What are some good colleges that I can get into?

College Search & Lists
1

<p>Race: Asian
Location: Alabama
Gender: Female
GPA: 3.67 unweighted (I got all of my Bs except 1 during sophomore year because I was too focused on extracurriculars. I will explain this on my app), 4.5 weighted (most rigorous course selection)
Rank: not sure… at the bottom of top 10%
SAT: 2040 first time (630 CR, 730 M, 680 W); going to take again
Haven’t taken SATIIs yet</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
~ 4 years of policy debate-- first in the district in 2008, National tournament qualified (competed in Las Vegas), Quarter finalist and octafinalist at 2 national tournaments, First place at the Samford Institute tournament, several speaker awards</p>

<p>~ In 2008, I single handedly founded an international literary and art magazine which has published works from people from all across the US, Sweden, Canada, etc. It has received around 10,000 readers. I’m also currently the editor-in-chief. I’ve also designed and maintained the website for the magazine.</p>

<p>~ In late 2008/ 2009, single handedly founded an organization that encourages people of all ages to engage in hobbies that will make their lives more meaningful. It has members who’s shared their success stories from all across the U.S. I’ve designed and maintained the website for the organization.</p>

<p>~ 10 poems/photography published in 8 international literary and art magazines. Each have about a 20% acceptance rate.
~ Established website where I sell my photography, and have had pretty good income in place of a job.</p>

<p>~ Co-president of the AI club in our high school for 3 years. During my co-president years, the club has won the “best interest club” award from our high school.
~ I helped establish another club in our school during Sophomore and Junior year. I’m currently the co-vice president of that club, and it has more than 100 members.</p>

<p>~ Piano for 6 years-- state champion in 2007, honorable mention in state in 2008, district winner for 3 years (fresh-junior), winner of sonata competition in 2007, consistently invited to play in private recitals, etc.</p>

<p>~ I’ve volunteered at a selective Science center, the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America. I have over 500 hours of community service.
~ I’ve worked in a lab at a state university over the summer.
~ I’ve attended 2 national debate institutes over the summer
~Attended a selective Youth Leadership camp during summer 2008</p>

<p>~National Merit commended 2009
~Member of the Spanish Honor Society
~Member of National Honor Society
~Member of Mu Alpha Theta, a national mathematics honor society.</p>

<p>Everyone around me have unrealistically high expectations of the colleges I should get into. UChicago is my top choice, but judging from my low GPA, I don’t think I even have a chance. I’m getting very worried about next year and the acceptances I will get. What are some top colleges that I have a good chance in getting accepted to?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>What do you want to major in?</p>

3

<p>I’m looking to major in Biology and minor in photography/ visual arts.</p>

4

<p>You might consider Syracuse University. I think they built a new biology building and have a good program in visual arts/photography. You might consider re-taking the SATs.</p>

<p>Do you have any preference as to region of the country? Lots of schools have good biology and visual arts.</p>

<p>Northwestern
Vanderbilt
U Rochester
Emory
UVA
Wake Forest
UNC
William and Mary
NYU</p>

5

<p>Collegehelp,
do you think I even have a chance at Northwestern, Vanderbilt, ect. given my low GPA?
I’m very insecure right now :(</p>

6

<p>You have some outstanding extracurricular activities. I think that will help you. Yes, I think you have a chance at some of the more selective schools. You should definitely apply. All applicants should apply to a few “reaches”. You are an outstanding student with a lot of talent. Don’t sell yourself short.</p>

7

<p>Collegehelp,
Thanks! It’s very encouraging to hear that!</p>

8

<p>Consider Wellesley College if you are open to an all female school. Vassar College should also be considered as it is an excellent school which is quite liberal & artsy.</p>

9

<p>any other thoughts?</p>

10

<p>Anyone else?</p>

11

<p>As a state champion in piano, Oberlin’s conservatory & Northwestern University may be good options for you if you want to major in music. Northwestern will permit you to double major & minor in the College of Arts & Sciences if you are admitted, by audition & application, to the School of Music. Also, like Yale, Northwestern’s graduate school of music is tuition free.</p>

12

<p>That’s interesting, Coldwind. I’ve never considered having music as a major, although I’ve thought about minoring in it. However, despite my awards in piano, I don’t think my technical skills are strong enough to consider going into college with it. Biology is definitely my first choice as a major.</p>

13

<p>As a fan of LACs, I’d encourage you to look into: Amherst, Barnard, Bates, Bowdoin, Bryn Mawr, Carleton, Colby, Connecticut College, Davidson, Franklin & Marshall, Grinnell, Hamilton, Haverford, Kenyon, Macalester, Middlebury, Mt. Holyoke, Pomona, Reed, Smith, Swarthmore, Trinity (CT), Vassar, Wellesley, Wesleyan, Williams</p>

14

<p>ditto the above list…you do sound like a great fit for a LAC…use college to figure out where you’re going and save the big guns for grad school when they will mean more</p>

15

<p>Is it true that a lot of good liberal arts colleges don’t give out too much scholarships/financial aid? I’ve heard people who applied/considered colleges such as swarthmore complain about it, but maybe I have the wrong impression.</p>

16

<p>HAHAHA, you heard totally wrong. If you get in to Swarthmore you are most likely getting tons of aid all in the form of grant/scholarship too. LAC’s are expensive if your parents are loaded and don’t feel like spending jack. But if you are from a middle class fam, at a LAC you will receive plenty of good aid.</p>

17

<p>Most “top” schools dont give out that many merit scholarships aside from NMS (UofC, Vanderbilt, Emory and a few others do have very selective merit scholarships with essays etc.). However, they have financial aid plans that you shoud look into. Each school has a different way of offering you $.</p>

<p>But for LACs, I know Amherst has an awesome finaid intiative, as do others. I don’t know about Swarthmore, but from what I have researched, if you’re above the 75,000 dollar mark LACs and unis seem the same with aid.</p>

18

<p>My impression is that top LACs are very generous with financial aid. If you want to major in biology, then Williams College should be considered (although the Pres. of Williams left unexpectedly to become President of Northwestern Univ. & Williams College’s endowment took a big hit recently so I am not sure as to the effect on financial aid at Williams). I would delete several of the LACs from the laundry list posted above by another.</p>

19

<p>

Amherst, Bowdoin, Claremont McKenna, Colby, Davidson, Haverford, Pomona, Swarthmore, and Williams have all gone loan-free.</p>

<p>I would add Rhodes, Davidson, Reed, and Furman to collegehelp’s excellent list of suggestions.</p>

20

<p>Swarthmore is generally ranked as a good value college, in other words, a school where you can get a great instruction for a relatively low price. Princeton and Harvard, interestingly enough, though famous, are also ranked as good value colleges, according to a recent Princeton Review/US Today ranking. </p>

<p>About the complaints at Swarthmore about financial aid: Yes, about a month or so ago I think it was financial aid awareness week, or something like that, and students made signs saying that some students have received poor financial aid packages, or that the financial aid office was really frustrating because it didn’t factor in things that students felt needed to be accounted for in deciding how much aid the students would get. Partly, I think, because the campus body is so liberal, there was even a rally (I remember one guy asked me to attend.) and a petition, and several articles about the financial aid complaints were written in the campus newspaper and daily bulletin. </p>

<p>I really think that this is in large part an overreaction. I think that most students are very satisfied with the financial aid they receive (I certainly am.), and that the financial aid people get at Swarthmore is generally much better than how much they’d get at a lot of other expensive private schools. It seems that a lot of students who complained didn’t really take into consideration the fact that college is expensive, and just because you got into Swarthmore doesn’t mean that you can afford it. By now, a lot of the complaints have quited down.</p>