Where should I be looking?

College Search & Selection
1

Hey all!
I’m getting to the end of my junior year and it kind of just hit me that I should be thinking more seriously about colleges before the madness of applications next year. I come from a big high school in an affluent, liberal, college town, and its always seemed like kind of a given that most of my classmates and I will head off to college, but I just realized that I’m not really sure where. I’m very interested in political science and government, and I’d like to attend a school that gives me the opportunity to be politically active and challenges me academically. I’m from California, so the UC schools are kind of a default, but after visiting the East Coast regularly to see family I’m thinking I might rather go to a LAC on the East Coast.

Some stats:
White male, high income, no real hooks
SAT 1570 (I could probably get this up since I only took it once but its high enough that I’m not sure its worth the money)
PSAT 1510 (not a score I send to schools but relevant in that im pretty sure I’ll be a merit semifinalist in the fall)
SAT II: Math II (800), taking US History in a few days and I’m testing at about a 760 on practice tests
AP: Spanish Lang/Culture (5), Taking APUSH, Calc AB, Bio right now and I should get a 4 or 5 on them
GPA: will end this semester with about 3.8 UW 4.3 W

ECs: Involved in a ton of music stuff (in the college orchestra as well as my schools, earn money playing in small group ensembles), I created and operate the website for my school paper, involved in tutoring as community service, on the school bike team, work at a summer camp in the summer cuz i want $$, president of school NHS chapter, shallow involvement in various other ECs

I have straight A’s except one B+ in 10th grade chem, which the notable exception of second semester freshman year when I decided for some reason not to take school super seriously and got 3 B’s (in classes like Health…). I’ve taken more or less the hardest classes my school offers in terms of core curriculum (english/science/math/social studies), but instead of taking the “hardcore” APs in my elective slots (like APES or taking an extra science) I’ve taken music and school newspaper (both of which are classes and ECs since they involve substantial out of class time). Not sure if not exploring additional hard classes will hurt me.

I want a school that’s not going to feel super preppy or stuffy to my California attitude, but I’m also much of a crazy party person and am not sure how to strike the balance.

Sorry if I rambled on, but I felt I’d get the best feedback by giving more information rather than less.

2

Can you afford $60,000+ per year? Or do you need financial aid?

3

Your scores are excellent. You need to have a conversation with your parents about how much they’re willing to pay for college and if there are any restrictions on that money, such as distance from home etc. LAC’s on the east coast could cost $300K for 4 years of school.

4

Grinnell is in Iowa, not the Northeast, but… While you are an undergrad we will be going through another presidential election cycle and Iowa will be hopping with candidates. I would try to find out how much exposure the students have to speakers and candidates during the long primary season.

5

NESCACs such as Amherst, Williams, Bowdoin, Hamilton and Bates, as well as Swarthmore, could be excellent academic options for you.

6

@“Snowball City” I agree: Grinnell would be a very interesting place to be during election season. https://www.grinnell.edu/news/being-grinnell-student-during-iowa-caucuses

@cy55810 Your stats are good, so you’ll have options, but don’t discount the Midwest, especially if you’re trying to avoid stuffy. Grinnell students are smart, engaged, pretty much the opposite of stuffy. I couldn’t parse whether you were or were not a party person, but you’ll find both there. Not a party school, but a school with plenty of partying. Have a look at some of the schools in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area (Carleton, Macalester) as well. Also a politically engaged communities with smart kids.

7

^^also Carleton for super friendly and quirky midwest colleges! If you’re also considering CA the Claremont colleges are great (Claremont McKenna and Pomona especially). For the East Coast, I don’t know your size/location preference but you could probably go for a few Ivies like Brown/Dartmouth for a similar LAC feel (but Dartmouth may be too stuffy/preppy for you, Brown is much less so), also Middlebury, Tufts University, and Vassar (less preppy than others here).

8

I agree with the suggestion to look at the NESCAC schools, including Bates, Wesleyan, Tufts, and Connecticut College. Hamilton, Amherst, and Trinity seem like they might be too preppy but can’t say for sure. All are very competitive, especially Tufts. And Wesleyan has gotten even more popular with alum Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” success. Holy Cross in Worcester offers academics that are on par with all of these. Maybe also Denison or Kenyon in OH and Dickinson in PA, though they are in smaller communities. Denison gives good merit aid.

What about the University of Vermont? I’ve been to Burlington several times and have researched and visited UVM. Burlington is one of the great college towns, great restaurants and bars–right on Lake Champlain, looking across to Adirondacks in NY. Schools is bigger than a typical LAC but not huge. Programs are great. Mountains are all around and there are a ton of things to do outdoors. Students seem liberal and activist minded.