It depends what you mean by “selective” schools.
Have you applied to UMD-CP this year?
If you get in, then you’re good. If you don’t, then your choice is a second-tier boarding school or a solid day school you can commute to, OR attending one of your safeties then transferring.
Right now, your reaches are probably universities and LACs ranked 50-75.
With A’s from a decent (not elite) PG at a boarding or day school or straight A’s from a university ranked around 150-200+ its honors program, you could turn those into matches, and universities Top 40 to 50 into reachable reaches.
I don’t see you getting into Exeter or Deerfield for a PG year without a major athletic hook.
That wouldn’t be the point. The point would be to have a year of A’s at a solid (non elite) private school, either boarding or day.
No boarding school “places” any of their students anywhere. What they do is prepare their students to hit the ground running at the colleges they attend. As @skieurope likes to remind everyone—colleges accept students, not high schools. And most BS students will tell you that they find college (any college) a breeze compared to their BS. Do NOT underestimate the rigor you will face at any of the “top” 25-30 boarding schools. If preserving or improving your GPA is important, you will need to slide much further down the list than those you’ve mentioned.
I’m not trying to discourage you, just set your expectations. Listen to the advice of all the posters upthread. Especially because you need FA, securing a PG slot as a non-athlete may be unrealistic.
What do your parents say about your plans? What are they willing/able to pay for?
Thanks for the insight. I’m not applying to UMD-cp because it is almost impossible to get in RD. Plus, I didn’t even like the school when I visited. As of right now, I am applying to Richmond, Lafayette, Syracuse, Muhlenberg, Hobart, Ithaca, Arizona(just because I know I’ll get in), Bucknell, Towson, and UMBC. Also, I’m not seeking FA.
From others I know who applied in recent years, I think Syracuse and Ithaca will be interested in you. There will be some waiting lists at a few of these as the colleges protect their yield and gauge your interest.
You have a little time for the essays. Take a break for a couple day on that while you
get everything else pulled together and get your school counselor to send your transcripts and letters of recommendation on to the colleges. You can finalize your essays over your school’s winter break and hit the January 1 and early January deadlines.
Some of these schools are need aware and not need blind. This can work in your favor - If you are not seeking financial aid and you are checking off the box that you are not seeking financial aid you can possibly have an advantage. This is not the case at colleges that state they are need blind.
You can still be offered merit as that is different than financial aid. I think your SAT score may get you some merit. Make sure your parents understand if you check off that you are not seeking need based financial aid you will not be offered student loans, need based aid, and parent loans in a package from the college’s financial aid office. If they will need any loans, the student loans can be lower rates for some families.
Looking there as well. It’s between that and W&L, which is a big reach but also has everything I want in a school (small, proximity to outdoor activities, great job placement(top firms do on-campus recruiting), great economics program, and good social scene). W&L is a big reach, so I don’t expect to get in, but it’s worth a shot.
I looked back - you have a 3.1 and 1380. I know you want to go to a name - but you’re not going to get into Lehigh or W&L. Doesn’t mean you can’t apply and doesn’t mean you can get a great name somewhere - Hofstra, I still say Arizona or Bama but you have to set your sights in a realistic mode.
Apply anywhere - but what is your fallback. You mentioned Towson and UMD - not seeing UMD but.
I’ve worked for several Fortune 500 and I know people on Wall Street. They have lots of SUNY…my companies have the Augusta States, the Mizzou (another one you can do) and every college known to man.
You have to go to a place that will take you.
So you want small, outdoor - ok, great job placement but that may be difficult…Elon (also a reach)…UT Chatannooga, Coastal Carolina…Ogelthorpe in Atlanta, Millsaps in MS, Rollins in Orlando. Idaho??
You’re going to have to come down several levels if you go to school next year - just a reality.
So apply big time - but what’s your realistic option because you’ll need a school you can get into.
My apologies, I have not read this whole thread. It sounds like you are on an upward trend. That’s fabulous and totally normal for many teenagers. Do you feel ready for college? I think that there are many, many colleges that will provide an exciting learning environment for you, both academically and socially. Make sure you have some safety schools on your list that you’d be thrilled to attend (that’s the hardest part of building a college list) and you’re good to go. I wish you all the best and I’m rooting for you.
Thank you! I think the change really boils down to a different attitude. Before this year, “not applying myself” would be an understatement. I hated the concept of busy work but I still managed to pass because of my testing ability. I guess it occurred to me that “busy work” is actually important.
I believe I am ready for college, especially in courses that I am passionate about. Although, I might defer and take a gap year, but only if I get into one of my higher choice schools. If I don’t, I will just go straight to college and focus 100% on school and ECs. After that, I’ll apply to the more transfer-friendly top schools. Like NU, UVA, Vandy, Duke(legacy too if that helps), USC, etc.
Another option that I’ve considered is Western in Canada. It has ridiculous job placement in the USA, especially in Private Equity megafund analyst positions. I don’t understand their admissions at all. I think, although I might be wrong, that they place a heavy emphasis on senior year grades and SAT scores.
Keep in mind that Canadian grades don’t use the same scale as the US, so Western wants straight As senior year (80= A) in your 6 best academic subjects with mandatory math and English factored in. But any system that only uses senior year results will work in your favor.
2 years at 3.1, one year worse, and one semester at 3.7 will not work well for you in the US system.
I still think a PG year where you can show As over 3 semesters in rigorous classes instead of one (at best: most public universities do not consider senior year results, only course selection) would be your best bet for your goals.
That being said, NYU and Vanderbilt are indeed transfer friendly if you’re full pay. Cornell’s contract colleges, to a certain extent.
Thank you. For me, I would rather my safeties be cheaper, local schools that I would transfer out of in a year. My safeties are Salisbury, Towson, and UMBC.
Personally I don’t get that. You are going somewhere. Hopefully you will establish yourself, make friends, get comfortable.
Many transfer but I personally think it’s crazy to go in thinking that way but many do.
You can be successful no matter where you end up. It’s you, not the school that will make you successful.
But there’s lots of great names that are easier to get into. Lots. To me if I knew up front I’d transfer I’d go to a community college.
Many transfer as their school isn’t the right fit and I get that. I just think going in with the idea of transferring makes it that you’ll likely disrespect your initial school and not give it the credit it deserves.
I’d focus on finding the right school and assume you’re there all four years. No matter where you go you need hard work, persistence and a little luck whether it’s Salisbury or Harvard.
The issue is that there’s no certainty you’ll be able to transfer after a year. Furthermore, attending a college you intend to leave disturbs the experience.