So I’m starting to write my essays etc and I realize now that outside of UC and CSU I don’t really know where to apply. Right now I’m thinking of majoring in economics, that’s not set in stone though. I’m a white male in the SF bay area. 3.88uw/4.08W GPA, 1570 SAT (790 math 780 english) 790 math II. 5 on APUSH, Lang, and Bio, 4 on physics C mechanics and physics 1, 3 on physics 2. Currently taking AP US Gov, Chem H, AP Lit, AP Calc BC, Spanish 3H, and AP Microecon. My extracurriculars are pretty minimal, I’m on the varsity cross country and track teams (not really good enough to get recruited though) am co-founder/president of a certain club, and have a part-time job with a local youth sports organization. Not sure what to expect from recommendations since I haven’t got them yet. Don’t really have preferences about large/small, urban/rural. I don’t want to go somewhere hot and I would prefer it to be on the coast though.
What is your college budget? A lot of good schools through the WUE (Western Undergrad Exchange) where costs are not as much for out of state students and several private schools in California, Washington and Oregon.
You are a competitive applicant so I would look at Stanford (although a Reach but academically qualified), Santa Clara, Occidental, Claremont Colleges (Claremont McKenna, Pomona), Gonzaga, University of Washington to name a few.
WUE schools:
https://wuesavingsfinder.wiche.edu/search-results.php
But UCs + CSUs are a lot of schools. You don’t need to apply at thousands. You just need a sound safety or two. How many others is up to you. You have great options in the two systems. The range between the top and bottom is huge.
Do you mean a particular coast? If not, based partly on your tentative interest in economics, look into Williams, Claremont McKenna, Middlebury, Wesleyan, Hamilton, Colgate . . .
Keeping it coastish… UCSC is very likely to accept you. UCSB, UCI and CPSLO will be a coin toss - worth an ap but could go either way.
Other CSUs to consider, CSULB, Fullerton, Northridge, SDSU, CSUMB SF State, Humboldt and Sonoma.
The University of Maryland can be a good option.
You said that you are “thinking of majoring in economics”. According to usnews.com, UMD is ranked #21 in economics, in the United States. In addition, this university is not too expensive and since you have commented to prefer places on the coast, I would like to point it out that there you have quick access to the beach and to the bay.