The right college, all things included

<p>My question to all willing to listen is where should I go. Feel free to use this as a thread to praise your alma mater or bash another. I am a senior in high school, and therefore looking at where to go. The academic side (aka where I can get in) is this:
32 act
5.5 weighted gpa
4.94 unweighted (one b one semster ever)
Ranked 14/558
AP: Euro History 3 (sophomore, didn’t take it seriously), US History 4, taking Calc, microecon and gov this year
Played soccer freshman and sophomore year, moved to a different state, will play volleyball this year.</p>

<p>The personal side is that I am a pretty normal white guy. I have a job as a waiter (15 hours a week right now), and play basketball and volleyball outside of school I have lived in 4 places, 3 in which I have gone to school. They were northeast Tennessee (K-8), San Diego, California (9-10), and a suburb of Chicago (11-present). The ranking for me goes 1. San Diego 2. Chicago and 3. Tennessee. San Diego I liked best because of the laid back attitude of most everyone who lived there (the weather helped too, alot, I hate the cold with a passion); within my first week of freshman year I had been invited to go surfing, not because I was an insanely cool or awesome kid, but because the attitude of the general people there was much friendlier than anywhere else I have lived. People didn’t make a big deal over little things, very relaxed. Chicago ranks second simply because it is average. The people are ok, but tend to make big deals over trifle matters. Also the weather sucks, and I am looking for a college that avoids snow altogether quite frankly. Tennessee ranks last because of its people. The amount of intolerance and people pushing religion on you was enough to drive me up a wall. I am not religious, I do not shout this in people’s faces, I am much more reserved than that. However, somehow people found out my beliefs and made it the personal mission of themselves and their parents to try to convert me, which to a degree is fine, but daily is irritating. Also racism (true racism, I am very desensitized and find things funny that most would find very offensive, because they are in a joking manner, not serious) bothers me, despite being a white kid. </p>

<p>Why the city rankings? You might be asking. Well I think how I rank the places I have lived best describes my views on what I want in a college. Questions such as do you want a large university are to the point, but too much so, an overall grasp of what kind of people I want to be around is not obtained. Also the frat boy mentality bothers me, the only going after sex thing. There is so much more than that. Same with partying, I have no qualms with alcohol or the people who drink it. I personally don’t (don’t like the taste quite frankly), and the people that only ever talk about what crazy things they did at a party or when they are going to get drunk next bother me. There is so much more than that, and when I can’t have a conversation with you without you bringing up getting drunk I am going to stop talking to you. </p>

<p>So, based on this, and any follow up questions you have, where do you think I would be a good fit. Major largely undecided, leaning towards being a lawyer in the future, but from what I haev read major is largely irrelevant to getting into law school. Why lawyer? Love to argue, that simple, I will argue any side of anythig with pretty much anyone, just for the mental exercise.</p>

<p>I am going to apply to usc and U of Arizona (family), and I don’t know who else. I will apply to the following also, simply because they all sent me their personal no application fee application: Loyola, St. Johns, Fordham, Marquette, Loras, Tulane and University of Dayton. Also might apply to U of Miami, Truman College, University of Chicago, Vanderbilt, Nebraska, Carrol College, Hawaii Pacific and U of Hawaii. All of these sent me things unsolicited (among others), and Carrol and Truman’s letters both hinted heavily at scholarships.</p>

<p>Please don’t apply to ALL of those schools–even those that waive application fees. You’ll still have to pay to send your official SAT/ACT transcript (unless the application allows self-reporting or reporting on official school transcripts, but even then, it’s a waste of time to do so many applications). Research the schools that you’ve listed beyond unsolicited mailings, and determine whether they’re the right fit.</p>

<p>If you want warm weather but not the South, look at California and the Southwest.</p>

<p>Let me preface this by saying, I know nothing about the college application process, I have 2 older sisters but neither went to college, so the process is foreign. On the personal applications or whatever they are there is a spot for act score. Do I still have to get the act company to send them my score after I fill it out on the application. ALso our school mails our transcripts for us, do I need to send that with my application?</p>

<p>It is different for every school. If the “checklist” (should be on the school’s website) asks for OFFICIAL ACT scores, then you will have to pay separately to send those. I believe you can send 4 for free if you indicate the appropriate schools at the time of testing. If the school will accept scores from official HS transcripts or self-reporting on the application only, then you’re golden. But even then, if you’re not interested enough in a school to research it thoroughly and decide if it’s a good fit, an acceptance letter come April will not change the situation.</p>