<p>Hi! I am a senior and have to apply for college soon, yikes! I have not even started looking. I live in California, ranked 1st in my school, 4.0 unweighted GPA, and have a 2100 SAT score. </p>
<p>I am not sure where to go because I have no idea what I want to major in. I play flute and piano and I also dance ballet. I love performing arts but I don’t think it is realistic to say “I want to be a ballerina” or “I want to be a famous pianist”. I was thinking of opening my own performing arts studio (ballet focused) but I am not solid on that yet.</p>
<p>I am really good at math and science but opening a performing arts studio seems like I would waste that talent (imagine if Newton became an artist instead of a scientist, not that I am saying I am anywhere close to Newton). </p>
<p>I was just planning to go to the most prestigious colleges in California.
- Stanford
- UC Berkeley</p>
<p>What should I do? My counselor told me there was no chance I can get into Stanford and the environment in Berkeley is like high school. So now I am lost. My only preference is that the college needs to be prestigious but now I feel like that is wrong and I need to find a school that I will be happy in for the next 4 years. Help?! </p>
<p>I don’t even know where to start looking.</p>
<p>If your counselor actually told you that Berkeley would be like high school, she shouldn’t be a counselor. Unless your high school consisted of tens of thousands of students near the top of their class living together in a place where some of the greatest discoveries in the world originated, Berkeley will be NOTHING like high school. </p>
<p>Why not consider the other UCs? UCLA puts a considerable emphasis on VPA, and its world renown for its strength in STEM subjects. Then there are other UCs which also are excellent for science (my former bosses at UCI both earned their phDs from Cal Tech and were instrumental in designing a component of one of the largest scientific building projects ever) as well as the fine arts. I believe UC Davis has an exceptional orchestra and many of its science majors are among the best in the country.</p>
<p>Why do you have no idea where to start looking? Did you not discuss potential colleges with your GC when he gave those pearls of wisdom on UCB and Stanford?</p>
<p>You are late in the game. Start by learning about different types of colleges and what they have to offer. Most people here like the Fiske Guide to Colleges, it isn’t expensive and you can order it on Amazon. You will get some insight to size, culture and best attributes of about 350 colleges. Maybe you will read about some attributes that appeal to you.</p>
<p>You don’t have to pick your major now if you aren’t ready. Unless you will be applying to school for performing arts where you need an audition. Or unless you want a university where you have to be accepted to that school, like Engineering. There are schools where you can be involved in performing arts without majoring in it.</p>
<p>Assume that UC’s will be your default and safeties. Pick at least 3 with one being for sure where you will be accepted. Berkeley is not like High School. There is no reason you don’t have a shot at Stanford, though that shot is slim for everyone and many students with perfect gpa and 2400 will get rejected, your stats are within accepted student range. It wouldn’t be wise to assume you will get in, though, because they have an extremely small admit rate. What kind of crazy GC do you have?</p>
<p>You can play around with Supermatch on the CC main site here.</p>
<p>Oh, don’t forget to talk to your parents about what they can afford and are willing to pay for school.</p>