I'm 1 in 1.3 billion...nice. Need suggestions/refining.

College Search & Lists
1

<p>Location: Northern California (next to Berkeley if that matters)
School: Competitive Public…sent around 20 to Berk, 10 to UCLA, 12-15 to Ivies
Rank: around top 5 or 10% out of 350
Ethnicity: Asian American</p>

<p>GPA: 4.00 unweighted, 4.4 weighted
SAT: 2180 (780CR, 730M, 670W)
SAT2: 780 Math2, 770US, Guessing 750+ Bio in Oct
AP: Euro 5, Calc AB 5, US 5, Stat 4
Senior Year schedule: AP Calc BC, AP Bio, AP Psych, Ap Enviro, Honors Spanish 4, English 4, Gov/Econ
EC: About that…i guess i was rasied to believe that admissions was all about stats (like my parent’s home country, Taiwan) but i have a lot of volunteering/work hours, piano/flute experience but no big awards, used to be really good at the abacus (won 3rd and 5th nationally for age group)</p>

<p>now to the real issues…

  1. Great History and Biology programs (interested in medical future)
  2. School pride (i absolutely LOVE Basketball and so D1 is a huge plus)
  3. Size: i dont think i can survive a small LAC but i want to have good personal teacher relationships that thrive in LAC environments.
  4. Suburban or Urban (but not like NYU types) and anywhere in America (as of now)
  5. Cost: I definitely need tons of financial aid, so schools with a great FA reputation.
  6. Diversity
  7. No huge religious affiliations (im Presbyterian btw)
  8. Not a huge deal but…laid back, group environment? i like group studying.</p>

<p>Looking to apply to 8-9 (2 safeties, 3/4 match, 3/4 reach)
super rough list looks like: Brown (open curriculum is really intriguing, only ivy i could see myself fit in), Duke (used to have residency in NC, huge fan), UCLA (used to live in LA, Lakers=life), UCB (close by, although all the asians in UCLA/UCB are overwhelming), UCD, UCSD, Johns Hopkins, Rice, U of Texas.</p>

<p>open to anything. DEF need safeties.</p>

2

<p>you have great shots all of them.</p>

3

<p>How about Rutger’s in New Jersey. You can definitely get in and even though you are from out of state, I feel you would receive a ton of financial aid. Also, they are a D1 school. There basketball is suppose to really pick up as they have received there first All-American player from high school. There are a ton of research opportunities and the classes are a nice size.</p>

4

<p>How about Michigan?</p>

5

<p>i guess in my matches and safties i want to look into public schools. </p>

<p>i know the big names in terms of high educational values are the ucs, u of texas, u of mich, u of w, and u of virginia. (i will not go to UNC.) if anybody can comment on those with personal experience or any research they’ve already completed would be a tremendous help.</p>

<p>and just wondering… can uc berkeley/ucla be considered matches not just for me, but just in general? my guidance counselor said that everyone should treat them as reaches, but that was when i only had a 2000 SAT. if anyone has any stats handy for admission rates for instaters (real word?) please post them.</p>

6

<p>dang i just missed that last post.</p>

<p>Michigan sounds like a good match (but its basketball team/football team did blew significantly last year). However its hefty price tag for oos concerns me unless they offer good financial aid. </p>

<p>thanks for the responses. im planning to have my final list done by wednesda.</p>

7

<p>I can’t help but suggest Michigan state as a safety? I know I’m biased, but honestly with your stats, you’d receive large scholarships automatically through the honors college (at the very least, a minimum equivalent to in-state tuition, with paid research with a professor starting your first semester and an automatic 3-5K study abroad scholarship). It’s very decent academically (there’s the lyman briggs residential college which is for students in the sciences that has a strong reputation in getting students into good medical schools), with Div. I sports (their basketball team kicks Michigan’s butt if I can say so myself, and their football will likely improve).</p>

8

<p>I didn’t know Taiwan had 1.3 billion people. Ma Ying-jeou, you stud you!</p>

9

<p>You aren’t going to get good school spirit at UCSD or UCD as much as you would at UCLA or UCB.</p>

10

<p>I believe you were born in US. That is the great advantage for you compared to international students</p>

11

<p>just thought id get a little creative, plus i was caught up in the Olympics (women’s gymnastics ftw). </p>

<p>pitt is looking good right now as a safety. the football/basketball is on the rise, but i heard there isn’t much of a campus. i really don’t like to commute if possible</p>

12

<p>I’d stay in California and save your dough. So many big schools to choose from. Fresno State can be your super-safety.</p>

13

<p>got to rice fool. you’ll get bored at duke in the fall when their football team turns in another 0-12 season.</p>

14

<p>hahah…i know they blow so much. at least they have a new coach.</p>

<p>it’d be kind of cool to see memphis crush rice in the c-usa during the winter now that i think of it, and am i reading this right…there’s ED and EA at rice?</p>

15

<p>Uwash, Boston University, Penn St are all great safeties for you… i would probably add Boston College to your list,… look into Univ of Chicago…</p>

<p>u got a shot at everywhere u are applying so a safety like Boston Univ would ensure you are going somewhere… i think you are def going to get into at the very least one of those that you are applying too</p>

16

<p>Does Rice even have a football team? They’re good at baseball but that’s it I think</p>