I’m very patient.
I’m not a big fan of match/target/safety terminology, but I am giving rough percentages to illustrate what I mean by my terms. But this is based off my own thinking and not some computerized analysis of all factors. Others may disagree, and I welcome them to voice their opinions.
This list is categorized based on my very fallible sense of what might be your chances of acceptance. This was limited to colleges in suburban/urban areas in midwestern (or near midwestern) states with an undergraduate enrollment between 3-9k. If you’re open to smaller or larger colleges, or different parts of the country, or rural areas, let me know. And I suspect you would receive generous merit aid from all the schools in the Extremely Likely category.
Guaranteed (100%)
Extremely Likely (80-99%)
- Saint Louis U. (MO)
- Creighton (NE)
- Bradley (IL)
- U. of St. Thomas (MN)
Likely (60-79%)
Toss-Up (40-59%)
Possible (20-39%)
- Case Western (OH)
Less Likely (20% or less)
- Vanderbilt (TN)
Your GPA and ACT scores are competitive enough to get in anywhere. Unfortunately, there are just so many applicants of your caliber that are targeting the most well-known academic schools, leaving the schools with admissions rates of 5-15%. Thus, the vast majority of students who receive waitlists or denials are just as qualified; they just didn’t get selected.
ETA: If you’re willing to consider a rural school, Missouri Science & Technology is also highly recommended, and @blossom praises it regularly.