<p>I’m a senior and applying to the following schools in rough order of preferance:
McGill
NYU
Boston U
Berkeley
Columbia
Northwestern
U of O for safety</p>
<p>My SAT I scores are 720V, 650M, 690W
SAT II 680 for lit and 550 for math 2
ACT Composit 29
3.98 GPA, only 1 B freshman year
2 years of Planned Parenthood Teen Council, 200+ hours
Varsity Track, Swimming, XC
Naturalists Club secretary
Honor’s Society
Community Theatre
Summer swim lesson instructor</p>
<p>For McGill, I wanted to know if I was likely to get in and about how much it costs for a US student with average scholarships and financial aid. My parent make just over 100,000 and year but couldn’t afford the $30,000 it says on the website. I’m applying to the Faculty of Arts.</p>
<p>For NYU, I was wondering about my chances as well as the topic of my essay. I wrote about my love for my native Oregon and concern for environmental issues, but it seems like NYU is more of an arts than a science school. Should I change my essay?</p>
<p>For Boston, I was wondering if anyone knew anything about the MLK scholarship. I applied to it but could barely find any information about how many they give out or the type of students who receive them.</p>
<p>For Berkeley, I was wanted to know how much worse my chances are being an out-of-state student.</p>
<p>Answers to any of these questions would be much appreciated!</p>
<p>You’ve got the cost right on McGill. There is not a lot of FA for US students.</p>
<p>Your essay topic is a little odd for NYU. I don’t know much about the MLK scholarships at BU, but I imagine it is targeted toward African-americans</p>
<p>As to both BU and NYU, I think you have better and less expensive options in Oregon such as the Robert D. Clark Honors College at UO. BU and NYU are very expensive and IMHO quite overrated academically for the price. Go to OU and save your money for graduate school.</p>
<p>Berkeley is very difficult to get into OOS.</p>
<p>What do you want to study? It looks as if you are interested in a city environment.</p>
<p>I’m interested in conservation biology, public health and performing arts but I’m not sure exactly what I want to do yet. I am applying to the Clark Honors College but really would prefer to go out of state. Any idea of which college besides UO would be my best bet?</p>
<p>I was also wondering about my math scores-they are all relatively lower than any of my reading or writing scores, especially on the ACT where I got a 33 and 34 on reading/writing but a 26 on math. I know colleges want a well rounded student but will I be punished for not having a strong math background but a solid one in lit?</p>
<p>If it’s Conservation Biology you are interested in, you have to go no further than Corvalis. OSU has the number 1. program in the country.</p>
<p>[Headline</a> News at Oregon State University](<a href=“Oregon State University”>Oregon State University)</p>
<p>Most of the top programs in Conservation Biology are in the West with the exception of Wisconsin. Check out UC - Davis, it’s easier to get in OOS than Berkeley.</p>
<p>Given what your home state offers, OU and OSU both have an Honors College, I am not seeing a compelling case for either BU and NYU. Yes, both have decent performing arts programs, but at what cost??</p>
<p>I don’t see the compelling case either for Columbia or Northwestern, though both have decent public health program (at the graduate level).</p>
<p>On your scores, I think they are marginal for Columbia, Northwestern and Berkeley.</p>
<p>BTW, have you looked at the Honors Program at the University of Montana? It’s a very cool school with excellent biology and performing arts programs. Great campus!!!</p>
<p>Thanks for the imput, but living 20 minutes from Corvallis and knowing at least 50 students there, I thankfully know already that a)Corvallis is one big strip mall and b)It is a good school but not a great school, and definetly not strong in the arts which is a major interest of mine. I am not positive on my career goals but have interests I know i want to pursue. Boston does have an undergrad Public Health program, and I applied for the MLK scholarship because it if for students working for social justice and I have extensive experience in promoting safe sex and tolerance of sexual minorities, especially among the huge latino community in Oregon. Again, I appreciate your imput but also note that I am from Oregon and know a lot about UO and OSU. I didn’t put a lot about myself on here, just a few general things, but I don’t see why someone applying to Princeton and Dartmouth is telling me that I should go to a state school.</p>
<p>I am suggesting you consider in-state options because:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>You have two good ones, one is tops in one of your fields; </p></li>
<li><p>NYU and BU, especially BU, are no better than good state schools. </p></li>
<li><p>NYU and BU are very expensive, neither practices need-blind, full-need admissions;</p></li>
<li><p>Your chances at Columbia, Northwestern and Berkeley are not particularly good;</p></li>
<li><p>You need considerable financial aid.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I live in Massachusetts. Under no circumstances would be my parents countenance my appying to BU or NYU. In fact, my father said, “Don’t apply to BU because I won’t going pay that amount of money for the same kind of education you can get at UMass.”</p>
<p>But the way, my personal circumstances are quite different from yours.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Thank you for your suggestions, but not everyone lives near Harvard or conservatories but can still at least try to go to their dream schools. I just wanted to know, preferably from people who attend or know a lot about these schools, my chances of getting in and if they would be a fit.</p>
<p>
It is worse if you’re not in-state 
and I still don’t even know whether I’m considered in-state!
good chances at your first 3. good luck!</p>
<p>Are you very against LACs? There are a lot that are great for performing arts and I’m sure some of those would be good for your other interests.</p>
<p>I’m not necessarily against them, but would prefer not to go to a tiny school and looked at several in the northwest but none really interested me.</p>
<p>Any more perspectives for eringobraugh008???</p>
<p>Any other ideas/info would be much appreciated! Deadlines are closing in…especially Columbias. Thanks!</p>