Chance me for Colleges :) [TX resident, 3.94GPA, 1510 SAT, top 10%, $15-20k, poli sci]

Chance Me / Match Me
, ,
41

Thanks for this helpful advice!

Note: I’m not going to major (or minor) in music in college. I’ll use my playing where there’s an arts supplement, but I don’t think I would be able to handle the stress. It took a huge toll on me and my mental health to have that be such a significant part of my identity, and I’m not going to have it be more than a hobby in the future, and maybe occasionally a side job. That’s why I switched majors, not because I decided the jobs were better in Pols. That wasn’t clear earlier, and I apologize for not making it obvious. (30 hours of practice a week on top of school on top of other ECs on top of a social life… you get it)

42

I agree with all of this.

Many schools would love to have a strong, capable, involved student like you! Your budget is your primary constraint when you get beyond the highly rejective, meet full need schools. And you may get an acceptance at a reach school or school(s).

So pick several of the reaches and run NPCs on some of the non-meet full need schools that others have suggested on this thread. You should only apply to schools that you would attend instead of TAMU.

For LACs, many have already been mentioned, but start with Denison, Richmond, Macalester, Trinity (CT)…they all meet full need. Maybe add Oberlin to that list…but that’s a fit school for sure. LACs that don’t meet full need are more of a crap shoot for affordability even if you would be admitted…these are schools like Trinity (TX), Dickinson, Southwestern, Gettysburg.

So, research all those schools, their poli sci offerings, and run all those NPCs. Some of those schools might not appease your parents, but perhaps take the tack that you want a few more choices in addition to TAMU.

I understand how difficult that can be, and hugs to you. You are doing great, and I am sure you are going to submit outstanding applications to the schools on your final list.

2 Likes
43

Okay. Thanks so much!

Additionally, Oberlin would be great, but I was looking into it; it requires 3 years of FL. Gotta pick and choose with those LAC’s:)

I think the perspective that I should want to go to anywhere I apply more than TAMU is a really valuable one, and will help guide a lot of decisions.

I’m especially interested in Macalester, Trinity (CT and TX), Richmond, and St. Johns (a little bit). I’m gonna do some research on each of those and a few others, and strike most of the high reaches from my list, save NWU, NEU, and Rice.

Word around here is that Trinity (TX) hands out significant scholarships pretty regularly. I’m not sure how accurate that is but I can’t imagine that’s too far off from the truth.

Thank y’all so much for these suggestions and kind words, this has been a huge help in terms of options. I’m kinda a person who decides things based on feelings, and I have a suspicion I’m gonna step onto some campus (dunno which one) and know that it’s for me. Who knows.

44

Regarding foreign language… high school level 2 may or may not get you placement beyond the beginner course in college, and colleges may have foreign language graduation requirements. Also, political science students may find foreign language useful, depending on the emphasis (e.g. studying the politics of another country, or international relations, or the politics within immigrant communities in the US).

45

@jameshawkings, you’re asking thoughtful questions and you’re responding to changing information/perspectives in a very mature fashion. I think you have a bright future ahead of you.

With respect to the schools with stronger music programs, there’s no need to major or minor in music at those schools. But those schools still want to fill their bands or orchestras and probably don’t have enough music majors to do it, so they welcome students who are majoring in outside fields to help round out their programming (and will often offer scholarships to students who participate in those ECs). They may be a more fertile location if you wanted to pull together a group of people who just wanted to have an occasional jam session. But if you don’t want to do anything with music in college or have it influence your college decision, I definitely understand.

There are a few ways you can handle this:

  1. Would the counselor at your school be willing to have a conversation with your parents about this? Hearing information from a respected third party can be helpful.

  2. Show your parents the recommended high school transcripts for the “known” schools and show how you don’t have some of the characteristics (like foreign languages). I wish some of the schools would post the stats for the students they reject because that would help people to realize just how competitive the schools are. I think there have been a couple of admissions offices who have written blog posts indicating that they could fill their classes multiple times over and not have a drop in their stats.

  3. Talk to them about the schools that interest you and explain why they’re great options. Whether it’s which grad schools their graduates enter or their policy institute that hosts professionals in the field for students to interact with or the ability to get internships during the school year in the fields that interest you, etc.

Here are a few examples. There are many more if you look at the schools that have been mentioned.

At Gettysburg, in addition to traditional offerings in political science, it also offers a public policy major that takes advantage of its Eisenhower Institute and its journal on public policy. It also has a well-reputed music program.

At Drake, its Des Moines location is a huge boon. In addition to all of the state government activities and opportunities, Iowa is a swing state that has an early caucus
that brings presidential hopefuls to the area many times. They set up campaign organizations well in advance of any elections, and there are media from around the world that set up in Des Moines to help cover activities prior to the caucuses. Drake students land internships with these different organizations. In addition, the American Politics major reserves 9-credits for practical applications (internships, studying in D.C., etc). It’s also home to the Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Civic Engagement which offers part-time employment for students and also offers scholarships for students who need additional financial help to have internships in Washington, D.C. And it offers music scholarships for non-major participants, too (source). There’s also a Changemaker Scholars program for students who want to make a difference that has a lot of programming, plus a $5k/year scholarship to boost.

5 Likes
46

In college, I can see participating in a band/orchestra, and maybe like a ww quintet. Probably nothing beyond that. I’d definitely take a scholarship to do either of those things.

My parents are not a major issue. They are really kind and love me, and if I express strong interest in a college, they’ll come around to it. I’m sure it’s bewildering from their perspective to see their kid who they’ve always seen as the smartest one around apply to schools that aren’t the most well-known. It’s not a serious problem, and I may have somewhat mischaracterized the issue. (and it definitely won’t need to escalate to a conversation with a counselor or anything like that)

Drake is looking like a significantly stronger option after that. Seems like a lot of scholarship opportunities and strong political connections. I’ll add it to my list.

Since I live so close to TAMU, I have always heard a very black-and-white discussion of school prestige (all my friends are engineering majors/comp sci majors/business majors) that relates very directly to job opportunities. Would you predict that any of these schools would set me behind TAMU in the respect of job placement?

47

I’m sure language would be useful. I’d love to learn a new language in college (or an old one), and have no problems with the idea that I may have to take language classes then. I suspect it’ll be fun, especially if I pick a niche language.

48

I think you would be an excellent candidate for Trinity (TX) and they do give good scholarships. I would show a lot of interest though, being in Texas makes it a more difficult admission. Visit, sign up for an interview and apply Early Action, their Regular Decision acceptance rate is quite low.

2 Likes
49

Okay. I believe they emailed me with interview info, so I’ll set that up shortly. Thanks for the tip! (And they don’t have any supplementals so I can do it whenever)

1 Like
50

I really can’t accurately predict your chances of both getting accepted and also getting an affordable option at universities other than Texas A&M. However, reading through this thread and thinking about it overnight, I think that there are two things that might be worth saying.

The first is that Texas A&M is a very good university, and it sounds like it has a very good program in your intended field of study. You can do very well with a degree from Texas A&M. The fact that it is affordable is huge. It will not be like high school at all. If you live on campus, then you will wake up in the dorm surrounded by other students and it will be like living in a different world compared to living at home, even if you are only 5 minutes from home. Then if you get sick or have a bad breakup then help will be nearby. You might live on campus for one year and get to know other students and get to know your way around, and then if you want to save money and if home is close enough that would allow the choice to move home for three years (and you will still know the people you met earlier). If you live at home for the full 4 years you will still meet a lot of people from classes and from clubs and activities.

A $20,000/year budget is very tight for university in the US. The fact that you already have such a very strong and affordable university “in the bank” is huge. Congratulations, and you have earned this opportunity through your hard work up to now.

The other thing that is probably worth saying is that anything that is significantly “better” than TAMU in your field is going to be a very high reach when you consider both admissions and affordability. There are only a handful of universities that are both need blind for admission and guarantee to meet full need for all admitted students (or all admitted domestic students). They are all high reaches. Anywhere else either your need for financial aid might keep you from getting accepted, or you might get accepted and find that the school is not affordable.

Given your long list, I expect that you will get multiple acceptances. However, I fear that many of them will not be affordable.

Given how strong TAMU is, I do not think that you should take on significant debt to go elsewhere. If you get an offer from a dream school, and if it is not affordable, then a dream can turn into a nightmare in a hurry.

But you have a great offer in hand and it is affordable. That is great news, and is HUGE. Everything else is just extra that might or might not end up being an option.

6 Likes
51

If you were interested in engineering, I’d say go to TAMU and call it a day. Maybe even some of the hard sciences where the latest lab equipment can be a significant expense that not all colleges can afford (or at least, I wouldn’t have necessarily picked the same schools as I did). I picked the schools I did because you’re interested in doing something with politics and you’re interested in a smaller college than a big state school.

In politics, a LOT of what’s going to get your foot in the door is experience. Thus the ever-present conundrum for many new grads…how do you get experience if nobody will give you experience? Well, there are a lot of opportunities at the state government level and there’s a lot less competition for it. And it could be that you volunteer for a political campaign which then moves into an internship with the elected official which then moves into a job with them or someone else. A place like Hartford or Des Moines has a very small population of college-aged students so there’s a lot less competition than there is in places like Atlanta, Austin, or Boston where there’s an abundance of college-aged students competing for those positions. All of that means that it’s easier to get experience.

If you go to Drake or Trinity, you will have a much easier time finding a position for the school year (most businesses/governments would rather have someone around for 9 months than for 3 months). And getting that school year position will make it easier to find a summer position or a position for a school term or summer in D.C., boosting your job chances even more. And because of A&M’s location, it’s a lot harder to get a school-year gig in politics than if you’re in a capital city. So if you graduate from a well-located college and have multiple experiences (school year and/or summer), you will go much further than if you go to TAMU and have few or none. But if you hustle and get school-year and summer experiences at A&M, then that will hold you in good stead as well.

Essentially, it’s not going to be the school name on your diploma that’s going to make a difference in your job prospects; it will be the amount of experience you have to support those goals.

3 Likes
52

Thanks for this insightful response! Let me clarify a few points.

My parents are very anti-debt. If I have several choices of school to go to, and one (or multiple) would require me to take on debt to attend, they will strongly discourage me from attending. Additionally, I have no interest in getting debt, and will take any steps necessary to prevent that from happening.

I definitely agree with the idea that everything else after TAMU is ‘extra’. TX public schools are such a good deal that most students don’t ever look beyond them. The intent of the question was something closer to “would any of these other schools be better options? would I have a chance at admissions at any of these places?”

There are several problems (for me) with TAMU that mostly revolve around my social preferences, that have nothing to do with the quality of the education, the prestige, or the price. (Big party school, that’s not really my thing, too close to home, etc.) This is certainly a factor in my decision. However, these problems are not significant enough for me to take on debt for me to go somewhere else. I’m just trying to cast a wide net and see if there are (affordable) opportunities I missed. Thanks for your response, though; I’ll definitely take that into account:)

4 Likes
53

This is the other side of my thinking, almost to a T.

There are not a lot of political opportunities around TAMU. Not a ton going on in CSTX, and it’s a very one-party area. (I mean, it’s not called the Bush School for nothing.) There are going to be many more internship opportunities in Des Moines or Hartford or Richmond, I suspect, especially with state reps or with the governor’s office. I guess what I’m saying is, it would be silly for me to limit myself to an area that’s rather ‘dry’ in terms of politics.

It’s also difficult because, honestly, I definitely do not know anyone who has gone into government work.

Thank you so much for your response!

2 Likes
54

For this goal, I strongly recommend you consider colleges with an available major in public policy. This site offers specific suggestions:

3 Likes
55

There are political opportunities everywhere and they range far behind what you describe.

My kid did a DC semester. Had 7 offers to intern. 7. Full time. She is at College of Charleston - it’s not for you because of cost - but if you look at the government, the Trump trials alone - I saw Christopher Newport, Kent State and more as major players. Charleston had a Trump staffer, etc.

So you can have that too. You’ll find state, city, county, non profit and more in college station/bryan or other areas in and outside of Texas.

If you want to go without debt, Texas has many fine schools. You can try for merit at places like Trinity and Southwestern.

Or you can go for Hail Mary scholarships - highly unlikely but you never know so throw an app knowing you’ve already got a great one in the bag - Wash & Lee Johnson, SMU (on your list) Presidential, and others have full rides too.

Or go where it’s less expensive - many public schools all over the country.

A&M is a fine school - but there are many fine schools where you can easily accomplish what you want - including A&M. But if it’s not there, choose one of the other fine Texas or non-Texas publics or LACs that can get you $40K or less if your parents can stretch. I read somewhere Rhodes is getting people in $30K or less (if you can stretch) and another commented to me the other day they under enrolled - will they pay up more?

I think your black and white view about finding opportunities is very far off the reality is what I’m saying.

And I agree with your parents - eschew debt - especially given the major.

And you have a budget - so stay within. If you want to go outside, hit Ole Miss as mentioned earlier - and you’ll stay within budget.

Basically you got the cake already. But you have the chance to add some icing.

2 Likes
56

Thank you so much for this perspective!

Sorry. I tend to think in black and white especially when I’m stressed, double especially when it’s such a big decision as this.

It’s great to hear that ranking, prestige, etc. doesn’t have a proportional effect on the level of opportunity that I can get from a school. I’ve got a list now that I feel confident will net me some awesome acceptances and will grant me strong opportunities for the future. Thanks so much:)

5 Likes
57

A lot of jobs and internships in politics are lower paid, and some require additional masters after a few years of work. I think minimising debt for undergrad will make it easier to take lower paid opportunities that get you in to where you want to be.

6 Likes
58

That’s wonderful news! Care to share what that list looks like?

4 Likes
59

(Applied already)
TAMU
SMU
UT Austin
Minnesota
Georgetown
UGA
Colby (supplement)
Grinnell (supplement)
(Applying)
Drake
Northeastern
Macalester (supplement)
Washington & Lee
Rice
Trinity TX (interview scheduled!!)
Carleton (supplement)
Northwestern
Richmond
Trinity CT

If you think any of the others mentioned would be particularly strong fits, let me know. Maybe Gettysburg? I have a couple more spots on CA.

I’m especially excited about both Trinities and Macalester:)

2 Likes
60

I think you should consider U of Denver. It is in Denver (duh), the state capital. It has Colorado district court and the 10 Circuit. It has a huge federal center for many other agencies.

I actually wouldn’t suggest Colorado/Denver for politics as the two senators are young and won’t be challenged for years (neither up for re-election this year, so haven’t seen them), and the Rep., Diana Degette, hadn’t been seen for years. Really, she doesn’t campaign at all, not even a postcard.

DU is big in foreign policy. Almost all students do a quarter/sem/year abroad, and you could pick a country or government you are interested in studying. There is quite a bit of scholarship money awarded, including housing.

2 Likes