Good less selective colleges for valedictorian with so-so SATs

College Search & Lists
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<p>I won’t bore you with my profile but in short:</p>

<p>I’m first in my class out of 230, with a lot of extracurriculars and what I think is a solid essay. However, I am a white male from Mass with middle of the road SATs (2140). My top schools are Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, and Middlebury, but I know those are all reaches for me. Does anyone have any suggestions for less selective schools in this mold? Particularly ones that have a strong intellectual atmosphere? (I’m also planning on applying to Bowdoin, Vassar, Johns Hopkins, Bates, and UVM).</p>

<p>Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.</p>

2

<p>Any chance you are a NMF? And 2140 is a little better than middle of the road.</p>

3

<p>University of Rochester, Ct. College and Skidmore (NY)</p>

4

<p>What is the breakdown of your SAT from one sitting? M CR W</p>

<p>You have too many super reaches.</p>

<p>What are your matches?</p>

<p>What are your financial safeties?</p>

<p>Do you need Financial Aid? If so, do you know if your family will qualify? If not, do you know your family’s income?</p>

<p>If money could be an issue, and your family’s income won’t qualify you for a lot of good no-loan FA, you should consider a financial safety that will give you good merit for your stats.</p>

5

<p>Sigh…another one of these…good grief.</p>

6

<p>It’s normal to be overly concerned about the final college list at this point in the application process. Your list seems fine, though restricted geographically and a little top heavy. do think being male helps at Vassar and perhaps at other LACs. Would you be content attending UVM or Vassar?</p>

<p>You haven’t mentioned financial aid, but, as previously suggested, this is a good time to have a reality check of that aspect. The cost at many of your schools will exceed $200,000 for four years.</p>

7

<p>Connecticut College, Holy Cross and Franklin & Marshall are SAT optional, so these might work to your strengths (class rank and g.p.a.)</p>

8

<p>GW, American, Tufts, Colgate, U. Rochester, Bucknell, U. Richmond</p>

9

<p>You have strong a chance of getting into any UC school including UCLA and UC Berkeley. Too bad you’re not attracted to a Cali school.</p>

10

<p>No offense, but only on parts of CC would someone with 2100+ SATs is told to consider test optional schools.</p>

<p>Haverford and Swarthmore are very selective, but excellent, very intellectually oriented schools. At a less selective tier, you will find still very good schools and a lot of merit money–note Mom2’s excellent points</p>

11

<p>I’m sure Bucknell and Wake Forest would be glad to have you. (And even though Wake is test-optional, your scores are so good you should still send them in.)</p>

12

<p>I don’t think he has too many “super reaches”. I think he has a good shot at any school and as long as he throws a couple safety schools/more middle of the road schools, he should be fine. </p>

<p>People on this site can be so critical.</p>

<p>By the way, you are DEFINITELY in a UVM without a doubt. I wouldn’t describe the scene at UVM as intellectual though. It’s a great school, and there is an honors college but I think “intellectual” is pushing it.</p>

13

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<p>What is the mold you are referring to? Excuse my ignorance, maybe its obvious to everyone else, but what do these ones have in common that you are looking for in a school?</p>

<p>Why are these so-so SATs? Also why would others say super reaches? I mean he’s got scores that are in the middle of the range of those accepted, no? I understand he has to find safeties and matches like everyone else, but why aren’t they just reaches?</p>

14

<p>Hey guys thank you so much for the feedback and suggestions. I won’t be applying for financial aid anywhere because the school my dad teaches at will pay 1/3 the tuition (financial aid would negate this if I applied for it), and my grandfather left a lot of money for me and my sister’s college fund, so I’m lucky.</p>

<p>My scores’ breakdown is 680 CR 710 M 750 W, so on the 1600 scale they aren’t that great at all. I realize on the whole my scores aren’t middle of the road, but for the schools I’m looking at I’m in the lower parts of ranges, and I’m unhooked.</p>

15

<p>What appeals to you about Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, and Middlebury so we can try to find similar schools?</p>

16

<p>What about …</p>

<p>Fordham
GWU
U Rochester</p>

17

<p>Holy Cross, Colby.</p>

18

<p>With only a 2140 SAT, I’m surprised you figured out how to turn your computer on. Apply to several community colleges, and pray one of them takes pity on you.</p>

19

<p>The dude explained that he meant ‘middle of the road’ as an indication of the schools he is applying to, not the average student taking the SATs so cut him some slack … he’s not wrong. That said, with a header of ‘so-so’ SAT scores and I fully see how that could rub people the wrong way.</p>

20

<p>I think that because there are so many CC students who post 2300 SATs and 34 ACTs, it can make those who are scoring below the 99th percentile feel like they’re “average” - when obviously, they’re not.</p>