<p>Thankfully GA, I'm pretty open to other colleges (There's a good chance I'll be an international, my stats are too good so I don't have hopes for HYPS).</p>
<p>I was looking at UMD, and they're pretty amazing. The Hinman CEOs program for example looks fascinating.</p>
<p>And according to some here UMD is apparently a 2nd Tier Public...</p>
<p>what is 2nd Tier?</p>
<p>1st Tier = Awesome schools (For Publics it's apparently like Berkeley, Michigan etc)</p>
<p>2nd Tier = I guess below the 1st Tier and apparently not as good...</p>
<p>who decideds where the "tier" begins???? some students on the web?</p>
<p>Top Public Universities – 2007
1
University of California–Berkeley </p>
<p>2
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
University of Virginia </p>
<p>4
Univ. of California–Los Angeles </p>
<p>5
U. of North Carolina–Chapel Hill </p>
<p>6
College of William and Mary (VA)</p>
<p>7
Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison </p>
<p>8
Georgia Institute of Technology
Univ. of California–San Diego</p>
<p>10
U. of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign </p>
<p>11
University of Washington </p>
<p>12
University of California–Irvine </p>
<p>13
Pennsylvania State U.–University Park
University of California–Davis
Univ. of California–Santa Barbar
University of Florida
University of Texas–Austin </p>
<p>18
Univ. of Maryland–College Park </p>
<p>19
Ohio State University–Columbus
University of Pittsburgh </p>
<p>21
Miami University–Oxford (OH)
Rutgers–New Brunswick (NJ)
Texas A&M Univ.–College Station
University of Georgia</p>
<p>25
Purdue Univ.–West Lafayette (IN)
University of Iowa </p>
<p>27
University of Connecticut
University of Delaware
Univ. of Minnesota–Twin Cities</p>
<p>30
Clemson University (SC)
Indiana University–Bloomington
Michigan State University</p>
<p>33
Univ. of California–Santa Cruz </p>
<p>34
University of Colorado–Boulder
Virginia Tech </p>
<p>36
Iowa State University
North Carolina State U.–Raleigh </p>
<p>38
SUNY–Binghamton</p>
<p>39
Auburn University (AL)
University of Alabama
Univ. of California–Riverside
University of Kansas
Univ. of Missouri–Columbia
University of Tennessee
University of Vermont</p>
<p>46
SUNY College Environmental Science and Forestry
SUNY–Stony Brook
University of Arizona
Univ. of Massachusetts–Amherst
Univ. of Nebraska–Lincoln</p>
<p>I was just stating how CC distorts things. When UMD is a fine institution, it's still referred to as the 2nd Tier.</p>
<p>Hence my post.</p>
<p>i agreee, it is a great school...</p>
<p>I recommend Junior year b/c that way you can make sure to take the hardest classes possible and it will motivate you. It motivated me.</p>
<p>^ I'll be taking the hardest possible classes (IB Diploma Candidate - Not to mention school is a Magnet), so that's not an issue.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>i dont think it's ever too early to start the process. The sooner the better!</p>
<p>I recommend (yes, one more recommendation) that you stay on CC now, use it lightly (maybe once a week, or month) or when you need to, and then become more involved at the end of your sophomore year / beginning of your junior year. Seriously, if I hadn't found CC almost halfway through my junior year, I would've been seriously screwed over (counselors don't tell us anything). I wish I would've found it earlier. =)</p>
<p>I started looking at colleges when I was 13....</p>
<p>Then again, I was a strange child, absolutely in love with the idea of the future. Needless to say, almost my entire list has changed. ;)</p>
<p>It's never too early for a little bit of light searching. Just don't stress yourself out over it yet.</p>
<p>When you're 20 years old.</p>
<p>Well you can start as early as your freshman year in terms of what MAJOR you want to me. Like for me, I took all the available business classes since freshman year because I knew that was the field i was going to be in.</p>
<p>also, browsing the site never hurts. I have been looking here since freshman year, but I never bothered posting here until April, and already I have near 200 post hahahah.</p>
<p>philosopher, i give my wholehearted (and admittedly biased) support for you to come to UMD!!! :)</p>
<p>its best after sophomore year, when you have a gpa/average. you should start gathering a list of schools you plan to attend with your PSAT scores and your GPA. after you take your SAT's you should try and narrow down the schools you've selected</p>
<p>Saving money on college apps? Visiting costs money too, especially when you live more than 3 hours away from the college.</p>
<p>
[quote]
philosopher, i give my wholehearted (and admittedly biased) support for you to come to UMD!!!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I'll keep the enthusiasm in mind when I have to choose lindz :)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Well you can start as early as your freshman year in terms of what MAJOR you want to me. Like for me, I took all the available business classes since freshman year because I knew that was the field i was going to be in.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>As I've stated, unfortunately taking electives is not possible for me.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help everyone, I'll stay here and lurk and probably start researching colleges seriously beginning Junior Year</p>
<p>I liked what Momof3sons posted. I have two daughters, both in college. A had a much more efficient and pleasant college search than B, and I believe that was because A had spent time at sports camps at several different colleges (only one of which was a good match for her academically), so that when it came time for her to look at schools, she had a better idea about college in general and could zero in on what was important to her. B, who had never been on a campus before the end of her junior year, was more overwhelmed by seeing colleges (i.e. the students and how they look, the food, the dorms) to notice particular details.<br>
I would elaborate on the advice given and suggest that whenever you are near a college, even if it is one that you already know would not suit you, so that you start to be able to figure out what you like and what factors are important to you. I now think it is a good idea to see a variety of campuses (urban/rural, large/small) before you are ready to look at schools seriously, if you can do so without unduly inconveniencing yourself of your family.</p>
<p>We started to look at colleges with our D during April vacation of Sophomore year. It allowed us to see many schools in an unhurried fashion and really helped D internalize what admins look for: grades, grades, grades!
Visiting schools in the summer is a waste IMO: what you see is a bunch of buildings, no students, no campus life that will provide a vibe of the community.
By the time D started Junior year, she was able to narrow down the schools to a workable list and visit again those of higher interest. Those extra months were useful in giving her a more layered and sophisticated understanding of the schools. And practically, she was able to see many more schools than would have been manageable had she started the process later.
In the end, starting a little earlier took a great deal of pressure off, and gave her a better sense of control over the outcome.</p>
<p>College has been one of those things that I've had in the back of mind since the end of middle school. It's natural to be curious and excited about the process. I visisted schools the beginning of my sophomore year, and plan to do even more visiting this summer and fall. ( I just finished my junior year today :-))</p>
<p>The best advice I can give you is to keep asking questions and using all of your reasources. There is no specific time to start looking at schools. Don't let people discourage you from getting involved with the process...I can't even begin to tell you how frustrated I get when people tell me not to worry about college yet, or encourage me to just enjoy the time I have left in high school. </p>
<p>The best way to learn about colleges, I have found at least, is through the people you know. Ask everyone about their college experiences, from there you can begin to use such things as college confidential and the Princeton review website.</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>