial safety which was a great relief.) I didn’t follow the threads, but there are schools that can be found that offer high merit so maybe you might want to look at those threads. If you do well on the PSAT- the National Merit Scholarship desgination gets you aid at some schools. (Again I didn’t follow those threads but you can do some research here on CC.) </p>

<p>Also, in building a class, some colleges want to have geographic diversity so you might get more aid to encourage you to enroll farther afield. (So look at schools other than the West Coast- yeah I saw Colgate, but what about Kalamazoo, or Bates, or Carleton, or Wooster or Rice or Hamilton or Wheaton or Holy Cross or Alabama or University of Pittsburgh or Goucher…) I actually don’t know if all of those listed offer merit in addition to regular financial aid (which rarely is enough if you read the threads on here) but now is the time to find out.</p>

<p>So rather than worrying about getting accepted to any good school (and truthfully that is a little over the top with a 4.0 unweighted) direct your energy to doing your detective work. </p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

5

<p>Are you a member of a Native American tribe?</p>

6

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<p>I think you have a good shot at Pomona if you study hard and get your test scores up. My D got accepted to Pomona and will probably go and she had a 3.98 GPA unweighted and was a white female (most over represented group there). She also is a dancer - similar length of time - and I think that helped her. It’s an awesome EC! Pomona also really tries to get URM’s - so being part NA should help you. Visit them if you can and let the admissions office know you really like them. If your parents can afford their EFC, Pomona’s FA is good since they don’t use loans and meet 100% of need. Another school to consider for good FA and dance is St. Olaf in Minnesota. They gave my D a dance scholarship. All the other Claremont schools are good too such as Pitzer and Scripps.</p>

7

<p>kinderny, thank you so much for your amazing advice! I will definitely do more research(:</p>

<p>Waverly, I’m in the process of being enrolled. Our Native American heritage has been something of a taboo topic in my family, but my mom is finally enrolling and as soon as hers goes through I can be enrolled too.</p>

8

<p>I also attest to the amazing qualities of Pomona! My sister got amazing financial aid! But beware, it will take more than good grades and good test scores to get in. Being part Native American may help you but I wouldn’t guarantee that you’ll be accepted. I was waitlisted this past year with a good GPA and near perfect test scores, but Pomona (as with all other schools) is looking for fit and to make a powerful and balanced class. I know I was not vital to their class, but show them why you will be and you’ll be accepted! I wish you the best of luck with admissions in two years and don’t worry too much about it yet. And about EC’s, do you want you like doing and show schools why! They don’t care what you do nor how much you do, just that what you do is meaningful to you.</p>

9

<p>Wow, thank you everyone for all the amazing encouragement and advice! I had a moment of panic today, but now I’m feeling confident I can get in somewhere, at least! And maybe Pomona isn’t an impossible dream…some people have to get in, why can’t it be me? Anyway, thank you all sooo much!</p>

10

<p>Once enrolled in a tribe, you will be part of one of the most sought out groups out there. Your grades are great, your PSAT should rise about 20 points in the next year naturally (mine did from sophomore to junior with no prep), and your ECs are decent. Add a few reaches- Stanford, maybe some Ivy’s if you feel like it. The rest of the list looks good.</p>

11

<p>Make sure that you list includes some safeties which</p>

<ul>
<li>Are certain to admit you.</li>
<li>Are inexpensive enough after aid and known scholarships that you can easily afford to attend.</li>
<li>Are places which you genuinely would like to attend.</li>
</ul>

<p>Don’t be the student who, in April of senior year:</p>

<ul>
<li>Gets no acceptances.</li>
<li>Gets only acceptances to unaffordable schools (financial rejection).</li>
<li>Gets only acceptances to schools that s/he does not really want to attend.</li>
</ul>

<p>If you look around these forums, there are lots of these posts around every April.</p>

12

<p>ucbalumnus, Western certainly fits two of your three criteria. I’m nearly positive I can get in there (I’m a double legacy and my states seem to be above average there), and I know I could afford it because it’s cheap if you’re in-state, has decent aid and I’m pretty sure I could get scholarship money based on academics. But would I genuinely like to go there? …Not so much, but I’d be okay with it, I guess. Do you happen to know of any affordable safeties that might be good?</p>

13

<p>Please don’t underestimate the impact of being ‘officially enrolled’ in your Native American tribe. As ‘alwaysleah’ posted, you will be in one of the most sought after URM groups out there. Probably THE most sought after. Very few Native American students even apply to college. Most NA percentages of college/university student bodies are under 1%. Schools are always looking for Native American students. Always. </p>

<p>I don’t mean to start neglecting your studies and just assume you’ll cake-walk in everywhere, but, due to the scarcity of Native American applicants you will be prized by most.</p>

14

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<p>You do need it to be some place you actually like if you want to consider it a true safety.</p>

<p>Note that [WWU’s</a> Common Data Set](<a href=“http://west.wwu.edu/factbook/report_page.aspx?rep=CDS_2011-2012.pdf]WWU’s”>http://west.wwu.edu/factbook/report_page.aspx?rep=CDS_2011-2012.pdf) section C7 indicates that your legacy status (alumni relation) is “not considered”, but level of applicant’s interest is “important”. Colleges that use level of applicant’s interest may not like being used as safeties, so they may reject or waitlist high stats applicants who appear to be using them as safeties.</p>

<p>Here is a thread on how to find an assured admissions safety:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1314309-how-find-assured-admissions-safety.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1314309-how-find-assured-admissions-safety.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>For the finances part of it, you can put “net price calculator” in each school’s web site search box to get an estimate of cost and financial aid (you will need parameters like your parents’ income and the like). You can also run searches for colleges with lower list prices as described in this thread:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1294383-less-expensive-list-price-less-obvious-schools-attract-good-students.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1294383-less-expensive-list-price-less-obvious-schools-attract-good-students.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>As to what schools you may like, that is up to you. Obviously, consider such things as academic programs and majors, size, physical and social environment, and whatever else is important to you.</p>

<p>Smaller schools with relatively low list prices include University of Minnesota - Morris and Truman State University.</p>

15

<p>Based on what you’ve written – there is not a school on your list that is out of reach academically. Financially is obviously another question entirely.</p>

<p>In fact, I think you may be aiming a bit low.</p>

<p>Good luck</p>

16

<p>You will likely easily get into all of those schools. Based on my and my friends experiences, Linfield, Gonzago, Whitworth, and WWU might be aiming a bit low for you… aim for Scripps, Ponoma, or University of Portland. Good luck! And way to get a head start :)</p>