<p>Stats: 4.00 UW (school has weird weighting system, 7.20 W, lots of AP/IB classes)
35 ACT
800 Math II/760 Biology E (will take chem and French this month)
Many ECs/leadership positions </p>
<p>So far my list is, in order of descending importance:
MIT
Georgia Tech (President's Scholarship Program is my first choice)
Virginia Tech (would need merit aid)
Cornell
UVA (Jefferson Scholarship :'()
University of Florida (in-state)
Harvard
North Carolina State University
[Princeton]</p>
<p>I want to do chemical/environmental/biological systems engineering with a focus on water quality. Where are good schools for match/safety? Thanks!</p>
<p>Anyone? Just want to get this to the top of the list later in the evening. </p>
<p>why would you need merit aid for Virginia Tech? it is an amazing engineering school and is much cheaper than others. Some of the big name schools like MIT are filled with genius kids and if you arn’t proactive then getting noticed will be hard and you may not get the same opportunities especially cause that famous professor uses TAs instead of actually teaching undergrad classes. I’d suggest VT as one of your best bets. </p>
<p>Because it is out-of-state @Runner22 and so I would prefer to get merit aid for a state school like that if I’m not going to stay in Florida. It’s still a possibility without it I suppose, but it sure would be easier! Do you have any other suggestions for my list? </p>
<p>Anyone able to provide help?</p>
<p>Since the issue of money is mentioned, have you run any net price calculators for these schools? It’s important to know what each school could likely cost your family AND what your family is willing to pay. You’ve great numbers, but money trumps all. Don’t let your parents tell you they’ll take care of things, don’t worry. Make them give you the information they need to know what they will be expected to pay so that you can make a realistic list.</p>
<p>The Jefferson and President’s scholarships, like the Robertson and Stampp scholarships, are given to not only outstanding students but students who’ve indicated they likely will do outstanding extracurricular things at the school and after school. That is to say, understand that these go to students who have much much more than GPA and ACT scores. There are thousands of 4.0/4.7s and 15xx SATs out there. What are your ECs? And how do you rank at your h.s. (even an estimate would help)?</p>
<p>Run those net price calculators to get some fairly accurate estimates of what each school (outside of full tuition or full ride scholarships) is likely to provide you, and then get back to us.</p>
<p>I like you for UMaryland and Pitt as safeties, with the understanding that safeties have to be places you absolutely would go, places you absolutely can afford, and places you absolutely can be admitted to (there are places like Tulane, Reed, Colgate that want to see the high-scoring candidate’s commitment to them before they admit you). Would you move beyond the eastern seaboard to a place like Vandy or WashU? You’d be a full tuition plus guaranteed at UAlabama and other schools.</p>
<p>Given your interests, OP, you might check out Engineers Without Borders. My S worked with them on a water treatment project in Peru while he was at the University of Maryland, where they have a chapter, I think, but they have all kinds of projects all over the world. Here’s a link: <a href=“Volunteer - Engineers Without Borders USA”>http://www.ewb-usa.org/get-involved/become-a-member</a></p>
<p>@jkeil911 I am projected to become the valedictorian at my high school (rising senior). As for ECs, I have these clubs:
Model United Nations Club (2011-2014)
Junior State of America Debate Club (2011-2014)
Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society (2011-2014)
Orchestra (2011-2014)
French Club (2012-2014)
French Honor Society (2013-2014)
Historical Society (2013-2014)
Science Club (2013-2014)
Science National Honor Society (2013-2014)
Marine Biology Club (2012-2014)
Environmental Club (2013-2014)
Grandkids Club (2012-2014)
Tri-M Music Honor Society (2013-2014)
National Honor Society (2013-2014)
National Society of High School Scholars (2012-2014)
Regional Science Fair Participant (2014)</p>
<p>These leadership positions:
Robinson Science Club/Science National Honor Society—Founder and President
Junior State of America—Chief of Staff, Cabinet
Mu Alpha Theta—Public Relations Officer (2012-2014)
Mu Alpha Theta—Statistics Team Captain (2012-2013)
Mu Alpha Theta–Vice President (2014-15)
French Club—Tutoring Chairperson
Orchestra—Music Librarian (2011-2013)
Orchestra—Secretary
Orchestra–President (2014-15)
Teen Science Café Youth Leadership Council
Grandkids Service Organization—Evaluator/Webmaster
National Society of High School Scholars—Ambassador
Junior educator local aquarium
Marine Bio club–President (2014-15)
Robotics club–Programming manager </p>
<p>As a place to start, although I probably won’t mention all of these as it shows too much jumping about. I have quite a few awards, but I wouldn’t want to give out any identifiable information. Do you think I might have a shot at merit aid at VT (like not just the one-year non-renewable)? </p>
<p>Thank you for the suggestion, by the way, for engineers without borders! 
I have a lot of extracurriculars related to the environment and a lot of volunteer hours concerning water quality specifically. </p>
<p>“Some of the big name schools like MIT are filled with genius kids and if you arn’t proactive then getting noticed will be hard and you may not get the same opportunities especially cause that famous professor uses TAs instead of actually teaching undergrad classes.” Does this not happen at VT, or just rarely, or…? Also, can anyone else attest to how hard it is to get noticed at a place like MIT? I feel like there is sort of a disagreement there, as many MIT students or prospective see it as sort of a collaborative and good atmosphere.</p>
<p>You have lots of good schools on your list, and VT is but one of them. At any large university, including any of the schools on your list, you’re going to have TAs; most of the time the courses with TAs will have a lecture requirement with the professor and a class of a hundred or more, and then there will be TA-taught discussion groups of 25 or so. So don’t pay too much attention to what Runner22 is saying. He may simply be trying to push you toward one school or toward smaller schools. VT has TAs, too. But Runner22 is also right to point out that you should take into consideration how best you learn. If you have good reason to believe you will not learn well in the large courses at these schools, then you should think about engineering at smaller schools where the number of large lectures will be fewer and the lectures will be smaller. However, it’s also likely that you have no experience with large lecture halls and TAs, so you cannot know for sure that you will hate them until you get in them. I was an English major but still had to take astronomy in a classroom of hundreds. History courses had about a hundred in them. All these larger than English classes were fine. For me. How will you do in them since you will have more of them?</p>
<p>As for MIT and other engineering schools, collaboration and team work/study/projects are a big part of what you will be doing. Take collaboration for granted. So when MIT students say they find the learning collaborative, they’re trying to stress that it isn’t as cut-throat as you might imagine with all that testosterone and genius in the air. What Runner22 may also be suggesting is that some people are more successful when they’re at the top of the pyramid and others don’t care one way or the other. If you’re a student who loves the top and cannot imagine not being at the top (see valedictorian), a school like MIT might create some problems for you because you’ll be one of hundreds of classmates like you, whereas at Alabama you will be one of dozens like you and at Lafayette you’ll be one of a dozen. If however you’re a valedictorian AND a 150 IQ, then maybe MIT won’t phase you and Alabama might bore you because no one on your team picks things up as quickly as you do. You’re trying to find the place where the total you fits, and these are but some of the criteria to consider.</p>
<p>Another is ECs. You’ve a ton. The list makes my head hurt. But what isn’t there is any mention of leadership positions, and at the Harvards, Princetons, Jeffersons, Robertsons, Stampps, they’re going to want to see leadership and excellence in these interests. I have a feeling you’re the kind of student who holds back info about herself to some extent. Are you telling us everything we need? You don’t have to, but keep those leadership/excellence criteria in mind as you’re making your list. I’m liking your qualifications more and more for Ivies, esp if the leadership/excellence is there. They’re a crapshoot, but you should apply to a couple or three. You mention prizes. If they are of the regional, national, or international kind, definitely consider MIT, Cornell, and some more Ivy or a Stanford or Harvey Mudd. And don’t forget the net price calculations.</p>
<p>One other thing, have a dream and be able to put that dream into fluent prose that makes the admissions officer want to have that dream, too. Add URochester to the safety schools. </p>
<p>Colorado School of Mines is big on environment if that’s what you are looking for. Very good job placement and well respected among engineers. However it is expensive, I got accepted with a $12,000 a year merit scholarship for OOS and it was still my most expensive school.</p>
<p>@gman333 Did you end up attending?</p>
<p>No, I did not since I’m not really into the environmental side of engineering. Also, I wanted a big school with a big social scene, which Colorado School of Mines definitely does not have.</p>
<p>Any other suggestions? Thanks for answering @gman333 !</p>
<p>Sorry if I may have mislead you about professor involvement at upper end schools like MIT and CalTech. The only reason I brought it up was that I had a cousin who went to UC Berkley and got very little attention from professors despite being a high end student. I did not meant to generalize all schools like this and his experience may have been unique. However if I were in your situation I would talk tot he school and see if you can sit in on some of the classes you would likely take to see what its like compared to other schools that you do the same thing at.
For other schools I would highly recommend Colorado school of Mines because of it’s environmentally oriented engineering program however the price may steep. I’m not sure but I believe that South Dakota school of mines is significantly cheaper and has similar curriculum, don’t quote me on that I have only heard about it and I’m just assuming. I would do some research on South Dakota school of mines and see if it matches your price though I would say it could be a safety for you if I remember the admission stats I saw.
Other than that I think GT, VT, and the others would be really good if you feel comfortable there. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you @Runner22!</p>
<p>Take a look at U Delaware for chemical engineering and environmental engineering. Clemson also has a nice honors college and is strong in engineering. I think you can apply directly to the merit scholarships at U Del and Clemson. For NCSU, you need a counselor recommendation for the Park scholarship, but you can also self nominate. You probably know this already, but apply by earliest deadlines (non binding) for consideration for scholarships.</p>
<p>If you are interested in a woman’s college, Agnes Scott College in Atlanta has an agreement with Georgia Tech. It would provide a small environment. Take a look their science/engineering programs. </p>
<p>@Pennylane2011 thank you for the recommendations! I hadn’t looked too closely at Clemson before in particular, but it looks like somewhere I might be happy! Thanks again! :)</p>