Please Help Match/Chance a Rising Senior

AustenNut
Mon, 11 Jul 2022 03:15:39 +0000

You have a very interesting profile that I think will attract a lot of admissions officers. A high SAT score from a school that’s not known for being an academic powerhouse is definitely going to grab people’s attention. Combining that with a strong background in Chinese and extensive music experience in bands, plus the desire to study some variation on astrophysics, and I think you could be very interesting to schools. Obviously, there are many, many qualified applicants to the most popular schools, but I think you definitely stand a chance.

All the schools listed below offer majors in both Chinese and physics.

Lehigh (PA ): Met 97% of financial need and has a similar size undergrad population size to Tufts.

North Central (IL): Only met 81% of financial need, but between financial aid, academic merit aid, and possible music merit aid (available to nonmajors…and athletic band counts), I think this would be a definite possibility. There’s a train from Boston to Chicago, and then Naperville is a short train ride or 44m drive from Chicago. And there are certainly lots of direct flights between Boston and Chicago, too.

Wellesley (MA): I’d take a long, good look at this one. It’s the only women’s college offering majors in both Chinese and physics, according to College Navigator, and it’s in the Boston area. Tremendous alumni network, too, and all the opportunities that @aquapt mentioned. Based on what you’ve said, if the Net Price Calculator is promising, this would be hard to not ED to. Meets 100% of financial need (as they calculate it).

Union (NY): Meets 100% of financial need. A good school that’s not nearly as competitive for admissions as other possible ones (47% vs Wellesley at 16% or Tufts at 11%).

Vassar (NY): Also will meet 100% of financial need. Not a shoo-in for you, but I think you might have a shot.

Boston U (MA): May not have the traditional campus feel you’re hoping for, but it’s in the Boston area, has the majors you’re looking for, and now meets 100% of financial need for incoming freshmen.

Norwich (VT): I don’t know much about this school except that it’s about a 2h drive from Boston, offers majors in physics & Chinese, and is a private school that meets 81% of financial need. But like North Central, I wouldn’t be surprised if you ended up getting a very generous package from Norwich.

And as mentioned above, I think that U. Mass – Amherst should definitely be a strong contender for you.