@arinuma YEAH! lol
OMG congrats @ak2018 
!!! That’s soo amazing !
I just toured 2 colleges (UChicago and Northwestern) so if anyone wants to know more about them, just tag me !
How many colleges do you think is good?
I’m struggling keeping colleges on my list. I don’t want to waste money on apps if there is 0% chance I will attend a place, or if I would rather attend a less selective school than it, if you understand what I mean…
Currently, I have 9 colleges. I have 5 Reachs, 1 Low Reach/High Match School, and 3 Match/Safety Schools (I combined them as my counselor considered all my matches to be safeties? I’m not really sure how to distinguish matches and safeties)
I know it doesn’t seem balanced, but in terms of safeties, I just don’t want to apply to 3 safeties when I prefer one of them. An example of my deleting…even though WUSTL is more selective than northeastern, I would much rather attend Northeastern, so I deleted WUSTL. I would rather attend Northeastern than Wellesley, so I deleted Wellesley. In terms of safeties, I have 1 that I really like, so I don’t see the point of applying to 2 others that I like less?
What do you guys think? Thank you! I’m willing to provide info if needed!
P.S. Idk if it matters but I don’t qualify for F.A. but my parents are very willing to pay for selective schools. In terms of my matches and safeties, they would want me to get merit $. Probably another reason I don’t need to apply to a lot of schools, right? Maybe?
@LushLillies whatd u think of nu and its campus?
@carmen00 I’m taking APUSH right now. We probably go through a chapter a week, and I don’t feel rushed or anything. However, I have no idea what the next two weeks are going to be like, since the AP exam is coming up and we are still in the Consensus Era (~50s-60s).
@LushLillies Personally, I think think 1-3 reaches, 2-3 matches, and 2 safeties would be good. If your parents are able/willing to pay for top schools, you may as well go for additional reaches, but it’s always more important to have matches and safeties you would be really happy to attend. I’d definitely have more than one safety, since you never know what will happen. Maybe you will get a full ride in one, maybe one will reject you for yield protection (I’m skeptical that this is even a thing, but /r/ApplyingToCollege seems to think so?).
@ilosic I loved NU! I was super surprised how nice the campus was; a lot of it is newly renovated and its clear they’ve gotten good funding recently. Lake Michigan is next to the campus as well, so in the summer you have a beach Evanston is a nice, safe town with access to restaurants, clothing stores, grocery stores, and basically everything you need. And then Chicago is very close as well, easily accessible using public transport, perfect for getting internships and going to see shows !
NU is very selective and strong in academics, they said that this year the acceptance rate was like 9% or something? It’s crazy! So def not a “safety” for Ivy applicants…it’s more selective or just as selective than some Ivys! The top programs are def Journalism, Communication, Psych, and Economics, but they are strong in most programs including engineering and the sciences. Even for business there is a program with connections to Kellogg, the business school. It’s one of 2 schools I’m interested in that are not on the east coast
@LeopardFire hm, alright. what you’re saying makes a lot of sense! My safety school is rolling admissions and I’m planning on applying in like late September, so I’ll def know if I need to apply to another safety. I have 1 other safety on my list, but it’s not as good of a fit for me as the safety I’m applying to…so I hope I get admitted to my safety lol! I think in my school’s history only like 1 person has been rejected? My parents are huge reach fans…so they’re good with that. It’s so hard to find matches though. Like it’s hard for me to find the difference between a match and a safety? Oh well! Thank you!
Since we’re talking about college lists and stuff, I’m going to mention that I made a common app account the other day.
I also realized that some schools that I originally took off my list were actually free to apply to and required either 1 essay or no supplements at all, so I’m just going to apply for the heck of it since there’s literally no effort expended.
These schools were: Kenyon, Oberlin, Kalamazoo, Tulane, Case Western, Loyola Chicago, Lewis and Clark, and Grinnell
Tulane I’m unsure of putting on the list because of the 20 school limit on the Common App (meaning I would have to take something out). But I do highly recommend applying to these schools because it’s just that easy to do so. I originally took off 5 of these schools from my list, but now they’re back on.
@oPhilippos I would be careful with the applying to a bunch of schools just because they are free. Mostly because “free” does not factor into the cost of sending transcripts or official score reporting {if required}. Just something to keep in mind.
My list so far I am thinking of 2 or 3 reaches, 2-3 moderates, and 1-2 safeties. I am still in the process of figuring out what is what. My reaches are most likely gonna be Cornell and Williams.
If the ACT scores come out on the first day, there are only 5 more days to wait…
I plan on having 2 safeties, 3 matches, and 3 reaches (although I want it to be 4). I’m also applying to a music school, which I can’t really classify as a safety, match, or reach.
Oh man, my list is way less balanced than all of yours :))
but yah, free app isn’t free…time is precious! And of course sending tests. That’s why I want to optimize my list! No F.A. = gotta save in other ways
But it’s good everyone has balanced lists! Most people at my school have like 6 reach and then like 1 safety…which is sooo risky! Like at least I have my 3 match/safeties and not just 1 that I hate!
It kinda sucks wanting to go to an urban school while living in NJ, where there aren’t any urban areas really…unless you count super dangerous places like Newark, Trenton sometimes, and Camden? Hence why I’m not even going to apply to my school’s “feeder”, Rutgers…it’s so suburban!
Sometimes I was in Virginia or California or New York haha …NJ = most competitive state (neck to neck with Mass tho) but we have probably the most limited selection of schools
How do you determine the difference between safeties and matches? Is it just based on average scores/acceptance rates? What is a good acceptance rate for each? I’m just afraid to consider anything a safety even though I have a good SAT(1500) and 4.0/4.0 UW. I don’t want to end up with nothing… :-S
Class times finally came out for fall quarter where I dual enroll!!
Next Fall I’m gonna take:
PHYS 221 - General Physics IV and PHYS 164 - Instrumentation Lab 2
CSCD 211 - Programming Principles 2
MATH 231 - Linear Algebra
MENG 207 - Electricity
all STEM 200 level classes its gonna be great! (well the lab is just 100 level but its ok).
Also, I have pesky humanities requirements that I need to graduate high school, so I’m going to take a couple of those online over the summer:
HIST 220 - African American History after the Civil War (I’m not African American, but I need another US History to graduate and hey, its not a bad subject to know about)
HUMN 211 - Literature Masterpieces of the Modern World
Its gonna be busy but (especially fall) are all classes I’m really excited about so I’m excited.
Also, apparently with AP credits and dual enrollment credits combined I’ll be a college junior by credit standing next fall (lol I won’t actually have the classes I need to get a degree in 2 years after that but hey, I’ll technically have a Physics minor after the fall?!)
@sewing2music I think a state school that does automatic admittance for GPA/test score and isn’t expensive would be a safety. I’m in the same boat lol, with a 4.0 GPA and 36 ACT and tears because acceptance rates are getting scary low.
Also apparently I could change a couple courses around in my plan and graduate spring 2018 with a BA in Physics and a minor in Math. Not very useful since you’d want a BS in Physics and I want to be an engineer not a physicist but still crazy that that’s an option lol.
Here is my story from opening my SAT Sore yesterday:
I stayed up the night before, till 1 am, thinking of only what could be a success story. I was excited, predicting my score and hoping for a 1400. All I wanted was to be able to pat myself on the back for a 400+ score increase from my sophomore PSAT and for this to be my last time taking the test (December: 1210). Every practice test indicated I would be close to the margin, so I kept positive vibes in my head and decided to sleep.
At school, everyone wants me to check. I refuse, I wanted to open my score in the privacy of my home. I go through the whole day hearing happy news from other students about getting a score they wanted, and I was ready to share their happiness as soon as I got home. As soon as school ends, I run 7 miles and then hop in my car and head home.
It is now 6pm and I shout to my mom from my bedroom, “I’m checking!” She tells me to come down and check with her and hands me a glass of water that (without of a better word) I chug. She stood behind as I logged into College Board… I click the My Scores tab and watch the number load…
1270 (690 M, 580 R/W) . . .
My heart fell, my jaw dropped, and my confidence declined. I couldn’t face my mom. I was silent. She tried telling me that it didn’t matter, the hard work I put was enough, but I blocked her from my mind. I could only get up from my seat and walk bitterly to my room. I sat there for 4 hours, staring at my ceiling, with regret. I didn’t think I was smart, all I could think of was how below I am from so many people (score wise).
This is probably one of the hurdles I am going to face, test scores will never define me obviously, but in high school it seems like it matters so much more than a simple aptitude examination.
I’ll see what happens in May. Third time is the charm, right?
NOTE: To anyone who scored within/below my range, I do not in anyway mean to put you down. Everyone has their own goals score and I respect and honor that. I just thought I would share my experience.
NOTE #2: I am not a good writer lol. Sorry if this doesn’t flow.
Yeah @sewin2music most websites say it’s based on scores and grades, which I can understand for safeties. But what about matches ? Since most people have to assume they’ll be attending their match schools…like my scores will be in the 75th percentile for EVERY school. It’s not a good indicator!
I’m hoping my counselor knows about matches more than I do…since she has lots of experience with students from my school. But I’m so worried I’m gonna get admitted only to my safety because no one can gauge admissions anymore 
And @snowfairy137 don’t you have to be in state for most auto admit schools? I just know Texas has them…plus I don’t want to go to any of the auto admit schools I’ve seen a list of lol. I heard U Alabama gives full rides to ACT above 34 or something. But I would definitely drop out if I went there…(just personally it’s too big, not urban, and the Greek Life is too crazy for me, it’s still a very reputable school)
@apple1893 After reading your post, I would highly recommend not taking the May SAT and do a lot more practice with Khan Academy. It seems like major studying over the summer would help you a lot more, if you need to raise your score by a lot.
@apple1893 Hey, I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t get the score you wanted. But kind of like your mom said, your score doesn’t define you. Plus what you got is above the average SAT score, so don’t feel too bad! Think about it like this: a couple years from now, your score won’t matter anymore. It’ll just be a number that everyone use to care about but not anymore, and you’ll probably even forget what it was. Your life and future will not be based on one single standardized test, and I know that you’ll be able to be successful and do amazing things without it. Since you’re retaking it, just study and do your best, but when you get that score back, don’t make it seem like your life depends on it, cause you’re much more than 4 single numbers.