<p>Should I just drop out of high school and sell Metros outside of the subway for a living? </p>
<p>Seriously, I think Penn is the only school that I even want to go to, but my ACT was only a 29 and my SATs were abysmal and I might not be able to retake those SATs before the Early Decision deadline. </p>
<p>What are some good safety schools I should consider just in case I fail at life and don’t go to Penn? thx!</p>
<p>What are you interested in? Where you planning on Wharton? If you were, there are MANY good business schools around the country, some of which at less competitive schools which will pay you good money to attend. </p>
<p>We’ll be able to give you better recommendations once you list your interests / what you hope to get out of college.</p>
<p>Well I want to study medicine and get into a good med school and eventually become an anesthesiologist. </p>
<p>What I want out of a college…well it has to be in Philly because I don’t wanna leave all my family/friends and I wanna go to a large school because i been in a small school (masterman h.s.) since 6th grade and i just wanna try something different. I was considering swarthmore but I don’t know if I wanna do that so…iono lol I was gonna apply to penn state, temple, drexel, la salle, and maybe a few HBCUs like cheyney or morehouse (even though morehouse is far, far away) but ionooo, anyway thx for ur reply fhimas88888888! ^_^</p>
<p>Well, in fact, Swarthmore has a very good science program (probably one of the best liberal arts science programs in the country). 
[I always gots ta put in da plug fo my skiizie, yo.] </p>
<p>As far as studying the sciences, however, I think you’ll be hard pressed to find a university that doesn’t have a good science program. Though I respect your preference to stay in Philly, I really encourage you to consider branching out of your city. Philadelphia certainly has a fine choice of colleges, but I think you’ll find the selection much better if you branch out just a bit. You’re lucky that you live in the east, and all the cities are so close to each other. A trip out to New York or Boston is not as much of a trek as it may seem. Furthermore, while family is certainly important, I believe that departing from high school friends is an important step to take in college, so you have the opportunity to ** redefine** yourself and your values. Though the transition may be initially easier, I believe you will find benefits further down the road. However, if it is the financial situation that limits your travels, by all means, stay in PA.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, I encourage you to look at schools in Boston, New York, and DC, as you will find more of a selection. Originally, I had said that I ** COULD NOT ** go to a school that was not near a city. However, as I neared April 1 (the national reply date), I found myself placing a much smaller value on ‘proximity to a metropolitan area.’ Your values will likely change, so it is a good idea for you to apply to a range of schools - big and small; and in PA and beyond. </p>
<p>Also, seek out schools that publish statistics consistent or below your academic standing (average GPA / class rank / SAT scores) with honors colleges. Many times, these schools’ will reward you with nice financial packages along with a separate college consisting of a student body that resembles a more competitive institution.</p>
<p>You should sell something other than metros. You can actually make a lot of money if you know what good/service to offer. The problem with most high school dropouts is that they don’t think outside of the box.</p>
<p>Anyways, Swarthmore is nice. And the other schools in the Quaker Consortium. </p>
<p>Penn State, too.</p>
<p>Hey dont sweat it. Im applying ED too and Im not exactly tough competition</p>
<p>Actually, I think he should Swat it. </p>
<p>hehe - sorry, I couldn’t resist.</p>
<p>penn state is awesome. true, penn is a much more amazing school but if u dont get in it shouldnt be the end of your life, after all, most people dont get in. there are great science programs in a lot of different schools, and you’ll have more of a life at a school like psu than at an ivy like penn. and if this doesnt convince u, remember, penn state is the #2 party school in america, lol, and it still has very successful graduates</p>