<p>I have heard time and time again about horror stories of kids applying to eight or ten colleges and being regected by all but one or two. Many contribute this to the so-called cluster effect, applying to to many reach or stretch schools only to be regected by just about all of them on your list except your safeties. My fear now is that I will also be suffering from this probem next year (I am a junior). I am applying to all the colleges on my list in early fall so I won’t have to deal with the extra stress throughout senior year. My list is as follows:</p>
<p>-Mount Holyoke College
-Connecticut College
-Skidmore College
-Barnard College
-Wellesley College
-Boston University
-American University
-Wheaton University
-Smith College
-My local state safety school </p>
<p>My stats are pretty normal: 3.5 (unweighted) G.P.A., top 30% of class (out of about 375), 4 AP classes, only 4 EC’s, and no community service or accolades of any kind. The only hooks or advantages that I would have is that I am from the mid-west and nobody in my school (that I am aware of) is applying to (or heard of) any of these colleges. </p>
<p>Would this be categorized as the so-called cluster effect since most of my schools are small selective LAC’s where most kids who apply to one also apply to the others?</p>
<p>I never thought of it that way, but maybe it would be a good strategy to pick one outlier that would be on the safe side. Although your list looks pretty good as far as reaches and matches. Can you apply early anywhere? Then you may never have to make this decision.</p>
<p>I need FA so ED anywhere is out of the question. However, my local state safety school accepts applications in late August and acceptances are sent out 6-8 weeks later as they are on a rolling admissions basis.</p>
<p>What would your letter of recommendations look like? Any words, examples, anecdotes to distinguish you from the thousands of other applicants? What are you planning to write your primary essay about? Do you have outstanding test scores? Have you visited any of these colleges, or do you plan to before you apply?</p>
<p>If you’re a student in the middle of the pack - and there is nothing absolutely wrong with that - I think your list is way too top heavy. Go the parents forum and check out the thread about the 3.3-3.6 student to see where they are applying for a more balanced college list. While geographic diversity is a plus, it’s not going to overcome other gaps in one’s application.</p>
<p>Rather than the cluster effect of being rejected by LACs, I think the better perspective is that every student needs a good mix of reaches, matches, and safeties - and based on the info you provided, I see your list as all reaches and one or two (CT College, Wheaton) safeties.</p>
<p>Also, there is a difference between ED and EA. With Early Action you get an admission decision in December, but can apply to other schools and wait to compare financial aid offers before you commit in April. It may be an option for you if you decide on one favorite school.</p>
<p>Good luck to you in your search and you WILL be accepted at a great school.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input. My test scores arn’t great (1800 on SAT), but many of the colleges on my list are test-optional. My recs should be good as they will be from teachers that I have had for at least three years. I won’t be able to visit any of the colleges on my list (without possibly the exception of American) due to both geography and an inflexible schedule.</p>
<p>Do you have the link to the 3.3-3.6 GPA thread?</p>
<p>BU and American seem odd on that list. They are nothing like the others.</p>
<p>Well I am going for International Affairs (then law school) and American has an excellent program in that. As far as BU goes, Boston has a lot of opporortunies for law and out of all the schools in that area BU seems to be the best for me (If I even get in).</p>
<p>I know Cliffylove said my list was top-heavy. If that’s the case what would be the best way of eliminating the “cluster effect”.</p>
<p>Seems simple: Find schools that apply to that are easier to get into but still fit your criteria, and add them to the list.</p>
<p>I can’t speak for the other schools, but with Barnard, Wellesley, Mt Holyoke and Smith on your list, I do think your list may be a bit top heavy for your stats. I’m also not sure being from the midwest is really as much of a hook as you think. Can you be more specific where you are from?</p>
<p>Good luck to you!</p>
<p>I agree that your list is way too reach heavy for someone just in the top 30% of their class.</p>
<p>Indiana is my home-state. Could anyone suggest schools that are similar to those on my list, but maybe a step down admissions wise?</p>
<p>Also could anyone identify if which (if any) schools on the list are matches.</p>
<p>Butterfly - if you just put “B student” in the search box for threads above, many posts come up including one for B student seniors and B Jewish students. </p>
<p>From those posts, the schools most often mentioned are: Hartwick College (NY), Arcadia ¶, Florida Institute of Technology, University of New Haven, Roanoke College (VA), Guilford College, Towson (MD), Franklin & Marshall ¶, Ithaca College (NY), Syracuse, Susquehanna ¶, Clark (MA), Goucher, Salisbury (MD), Drew, Muhlenberg, James Madison (VA), College of Charleston (SC), Elon.</p>
<p>Your matches from your list are Wheaton and CT College.</p>
<p>And check the details about test-optional schools. I hear that they still want to see them (although I’m not sure, I just read someone else’s post).</p>
<p>As a lawyer myself, I can tell you that for law school it matters less what school you go to rather than what you actually do at your school. If you do well in collegel, you can go to law school.</p>
<p>Again, good luck.</p>
<p>You also need to sit down with your parents and find out just exactly how they expect you to pay for your education. Is there a college savings fund somewhere, and/or can they pay something out of pocket each year? How do they feel about you taking on student loans, and how much money do they expect you to earn for your expenses with jobs during the summer and/or school year? Have them run the financial aid calculators at [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org) and [College</a> Admissions - SAT - University & College Search Tool](<a href=“http://www.collegeboard.org%5DCollege”>http://www.collegeboard.org) so that they have an idea of what the colleges and universities will expect them to be able to pay. They also can learn more about this issue by reading some of the threads in the Financial Aid Forum.</p>
<p>For some students, it does make sense to apply only to those institutions that either will offer to meet “full need” or to those that are cheap enough to be affordable to their families with only federally determined (FAFSA) need-based aid. This can produce a very lop-sided list. Only you and your parents can know for certain if you would fall into that category. Once you understand your own financial picture better, you will be able to determine whether or not it is worth your time to look for colleges and universities that do not guarantee to meet “full need” but which might possibly offer enough merit-based or need-based aid to make them affordable for you.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>
<p>You are limiting yourself geographically, applying to competitive schools in the most competitive region of the country. Have you considered applying to a few Midwest LACs? Even in our state you have St. Mary’s DePauw, Earlham. Grinnell, Beloit, Oberlin, Lawrence are all choices to look at too. Southern LACs like Rhodes, Centre, Hendrix may be good ones to consider as well.</p>
<p>“my stats are pretty normal”</p>
<p>Well, they’re certainly far above normal, but they’re not extraordinarly. So don’t apply to mostly schools that typically take extraordinary students. Let me make a simple suggestion: take a look at USNWR Liberal Arts Colleges in the 50-100 range, and National Universities in the 80-130 range. Those are your statistical matches. Apply to as many as you want to that are ranked under 40 and under 80, but the odds are against you in the more competitive range. Apply to at least two that you actually like that are in the 100+ LAC and 130+ National Unis, which would probably be safeties for you.</p>
<p>You have received some excellent suggestions to help in your college search. Two things you can do now to enhance your apps: line up a leadership position in one or more of your EC’s for senior year, and involve yourself in meaningful community service. Best of luck!</p>
<p>*My stats are pretty normal: 3.5 (unweighted) G.P.A., top 30% of class (out of about 375), 4 AP classes, only 4 EC’s, and no community service or accolades of any kind. *</p>
<p>If I were you, I would apply to at least 3 financial safety schools so that I would be sure to have a choice. Right now, you only have your local state school as your safety. You may feel like you didn’t have a choice if that is your only school that you get accepted to or is affordable.</p>
<p>Are you going to retest? Also take the ACT.</p>
<p>I need FA</p>
<p>How much will your parents contribute? Your budget will likely determine which schools will be affordable. Most schools do not give great aid and your stats might not get you accepted to few schools that do.</p>
<p>Your strategy and school choices will depend largely on your financial situation and your stats.</p>
<p>The reason why I have only one safety is because it has an accpetance rate of over 90%for my major, and if nothing else works out for me I would be happy to go there.</p>
<p>^ are there any other in-state schools that are harder to get into than your current Safety?</p>
<p>If you truly like your safety, it is affordable for your family, and you are essentially guaranteed admission, then you may not need to add any more safeties to your list. Just be sure that it is affordable!</p>