What colleges should I aim for? *test-optional student*

tsbna44
Fri, 13 Aug 2021 15:13:13 +0000

Congrats on a great record. You didn’t mention finances and these are always important.

For example, do you have significant need? Is your parents income/savings small - under $65K income - because if so, you might apply for Questbridge.

If you won’t get need aid, are your parents willing to pay $80K a year, etc because that’s what most these schools will cost.

The other folks are spot on with their chancing (Syracuse and Reed are likely) - the others are definitely possible buy unlikely. I’d put Bates into likely if ED.

I think you can get great merit aid - but you can’t at the top tier schools you listed because they do need aid only. The only school on the list that offers merit aid is Syracuse - so if you don’t have need and your folks don’t want to pay $80K, you need to scrap the list. While you didn’t ask about cost, that’s always a concern.

If cost an issue and you want small, you could look at schools like St. Marys Maryland, Richmond, Dennison, Gettysburg, Skidmore, Kalamazoo, Beloit. In other words, take the pedigree down a notch to schools where you would overperform the average student body.

You may also look at Washington & Lee which has the Johnson Scholarship and is as good in poli sci as anyone in the country. A professor there told me, per capita, they have the highest placement in government except for one other school - Sewanee. No way to prove that - but it’s what he told my daughter and I in informal chat. The Johnson Scholarship is designed to attract diversity - and while you’re a white male, you’re a first gen - so you never know. Getting on their email list will get you an application waiver. Other schools as well.

Good luck.