What would be a good lower range good match or safety school?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm a junior (asian, male, if that matters) and approaching the end of my junior year, and I realize that I really, really, really need to look at more colleges so I have a backup plan when one by one the rejection letters come in next winter or spring, so I thought I'd ask for some input.</p>

<p>I'm looking for a strong science school with a reasonable emphasis on humanities, nothing major. Would prefer it if the science were engineering or something in that area, but this is subject to wild, wild change, so I can't definitely say.</p>

<p>My high school science career is going mostly badly. I plan to do major independent studying over the summer, because my classes just don't cover enough and I don't know enough comparatively. There's no science club or math club, or something like the academic decathlon. I haven't done any research projects or college internships and probably won't be able to. I'm not doing any science program over the summer at all, either, although I'm still working on my PROMYS app.</p>

<p>Standarized test scores are alright. I'm pretty sure a 220 in MA means a commended and not semifinalist, but it doesn't matter all that much. I have a 2160 SAT - 700M, 720CR, 740W with an 11-out-of-12 essay. I have a 34 ACT - 35Eng, 36Reading, 33Math, 31 Science, with a 7-out-of12 essay. I think I don't need to retake, despite my 7/12 on the ACT essay - will my SAT essay negate this? Hope so. 800IIC, but that's all for SAT IIs.</p>

<p>I want to major in some field of science; which one, I'm not sure, except I know I don't want to dissect any large living objects in that field. I want to go to a school that can give me a top science education with research opportunities up the wazoo. I don't care that much if it's in an urban or suburban setting, though I do like nice, quiet places over loud, chaotic ones. I want to go somewhere that won't close me out from my other side interests, which mainly center around web design and playing the clarinet. So I thought about my college list.</p>

<p>I wrote it down, looked at it, and laughed at how ridiculously unbalanced the list was. </p>

<p>
[quote]
</p>

<h1>1 - MIT EA</h1>

<p>...</p>

<p>2) Olin
3) Caltech
4) Carnegie Mellon
5) Deep Springs
6) Harvey Mudd

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</p>

<p>Basically, MIT is and has always been my first choice, it's the only school to which I am applying EA. Looking down the list, the only problem basically is that they're all reaches. If I get into MIT EA, I won't have to finalize my applications to every school from 2-6 except for Deep Springs, where you have to send in part one in November (I belive). Basically, I need a few safeties and good reaches. I could throw random names of local schools on the list, like Umass amherst or wpi, but as there's a good chance I'll end up going to one of the safeties or lower end good fits, I want to make sure I pick the best ones for me. </p>

<p>Any suggestions?</p>

2

<p>If you are top ranked in your class...</p>

<p>Small Reach:
Cornell</p>

<p>Match:
Michigan
Carnegie Mellon</p>

<p>These are must adds for you!</p>

3

<p>Yikes...Deep Springs?! Good luck with that. :)</p>

4

<p>i highly recommend not applying to HMC. but thats just me...</p>

5

<p>For a safeties, how about Case Western Reserve and the University of Miami?</p>

6

<p>


</p>

<p>Haha, thanks. The chances of anyone applying there are next to nil, I looked at their app, they don't seem so concerned with all these clubs, programs, offices and such as they are with essays. I don't know, fifteen essays might be pretty fun to write...depending on the topic.</p>

<p>


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<p>I'll go look those up on the Princeton Review website now. Hehe, forgive me but I do have a little personal ... distaste for the university of Miami, but only because their Hurricanes beat the stuffing out of my Huskers in 2001...jerks...er, I meant, that won't affect my college admissions process at all ;)</p>

7

<p>Cmu!!!!!!!!!!</p>

8

<p>Carnegie Mellon? (just checking, not all that familiar with acronyms other than MIT and HYPS)</p>

9

<p>Cornell is more like a match given your stats, and CMU (Carnegie Mellon) is a safe match. I would shoot for Princeton as well, its worth a shot. Michigan is a pretty large school, so if you don't want that rule it out...</p>

10

<p>By stats, do you mean scores?...because math and science extracurriculars are nil. Thanks~...I'll remember that. CMU = Carnegie Mellon...hm...I don't know about Princeton, I don't want to apply to too many schools. </p>

<p>(CMU = safe match?)</p>

11

<p>You don't need your ECs to be science focused. You are in good shape for Carnegie Mellon (safe match) and Cornell. In fact, I recommend founding a science club next fall!</p>

12

<p>I would...but...there'd be like, two people. >_<</p>

13

<p>HMC is a small school with a small campus, crappy buildings, no social life outside of drinking, and they think theyre as good as caltech or mit.</p>

14

<p>Hm. Alright, I'll take that into consideration. I'll also look more into the book I was reading earlier...and considering I'm going to be underage for the longest time like, ever, it would mean no social life, and that would be bad. Thanks...are you going there/have gone there?</p>

15

<p>Maybe University of Rochester? Stong in science, you would get a merit scholarship, great music program. Michigan has an excellent engineering program and also great music. Son of a friend is in biomed engineering and in the marching band, which is a huge committment - but he loves it.</p>

16

<p>If you want to go into the South, you might look at Duke, Wash U in St. Louis, Emory or Vanderbilt. They are all mid-size research universities with the emphasis on undergraduate education. However, at least some of those schools have pretty extensive core requirements. </p>

<p>Applying to the extremely selective schools can be a crap shoot. For everyone accepted, there are four or five virtually identical candidates candidates who are denied. It is ironic, but the better the schools that you apply to, the more schools that you need. This is because of the lottery nature of the process.</p>

<p>I will mention Rutgers (New Brunswick) since it would be both an academic and financial safety for you. However, it is not in the same league as MIT, of course.</p>

17

<p>actually im going to Pomona next year. while i was visiting pomona i also stopped by HMC because i had been considering it too, but i was completely turned off by the campus. kegs outside, sofas outside, no people walking around, the campus was dead.</p>

18

<p>I might look into Rochester, but for safety schools I'd probably want it a little closer to home...although new york is fairly close. I live in MA, so I don't really feel like going down south, although I do hear Wash U in St. Louis is very good.</p>

<p>
[quote]

the more schools that you need. This is because of the lottery nature of the process.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Yep. If I get into MIT EA, there will be no more problems, but if not, yeah, I'm going to have a FUNN time doing applications to thirty schools...well, not thirty.</p>

<p>@Kosuke...haha. Time to cross off Harvey Mudd from my list. I think.</p>

19

<p>Science oriented safeties in the NE: </p>

<p>Franklin and Marshall
Stevens Institute of Technology
And I'll second Rochester--it may be farther away, but it's got an excellent reputation, and it's guaranteed merit awards means that it's student body is top notch, too.</p>

20

<p>I know that someone has already said Case Western Reserve University, and I recommend that you check them out. They do give great merit scholarships and even if you would change your major, they are very good in the LA dept as well.</p>

<p>Do NOT forget that if you can't pay for school to make sure what the fin. aid aspects are. I have seen many students get accepted to some of the schools mentioned above with no scholarships or grants. Good luck!</p>