Help me start my list

College Search & Lists
1

<p>Thank you all for taking the time to read this and give me a little insight on where would be good safeties/matches/reaches for me.</p>

<p>By the way, I have taken no SAT II’s yet but i plan on taking Math II, Chem, and Literature.</p>

<p>High School Curriculum: Academic Honors
Grade Point Average: 12.326 (12 point scale, May 2007)
PSAT: 199 (September 2006)
SAT: 2250 (Math-800, Critical Reading-770, Writing-680), June 2007
AP Classes: AP Calculus 1, 2006-07; AP Calculus 2, 2007-08; AP Chemistry, 2007-08; AP English 12, 2007-08
Class Rank: Unavailable; but ~1/~130</p>

<p>Intended Major: Mathematics</p>

<p>Academic Honors
Who’s Who American High School Students, 2007, 2006
Bishop Luers High Honors, 2006-07; 2005-06; 2004-05
Academic Super Bowl Team Member, Math & English, 2006-07, 2005-06, 2004-05
Academic Super Bowl Team, Math, Indiana State Finals - Bronze Medalist, 2007
University of St. Francis Math/Science Symposium, participant, 2007
Rotary Club Student Rotarian, 2007</p>

<p>Athletic Honors
All SAC 2nd Team, Pitcher, Baseball, 2007
All SAC Honorable Mention, Soccer, 2006</p>

<p>Performing Arts Honors
Bishop Luers High School Best Supporting Actor, Fiddler on the Roof, 2007
Most Dynamic Performer, FindlayFest Show Choir Invitational, 2006</p>

<p>Leadership Roles
Bishop Luers Senior Class President, 2007-08
National Honor Society, 2007-08 (treasurer), 2006-07 (treasurer), 2005-2006 (member)
Student Council Representative, 2006-07; 2005-06, 2004-05
Junior Youth Leadership Conference Delegate, Washington, DC, 2003</p>

<p>Extra Curricular Activities and Organizations
Junior-Senior Antioch Retreat Committee, 2006-07
Right to Life March, Washington DC, participant, 2007
A Promise To Keep, member, 2006-07
Bishop Luers Peer Minister, 2006-07, 2005-06, 2004-05
Bishop Luers Baseball Team, 2006-07 (varsity pitcher); 2005-06 (JV); 2004-05 (JV)
Bishop Luers Soccer Team, 2006-07, 2005-06, (varsity sweeper); 2004-05 (JV)
Bishop Luers Student Tutor, 2005-06, 2004-05
Bishop Luers Key Club, participant, 2006-07, 2005-06, 2004-05
Bishop Luers Show Choir, member, 2007-08, 2006-07, 2005-06, 2004-05
Bishop Luers Chamber Ensemble, member, 2007-08, 2006-07, 2005-06, 2004-05
Bishop Luers Drama Department, participant, 2006-07, 2005-06, 2004-05</p>

<p>Community Volunteer Experiences
Fort Wayne Great Zoo Halloween, 1996-2006
St. Mary Soup Kitchen Ash Wednesday Luncheon, 2003-2007
St. John the Baptist Santa Breakfast, 2003-2007
St. John the Baptist Parish Festival, 2001-2007</p>

<p>Summer Employment
Wildcat Youth Baseball Recreation League, Junior Coach, 2005-2007</p>

<p>I am taking the most challenging classes my school offers. I took honors classes in all slots that I could, and took APs as often as I could without killing myself by taking APs i wouldn’t like (such as Bio)</p>

<p>Im not really looking for any particular size or location at the moment… Being somewhere in the Midwest is a plus due to family wanting me somwhat close to home. But, personally, im willing to sacrifice being close to home to gain a good education.</p>

<p>On the math major section… I really am not that sure about that. I have always loved math, and barring anything drastic, i will enter college pursuing a math major. But i can see myself ending up in many majors that involve some form of math (CS, econ, etc).</p>

<p>Thanks again, any input is appreciated</p>

2

<p>University of Chicago is definitely the best school in the Midwest for a math major. They have a great math department and overall it is a top school that matches your resume. With your stats you would have a good chance of getting accepted.</p>

<p>After UChicago, other good schools in the region are Wash U, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, and University of Michigan, all of which are worth looking at depending on your preferences. None of these schools is really known for math the way UChicago is, so it would be worth taking a look at some schools on the coasts. For schools with good math departments that match your resume I would say look at Columbia, Cornell, UC Berkeley, UCLA, and Carnegie Mellon. For reaches look at MIT, Caltech, Stanford, and Harvard. You are a good applicant though so it is worth taking a shot at these schools.</p>

3

<p>You are a great applicant, and should do well with admissions. But, take a minute to consider finances as well. So many middle class kids get into great schools and then cannot afford them. The top schools often give aid only based on income, and the income has to be VERY low, or you will receive nothing.</p>

4

<p>I was going to second the UChicago suggestion. Not only do we have a great math program, but we have great programs for students who like math but want something more practical (i.e. econ and physics). I’m in the school as an English major, though, and I couldn’t be happier with the education I’m getting.</p>

5

<p>US News Top-25 **Graduate ** Ranking (ranked in 2006):</p>

<ol>
<li> Massachusetts Institute of Technology 5.0 </li>
<li> Harvard University (MA) 4.9 </li>
<li> Princeton University (NJ) 4.9 </li>
<li> Stanford University (CA) 4.9 </li>
<li> University of California–Berkeley 4.9
**6. University of Chicago 4.8 **</li>
<li> California Institute of Technology 4.6 </li>
<li> New York University 4.6
** University of Michigan–Ann Arbor 4.6 **</li>
<li> Yale University (CT) 4.6 </li>
<li> Columbia University (NY) 4.5 </li>
<li> Cornell University (NY) 4.4 </li>
<li> University of California–Los Angeles 4.4
14. University of Wisconsin–Madison 4.3 </li>
<li> Brown University (RI) 4.2 </li>
<li> University of Texas–Austin 4.2
**17. University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign 4.1 </li>
<li> University of Minnesota–Twin Cities 4.1 </li>
<li> University of Pennsylvania 4.1 </li>
<li> University of Maryland–College Park 4.0 </li>
<li> Duke University (NC) 3.9 </li>
<li> Johns Hopkins University (MD) 3.9 </li>
<li> Northwestern University (IL) 3.9 **</li>
<li> Rutgers State University–New Brunswick (NJ) 3.9 </li>
<li> University of California–San Diego 3.9</li>
</ol>

6

<p>Northwestern has great undergradate programs in MMSS <a href=“http://www.mmss.northwestern.edu/[/url]”>http://www.mmss.northwestern.edu/&lt;/a&gt; which compliments econ very well or MENU <a href=“http://www.math.northwestern.edu/undergraduate/menu.html[/url]”>http://www.math.northwestern.edu/undergraduate/menu.html&lt;/a&gt; which fulfills the math prereqs for Kellogg undergrad certificate if you want something more practical.</p>

7

<p>Case Western I hear is good for engineering, and they aren’t as super competitive as the others and might offer some scholarships/aid.</p>

8

<p>You seem to be better-rounded than the average math major. Amazingly, that will help you at tech schools like Caltech and MIT (they do have sports teams to fill). Could you see yourself as a happy camper at that type of school? You might hop on over to Rose-Hulman for a visit and see if a strong math-science school suits you. </p>

<p>If you think you’ll hit the ceiling in math and want to have other options open, look into the other types of universities mentioned, and liberal arts colleges with strong math programs. (I can’t believe no one else mentioned Notre Dame, which I’m sure your HS counselor is pushing. LAC ideas would include Carleton, Kalamazoo and Denison.) You may have an admissions boost at a LAC since they tend to have a lower percentage of male applicants.</p>

<p>Finally, compare the value of the private schools with that offered by your state school. Having a financial safety is mandatory - sit down with your parents ASAP and see if you will need financial aid in order to attend any of these schools.</p>

9

<p>

</p>

<p>Maybe that’s because ND is unranked (outside of top-87).</p>

10

<p>Nevertheless, I’ll bet a large percentage of his school’s valedictorians have gone to Notre Dame. As far as rankings, it’s the number one Catholic school in the midwest.</p>

11

<p>Duke, Notre Dame, Dartmouth. Might look at Holy Cross-near Boston- for merit aid.</p>

12

<p>thank you guys a million. It really is such a huge help to me to hear the thoughts and opinions of people who know so much more about this process. Thank you again.</p>

13

<p>when you apply, omit school honors and “who’s who” from your resume.</p>

14

<p>BillBank…could you explain ? i got the who’s who thing in the mail, but i never applied. didn’t understand what it was really for</p>