Combination thread/dire need of assistance

Chance Me / Match Me
1

<p>Hello everybody, I’m going into my senior year at a working class high school on long island, and am rather confused about college decisions/career path/chances. I desperately need help focusing and pruning my college list. I was hoping i could get some advice. I am generally interested in everything, though i am generally leaning towards pursuing a career in the sciences/engineering, with a minor in a humanity. I’m primarily looking at a schools that combine cutting edge science with a strong humanities program, and was looking for some recommendations. The one major sticking point is that i am unsure of whether i will be pursuing something like engineering, or a science like biology, and many schools that offer excellent biology/humanities programs do not offer engineering. Here are my credentials:</p>

<p>AP classes:
Euro- 5
Chem- 4
Biology- 5
Us history- 5
English language- 5
Taking English Lit, Calc, Gov and politics, and eco in senior year.</p>

<p>Freshman: (exact grades unknown, all well into A+)
Honors earth science- A+
Accelerated math A- A+
Honors Global studies- A+
Italian 1- A+
Concert band- A+
Honors English- A+</p>

<p>Overall Average (unweighted)- High 98 range (not sure exactly)</p>

<p>Sophomore:
Ap euro- 100 every quarter
AP Chem- A+
Accelerated math b- A
Honors English- Nearly 100 overall
Symphonic band- 100
Italian 2- A+</p>

<p>Junior:
AP Bio- 100
AP english- Nearly 100
Ap Us- nearly 100
Honors precalc- A+
Italian- Nearly 100
Wind Ensemble- 100</p>

<p>Senior Year:
AP English
AP Eco
AP gov and politics
AP Calc
Wind Ensemble
Honors Physics(school doesnt offer AP)</p>

<p>I have taken the most rigorous class schedule possible</p>

<p>Rank: Not definitive yet, Top 3, out of 1000</p>

<p>SAT score: 2220 First attempt (740 CR, 700 Math, 780 Writing)
Retaking SATs</p>

<p>SAT 2’s:
Bio: 800
US history: 800
Math 1: 650 (Did not finish, have to retake)</p>

<p>Extra curriculars:
Science Bowl- Regional, 4th place in my first year. Captain going into my senior year
Quiz bowl: Two years
Environmental Club- 1 year
Jazz Ensemble- 3 years
Junior varsity soccer- 1 year
Principle Alto saxophonist in Highest band/jazz band</p>

<p>Achievements:
Brookhaven national lab summer program 07
Brookhaven mentorship/research into alternative fuel/energy
Wertheim reserve environmental research
Played in numerous special events such as walk for autism
I have worked for 3 years of my highschool career.
Private saxophone lessons for 5 years</p>

<p>I come from a comparatively low income ( for long island i suppose) family: under 75000 dollars a year income
2 siblings
My mom has a bachelors degree, my dad a 2 year degree.</p>

<p>I will have excellent recommendations and essays</p>

<p>I’m trying to figure out possible college matches, and really am having a hard time. I really want to have a strong liberal arts as well as a strong technical because I am strongly interested in literature,pure sciences, social sciences etc, and really want a strong liberal arts/diverse study backround, with such classes as History, reasoning, writing, literature etc. Also, i am not sure whether i want to go into engineering or a pure science.
For instance: Colby, though not offering engineering, forces students to take courses in english composition, literature, quantitative reasoning, social sciences etc.</p>

<p>I NEED HELP FOCUSING! Please help me narrow my choices!</p>

<p>Suny Binghamton: safety
Harvey mudd- Excellent engineering/strong humanities
Swarthmore- Really like this school, very intellectual
Williams- Biology excellent, excellent humanities
Dartmouth
Brown
Columbia
MIT
Amherst- Engineering through Dartmouth. Good idea?
Brown
Amherst College
Bowdoin
Middlebury
Carleton
Colgate
Yale- environmental engineering, which is something i would really like to look into.
Duke
Hamilton
Haverford
Lehigh
University of Pennsylvania
Stanford</p>

2

<p>with stats like yours, forget narrowing. find a favorite and apply early, i’d say you’re in at any of the top lac’s (hm, swat, midd, amherst, williams) and have a fine chance at the ivies.</p>

3

<p>Under 75k a year for 5 is not low income. Anyone know per capita average?</p>

4

<p>Under 75k is solidly middle class if not lower middle class for the suburbs on the east coast. Especially for a family of five.</p>

<p>The median income is about $44,000, as of 2004. However I wouldn’t discount $75,000 as being ‘too high’ for significant aid. It’s all about the cost of living.</p>

<p>The OP won’t be getting a full ride but he could still, conceivably, get a decent amount of money.</p>

5

<p>I suppose your right, but its not like we have two nickels to rub together-plus my brother and sister will be going into college within the next 2 years.
Im looking to narrow in the sense that i would like to weed out less suitable choices and focus on the best choices out of that list, or even colleges i have not mentioned for that matter.</p>

6

<p>Any other opinions or advice?</p>

7

<p>I agree with brownplease don’t apply just to apply, find your favorite and go with it early.</p>

8

<p>Pick two or three of: Swarthmore, Amherst, Williams, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Colgate, Haverford.</p>

<p>And visit them. I was in love with Swarthmore before I visited it. I loved it on paper, but I HATED the people. </p>

<p>Keep only one: Hamilton, Lehigh, Carleton</p>

<p>Narrow your engineering schools to four out of: Harvey Mudd, Columbia, UPenn, Yale (whose engineering isn’t that highly respected…), Dartmouth, MIT, Duke, Stanford</p>

<p>One of these things is not like the other: Why Dartmouth/Stanford/Carleton they don’t really match the other schools…?</p>

<p>And, if you have to apply to a SEAS program in order to major in engineering (UPenn and Columbia, for example) you might want to raise your math score.</p>

9

<p>thank you very much, that is excellent advice.</p>

10

<p>More opinions are always welcome!</p>

11

<p>If you’re going to an engineering school you’ll need to raise your math scores.</p>

12

<p>I know, I’m working on it.</p>

13

<p>any more suggestions?</p>

14

<p>Harvey Mudd seems like a very good fit for you. Make sure you keep it on your list.</p>

15

<p>Well, what about a top 100 school that gives some full rides (I’m thinking Pitt, but there are probably 50 such schools)?</p>

16

<p>hmmm,that sounds interesting. Any suggestins?</p>

17

<p>…?</p>