<p>Hi, I’m a high school senior having a mid-life crisis because I just found out my GPA!</p>
<p>I go to a competitive (not magnet) public high school in PA. At the end of this year I will have taken 10 honor classes and 1 AP class in total. I have taken 4 science classes (my school only requires 3) and currently on my fifth math class (school only requires 3) so it’s not like I don’t try. I got like a 1500 / 2400 on the SATs, taking a class now so that I do better when I take it again next month.</p>
<p>Hooks:
African-American
First generation immigrant (my parents are Jamaican)
Low income
Done lots of extracurriculars, held multiple leadership positions like assistant lighting designer for the school play, I do community activities as well like Youth Advisory Council. Was in National Honor Society, etc.</p>
<p>I plan to apply to:
Lehigh University, Villanova, Penn State main, Muhlenberg College, University of Pittsburgh, West Chester University, Lycoming College, Temple University, Saint Josephs University, Drexel University</p>
<p>I know that some of them are quite a stretch, just hoping that my hooks are good enough. Im trying to narrow down my list to 8 colleges but if you can think of any other colleges that you think I have a chance at, please let me know.</p>
<p>You should just toss PSU-UP, Lehigh, and Pitt right away with a 2.9 and 1500 SAT score. You could look into applying to a PSU branch campus and transferring to PSU-University Park after two years though.</p>
<p>*Hi, I’m a high school senior having a mid-life crisis *</p>
<p>lol…do you plan on just living for about 36 years?</p>
<p>anyway…wouldn’t most/all the PSU satellite schools work?</p>
<p>That said, be sure to use the Net Price Calculators, since PA schools give lousy aid.</p>
<p>Be sure to apply to a state school that you can commute to since that may be your affordable safety.</p>
<p>Your problem isn’t just “getting accepted”. Your other big issue is affordability. With your stats, you’re not likely going to get accepted to the schools that give great aid. </p>
<p>You may end up with a 0 EFC, but that doesn’t mean that you’d get much aid. Most schools can’t meet need and they heavily gap.</p>
<p>I appreciate the kind criticism, I tweaked my list around a bit. Thanks for the suggestion glittervine but Allegheny is somewhat hard to get into. Thank you for mentioning the 2 + 2 program Etuck24, I will do that if I go to Penn State. Haha yes mom2collegekids, all this stress might kill me off early! I am applying for a lot of scholarships so I am hoping that I get some.</p>
<p>So now I am applying to:
Penn State Harrisburg (1st choice campus) with PSU Altoona as alternate
University of Pittsburgh Pitt (1st choice campus) with UPitt Johnstown as alternate
Temple University (could commute)
West Chester University of PA
Drexel University (could commute. Have one-time $3,000 scholarship)
Rosemont College (could commute. Have one-time $3,000 scholarship)
Duquesne University (have one-time $3,000 scholarship)
University of Scranton
Lycoming College (have a yearly $5k scholarship and one-time $3,000 scholarship)
Albright College (meets 100% of demonstrated need, have one-time $3,000 scholarship)
<p>^ Might want to double-check on Albright College. According to USNWR, Albright on average meets 71% of need. They meet full need in about 12% of cases. Full COA is about $47K/year.</p>
<p>Albright has started a commitment beginning with those entering in 2013 to meet full need of tuition, fees, room, board. Discretional costs such as books, transportation, not included. </p>
<p>Mom2collegekids is referring to need based aid given out by PA state schools. It’s lousy,but it’s not unusual for state unis anywhere. But the problem is that Penn State and Pitt are two of the most expensive state schools for instaters in the country.</p>
<p>Mom2collegekids is referring to need based aid given out by PA state schools. It’s lousy,but it’s not unusual for state unis anywhere. But the problem is that Penn State and Pitt are two of the most expensive state schools for instaters in the country.</p>
<p>Cpt…thanks for clarifying. Thought it was obvious, but I guess not for those who equate what went on at PSU with a Bama athlete who borrowed less than $500 from a coach. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Here are some colleges in PA that guarantee admission after completing an associates degree from a public community college.</p>
<p>There are also articulation agreements between the 14 community colleges and public and private four-year Pennsylvania colleges:
The four-year colleges include:
Bucknell University
Chestnut Hill College
Drexel University
Duquesne University
Immaculata College
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Juniata College
Lafayette College
Lehigh Carbon
Lehigh University
Lincoln University
Moravian College
Penn State University (any campus besides University-Park)
Temple University
University of Pittsburgh
University of Scranton
Villanova University</p>
<p>I hope this helps you realize that community colleges is also a viable option. If you don’t get into your top school, or you don’t get enough FA to afford college you can always go to a CC and then go to 4 year university with guaranteed admission. If you have a high enough GPA you may qualify for scholarships as well, making it even cheaper.</p>
<p>Lehigh accepts: Northhampton CC (you’d be accepted into their honors college at Lehigh), and Montgomery Count CC</p>
<p>I would recommend for you to go to Northhampton CC, they are affiliated with several different Universities, some even out of state (i.e. UDelaware, UMaryland, etc.). Just do some research, there are plenty of these types of programs all over the US. Considering the colleges you originally wanted to apply to, I think this is the best option!</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Penn State – Harrisburg (1st choice campus) with PSU – Altoona as alternate
Good idea, but Harrisburg isn’t that nice of a city. Isn’t there another area you’d like better? Abington or Brandywine might be within commuting distance, Greater Allegheny is nice and right by Pittsburgh…</p></li>
<li><p>University of Pittsburgh – Pitt (1st choice campus) with UPitt – Johnstown as alternate</p></li>
<li><p>Temple University (could commute)</p></li>
<li><p>West Chester University of PA
= So far so good, realistic.</p></li>
<li><p>Drexel University (could commute. Have one-time $3,000 scholarship)
= not affordable</p></li>
<li><p>Rosemont College (could commute. Have one-time $3,000 scholarship)
= does not meet need, so not affordable</p></li>
<li><p>Duquesne University (have one-time $3,000 scholarship)</p></li>
<li><p>email their admission officers and ask a couple questions, including financial aid. But according to college data, if 100% students with need get aid, only 22¨% of need is met, so it’s not a good choice for you. :s</p></li>
<li><p>University of Scranton
same thing</p></li>
<li><p>Lycoming College (have a yearly $5k scholarship and one-time $3,000 scholarship)
does not meet 100% need</p></li>
<li><p>Albright College (meets 100% of demonstrated need, have one-time $3,000 scholarship)
good pick</p></li>
<li><p>Saint Joseph’s University (could commute) infamous for lousy financial aid though.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>You should add a couple more PASSHE schools (Slippery Rock, Millersville, Indiana UP? Although Westchester definitely is the best and a good bet for you.) </p>
<p>You might have a shot at Muhlenberg if you raise your SAT score - can you go and visit/interview there? And I would definitely add Allegheny and Juniata to the list - fill out the “request info”/“join mailing list” form. (You’ll get free brochures, and you may get a free or VIP application out of it.)</p>
<p>@GolfFather: “PA schools” means " public and semi public schools from the State of PA" (PASSHE, Pitt, Temple, Penn State), vs. “colleges in PA” which includes both public and private, it’s just colloquial.</p>
<p>Would you be willing to go farther away? If you can raise that SAT scores, there are quite a few colleges in the Midwest or Pacific Northwest who would be interested in your application.</p>
<p>The problem with PA is not that their state schools do not meet full need. Practically none of them in the country do. It’s not expected. The big problem with PA state schools is that their costs are higher than just about any other state schools in the country and they don’t have much to make up the differential. So federal entitlement make less of a dent in their costs than, say the NY schools, plus NY has TAP for families making under $80K or so to help the gap even more.</p>
<p>If your family makes less than $40,000/year, you should apply to Berea. Financial need is a prerequisite for all applicants. It’s very competitive but you may have a shot. And if they admit you, it’s tuition-free AND you have an on-campus job that pays for room/board. So essentially you are going to college for free.
As a reach, you can try and apply to Gettysburg (yes, the college is in the city that named the Civil War Battle You may have been on a field trip there?) It’s definitely a reach for you -you’d need about 1700 SAT to have a shot, but, most importantly, they find your recommendations very important and your essays + interview important so you can salvage things somewhat - and they meet 100% need. So, fill out that “request info” form or send an email ASAP. It’d be your major reach but you never know, since they have holistic admission (unlike some other schools which are numerical, ie, either you have the SAT+GPA and you’re in, or you don’t and you’re not, barring exceptional circumstances.)</p>
<p>Just FYI - Penn State Harrisburg isn’t in Harrisburg, but in Middletown, 20 minutes or so from downtown Harrisburg. Now Middletown isn’t the ritziest suburb, but it’s not Harrisburg city.</p>
<p>I know Middletown (in my mind it’s very similar to Carlisle but I’ll grant you the differences) but nevertheless it relies on Harrisburg since it’s part of its “metropolitan” area, whereas Abington or Brandywine may allow OP to commute or benefit from Philly. Just a thought. I concur that indeed Middletown is not “Harrisburg city”, and OP may very well like it a lot.</p>
<p>Gettysburg isn’t an option at this point with the current GPA. I know of an honors / AP student with a 3.6 who got waitlisted. So unless you play a sport that they need I wouldn’t waste the application fee on Gettysburg.</p>
</p>
You may have been on a field trip there?) It’s definitely a reach for you -you’d need about 1700 SAT to have a shot, but, most importantly, they find your recommendations very important and your essays + interview important so you can salvage things somewhat - and they meet 100% need. So, fill out that “request info” form or send an email ASAP. It’d be your major reach but you never know, since they have holistic admission (unlike some other schools which are numerical, ie, either you have the SAT+GPA and you’re in, or you don’t and you’re not, barring exceptional circumstances.)</p>