Where did you get that number?
I donât understand why you donât have a school like St. Olaf on your list. Itâs geographically close, and it meets 100% of the demonstrated need.
My other concern for you with schools in the northeast is the cost of travel - flights, hotels, train tickets. Even getting a ride to college from MN will mean a hotel stay and other costs.
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The common data set that each school (most schools) publish.
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I ran out of common app slots and my counselor said that she hates it when people use coalition because itâs confusing on her end. I donât wanna burden her and even myself bc I applied to so many schools but yeah. Iâm not crazy about st Olaf either (specifically the location) so thatâs why itâs not on my list. Same with Carleton (doesnât have my major)
Meet need/no loans colleges also include money for transportation (as well as books and incidentals) in the COA covered by FA.
The way the most generous colleges meet need is different from the way most colleges do, which is why I think OP should run the NPC and apply to her favorite one that offers the best no-loans option ED2.
Since OP loves Yale, itâs worth checking Vassar and Brown out. (Brown is very good for premeds). Because (health) advocacy is her strong point, wondering whether Smith, Scripps, Grinnell, Bryn Mawr/HaverfordâŠ? might be worth considering.
Then again these might not work (vibe, costsâŠ)
I agree OP should have Macalester, Carleton, and StOlaf on her list, as well as Grinnell (RD). What do you have against Northfield? (I really like the town and the Twin cities are easily accessible).
@bumblebee2:
Try to use Coalition - talk to your GC, she may be okay considering your situation (real possibilities at the most selective colleges, high financial need).
Send (dm) your essay(s) to the official CC readers to know what you could improve.
For Yale : email your rep and ask when the LOCI/ update should be sent.
Youâll need to send your updated course list and your 1st semester grades as well as anything youâve been doing or been awarded.
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Concordia-Moorhead?
Remember that you must spend 4 years fruitfully, wherever you go, and hopefully, happily 
Which among 1-4 is your favorite (all 4 offer something different than UMN TC)? Why?
FAFSA only means a max of about 6k in federal grants if your efc(sai) is 0 + a 5.5k loan. So if merit aid+11k donât make the above colleges they must be crossed out. Are any unaffordable with maximum federal aid?
If this list holds, itâs what OP originally posted - I assume 1-8 were the units b4.
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities EA (in state, college of science and engineering) waiting on honors and scholarships
10.Macalester college (community health) (RD)
11. George Washington university RD
Low reach
12. University of Michigan EA PPE
13.University of North Carolina health care policy EA
Reach:
14. .Yale university REA ethics politics and economics
15 .Harvard university (RD) government
17.University of Pennsylvania (RD) health and societies
18.Columbia university (RD) public health
19.Princeton university (RD) SPIA (school of international affairs)
20.Brown university (RD) public health
21.Cornell university (RD) public policy analysis and management
22. Stanford University (public policy) RD
23. University of Chicago (RD) public policy analysis
24. Duke university (RD) public policy (maybe if time)
25. Wellesley RD
26. Vanderbilt RD Public Policy
27. Northwestern university (RD) social policy
28. USC (RD) public policy first choice
I personally believe - OP has to relook.
I think 12-28 are all unlikely.
#10 could be and meets need- not sure what the NPC said.
#11 is not affordable.
Some on 1-8 are not affordable.
So I do think more schools need to be added - that meet need. A Berea, F&M, Denison, etc. Of course, if the full ride comes through, then that solves that. Or UMN and living at home.
Hereâs Every College That Offers 100% Financial Aid (prepscholar.com)
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To answer why I donât like Northfield: itâs pretty rural for my liking (all of the schools on my list are in big cities/suburbs) and carleton didnât have my major (it was on my list before but i removed it due to this)
I removed george washington from my list because of the npc value and replaced it with another school.
I believe those schools are unlikely too. I might add one easier, more attainable full-need met school. But otherwise, I am completely fine going to the UMN since I can graduate two years early and I love the school so much. I am completely aware that my list is crazy and am fine with getting rejected from all of them and ending up at my safety/match (umn) if worst comes to worst.
thank you guys so much for your help though! Iâll look into those easier full need met schools. you guys have been so so helpful during this process and I am prepared to get my decisions back.
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Definitely apply to Berea.
Okay, I understand with regards to Northfield.
Itâs one criterion and students all need reasons to cut their lists! (although just so you know HS students generally vastly overestimate the time theyâll spend off campus.)
Smith, Bryn Mawr, and Scripps will appreciate your experience in advocacy and youâll get a geographical diversity boost. Theyâre not as reachy as 14-28.
Northwestern Social Policy is a good one because you match what theyâre looking for in that specific school&major.
Why Columbia rather than Barnard ?
My advice would be to choose 5-6 from 14-28 (in addition to Yale) and add 5-6 from meet-need colleges that arenât Ivy+, including Berea.
Donât do that. College isnât just about piling up classes. A key research finding wrt FGLI students outcomes is that many donât realize a job doesnât come from good grades (or not from good grades alone). Positive outcomes depend on building relationships, leading projects, having internships -all things that should make sense to you considering your amazing work in health advocacy.
Imagine if youâd applied to Yale after 2 years in HS? They wouldnât even have read your application.
You need to build a schedule over 4 years -nothing wrong with using your scholarship to take graduate classes as an undergrad, adding a sequence of stats classes, studying abroad and becoming fluent in a foreign language while studying their health systems, etc. Most importantly, plan to continue your work in advocacy and build your presence in the TC.
Many students have said the same - but itâs like saying I am tough, I can take the punch.
But getting beat up day after day after day? Itâs brutal. It hurts in many ways. First when you hear. Then again when you start questioning yourself. And again when you have to tell your parents, relatives, friends. And then when you hear others at school. Each time getting punched where it hurts.
And then it happens again. And again. And again.
Itâs unbearable and destructive, no matter how fine you are with UMN.
Iâm trying my best to describe the reality of getting rejected from 12 or 15 schools in the span of 2 months but itâs impossible to fully understand it until it happens to you.
For this reason I ask all my advisees to pick some schools they like that arent sub 20% acceptance so good news can cheer them up from time to time during Senior Spring. Legit selective colleges they like where they have much better odds than a 1 in 10, 1 in 15, 1 in 20 or even 1 in 30 regardless of how outstanding they are.
Weâre all rooting for you.
Take time to process the Yale decision - not what you wanted but still hopeful.
And then create an order of priorities, perhaps 1 reach, 1 non reach, 1 reach, 1 non reach, etc.
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will definitley add berea to my college list, i looked into it and i like the school, but the location is iffy so im still thinking about it.
barnard: i love the school so much but it doesnt have my major :((
umn: i was fine with graduating in 2 years because that meant that i could apply to law school and go early! but i definitely understand. i really want a college experience but taking classes at the U (even though I love the school a lot) has made me realize that getting out of there as fast as possible would be a great thing for me. I will definitely look into taking masters level classes though! Who knows, I might change my mind on that.
And I say this because I havenât received any information about scholarships (or even honors :/) from the UMN so if theyâre taking my money the might as well take as little of it as possible.
ok, so your words struck a cord with me, especially since if I was sad over a deferral, I canât imagine how sad i would be over many rejections. i made a coalition account and am applying to any easier match school with no supplements, right now since coalition has no limit I am applying to:
Berea
Smith college
Bryn Mawr college
Mount holyoke
Bates
Washu (got into the fly in)
Franklin and Marshall college
Colby
Middlebury
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Many will want demonstrated interest so sit it on sessions, open emails, play videos - of the ones that want it. âŠlike an F&M.
Also remember for those that give credit, you may not be seen as attractive since you wonât be giving them four years.
Berea works because everyone is economically disadvantaged - vs others that still need rich people.
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D23 attends Mount Holyoke they also like demonstrated interest. She did the supplemental question, virtual interview, and we did one webinar. Good luck!
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Sign up for âjoin our mailing listâ at each college listed in #171 and click open what rhey send, and if you see something interesting clixck on that or if that raises a question email your regional rep (" Hello, my name is BumbleBee2, Iâm a senior at âŠHS /a Title I school/ in downtown StPaul/inner Minneapolis/RuralMN/Bloomington⊠and Iâve signed up for xxx collegeâs mailing list because Iâm very interested in applying to your ⊠major. When reading your website/ an email sent to me on ⊠12/⊠I noticed that they mention ⊠, ⊠â asking for details, clarification, to be put in contact with the student mentioned, etc etc.
Thank you. Sincerely, Bumblebee2)
A new countdown has started: 10 days to go (roughly).
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Actually - if your goal is still Public Health, they have a great 4+1 opportunity that results in a 5 year MPH you had mentioned earlier you were seeking:
https://barnard.edu/beyond-barnard/4plus1-pathways/4plus1-pathway-public-health
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Thatâs great! I looked into it and it did say that you had to be a current student at Barnard/columbia so Iâm not eligible unfortunately. I like the idea of a combined program though!
The idea is that youâd follow the recommended path as a student once admitted⊠ie., apply to Barnard now, mentioning the program as a reason why you are applying, as well as the SPP minor (âwhy usâ essay) + any club that does the same type of advocacy you do.
https://catalog.barnard.edu/barnard-college/courses-instruction/science-public-policy/
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Oh and also generally: I donât think I will apply Ed 2. I only like a few schools in particular that donât offer Ed or do but I donât want to commit to a school this early in the process and want to look at all of my options.
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Naturally, you can only participate after you have been accepted to Barnard 
But, once accepted, you will be âa current studentâ and would start taking the prerequisite classes in your first three years. In the first two years youâd be attending 4+1 pathway sessions, meet with a 4+1 faculty adviser, etc. to map out your course plan etc.
Then, in Junior year, assuming youâre still interested, you gather up all the application material, letters of recommendation and formally apply to into the 4+1 program. Youâd start taking Masters classes during Senior year and during year 5.
Until December of Junior Year you are still completely flexible to change plans, go for a completely different field of study, a different major etc.
VERY good suggestion.
By emphasizing their unique 4+1 MPH pathway, you are showing very specific interest, which could help your application.
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For optional essays are they really optional? For duke I wanted to do 2/3 because of time and wanting to take the last week of December to edit my essays, and for northwestern I wanted to do 2/3 essays as well (1 optional). Will this hurt my chances?