Where Should I Go?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello all! I am senior and I’m terribly lost in the entire college search process. </p>

<p>Some stats about me -
Asian female in California
SAT - 1930, planning to retake this October
GPA - 3.87 (Unweighted), 4.70 (Weighted)
SAT II - 750 (US), 630 (MB), 620 (WH), may take two more in November
AP’s - 5 (Spanish Lang), 5 (US History), 4 (Bio), 4 (English Lang), 3 (World History)
Awards - Principal’s Honor Roll, placed in local essay contest, achievement pins from hospital volunteering, AP Scholar with Distinction
EC’s - Interact Club (former Secretary, Vice President, and current President), School Newspaper (Editor-in-Chief for the past two years)
Volunteering - Hospital Volunteer and Tutor for local schools
Sports - Tennis (9th and 10th grade)</p>

<p>Senior Schedule: AP Psych, AP Calc AB, AP Stats, AP English Lit, Anatomy and Physiology, and Poli Sci/Macroecon at Community College</p>

<p>Here’s the list I have compiled so far:
1. UC Berkeley
2. UCLA<br>
3. UC Irvine
4. CSU Long Beach
5. Local Community Colleges</p>

<p>I’m interested in schools with a strong social sciences program, particularly in political science and/or international relations. I have taken courses and philosophy, art, sociology, political science, and macroeconomics at my local community college and am looking for an environment where I can foster these interests. An area with culture, diversity, and opportunities to intern in my fields of interest is somewhere I’d really enjoy. </p>

<p>I have considered applying out-of-state (specifically the Northeast) and to private schools in California, but my main concern is out-of-state tuition and my eligibility for hefty financial aid. Do you have any recommendations for my list? Thanks. :)</p>

2

<p>For financial aid estimates, try the net price calculator at each school’s web site.</p>

<p>If you have divorced parents, be sure to include both parents’ income and wealth at schools other than the FAFSA-only schools (UCs and CSUs are FAFSA only). If income comes from self-employment, small business, or real estate, also run a worst case estimate using revenue before work-related deductions instead of net income.</p>

<p>While community colleges are a fine way to start college for many students, if you have already taken many of the introductory level courses there, they may be less suitable for you, due to having “used up” their offerings of interest.</p>

3

<p><<<my eligibility="" for="" hefty="" financial="" aid.="">>></my></p>

<p>What is your M+CR score?</p>

<p>How much will your family pay? are they low income? Do they own their own business?</p>

<p>NE schools that give great aid can be hard to get into, especially with scores below 2000. You may find that your Calif schools will be your most affordable options with Cal Grants and such.</p>

4

<p>Considering your academic interests and your financial need, look into Pitzer and Occidental. Barnard and Bryn Mawr may be of interest too (Scripps might be too much of a reach).</p>

5

<p>?? Barnard and PItzer would be much bigger reaches than Scripps. (20% & 15% acceptance rates vs. 35%). </p>

6

<p>Except OP is an Asian from California, which means a minus for Scripps and a plus for Barnard.
Pitzer has gotten more selective recently though - still, Scripps is harder to get into it seems to me (not just on admission rate, but on stats) but I may very well be wrong and need to review the past two years’ data.</p>

7

<p>Why would being Asian necessarily be a minus for Scripps (19% Asian) and a plus for Barnard (17% Asian)?</p>

8

<p>It’s that OP is from CA, not that OP’s Asian, @ucbalumnus‌. Barnard might be a little more interested in a CA applicant than a CA school would.</p>