What schools would be best for me?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hi all!</p>

<p>I'm a sophomore at a highly competitive school in New Jersey. I took the SAT II Math IC and IIC in middle school, and got a 770 and an 800 on them, respectively. I also took the
SAT I test in the 8th grade an got a 2200. Freshman year, I had one of the heaviest course-loads in my grade, taking Honors Precalculus, Honors Biology, and Honors Chemistry, while taking Honors wherever I could. However, I ended freshman year miserably, with a 3.51 UW/ 4.11 W. Being a glutton for punishment, I skipped AP Calculus BC over the summer, taking Honors Multivariable Calculus sophomore year, as well as AP Biology, Honors Physics, and a bunch of other Honors classes. I am probably going to get a B in AP Biology, and I might also get one in Honors Physics.
I am a tournament-level chess player, with a USCF rating of about 1520. I have been playing chess all my life. I received a gold medal at the NJ Science Olympiad state tournament. I was also part of the team that placed 1st there. I am an avid participant in my science and math clubs, having done well in Mandelbrot, AMC and PUMAC (Princeton University Math Competition). Is there anything at all that can be done? I project my GPA will be at around a 3.7 by the start of junior year. My weighted GPA will be much higher, though not outstanding. I would like to major in microbiology. What schools would be good for me, factoring in feasibility of admission?</p>

2

<p>There are plenty of schools that would be glad to take you. The real question is, what do you want in a school? Small or large, urban or rural, LAC or tech…? Do you know what you want to major in? Do you want a party school, does political leaning matter to you, does financial aid matter? I assume you want a school with a good chess team, which might be one place to start. See which schools seem like a good fit, then look into chances of admissions, or else you’ll have a list of literally hundreds of schools to sort through.</p>

3

<p>Your grades, exam scores, and related ECs are very good. You will have a lot of options if you continue to do this well.</p>

<p>What you need to do now, is sit down with your parents, and find out just exactly how much they can pay for your education. Have them run the calculators at [FinAid</a> | Calculators | Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and Financial Aid](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Calculator - Finaid) so they have an idea what your family EFC will be. If your EFC is unaffordable, pop on over to the Financial Aid Forum, and read up on colleges and universities that offer guaranteed scholarships for students with your profile.</p>