Where should I apply? PLEASE HELP IM BEGGING

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi! I'm a biracial (white, mom is first generation Thai) male interested in buisness. I'm a resident of Indiana too. Here are my stats:</p>

<p>SAT: 1320 (700 M 620 V)</p>

<p>GPA: 3.18 U 3.28 W (4.3 Scale; A+ 4.3, A 4.0, A- 3.7) H course; no weight AP course; .02 weight per class</p>

<p>Rank: Top 81% 97/504</p>

<p>Honors Classes: Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, English 9, Lyceum GT (alternative to AP English, school writes a letter explaining that Lyceum is equivalent/harder than AP course)</p>

<p>AP Courses: (8) Environmental Science, World History, Biology, US History, Calculus, Economics, Statistics, Psychology.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars: Men's Varsity Soccer (9-12), Heart Hospital Volunteer (10-11), Peer Facilitator (12), Freshman Mentor (12), Peers Educating Peers Mentor (11-12), Church Volunteer (9-10)</p>

<p>Honors/Awards: Soccer: County Champions (First time in school history) (2003), Sectional Champions (2002, 2003), Freshman Team Captain (2001), Nominated and Accepted by Faculty as a Peer Facilitator (2004), Nominated and Accepted as a Peers Educating Peers Mentor (2003, 2004).</p>

<p>Good Recs/Good Essay</p>

<p>Basically where all should I apply? I want to go to a good buisness school and do something in Finance/International Buisness, and then maybe do something in Law for my graduate.</p>

<p>Here's where I'm thinking: (What do you think of my chances?)
IU Kelley (Match)
Purdue (Match)
Ball State (Safety)
NYU (Reach)
Michigan (Reach)
Illinois (Match/Reach)</p>

<p>WHERE ELSE SHOULD I APPLY?????? I want a school that is big and urban, but is also good academically. Also, what really turns me off about IU and Purdue is that a bunch of people from my HS will go there, and I dont want to feel like I'm in a enlarged version of my HS. I worked my ass off in some tough courses, and I think it might feel like "for nothing" if I go to IU where it seems anyone can get in (I know someone with an 2.5, 800 SAT who got in). I know the buisness school will be different since they are generally pickier, but I don't want to be based on my subpar GPA when I couldve loaded myself with easier courses and gotten that 3.8. So, I dunno. I'm stressed. Suggest college please. thanks!</p>

<p>Thanks so much!!!</p>

<p>SUMMARY: Look at stats, suggest schools I could get into. Big, urban.</p>

2

<p>Check out:</p>

<p>Bentley College
UArizona
Arizona State
Ohio State
UIowa
UTennessee
Stetson U</p>

<p>Hope this helps.</p>

3

<p>Nothing the matter with your current list, but other Big Ten schools would be worth a look. University of Minnesota is big and urban. So is Ohio State. Wisconsin and Michigan State may also be worth a look.</p>

4

<p>What do you think are my chances on my current list?</p>

5

<p>hmm. i think Illinois is more of match. if purdue gives perference to in-state, then it could be a match/safety. NYU and Michigan are reaches but by no means impossible. the earlier you submit your app to michigan the better your chance. What about BU(match/reach), Northeastern(match/safety),GW (match/reach), American (match)</p>

6

<p>Given your interests, American University in Washington, D.C. seems like a good match. Some other schools worth looking at would be Drexel in Philadelphia, the University of Pittsburgh, and State University New York -- Buffalo.</p>

<p>As a fellow Hoosier, I certainly understand your desire to break out of the IU, Purdue, Ball State cycle. While I understand and appreciate that you can get an excellent education at any one of these institutions, NOT going to one of these schools was one of the best decisions I ever made.</p>

7

<p>I looked up American University, and I couldn't find anything over their buisness program really.. I dunno, my parents are going to want a good explanation as to why I'm applying, when IU already has a great buisness school. I couldnt find what degrees they offer, or the buisness ones at least.. any help?</p>

8

<p>Here is the link to American's Business School:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.kogod.american.edu/Home.cfm?AudienceID=8%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.kogod.american.edu/Home.cfm?AudienceID=8&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>American's business school is relatively well known and reputable. IU's program is also well known. I think that you would find a stronger international focus in American's program. It just depends upon what you are looking for.</p>

9

<p>I don't know anything about American U, but it is on my list as a selective liberal arts college that does not focus on SAT scores as much, fwiw.</p>

10

<p>i don't understand how you're in the top 81% but your rank is 97/504?</p>

11

<p>97/504=.192 or 19.2%</p>

<p>100-19.2 = 80.8, about 81%</p>

<p>So I guess I meant I'm in the top 19.2% of my class. And I have a better GPA then about 81% of the people.</p>

12

<p>Have you looked at the University of Denver? Great location, fantastic business programs.</p>

13

<p>QSTonMark. I'm not in a position to tell you whether or not you should try to get out of Indiana (which can be a highly personal decision), but I'd like to address a couple of your thoughts.</p>

<p>We all know that IU has a business school that is very well regarded. If you are thinking that after graduation you might well look for a job in the area, to maintain family ties, you should be aware that many local employers will look more favorably on a student from that type of school than one from a more prestigious but more distant school. That's true even if you go in to law school.</p>

<p>Second word of advice. In a nutshell - the minute you begin college - the minute you arrive there - your GPA is totally irrelevant. College is a new start for everyone, and nobody cares how well anyone did in high school, how easy it was, or how difficult. So you should leave that out of your thinking.</p>

<p>Third word - IU is a very large school. Your high school class will get swallowed up in the large freshman class from all over the state and elsewhere - and - you don't have to (and shouldn't) spend a lot of time with your classmates. And they won't spend a lot of time with their classmates (including you) either. Everyone will be getting into new activities, making new friends, keeping selected old ones. And everyone's trying to get past the person they were in high school.</p>

<p>So try to leave that out of your thinking also.</p>

<p>Fourth and (almost) final word. You will be in the business school, where students have specifically chosen to go. Some of your classmates may be there, probably many won't.</p>

<p>So rather than thinking of IU being a place just like high school, because many of your classmates will be there, think of it as a new place to be.</p>

<p>Finally, don't forget some of the other factors that are important in choosing a college, inlcuding your family's finances.</p>

14

<p>Thanks for the advice, right now I'm kind of torn. I looked up IU's direct admission for freshman into the Kelley School and it says you ahve to have a 1270+ and top 10% in your class. So I have a 1320, but Im out of the top 10%. I know people who are IN the top 10% but have taken significantly easier courses. Do they take my courses into consideration, or will I have to go to the regular school for one year and then try to transfer into it? My parents don't want me to go into the regular school because they think I wont be able to get into Kelley. They want me to apply to Indiana State, and IUIPUI which I'm pretty adament about not going to. They also don't want me to apply to American because "You won't get in" and "It costs too much." GGRRROAR!</p>

15

<p>About Kelley School - you - or better yet your GC - should call and find out if exceptions are ever made to the top 10% rule. OSU says there is a top 10% rule for its honors college in its literature - but go to and info session, and you will discover that it can be waived. Anyway, you won't know unless you ask.</p>

16

<p>QsTon Mark. Sounds like you may have to do some selling convincing your parents abut American U, if you want to apply or other private schools or those out of the area, particularly NYU.</p>

<p>Can you get in - check USNWR information on the stats of students admitted last year and compare yours. See what other requirements the school has. Same for other schools. Then discuss your chances with your parents.</p>

<p>"Costs too much". Maybe true, especially for NYU. You need to have a discussion with your parents about the amount of money they feel prepared or able to pay for college - and then, between you, try to get a feel for possibilities for financial aid. Someone should start this discussion soon, while you still have 2 months to decide where to apply. Speaking as a parent, parents often need time to get accustomed to the sticker shock of a college education</p>

<p>If resources are needed, there is a lot of information on costs on these boards and elsewhere.</p>

17

<p>“My parents don't want me to go into the regular school because they think I won’t be able to get into Kelley.”</p>

<p>Why do your parents think that you won’t be admitted to Kelley? When you ask them if there are any exceptions (a good suggestion by Ohio Mom), you should also ask admissions how many students are direct freshman admits vs. how many students are admitted in the regular process. My bet is that 80% of the students in the Kelley School are regular admits vs. freshman admits.</p>

<p>“They also don't want me to apply to American because "You won't get in" and "It costs too much."”</p>

<p>Obviously, nobody on this board is really in the position to advise you on how to deal with your parents. However, you may want to point out the logical inconsistency of their position (parents love that!). If you are not accepted to American (as they predict), then they will never have to worry about the cost of American. The only time cost becomes an issue is if they are wrong on the first count. And if they are wrong on the first count, they may be wrong on the second count as well (there is such a thing as financial aid – without which I and many others would not have been able to afford any college).</p>

<p>When I applied, I was in a somewhat similar position with my parents. My parents (particularly my mother) thought that there was no way I could afford any residential school. Their first choice was for me to go to IPFW part-time, work 30 hours a week, and commute. Their distant second choice for me was to go to IU-Bloomington for as long as we could afford it. I convinced them that they were not out anything if paid the application fee to apply to some liberal arts colleges. I was accepted to several excellent schools where I knew I could be happy. Then, it came down to comparing financial aid packages. It turned out in my case that for my family, and me every one of the liberal arts colleges were less expensive (at least the out-of-pocket cost) than IU-Bloomington. At that point, it was far easier to convince my parents that my college choices made sense from a financial standpoint. Though it was not the most selective college where I was accepted, because of financial realities, I ended up going to the school that offered me the most generous financial aid and scholarship package.</p>

<p>For what it is worth, my advice is that you should apply to the schools where you feel like you are a match, both intellectually and socially. If you are accepted, great; if you are rejected, well then you move on. Then, compare financial aid packages. If you and your family can’t afford your first or second or third choice, then you move on to a choice that meets your intellectual, social, and financial needs. At that point, that is the right choice for you and your family. There is really no need to short circuit the process simply because there is a fear of rejection or a fear of affordability. If those are legitimate obstacles, then those obstacles will present themselves soon enough.</p>