I know, pretty last second to ask for college suggestions senior year in December but just bear with me.
I just want to see if there are any other colleges out there that I have ignored or haven’t looked at that may be exactly what I am looking for.
Hispanic Male
3.9/ 4.0 UW and 4.5/5.0 GPA (top ten)
1380 SAT (720E 660M)
ECs are pretty general, but pretty good in context with my school
IR/ Poli sci major, but love history & languages so I may wish to double major or minor in those
I want a traditional campus but near a big city (but it is okay if strictly urban or strictly traditional campuses are suggested)
Strong internship/ study abroad programs
Some colleges on my list include UF (applied in-state), Macalester, GWU, Oxy, WashU, CMC, Tufts, UVA.
I have quite a lot of reaches, but I feel like I can get accepted to UF so might as well, but I am very open to more safeties/ matches (especially those that give merit). Reaches can be suggested also, preferably ones with generous aid. Feel free to ask any questions!
I’d just add Holy Cross, if you want to go north. Top-notch academics all around, really as strong as anywhere, and particularly strong in your areas of interest. It’s in Worcester, actually 2nd or 3rd largest city in New England. It claims to meet full financial need. Worcester was an old industrial city but is redeveloping. It’s actually home to several universities besides Holy Cross–WPI (terrific STEM school), Becker, Clark, U Mass School of Medicine, etc. So something of a college town. And about an hour to downtown Boston by commuter train. You might also peek at Clark.
You have Macalester on your list, and I think that’s a great choice for your areas of interest.
Dickinson and William and Mary are also places maybe to peek at. Dickinson is beautiful, also great for your areas of interest, we love it, but small town and remote, so maybe not for you given your urban preference. W&M has top-notch academics and is in a beautiful little college town and right adjacent to restaurants, coffee shops, etc. in the historic district. It’s a public university; aid is pretty limited for OOS students, but not out of the question. Jon Stewart, Robert Gates (CIA/Defense Secretary), James Comey, Jen Psaki, and Serge Kovaleski, NYT reporter, all are grads.
Of the colleges listed above –
Valencia – too low for you–it’s a community college (and a 4-year but mostly it’s a residential community college)
Santa Clara-- good, so-so aid, city
GW–terrible aid
American–terrible aid
BU–terrible aid
colgate–excellent aid–rural
Colby–excellent aid–rural
Middlebury–too high for you and excellent aid
hamilton–too high, excellent aid
URichmond–on target, good aid
occidental–match, good aid
kenyon–takes higher scores–reach–rural
miami–match – aid is hit or miss
fordham – match, aid not terrific
Holy Cross --excellent FA
Dickinson – excellent FA
W&Mary you’d be OOS (out of state) – don’t bother. Also would be a reach
You may want to consider–
Connecticut College–excellent aid, New London CT, target for you
Drew University – near NYC (on commuter train line); has NYC programs; pretty campus; merit
Southwestern University – in a cute town close to Austin, TX; good FA, match or safety for you.
Beloit – a little more rural than you’d like, but within reach of Madison and Chicago – long drives but still. Super inexpensive for you
Lake Forest – you’d get merit, just outside of Chicago, beautiful campus
Wheaton in CT – a little more rural than you’d like but within striking distance of Boston, has some great programs and a very attractive campus, good FA–you’d probably get merit here.
Earlham in Indiana – very nice campus, international program with Japan, and in city – Richmond
DePauw – safety for you, excellent FA
Dickinson definitely ticks your academic boxes although it is in a smaller town, is a match, and meets 99% of need of that matters to you. They do care about interest, so research for the Why Dickinson essay.