<p>I have seen some schools that have things about it that interest me. These are not schools I ever see mentioned here, and they are not top tier schools based on news reports. But things like small class sizes, or extra curriculars that I like. Or maybe I met a professor and loved what they had to say.</p>
<p>Then, I feel like I just need to put top tier schools at the top, and then only consider those schools as back ups. </p>
<p>I would love some good advice here. I do not know what I am going to major in, but, I know that it will be a liberal arts major. I have to be able to do music in college, even if I am not a major. I should add that I am likely to be a math/science major.</p>
<p>“Then, I feel like I just need to put top tier schools at the top, and then only consider those schools as back ups.”</p>
<p>Why? Most of the world outside of this website hasn’t heard of any prestigious colleges other than Harvard anyway, and won’t care. So you may as well go somewhere you actually like.</p>
<p>You may want to check the courses and curricula at the colleges of interest to make sure that they have the academics you are interested in.</p>
<p>Small frosh/soph classes are most likely to be found at LACs, other non-PhD-granting schools (e.g. some non-flagship state universities), and community colleges. But check the class schedules for each school to see what the class sizes are. The LACs may be more limited in upper level courses in some subjects, but those with cross registration to conveniently close research universities can allow you to minimize this problem.</p>
<p>There may be top-tier schools with the same characteristics. Making a list of those characteristics, then finding schools with these characteristics and varying levels of selectivity is a good way to narrow your college search.
Finally, top tier school often have much better need-based aid, so that’s a consideration if your family is not super wealthy, but if you fall above the top 75% you stand excellent odds of getting merit aid at some lower tier schools especially if your family can pay for a good chunk of tuition.
All in all though, I wouldn’t go for 4th tier and I wouldn’t pay private prices for 3rd tier (3rd tier with full tuition +Honors program is okay though, depending on your goals and personality, etc)</p>
<p>always put top tier in quotes…
“top tier” because it is based on fluff.</p>