<p>I'm a junior, and have a kinda short college list at the moment, which I would like to add safeties and reaches to. I'm asking parents for advice, because the parents have the best ones. Here's what I have so far:</p>
<p>Yale
University of Chicago
Harvard
Columbia
University of Rochester
Lehigh University
Johns Hopkins University </p>
<p>I know this seems like a random list of all the good colleges, but here is the maybe list:</p>
<p>MIT, Tufts, Northwestern, Brown, University of Notre Dame, Georgetown, Cornell University, Bucknell, Boston University, Carnegie Mellon.</p>
<p>I want a mid-to large size urban school with strong science, engineering, or business programs, preferably in the northeast. I'm undecided right now, but these are my interest.</p>
<p>I have a GPA equivalent (wierd system at my school) to a 4.0, AP Euro - 5, SAT Chem and SAT Bio = 740. I'm taking the SAT next week. I have done significant research, submitting to programs this year, editor in chief of a magazine and editor of the newspaper, leadership/volunteer work, other clubs. </p>
<p>Add Northeastern. Probably a safety for you but right now NEU has actually become more selective than BU, and they have a nice honors program and are known for giving generous merit aid.</p>
<p>Also Bucknell is pretty much the opposite of urban.</p>
<p>I think 6 colleges is a good number to apply to. Others may disagree, since things have changed a lot in recent years. But 4-6 has worked for my 3 kids, and they have all applied in the last year to 6 years.</p>
<p>You want science, engineering or business, and prefer mid to large size, in a city, preferably northeast. How about distribution requirements? Brown does not have them: is that appealing? Tufts, for another example, has quite a few, including foreign language. Harvard has 8 gen. ed requirements, including writing and foreign language. Yale has even more, and involves taking more classes total.</p>
<p>Do you want a BS or BA? Have you looked at websites and course requirements for majors at any of these schools? Would you like a school with a “low wall” (as Tufts puts it) between engineering and arts& sciences, meaning relative ease moving between the two? What cities do you like the most? Is money an issue?</p>
<p>There are a lot of questions to ask, and research, before choosing. And visiting helps a lot too.</p>
<p>Some selective schools do not have business for undergrads.</p>
<p>If you like Boston, you could apply to Harvard, Tufts, BU, Northeastern, MIT, and one other…Rochester? Have you considered Olin, an amazing school that is as selective as MIT, or more so?</p>
<p>How about Worcester? WPI or Clark University? Syracuse in NY? Would you consider any state universities?</p>