Looking for more Likely School Selections [3.95 GPA, 1490 SAT, pre-med or other pre-health]

College Search & Lists
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Trying to expand on my kid’s list of likely schools.

Cost not a factor, has enough financial support to cover both undergraduate and graduate (including medical school).

Currently thinking pre-med. Was considering nursing at one point, but seems to have decided that medical school is the preferred path. Would consider some sort of post grad BSN to PA path if medical school doesn’t happen.

Wants a warm location - no midwest or north east/west. Is on the fence about Texas, but hasn’t ruled it out.

Current favorite is UVA. Looking for something similar. Wants a defined, attractive campus, decent school spirit, some Greek life without it being overly dominant, strong and challenging academics. Kid thrives being around other academically motivated, hard working kids who prioritize education, but who are still socially active.

Typical “smart” kid - has a 3.95 unweighted in all APs and honors classes, 5s on the two APs taken thus far, volunteer hours, decent ECs revolving around healthcare but nothing extraordinary, so pretty average in terms of smart, high academic achieving kid without having cured cancer etc. Currently has a 1490 SAT but will re-take to hopefully improve.

Schools other than UVA that are currently on the list are Richmond, Wake, Duke, Tulane, UCLA, UCSB, UCSD, Santa Clara, USC, Vanderbilt. Looking to add liklies and maybe lower targets. Suggestions? TCU and SMU have been thrown around, but the kids who go there from our school tend to be the tier below academically than my kid. Would probably do well in a small honors college within a larger university.

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State of residency may affect how difficult state universities will be for admission.

A likely or safety school for admission will typically have mostly students who have lesser college admission credentials.

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I would have your student research the requirements for PA school to see if this would work.

Take a look at Pitt and the University of South Carolina.

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Yes, I understand that, but it’s maybe more of a “fit” thing. The kids who tend to go to those two schools from our high school are the ones who tend to take only core level courses (vs honors or APs) and have much weaker test scores, and are not nearly as academically motivated. Nothing wrong with that, just maybe not the fit my kid is looking for.

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I no longer understand the likley, lower target terminology TBH. You already have Richmond, Santa Clara and Tulane - but also consider U Miami, U Florida, and U Georgia in the 50/50 group. If you want safe, TCU and SMU are appropriate IMO (UMD is in the middle of the 2 groups with Santa Clara).

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Your List So Far as an FYI -

Reach - Duke, UCLA, Vanderbilt

Low Reach - Wake, USC

50/50 - Tulane, UCSB, UCSD, Florida, Georgia, Miami

Low 50/50 - Richmond, Maryland, Santa Clara

Safe - TCU, SMU

Take it to the bank!

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TCU and SMU would be nothing like the rest.

Since you’re asking for targets - the first I thought of and it’s safe - is Miami Ohio. It’s not warm - but one could argue UVA isn’t either.

If he likes UVA, are we not looking at W&M. If he likes Richmond, Wake - are we looking at Elon? How about a Trinity San Antonio? Richmond is also very different given it’s business / pre professional focus.

What about special programs at lesser schools - for example, the College of Charleston
Fellows.

This wouldn’t bother me - there are studs everywhere. Not for you because of Greek Life but Alabama has, if not the most, right there of National Merit Scholars - and for kids that aren’t, their merit aid is insane. You don’t need money - but brilliant kids from all over (including 1100 from CA) - they buy them in. They have the McCullough Medical Scholars. The school is not what you describe, but the point is, yes, your student is strong, but there are strong kids everywhere - so yes, not all will be acadmicky like him but more than you suspect. My kid went to College of Charleston (she got into top publics and W&L) - so statistically she was near the strong point - and they have programs for that - and her rigor and classmates were top notch. Her BFF at school turned down Rice, Penn and Vandy to attend…this is a reach because it’s an invite only program - but he has the stats. And you have the Medical U of South Carolina right down the street - and many Charleston students do research, etc. there.

UF is another to look at - but much larger than UVA. I mentioned Alabama and NM scholars. Well, who has the highest percentage - Tulsa. Two years ago - it was 25% of the class. Well, Tulsa has historically been a Rice/SMU back up and is safe for your kid.

Similarly, Furman has been a Wake/Duke back up - so those are two you might look at since you want likelies. Rhodes is a well thought of LAC - if he’s interested.

Really, there’s many schools but the first one that stuck in my mind (likely) is Miami Ohio but it will be a bit colder than UVA. Other strong publics are just different than UVA in environment, etc.

On the private side, schools like U Miami might work - a harder admit than SMU - but is need aware and it’s not a match/likely but easier than a Vandy/Emory, etc. and has school spirit.

I would open your mind to “less academicky” kids - all schools have smart kids and your son will navigate to them. Not a UVA environmentally, but ASU has arguably the top Honors college (today it’s UGA but historically it’s been ASU and U of SC). I’d say environmentally U of Arizona is more aligned to UVA than ASU - and it has a wonderful Honors College.

Will the overall student profile be as strong - nope. Will the top notch kids cluster and will there be many? Probably.

That he’s going to med or PA school - the school name will matter zero.

Good luck.

College of Charleston | Charleston Fellows

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How about UGA? Clemson? What about Florida schools?

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I like some of these suggestions so I added them for you.

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Just echoing others, but South Carolina has a really well-regarded Honors college, and seems like a strong fit in general:

Same with Georgia:

Finally if Texas is viable, I would definitely second Trinity University as an option to check out.

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These are all good suggestions, thank you. I think we’re looking to take SMU/TCU off the list because of them potentially not being the best fit, so looking for schools that will fit into those slots.

I’m a bit surprised that people are suggesting Richmond and Tulane as 50/50s. Tulane I would agree with for ED, but there are so few seats left in RD that I think it becomes a reach, and kid doesn’t like Tulane enough to do ED there. I would slot Richmond firmly into the “target” range with an acceptance rate in the low 20s.

UGA and South Carolina are definitely being added to the list for consideration. I suggested Elon to the kid, after some research it was declared “bland”. Who knows what that means, but kid didn’t feel the vibe there for some reason. I was surprised kid liked Richmond, but I think the strong school spirit, pretty campus as well as the excellent acceptance rate to medical school (one of the highest of all schools we have visited) put it firmly into the yes category. I am encouraging kid to investigate William and Mary but I think it might be a little too quirky, that was at least my impression when I visited with an older child.

Hadn’t considered Maryland. Will take a closer look. U Miami was initially on the list, but we as a family worry about the excessive wealth culture there. Partying on million dollar yachts isn’t really the scene I want my kid exposed to.

Will also look more closely at Clemson and the Trinitys.

One other school kid has tossed out as a suggestion was Auburn, but I don’t see it mentioned here. I don’t know much about it, what are people’s thoughts on that?

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Maryland admits nearly all frosh EA, so non-EA frosh applicants should consider it a reach.

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I’m surprised Richmond is on the list at all - because it’s not a fit for what your student wants.

We don’t know the rigor - you simply stated all Honors and APs.

What level of math, how many years of foreign language, how many years of science, etc?

From what you wrote - a 3.95 with two APs thus far - is not a lot of rigor.

So Richmond may be a reach - it’s hard to know with what you laid out. But it doesn’t fit what the student is seeking in my opinion whereas a Furman would (and be safe). I agree with you that maybe some have classified too easy - but if you tell me he’s got Calc BC and 3 years of language and AP sciences and social sciences - it may be a target or even likely - full pay and being from California would be helpful.

And yet you have schools like Wake Forest - it’s the same - so few need based…i.e. rich kid school.

UMD - not like UVA at all (hence I mentioned Miami Ohio) - size wise alone it’s much bigger. You’re going North (cold) from UVA but then Miami of Ohio or even a Delaware might be better here if being like UVA matters vs. a UMD.

Auburn is a fine school - but again, you’ve put your student in a bucket above academically - so this would be another. Great school - many are - but will the average student be close to - at least what you disclosed with GPA and SAT - no. But if you look at Auburn, I feel that Miss State - you don’t need a safety because Auburn is safe but I see a lot of similarities in those two schools - and both are strong in STEM with Miss State up and coming. It would be more similar environmentally to UVA than Auburn but Auburn would have stronger overall students.

I based suggestions on the list of schools you provided - but honestly neither Richmond or Tulane fit the student based on what you described and SMU is another uber wealthy but you’re taking it off.

St. Louis U, catholic and not warm but UMD warm, is well known for its pre health type things - and if you’re considering UMD, Pitt would be a better choice all around - and easier admit.

Maryland is not a likely school - I’d say target (maybe likely but not safety). Great school - just didn’t fit the - UVA is a leader category nor does it fit the others you mentioned…IMHO, of course.

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Note that the Arizona State University (but not its honors program) would be assured admission with a 3.0 unweighted HS GPA with the specified high school course work completed.

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I’ll answer a couple of questions. Took two APs sophomore year. School doesn’t allow freshman to take APs and limits sophomores to 3, with the caveat that the third AP can only be AP Comp Sci, which kid has zero interest in taking. Is taking the max allowed of 5 this year as a junior. Will end high school with MVC, is taking BC currently. Has taken honors Chem, AP Chem, currently taking AP Bio and will take AP Physics next year. Yes on 4 years of language, this is a non negotiable at our school, has been in honors language all 3 years, will take AP language next year. Will “double up” on math next year in that will have AP Stats as an elective (in addition to MVC, which is obviously not offered as an AP). School does not do dual enrollment other than for kids looking for technical/trade type futures. Has taken an additional honors science as an elective every year, so will have more than the 4 required science credits. Our school dings for A minuses but doesn’t give bonuses for A pluses. So the 3.95 is the result of one B+ one semester of freshman year and one A- sone semester of sophomore year. The remaining grades all semester have been As or A+s.

I disagree strongly that Wake and Miami have the same culture. Wake has a rich kid culture, sure, that doesn’t worry me too much as my kid falls in that category. Miami has a billionaire kid culture and we don’t fall into that category. The rich kid social life in Winston Salem is nothing like the uber rich kid social life in Miami. Know several families who have kids at both schools.

We also have a ton of friends with kids at Miami Ohio. Our school sends many kids there each year. I think it’s nothing at all like UVA (where we also send tons of kids). I don’t see the similarities personally, but we can all have different opinions. It won’t be on the list because it’s midwest and too cold. UVA not the hottest place of the planet, but significantly warmer in winter than where we live, thus categorized as “warm” to us.

Richmond definitely isn’t the first choice. But kid could see being happy there if it comes down to that.

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Those of us who have been around this forum for awhile see this often. The high stat pre med wannabe kid who is aiming for prestige and name recognition. They want to go to a school where upon hearing the name alone it is assumed that they are “smart.” To me it sounds like this kid doesn’t know what they really want to do, might want to do something in the health field, yet is looking down on other kids who also don’t exactly know what they want to do. It’s odd to me. These kids are in high schools where they are around a wide range of test scores and GPAs and around kids with all sorts of different ideas about post grad plans yet parents (and kids) believe they will only be successful if they are in a “more academic” environment.

I don’t consider any school a safety unless there is 70% or higher acceptance rate, the kid would be happy going there, and its affordable. Med schools accept kids from all sorts of schools. If the kid decides on nursing, going to a non direct admit nursing school makes it potentially more difficult. The choice of majors dictates what interests their peers may have. More competitive majors end up with more competitive kids.

I’m seeing lots of reaches on his list and not many slam dunks. You don’t want this kid totally shut out with zero acceptances. Time for the kid to temper expectations and learn they can be successful anywhere they attend.

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Okey dokey. Not my first rodeo, this child is very similar to an older child that was admitted to many on this list with very similar stats (but slightly better ECs), so while I know this kid isn’t going to be accepted to all of them, I’m not super concerned about zero acceptances. This kid actually isn’t aiming for prestige or name recognition. If that was the case, there would be significantly more schools in the T20 on this list. As it is, there are only three - UCLA, Duke and Vandy. If prestige was the primary goal, they would apply to several ivies, weather and location be damned. Also, the whole point of the post is to find schools are that are liklies, while still being good fits. So thanks for your opinion, but your comment isn’t helpful.

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Problem is, if “fit” means that the school does not have a large percentage of students with lesser college admission credentials, then that typically eliminates most or all possible likely or safety schools.

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As pointed out by previous posters in this thread, yourself included, that schools can have cohorts of more academically minded kids within the greater student body, resulting in better fit. Helpful posts have then given names of colleges where this is true. For what it is worth, I don’t necessarily believe that “college credentials” and “academically motivated, hard working kids who prioritize education” (the words I used in my original post) are necessarily one and the same thing. My kid does better with kids who prioritize academics, work hard, take challenging courses, even if that means their GPAs are lower (and therefore “credentials”) are lesser. Academically minded kids do not necessarily have to be the highest achieving kids (and vice versa). The kids from our school who tend to end up at TCU/SMU are the ones who don’t think it’s “cool” to do well in school, don’t turn in work, don’t participate in group projects, don’t care about producing the best quality work possible etc.

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Some of my kids have very similar stats to the OP’s student, even toured a few schools on their list, but as a donut hole family not eligible for FA, and yet on a budget, ended up at public universities in the honors colleges with students who had great academic credentials but with budgets requiring good merit.

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