Good idea to go for Questbridge. You seem to be a good candidate for them, so best wishes on being successful with it.
I agree you’d be wrong to limit yourself no loans at all. That could be your goal, but you may end up with no acceptances if you don’t include them. Colgate being need aware doesn’t mean they don’t accept people who can’t pay and you still would have a better chance at colgate then RD UChicago.
This isn’t a balanced list especially with your stats (but it’s not balanced for most regardless) and the reality is most students that aren’t very wealthy take out federal loans.
@a20171
While that may be true, there isn’t much point in adding schools that I won’t be able to attend due to costs.
I see what you’re saying about Colgate, so I may add it instead of Colby, then.
I do intend to do all my applications EA. Maybe one ED for Chicago.
Alright, based on your suggestions, I am thinking of the following changes: switching Colby for Colgate and Northwestern for Northeastern.
Thoughts?
Big mistake (as noted above). Federal student loans are quite manageable after graduation. Also, don’t switch one school for another, add schools. For schools with an application fee, they’ll give you a fee waiver.
@vonlost
I don’t think I can change my stance on loans.
Add, you say? Does the fee waiver cover all costs for an application?
Can you attend community college if you don’t get into a loan-free school?
Fee waiver covers the school’s application fee.
I could, but I do not wish to sink that low.
I see. So, ignoring the costs to send test scores to colleges, will my total application costs be zero, then?
SAFETIES, SAFETIES, SAFETIES. A must for any college list.
@MrElonMusk
I can only add safeties if I can afford them. So far, no such safeties have presented themselves.
@Slavic2000 Okay… but let’s say all those colleges say no to you (hopefully not). You’d end up at CC, no? File the FAFSA and the CSS Profile. All schools will utilize the FAFSA to come up with your FA award and some will also use the CSS Profile to get a better picture of family finances. They will give you what they see as necessary if you get in.
@MrElonMusk
If they all rejected me, then no college. It’s as simple as that. I would take a gap year, keep learning on my own, and try again.
I’m not one to back down.
@Slavic2000 Okay, good luck with that.
Cost is your #1 consideration. Worse than getting rejected by a prestigious school is getting accepted and finding out you can’t afford it. Make sure you apply to a number of strong schools that gives you a scholarship in-hand.
I second Dickinson College. They gave my D very competitive scholarship (although with a minimum loan). They didn’t gap us. You have to have an open mind about taking a minimum loan if you want to go to a four-year school. If you aim only no-loan schools, it’s going to be all or nothing.
Going to community college is NOT low. It’s a very wise strategy.
@a20171 BC acceptance rate was 26% this year. It used to be over 30. It’s been going down steadily although they do admit more because their yield isn’t as strong as ivies and gtown Nd. A lot of people get accepted there and also applied to the ivies and other top tens. But it still 32000 applications for 2100 seats. That is uber competitive considering the quality of the pool too. Just my two cents
OP. Good advice from everyone and list development. Some schools listed as matches don’t mean assured. High matches are still tough.
@HiToWaMom
Perhaps minimal. If that were the case, however, I could have to change my major and go into engineering. In fact, that’s what I’m planning to do as we speak. Minimal loans (less than $20k after 4 years) would be acceptable then.
@Slavic2000 Do not substitute Northwestern for Northeastern - Northwestern RD admission rate is single digits. If the finances check out and it becomes your first choice, you might consider ED.
Schools that are more realistic for admission that might be feasible financially - run the numbers to see: Dickinson, College of Wooster, St. Olaf, Beloit, Earlham, Knox, and Clark U. Grinnell is a bit more competitive but might be worth a try.
Will you qualify for National Merit status based on your PSAT score (I’m not sure how threshold is assessed if you are non-resident in the US but a US citizen)? If so, there are some schools that are very generous like Arizona State and UT-Dallas.
Alabama-Huntsville might be a full-ride option, check to see what the qualifying test score is.
Nearly all of the schools on your list are very competitive. Try for a 1500+ SAT or 33+ ACT. Also check to see if SAT II subject tests are recommended or required.
I hope that Questbridge will work out for you because that also will boost your chances. Good luck!
@privatebanker thanks for correcting me! I applied last year and it was in the low 30s.
Boston College.
I think Colby is a tougher nut to crack than Haverford.