Click here to go to the NEW College Discussion Forum

These are all the colleges I'm considering applying to. Some are reaches, some safeties, and the rest are good matches.

Cornell University
Boston College
Columbia University
University of Pennsylvania
Georgetown University
The College of New Jersey
Rutgers University
Loyola University
Lafayette College
Northwestern University
Duke University
Villanova University
Brown University

By Me1 (Me1) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 11:55 pm: Edit

I think we would really need to know what your preferences/interests/strengths/etc. are before being able to help you.

By Cuponoodles (Cuponoodles) on Saturday, May 31, 2003 - 12:51 am: Edit

Well. The reason my list is rather large is because I want to keep my options open. All the schools I selected pretty much cover everything (urban vs. rural, big vs. small, etc.) My major would either be biology related (hence Cornell), literature related, or business (hence UPenn (Wharton specfically)). I would just like some commentary on the colleges if you've visited them. Or know someone that goes to one of them...

By Soozievt (Soozievt) on Saturday, May 31, 2003 - 10:55 am: Edit

I agree with what Me1 posted. To truly help you, we need to know more about you and your criteria in selecting a college. How else would someone advise you in narrowing your list? It would be merely narrowing it by name alone or our personal preferences. Choosing a college is about YOU. First, we would need to know some things about your credentials so we can see which schools seem like good reaches, targets and safeties. Then, we would need to hear your responses to which criteria are important to you in a college....all those things like size, location, challenge level, academic interest area, particular extracurriculars, etc. etc. If you want to describe some of that, then maybe you can get more valuable advice. Otherwise, someone is just going to say which schools he/she likes on your list.

Also the schools on your list are very different and I do not simply mean by selectivity which of course you need some reaches and safeties. But for example, Brown has an open curriculum with few defined requirements and Columbia has a slew of required core courses. Lafeyette is small and rural and Penn and Columbia are urban.

Perhaps if you share more, some of us can help you further.

Susan

By Cuponoodles (Cuponoodles) on Saturday, May 31, 2003 - 11:55 am: Edit

OK.

GPA: (~3.8 unweighted)
SAT I: 1560
SAT II- U.S. History: 800
(Going to take Literature, Writing, and Math IIC in November/October.)

Junior Year:
APs- U.S. History and Environmental Science (relatively sure I got a 5 on both)

Senior Year:
APs- Biology, BC Calculus, English Composition, Macroeconomics, Government and Politics, and French.

-International Poetry Competittion Semi-finalist
-Essay featured in Concord Review
-Poetry published in various publications, including a poetry anthology, a national literary magazine, and a musical compilation of poets.
-Run website about 19th Century Literature
-Founder and owner of successful web-based business
-Self-taught guitar studies
-Volunteer at local hopsital (~350 hours accumulated)
-Alter boy at church (1 hr./week)
-Baseball coach for little league baseball team
-Private guitar lessons (1-2 hr./week)
-Take classes in literature and biology at a local community college

In-school clubs:
National Honor Society
Science Club (President)
Literary Magazine (Co-President)
DECA (Co-President) (Regional Champions, State Competitors and Qualifiers)
Computer Club (Vice-President)
French Club

By Cuponoodles (Cuponoodles) on Saturday, May 31, 2003 - 01:30 pm: Edit

I think I can eliminate some from this list after careful thought:

Cornell University
Boston College
Columbia University
University of Pennsylvania
Georgetown University
The College of New Jersey
Lafayette College
Northwestern University
Duke University
Villanova University
Loyola College

This is 10 colleges. Still too much?

By Sony (Sony) on Saturday, May 31, 2003 - 01:54 pm: Edit

i'd take out...loyola, villanova,lafayette,and boston.

By Sony (Sony) on Saturday, May 31, 2003 - 01:57 pm: Edit

take out duke too. This should leave you with 6 colleges...which is a pretty good. 5 to 8 is usually fine for strong students.

By Cuponoodles (Cuponoodles) on Sunday, June 01, 2003 - 10:24 am: Edit

Thanks guys. I'm taking out Loyola. I have 9. I think I could try to take out 1 more.

By Cru (Cru) on Sunday, June 01, 2003 - 10:10 pm: Edit

out with college of NJ

By Hash (Hash) on Monday, June 02, 2003 - 07:05 am: Edit

If you think of doing Bio .. apply to Cornell , Wash U in St Louis , Brown...

Business: UVA , Wharton , Babson , NYU should be good choices

By Uncchlocalmayor (Uncchlocalmayor) on Monday, June 02, 2003 - 10:04 am: Edit

duke.

By Ziplocky (Ziplocky) on Monday, June 02, 2003 - 12:00 pm: Edit

where are you from?

You sound like a PA resident.

By Cuponoodles (Cuponoodles) on Monday, June 02, 2003 - 02:28 pm: Edit

Jersey.

By Bbalin (Bbalin) on Monday, June 02, 2003 - 10:43 pm: Edit

With intrests such as yours, I would also recommend Stanford, Princeton, Johns Hopkins, the University of Chicago, and Emory.
If you want more info on these colleges, visit their websites and check out Fiske's Guide to Colleges or the Princeton Review's Guide to Colleges- they can be found at most bookstores, especially large ones like Borders or Barnes and Noble.
I researched, visited, and applied to Stanford, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, U. of Pennsylvania, and Cornell- email me at bbalin@hotmail.com if you want to know from me about these colleges.