3.3 GPA with an upward trend
(2.68 9th, 3.29 10th, 4.08 11th)
29 ACT Composite
(24 M, 27 S, 32 E, 34 R)
Class rank is 23 of 219
No AP courses, 2 honors courses, and 1 dual enrollment course
Extra-Curricular Activities:
– POMS Dance Team (9th)
– Student Council (11th)
– Secretary of Variety Media Critics (11th)
– Theatre Internship (10th)
– Mentoring Middle Schoolers (10th)
– Treasurer of Book Club (11th)
– Zoo Volunteer (9th)
– Boys and Girls Club Volunteer (9th)
– Read Your Heart Out Volunteer (9th)
– Her Future High School Ambassador (10th to 11th)
– Book Blog + Bookstagram Account (11th)
I reside in Wisconsin, but I am hoping to venture out into the unknown, if possible. I live in a single-parent household, so finances are a huge barrier. My non-custodial parent will not be offering financial support, so I presume my EFC will be $0/year. I have already decided on my “safety” and target schools, but I can not seem to decipher which schools would serve as good reaches for me.
I am undecided about what I would like to major in as I have different interests in a range of disciplines, but I do know that I am not interested in the STEM field. I want to attend a school in/near a big city. Additionally, I want a school with opportunities for students who aren’t majoring in fine arts to take courses within that realm and be involved in productions or ensembles. I think I would like a smaller to a mid-size student population, but this is not a strong preference of mine. Oh, and I am a biracial (black + white) female, so I would like a school that has some diversity or is known for being inclusive.
If you could suggest any reach schools for me, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks in advance!
You have decent grades and the upward trend is impressive. I’m sure there are many “reach” schools that would be excited to have you. However, I think your challenge is going to be the finances. You should look into those that meet full demonstrated needs, like Denison, Richmond or Boston University.
According to https://profile.collegeboard.org/profile/ppi/participatingInstitutions.aspx , Denison, Richmond, and Boston University require the CSS Noncustodial Profile, which can make getting financial aid more difficult if the noncustodial parent is uncooperative or has substantial income or assets but will not pay.
Do not assume that your EFC will be $0. Run the net price calculators found on each school’s website.
Since you are in WI, you will have tuition reciprocity with MN. Have a look at their schools, especially UMN-TC.
How far away do you want to go? The schools on the coasts will have more diversity than the schools in the midwest. Have you looked into women’s colleges?
I second the idea of women’s colleges. Women’s colleges tend to produce strong women who achieve well in their careers.
You might want to look at Simmons or Agnes Scott–Simmons is in Boston and AS is near Atlanta. The caution here is that your GPA is high enough to get in probably but the loans portion of your aid package might be pricey. Proceed with caution. I would apply to the schools and see what FA package they create for you.
Also look at Hollins University in Virginia. It might be perfect.
To check your approximate financial burden for all colleges, I recommend using College Navigator web site. You can locate your college then click on the tab and find your family’s income bracket. That’s a quick way to find schools basically in your budget range.
Of the three schools I mentioned, Hollins U is the most reasonably priced for you and it’s located just outside of Roanoke, VA.
Closer to home, Alverno College in Milwaukee looks like it’s reasonably priced too.
Though not located in a city, you might want to also check out Berea College. It’s tuition free, and you work 10 hours a week. The cost is about $6K per year for everything else and it’s highly respected for its academics. You’d graduate with great work experience in addition to your academics.
But be sure to check whether the college requires non-custodial parent financial information before using the net price calculator. If it does, then be sure to include both parents’ financial information in the net price calculator, rather than just that of your custodial parent.