What schools would you recommend for ME? Specification below! Thank you :)

College Search & Selection
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<ol>
<li><p>As far as the location of the school, I really like California, Texas, Chicago, NYC, Atlanta</p></li>
<li><p>I am looking for a highly collaborative school. I really don't like competition and would love to go a place that fosters a sense of community.</p></li>
<li><p>I DO NOT want to go to a school with such intense academics that I have no time for fun. Of course, I want vigorous academics (this is necessary), but I want a school where balance is possible.</p></li>
<li><p>Lastly, DIVERSITY! Not in ethnicity (though that'd be great). I want to go to a school where there are students with a wide variety of interests and involvement. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Additional info:
Prospective major: Biology, Neuroscience, Cognitive science
Prospective minor: depending on which school, either music or Italian</p>

<p>California resident
Income: >100,000</p>

<p>Bilingual (can speak, read, write two other language)-- I study with a teacher to hone these skills and am at a high school level in the language. </p>

<p>Mom went to USC
Both parents with Bachelor's, Dad has Master's</p>

<p>Struggled with depression (something I may want to write about in a supplement)</p>

<p>I took a human biology class at a local community college, receiving an A. I will take a few classes over the summer if I'm not accepted into a research program.</p>

<p>I know Java and learning Bluejay (self-taught). This isn't really a big deal, but I love it!</p>

<p>Will submit music supplement on the piano (Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique Movement 3)</p>

<p>GPA: UW 4.0 (academic)-- only As and A+s</p>

<p>I have received two B's, but in PE my freshman year. The GPA above includes, essentially, A-G courses (5 core classes + my elective, band)</p>

<p>Classes I have taken considered "advanced":
Advanced English (9 and 10)
Advanced History (9)
AP European History (10)
AP Biology (11)
AP Language and Composition (11)
AP US History (11)
Precalculus (11)</p>

<p>Senior prospective schedule:
Regular English (is this a bad idea?)
AP microeconomics
AP macroeconomics
AP Gov
AP Calc AB
AP Physics
AP Italian
Advanced Band</p>

<p>Test Scores:
ACT: 33. Trying to raise to a 34!
SAT II: Bio (M): 750 Math II: hoping for 730+ (taking in May)
AP European History (5)
Hoping for either 4s or 5s in AP Bio, Lang, and USH!</p>

<p>EC activities: *** denotes leadership position (required election)
1. Club d'Italiano President (9,10,11,12)*** Previously, I was involved in the club as cultural activities coordinator.</p>

<ol>
<li>American Cancer Society Club President (10,11,12)-- served as VP in 11 and member in 9 and 10 ***
We help those battling cancer through monetary aid, support, etc. </li>
</ol>

<p>Which goes hand in hand with...</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Event Chair of Relay for Life- essentially, the top position. (elected to lead committee of students for planning our community's Relay for Life which raises approximately $50,000) (10,11,12) ***
This is pretty significant because we raise more money than Stanford, USC, UCLA, etc. Also, this event is typically run by adults, but has been taken over by students in my community. </p></li>
<li><p>Volunteer for many many hours at an organization in the urban area near me that houses cancer patients (children)-- I work on the living conditions for these patients and their families by making holiday cards, painting, cleaning, organizing, making the place a nice place for the brave kids! I also tutor the patient's siblings.</p></li>
<li><p>Intern at my hospital's cancer center, shadowed oncologist, volunteered, too! :)</p></li>
<li><p>I've played piano for 11 years, numerous awards from my conservatory! Will submit arts supplement</p></li>
<li><p>Flute and Piccolo which I play in my school's band (first chair), my region's orchestra (first), my school's musicals, competitions (with some awards), and my region's honor band, and a flute "choir" of mostly professional flautists</p></li>
<li><p>Mental Health Support Group (President and Founder) (11,12)-- founded after personal experience
While this is registered as a club, it is more of a support group for those suffering from depression, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, etc., or those whose family or friends are suffering from those illnesses. It's a big part of my life and has over 50 members. We meet weekly at various locations and have created an outreach network with a local middle school **</p></li>
<li><p>Varsity Tennis (9,10,11,12)- Captain **</p></li>
<li><p>Hopefully participating in a research program this summer, whether it be a paid program or research with a professor</p></li>
<li><p>Robotics team member (though, no leadership position)</p></li>
<li><p>Possibly next year's band president, though I don't know yet.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Work experience. I am not sure which to include. Can you advise?</p>

<p>I worked at a sales associate at Nordstrom for sophomore and junior year, a tennis camp counselor for every summer
I teach flute and piano to elementary school/ middle school students. I charge very little to nothing because most of my students cannot afford to pay a teacher.</p>

<p>Recommendations: Planning on getting these from my language and english teachers. However, I'm planning on studying biology. Should I also get one from my biology teacher? They should be very good, really. I'm very involved in the classroom and in helping my peers, which they recognize.</p>

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<p>Also, I am open to schools of many sizes! Preferably not TOO small, though!</p>

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<p>@intparent</p>

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<p>You should be competitive pretty much anywhere. Why those areas in particular? Can we have more information, such as how big of a sports scene or party scene you want. Are you open to extremely conservative or liberal schools?</p>

<p>Anyway, I would say:</p>

<p>CA- Stanford (reach), UCLA, USC, UCB (low match-match)
TX- Rice (low reach), UT (match), Baylor, SMU, Texas A&M (safeties)
Chicago- Northwestern (low reach-reach), Illinois (safety), Chicago may be too much of a “nerd school” for you, Notre Dame (fairly removed in South Bend, IN)
NYC- Columbia (reach), NYU (low match)
Atlanta- Emory (match), Georgia Tech (safety), UGA (safety)</p>

<p>There are some other great schools in other areas to take a look at. I would look into: Duke, Tulane, Richmond, UNC, Vanderbilt, UVA, Purdue, Wake Forest, Miami, Penn, Princeton</p>

<p>If you are a NMF, there are also great scholarships associated with that. Some of the ones with the best packages (full rides with perks) are Alabama, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Texas A&M, and many others. I also applied to Baylor, South Carolina, and Drexel for the scholarships (though I did not apply to Texas A&M.</p>

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<p>@SurvivorFan
I like those areas because I have family there :slight_smile: It’s pretty important that I be close to family! However, if there is a great school that isn’t in one of those areas and meets other criteria, I would be open to that idea!</p>

<p>Party scene I do want. Not a HUGE party school, but a school of singularly academically focused students. </p>

<p>Also, I am pretty interested in some liberal arts schools because I think that it’ll be a great match for me; I’m a fairly well rounded purpose with a wide variety of interests.</p>

<p>Sports scene would be great, but it isn’t necessary.</p>

<p>I’m not an NMF, I got a 217 on the PSAT and in CA that’s only commended.</p>

<p>Do you have any other questions?
OH also I’m not into a school with super intense Greek Life (I’ve heard this is the case at Duke)</p>

<p>Thanks for the initial advice!!</p>

<p>Lastly, some of the reach schools (Stanford and Columbia) that you’ve notated. Would applying there be a shot in the dark, or would I actually have a shot? If the latter statement is true, I probably won’t want to apply. Thank you :)!</p>

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<p>@jr2015br</p>

<p>If your high school has Naviance, it could give you a better idea of your shots, but I would not have recommended it if I did not think that you had a shot. With that said, admissions at top-tier schools are very unpredictable. Duke is not a huge party school- only about 25% of the students are Greek. I am a big sports fan and not a partier, but I had no reservations in applying there ED (unfortunately, I was rejected).</p>

<p>I am sure that there are some good Liberal Arts Colleges in those places, but I am not familiar with them. Often, but not always, LACs tend to be very polarized politically, so it is important to figure out if you have reservations about being in a certain type of environment. While it is not in one of your preferred areas, Davidson would be a good one to look at regardless of that, though it is very small, at just under 2000 students.</p>

<p>Sorry that I keep mentioning schools in other areas of the South and mid-Atlantic, but it is what I know the best. Also, as you never mentioned finances as a problem, I presume that it will be no obstacle for your family. If it is, then it is important to run the EFCs and consider merit scholarships (you are unlikely to qualify for need-based aid).</p>

<p>Also, I originally thought that I might want to be at a liberal arts college, but then, after touring them, I decided that a medium-sized university was best and that I would even be fine at a large school. Keep your options open.</p>

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<p>Our high school counselors don’t put ANYTHING into naviance, so It’s pretty much useless :(</p>

<p>Yes this is definitely something I’ve heard, but will take a look nonetheless!</p>

<p>No, no need to apologize. I’m just grateful that someone on here is helping. </p>

<p>Finances are not going to be a problem :slight_smile: Of course, we’ll apply for all we can, but if nothing works out my parents have told me that they can make it work.</p>

<p>I’m going to tour many colleges in southern California over spring break, so maybe I can see some LACs! :)</p>

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<p>Just to be clear, there are Conservative and Liberal LACs.</p>

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<p>Got that :slight_smile: I’ll do some research on that!</p>

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<p>SF has given good advice. As for LACs, perhaps i can help. In southern CA in particular check out the Claremonts, especially Claremont McKenna and Pomona. I vetted these two for my D and her neuroscience interests and came away extremely impressed with the possibilities for meaningful u/g research and exposure to the best and most high-tech equipment. Nice thing about the Claremonts is that you can take classes at all the schools, so you have the strengths of five very good to exceptional colleges for the price of one. Scripps, one of the schools, is all-women, but they have a fine Italian major (also one of my D’s interests) and an Italian corridor where students retreat to speak only in Italian. It is led by an Italian resident coordinator. Very difficult to get into either of the two I mentioned but well worth it if you can. The politics, since SF brings them up, of the Claremonts is very liberal to mildly laissez-faire conservative. But nobody’s going to push you away for your politics. Get that ACT up and emphasize your essays and ECs. Check out their forums and see what kinds of kids are getting into these schools–these two, esp Pomona, are reaches for anyone so don’t put all your eggs into one of these. If I can help anymore with these, let me know. Oh, and other than my D’s interest, I’m not affiliated with any Claremont school.</p>

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<p>Wow those schools sounds absolutely lovely! I especially am impressed by the idea of a consortium. The Italian “'corridor” sounds especially interesting at Scripps, and I might consider that school as well.</p>

<p>Like you said, I’ve also heard that they’re difficult to get into… do you think I’d stand a chance?
Would getting my ACT up to a 34 really make much of a difference? It’s only the Science section that I have trouble with. It’s strange, because I typically excel in the sciences!</p>

<p>Lastly, I know it’s going to be some hard work, but I know my essays can be remarkable if I really put time and effort into them. I’ve begun writing and think that as I delve deeper into each topic, I can discover new insights to implement into each piece. </p>

<p>Thanks for the advice, @jkell911 :slight_smile: I am extremely grateful :)</p>

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<p>WHOOPS! @jkeil911
sorry about that, a slight misspelling on my party. </p>

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<p>I agree that Scripps and Pomona are good choices for you. You might get some decent merit aid from Scripps, too. One big bonus of the Claremont colleges is that you get some of the benefit of a larger campus (bigger social pool, more class options, and more clubs) with the benefits of a smaller LAC as well. One of my kids attends a Claremont college and adores it. </p>

<p>Just an aside, if I were you I would not write about your depression in a supplement. It doesn’t seem to have hurt your grades, and you really need to put yourself in a positive light in the admissions process. Unless it is something you really want the admissions team to be thinking about, I wouldn’t put it in.</p>

<p>I would certainly put all your work experience on your application. You can use the “additional information” section to bullet (briefly) if for some reason you can’t fit the info in, but I would think it would fit in. </p>

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<p>The two I mentioned and Harvey Mudd (which doesn’t have neuro but could be valuable if you got into computational cogsci) are the kinds of schools you do whatever you can to attend if you think they’re right for you. Leave it all out there. Start planning now. These three are pretty much crapshoots no matter who you are. They will look at the whole package. I think having neuro and languages is something to make you stand out, but of course I would since D speaks Spanish fluently and Italian pretty well. Some cogsci lab research experience this summer might be good. Think about the linguistic connection to neurosci, maybe. And while you’re in southern cali, like USC, UCSD and UCSB are very strong in neurosci. Check out USC’s quarter tuition scholarships.</p>

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<p>@intparent The fact that I will be a part of a larger campus with the personalization of small classes is something that has especially stood out to me. I’ve been reading about these schools on their site’s for about an hour or so, and the fact that I can experience both a large AND small school feel is so attractive to me.</p>

<p>Just to be clear, they are all reaches correct? What schools, would you suggest, as matches? I don’t want to apply and get in nowhere. That’d be terrible! haha.</p>

<p>I appreciate that input, and since you seem to be highly knowledgeable, I’ll take your word for it. Regardless, I think the stigma of mental illness is a sad commentary on our society. I myself had an extremely mild depression/anxiety, and although it doesn’t affect me on paper, it has affected me as a person. Maybe I won’t blatantly discuss my experience, but I can discuss who I am now-- who I am as a result of my encounters with mental illness. Furthermore, it has opened me to a world of wonderful people who are battling these impediments. Being affected by both depression and anxiety, I took the opportunity to form a support group and mental health awareness club at my school. Although this is not my focus, these two things are very important to me. I am no longer plagued by either illness, but still lead this group, and helping these people is something that brings joy to me every single day. </p>

<p>As far as work experience goes, I think that teaching young students how to play the flute and piano MAY go down on activities, though I’m not sure. I was wondering which of the things I’ve listed you would suggest putting down on my activities. The ones that seem most impressive, I suppose.</p>

<p>@jkeil911 Harvey Mudd I have looked into and actually ruled out. Though it is a very collaborative environment, I don’t think I’d fit in. Pomona, Scripps, and CMC, though, I would love to attend!</p>

<p>I’m applying for a research program, and though I’ve put cancer research as my first choice, cog science is a close second. It’s difficult, because I’ve been very involved in many activities having to do with cancer researc/prevention/awareness and it’s a huge part of my life.</p>

<p>That is actually a fantastic idea, and very coincidental because I’m currently reading a book and there’s a chapter about the connection between the two!</p>

<p>I’m definitely going to check our USC and UCSD. I have loved UCSD ever since I attended a commencement there. It’s beautiful and a wonderful research school :)</p>

<p>QUICK question for the both of you-- what should I do to make myself stand out? I think my “resume” is pretty good, but from your perspectives… thoughts? Thanks again for answering my questions, I think it’s remarkable that you take time out of your own Sundays to help some stressed out high school junior!</p>

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<p>Scripps would be a match, I think. Pomona is a low reach, IMHO. You are right, Mudd isn’t for everyone (that is where my kid is). If you haven’t visited Pomona and Scripps, you should if you can. That gives your “why school x” supplement more pop, and helps you know for sure that you want to apply.</p>

<p>I think you have strong ECs, great grades, and very good test scores. Just be sure your application is error free. Get your essays reviewed by a trusted adult. Regarding recommendations, you might consider getting one from a science teacher if you think you can get a strong one. Just an aside on the language teacher recommendations, sometimes if language teachers are from another country they can unintentionally hurt your chances – they are sometimes quite blunt about any perceived weaknesses, while most US born teachers know that they really are supposed to accentuate the positive side in recommendation letters. But a strong recommendation from a science teacher would add a little weight to your application given your proposed area of study.</p>

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<p>I am visiting Pomona and Scripps over Spring break. Is CMC worth a look, as well? Is CMC selectivity more on par with Scripps or Pomona? (I’m trying to create a balanced list of, essentially, 3 safeties, 4 matches, and 4 low/high reaches) Thus far, I have Pomona as a reach and Scripps as a match. Recommendations for the others? Our school counselors have put us on a mission to figure out which schools we would like to apply too. I was also thinking about Rice University, USC, UCLA, UCB and UCSD!</p>

<p>Thanks so much! Do you think it’s worth it to take the ACT again to get a 34? I got a 33 with 34 in English and Math and 32 in Science and Reading.</p>

<p>My wonderful English teacher would most definitely review them for me, so I’ll ask him ASAP!
I will get a reference from my science teacher, though I should ask soon-- he is retiring :frowning:
My language teacher came to the US at a pretty young age. Although she has an accent, she speaks english perfectly and holds me in very high regard. SOO…I think it would be fine, but it’s a good thing to note, and I’m glad you brought it up! :)</p>

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<p>I got one of my recommendations from my Spanish teacher, and my college counselor (I go to a school where there is about one counselor to every 35 students, so I meet with her a couple times a month for an hour) said that it was good. Also, Rice would have to be on a different trip than the others. Do you prefer Texas or California (they are very different culturally)?</p>

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<p>Jr2015br, look into the College of Creative Studies at UC Santa Barbara. Very interesting program in a good school. </p>

<p>SurvivorFan, college campuses tend to have their own culture. I wouldn’t be concerned about a Californian not fitting in at a premier Texas school in the middle of a major city. </p>

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<p>Fair enough, but the culture of an area does have an impact on the school. But, OP specified Texas as an area of potential interest. I was just asking if (s)he had a preference between CA and TX. For instance, while I could thrive in many environments, I could never do NY/LA, so I was just asking about location preferences.</p>