Suggestions for some good fits/likelies/safeties?

College Search & Lists
1

<p>Hello… I’m posting this for my sister, who’s having some trouble coming up with a balanced list of schools. She has plenty of reaches, and a few good fits, but needs some more good fits, and then a few likelies and safeties. Her list as it currently stands is:</p>

<p>Amherst College (reach)
Boston College (good fit)
Brown University (reach)
Johns Hopkins University (good fit to semi-reach)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (reach)
Princeton University (reach)
Swarthmore College (reach)
Tufts University (good fit to semi-reach)
University of Pennsylvania (reach)
Williams College (reach)</p>

<p>Some stats…
[ul][<em>]SAT score of 2230 (CR: 690, M: 760, W: 780) & ACT of 35 (36 on math and science, 34 on critical reading and writing).
[</em>]GPA is somewhere between 3.9 and 4.0 and she’s first in her class (small private, CT school).
[<em>]Taking/has taken a bunch of APs (7 or 8) and all honors classes
[</em>]Has held leadership positions in both a couple of school clubs and on a varsity sports team, and has earned several academic honors (Cum Laude, National Merit, school-specific awards).
[li]Is highly involved in both piano and flute as an accompanist (piano & flute), orchestra member (flute), school band member (keyboard), and private student (piano & flute).[/ul]</p>[/li]
<p>Lastly, her preferences…
[ul][<em>]Majoring in music and/or chemistry, so would like a school with strong programs for both of these.
[</em>]Wants plenty of opportunities to join student instrumental groups.
[<em>]Would like the environment to be relatively serious from an academic standpoint.
[</em>]Isn’t very interested in attending a school with a huge frat scene (no more than 20% of the school’s population should be involved in that).
[<em>]States she’s looking in are: Pennsylvania (but no further west than Harrisburg), Maryland, Delaware, the Washington DC area, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York (but not NYC proper or the upstate “snow belt” area).
[</em>]From a size standpoint, she’d be interested in attending a school ranging from 1,500 students to around 15,000 students.[/ul]</p>

<p>Thanks (in advance) for your suggestions!</p>

2

<p>Hopkins sounds like a really good fit, due to their association with Peabody Conservatory. Rice, University of Rochester, and Oberlin sound like safeties/easy matches, but she may need to compromise on the geography. She would be pretty much assured of Northwestern, and it has the programs that she wants. It might be good as a solid match.</p>

3

<p>Maybe Skidmore and TCNJ might be worth a look.</p>

4

<p>Wesleyan and Vassar seem like they would be around the good fit range for her.</p>

<p>I agree about Skidmore as a safty. Maybe also Conneticut College as a safter option?</p>

5

<p>Thanks for the suggestions so far; they’re all greatly appreciated! Any other ideas… particularly for “likely” and “safety” schools?</p>

6

<p>Vassar as a decent high safety.
Colgate as a match. :)</p>

7

<p>Ehh Vassar’s not a safety. Skidmore probably is though.</p>

8

<p>Sorry folks… as much as I would love my sister to attend the same college as me (Vassar), she’s said no to the idea, so it’s not going happen :). Thanks for the suggestion though! </p>

<p>Also, she’s decided that upstate New York (the Colgate, Skidmore, University of Rochester area) is out too. I kind of get the feeling that she is more interested in sticking close to the Atlantic coastline (RI, CT, eastern PA, MD, DE, Washington DC, MA, NJ). </p>

<p>That being said… any other thoughts?</p>

9

<p>Trinity (CT) as a safety…</p>

10

<p>If you are a little atheist why are you applying to a Catholic College (Boston College) ?</p>

11

<p>LOL good point. I’m not the one applying to college… this is a post for my sister.</p>

12

<p>I don’t know if this is the case, but if she likes the idea of Vassar but doesn’t want to go to the same school as you, DEF. have her check out Wesleyan, because it fits all of her criteria.</p>

<p>Some other safer ideas, though I’m not sure how good their music programs are:</p>

<p>–American
–Dickenson
–Muhlenberg</p>

13

<p>Goucher is safe, and they have cross registration with Hopkins and Peabody. Carnegie Mellon is likely- good for sciences and arts. Catholic University could be a great safety, too.</p>