<p>I'm a senior and I'm freaking out. I don't know where to go.</p>
<p>I want to major in something related to media/screen studies or public health (I need a good major that makes a lot of money.</p>
<p>My GPA is 4.2 and my SAT Score is 1900, which I thought was pretty good.</p>
<p>However, I live in Boston and just got rejected from my top choice (Northeastern U).</p>
<p>I'm really upset. I don't know where else to go. Umass amherst does not have a film major.
I've looked at college matchers online and no college really has what I want except for the IVY leagues, which are out of my realistic options.</p>
<p>However, I've been accepted to the University of Vermont (which accepts about 80% of their applicants). I feel like I could get into so much better and prestigious schools with my stats, but UVM has what I want.</p>
<p>QUESTIONS:
1. Is it "bad"/will people look down on me for going to a less selective college even though I could get into so much better?
2. Do you have any college suggestions for me?
3. Could Northeastern have rejected me because my family is poor????</p>
<p>Your GPA and SAT scores are pretty good. I have no idea whether Northeastern meets need or not but my understanding is that admissions departments are entirely separate from the financial aid departments so I doubt that your family finances were a factor in your rejection. However, how were you planning on paying for Northeastern if your family is in fact, poor? IMO, being accepted to your top choice and not being able to afford to go would be even worse than being rejected.</p>
<p>Can you afford UVM? If it has your desired major and you can afford to go there, why would you care so much about prestigious schools? Are you going to college for an education or to impress a bunch of clueless high school peers who will be out of your life in a matter of months?</p>
<p>I really think you need to sit down with your family immediately and figure out how to pay for college, if that’s a concern, before applying to any more schools in order to climb some status ladder.</p>
<p>There’s nothing wrong with going to the University of Vermont.</p>
<p>What Joblue said. College is what you make of it in large part. What just about everyone said: you’re late in finding out whether you can afford to go to any of these colleges. You need to do that this week by calling a family meeting and asking your parents to fill out, say, UVT’s net price calculator (they’ll need last year’s tax forms). This will give them an idea of what a college expects your family to pay. There’s usually some shock and denial at this point. Then you need to find out what they can afford to pay. Then you need to find a school where you can afford to go. For most students, this means starting out at a community college or going to a state school. There’s nothing wrong with state schools. College is what you make of it and a chance to prove to yourself that no matter what life offers you during these years you can adapt to handle it like an adult. But maybe you’ll find your parents have the $80K you’ll need to go to college at a place that you want to go and this part of your childhood can continue a little longer. I hope it’s the latter.</p>
<p>Which is more important - going to a school that other people think is a better fit for you, or going to a school where you can study your passion? Who are you wanting to please with your life choices?</p>
<p>As the others said, finances have to play a role as well. D chose a “lesser” school because the aid was much, much higher. Others thought she could have “done better” - but where were those folks going to be when her loans from the “more prestigious” school came due? You need to figure out what is realistic for you.</p>
<p>Don’t know about the financial side, but BU is one of the top media schools in the country - as far as major goes, it may be what you’re looking for, if you can get a good FA package. Your SAT score and GPA should put you in range to get in. Considering you should be able to commute, that’s a pretty big cost savings right there.</p>
<p>What you are talking about is not a problem at all.</p>
<p>When students have a 2200+ and end up at a school where fewer than 1% of students have matching scores, then it can be a problem. Many end up bored and wonder what the big deal about college is. A 2200+ at a state flagship or #50 - 100 is generally not an issue. Some feel they should go Top 20 or bust. That doesn’t seem to be what happens for success and a decent fit in reality.</p>
<p>I suspect at UVM you’ll have plenty of “your caliber” peers.</p>
<p>PLUS, when you’re talking about a specific major, all bets are off. See if what is offered in your major - and where recent grads have gone - to see if it’s a right fit for you.</p>
<p>Columbia College Chicago is the most inexpensive $22K tuition and has the highest acceptance rate 85%. </p>
<p>See if there is something on this list that appeals to you. Boston University is on there. Northeastern is not.</p>
<p>Also, it’s worth a phone call to Northeastern, perhaps from your guidance counselor, because your stats seem fine and on our school’s Naviance, few with those stats were rejected, so there could be some kind of a clerical error. Did you actually inspect your transcript before the school sent it? </p>
<p>My D’s grades were correct but the calculation of the GPA was a few points low. It was done manually and we had to correct it. Basically, they don’t get a letter grade for gym, but whoever did the calculation counted the credits in the denominator. It could have made a difference for her if we didn’t catch it.</p>
<p>Ivy league schools do not have film as a major. Nor does Northeastern. You are also looking at public health as a major. Pretty divergent interests. FIlm is not something that you are likely to easily find any kind of high paying job. If your family doesn’t have the funds to help support you,taking out a lot of loans for that kind of major is crazy.</p>
<p>What are you CR and Math SAT 1 scores? Often schools use that 2 part rather than three.</p>
<p>Either way, you need to find some affordable options.</p>
<p>As for your original question, I just went to an honorarium for a student who became a Rhodes scholar from our small local Catholic school with pretty much open admissions (accepts nearly everyone). The kids who graduate from there with directed studies in fields that need skilled, trained grads do better than those who come from the highly ranked schools with no such training. If you need money, you should mull this over very carefully. There are distinct advantages to being the biggest fish in a small pond.</p>
<p>We are having the same questions for dd. She is pre-vet and only wants to go to college that has a farm with a lot of hands on animal work. She will not go to lets say BU and major in bio. </p>
<p>She got in to Purdue, Ohio State, deferred to Tulane. She also got in to some lower level schools like Auburn and Nebraska (which gave a lot of money). Applying to vet school takes the rigor of undergrad so we are so unsure of what to do!!!</p>
<p>People choose their colleges for all kinds of reasons. Plenty of super credentialed kids pick the one closest to him or the state flagship due to cost or comfort. I have seen kids turn down Ivies for full rides at lower ranked schools that are closer to their homes. </p>
<p>As far as where to apply, how about a sideways look at what you want to do. Where could you get a good job or internship? Are there jobs in Boston? If yes, pick a college in the area you can afford and get in, study something useful if not spot on, and see if you can work during school. I know of an ambitious student here who is interested in TV. She is majoring in Communications, not exactly what she wanted but as close as she could get, and got an internship with a TV station.</p>
<p>@ClassicRockerDad The 25%-75% for Northeastern last year was 1990-2160, so your child’s school must have a great relationship with the University to have taken so many students who will be in the bottom 25% of enrolled students. (Source: [Academic</a> Profile | Admissions](<a href=“http://www.northeastern.edu/admissions/apply/profile.html]Academic”>http://www.northeastern.edu/admissions/apply/profile.html)). BU’s scores are about 100-150 points lower so could potentially be a more appropriate option as it is generally easier to get into as well as has a better film program.</p>
<p>That said if finances are something to consider, I think both UVM and UMass would be a fine choice. If you find that it is a poor fit, do well in school and you may have more options as a transfer. If prestige is very important, it is worth noting that UVM at one point was considered a public Ivy.</p>
<p>@swimchris - perhaps you are right. I do live in a great school district. </p>
<p>But there is an awful lot of Naviance data for our Boston area public high school. The 4.2 unweighted (A+) plus the 1900 should have done the trick. I’d still have someone inquire.</p>
<p>*We are having the same questions for dd. She is pre-vet and only wants to go to college that has a farm with a lot of hands on animal work. She will not go to lets say BU and major in bio. </p>
<p>She got in to Purdue, Ohio State, deferred to Tulane. She also got in to some lower level schools like Auburn and Nebraska (which gave a lot of money). Applying to vet school takes the rigor of undergrad so we are so unsure of what to do!!!*</p>
<p>not sure what you mean by “takes the rigor of undergrad.”</p>
<p>Go to an appropriate school that you can afford. Does your state have a “farm” school? The rankings are irrelevant really. If Nebraska gave awesome merit, then go there. Don’t go into debt for prevet undergrad. Vet school is too expensive…save money/debt for that!!! </p>
<p>A Nebraska grad with the right stats can get into vet school. Going to Purdue OOS or wherever won’t make a difference.</p>
<p>@ClassicRockerDad, NEU EA was really tough this year. My son was deferred and his parchment number was a 97% admittance likelihood. He’ll probably get in RD but we expected admittance with scholarship rather than being deferred. NEU’s popularity is growing every year and they had over 20K early apps this year so I’m not surprised at OP’s rejection this year. It seems like historical data needs to be thrown out for this school now since its climbing so fast.</p>
<p>A colleague’s high achieving daughter recently chose UVM over McGill for pre-vet studies so I wouldn’t be too worried about being above everyone in that program.</p>