I don't really like my safeties? Suggestions???

caltennis92 · 11-02-2009, 09:41 PM

I have guaranteed acceptance to UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and UC Santa Barbara and I was planning on using those as my safeties BUT...

I don't really like them anymore.

Could someone give me sugesstions on private schools that could be safeties. Preferably in CA or the northeast

here are my stats:

Ethnicity: African American/Mexican
First gen. American
First gen. to attend college

Academics:

GPA - Unweighted: 3.80
GPA - Weighted: 4.20
Class Rank: 15
Class Size: 700

Major will probably be in either biology or poli sci

Scores:

SAT I Math: 680
SAT I Critical Reading: 760
SAT I Writing: 660
Total: 2100

SAT II Biology - E: 720
SAT II Spanish: 770

AP scores:
Bio-5
Psych-5
English lang-5
spanish-5
euro history-4
chemistry-3

Extracurriculars: too many to list with lots of leadership

caltennis92 · 11-02-2009, 09:46 PM

my list so far is:
Amherst
Stanford
Yale
Princeton
Wellesley
Scripps
Brown
Notre Dame
UC Berkley
UC San Diego

mom2collegekids · 11-02-2009, 10:20 PM

Do you need financial aid? If so, do you need safeties that will give you lots of money either from F/A or from merit?

BTW...I think you'll be admitted to...

Amherst
ND
as well as some others...

caltennis92 · 11-02-2009, 10:25 PM

yes I do need FA, quite a bit actually...
I would prefer the aid to be based on need but I could also look at schools offering mainly merit based.

I hope your right mom2collegekids!!!

caltennis92 · 11-02-2009, 10:26 PM

*you're
oops

mom2collegekids · 11-02-2009, 10:56 PM

^^^

Did you know that you can edit your posts for 20 minutes after posting? just click on blue "edit".

The problem is that typically "safety" schools often can't provide 100% of need w/o loans...therefore, you probably should look for merit - with your stats, you get some!

BTW...how do you already know that you have guaranteed acceptance to 3 UCs? Is that because of your grades? And, what is it about them that you don't like? (So, we don't suggest schools with similar issues)

People, this young person (male or female??) needs some suggestions for safeties. Needs a lot of F/A, so probably needs some merit to avoid loans.

caltennis92 · 11-02-2009, 11:19 PM

California has a program called ELC and basically as long as you are in the top 4% of your class you are guaranteed a spot at certain campuses.

The thing I don't like about them is that most are so large that I'm afraid that I will feel lost and that I won't get any attention from the professors. Also, with all the budget issues in CA causing the tuition costs to rise, I want to find a school that will give me FA, like I said before.

btw- thanks mom2collegekids for the tip about editing, I've been on here a whil but I just never noticed the button!

I'm female =)

liek0806 · 11-02-2009, 11:51 PM

Being a URM and with your stats, I can say that your reaches will probably want you. I don't know what your list of schools are, but when you're dependent on financial aid, you really don't have a choice to be picky with your safeties unless you want to attend private schoolsl tiers below the UCs, and even at that rate no private schools below the UC's will pay you to go to their school without you having to at least take out loans to cover housing expenses. The only schools that might completely subsidized your education including housing are the reaches because they will have the largest endowments and most likely have very generous financial aids. Also you shouldn't be quick to eliminate UCLA or other UCs. Different UCs offer different financial awards. UCLA gave me more than Berkeley and Irvine.

I'm not sure if schools like Pomona College or Claremont McKenna have eliminated the no loan policy, and still have the guaranteed 100 percent of need policy as well, but you could look at those schools. But again they aren't going to be safeties for anyone.

I'm not sure how updated this is but at the bottom of the following page are other no loan policy schools for low income students.
FinAid | Answering Your Questions | No Loans for Low Income Students

Keilexandra · 11-03-2009, 12:27 AM

At least for this cycle, Pomona and Claremont McKenna have maintained their no-loans need-blind 100%-need-met policies.

mom2collegekids · 11-03-2009, 03:43 AM

^^^

Yes, but would they be considered, "safeties"???

I'm thinking that she might get good aid/good merit from places like..

Seatle U
U of Portland
Gonzaga
USanFrancisco
USanDiego
LMU
Santa Clara (reachy match)

I think (not sure) her URM status would be a super help. They might even have additional scholarships for URMs.

Santa Clara would be a matchy-reach, but they would likely give her a nice offer. I know that all of these schools are Catholic, but none would be "too Catholic" for a non Catholic.

But, I also agree that she'll likely be snapped up by some/all of her top choices. She's an excellent prospect

>>>
California has a program called ELC and basically as long as you are in the top 4% of your class you are guaranteed a spot at certain campuses.
<<<<

Oh yes, I'm familiar with that program. I just didn't know that a student knew ahead of time "which" schools they were guaranteed entrance. Thanks for the additional info.

OneMom · 11-03-2009, 01:46 PM

What about USC? University of Chicago? You may have a shot at UNC- Morehouse fellowship. I think that Chicago could really work for you. I would not make an issue about loans when talking to schools. The norm still is that if you are getting aid, they expect you to take out a loan. You might have a loan, and still have a reasonable bank balance, though- that will help when you move to a new place for a job or graduate school. If you find a good loan-free school that wants you, what could be better. However, schools want people who want to go there and are willing to sacrifice something, so nickel and diming about loans will not look good. You can always decline politely later, if a better deal comes through from another school.

mom2collegekids · 11-03-2009, 02:05 PM

>>>
However, schools want people who want to go there and are willing to sacrifice something, so nickel and diming about loans will not look good.
<<<

Well, it would be one thing if it was just about "nickels and dimes" . However, the truth is that a simple $40k loan (just $10k per year - which many on CC believe is reasonable), would cost the OP about $460 a month for 10 very long years.

Now, if that's the only way the OP can get an education, then maybe there won't be any other choice. But, if she pursues options that will leave her "loan-free" - her life between the ages of 23 - 33 will be less burdened with debt.

However, I agree not to say a lot upfront and wait to see what's offered. But, it's also important for the OP to actively pursue schools that will likely result in few or no loans.

hmom5 · 11-03-2009, 02:49 PM

As long as the OP qualifies for as much need based aid as he needs, we should be suggesting schools that meet 100% of need, and even better, schools that do so without loans. The OP is a VERY strong candidate for any private college, and safeties don't need to go lower than top 30 schools.

100% MEET NEED SCHOOLS

Amherst (MA)
Antioch (OH)
Barnard (NY)
Bates (ME)
Beloit (WI)
Bowdoin (ME)
Brown (RI)
Bucknell (PA)
California Institute of Technology (CA)
Campbell University (NC)
Carleton (MN)
Chapman (CA)
Claremont McKenna (CA)
Clarke College (IA)
Colby (ME)
Colgate (NY)
College of the Holy Cross MA)
Columbia (NY)
Connecticut College
Cornell
Dartmouth
Davidson (NC)
Duke
Emory
Franklin and Marshall (PA)
Georgetown University (DC)
Gettysburg (PA)
Grinnell (IA)
Hamilton (NY)
Harvard
Harvey Mudd (CA)
Haverford (PA)
Lafayette (PA)
Lake Forest College (IL)
Lawrence University (WI)
Macalester (MN)
MIT
Middlebury (VT)
Mount Holyoke (MA)
Northwestern (IL)
Oberlin (OH)
Occidental (CA)
Pomona (CA)
Princeton
Rice
Salem College (NC)
Scripps (CA)
Smith College (MA)
Southern Arkansas University
Stanford
St. Olaf College (MN)
Swarthmore
Talladega College (AL)
Thomas Aquinas College (CA)
Trinity College (CT)
Tufts University
University of Chicago
University of Pennslyvania
University of Richmond
University of Virginia
Vassar
Wabash College (IN
Washington University in St. Louis
Wellesley College
Wesleay University
Williams Colelge
Yale University

Of these schools, IMO, schools in the range of Richmond, Trinity, St. Olaf, Bates, Occidental and Lafayette would be safeties.

Couldn't find a list of no loans schools, but here's an article that mentions most:

Endowment Losses Threaten No-Loan Policies as Guarantees Vanish - Bloomberg.com

404Jeff · 11-06-2009, 09:43 PM

My **free advice*** pass on UC San Diego Not much of a school feel to it, more of a commuter campus, very crowded, hard to park, expensive to live in La Jolla which is 35% retired people, 35% wealthy people and 30% students. San Diego is lovely but very boring. Where are you from?

Also skip Scripps- better to go to Claremont McKenna

Why not Skidmore if you like Amherst? Williams?

OK I know you want safety schools but I wouldn't worry, you will get aid everywhere. You seem to be sort of al over small schools, big schools, urban...where do you really want to go, what environment?

caltennis92 · 11-06-2009, 11:52 PM

@404jeff: Thanks for the advice! I've already decided that I don't really like UC's for their size, but my parents would like to to apply to a few anyway. Actually, I would prefer not to apply to schools in SoCal (too close to home, I want to get the experience of really being independent, otherwise my parents will be sure to visit often :/ I'm from the SD area.

I have never heard of Skidmore. I'll look it up now!

I want a school that is mid-sized (maybe 3000-8000 undergrads) and I don't have to be in a city but I at least want to be within easy reach of a city. No rural schools. I prefer a schools in CA (north of LA only) or in New England (I really like the Boston area, but other areas are fine too.)