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All right -- here goes. I'm a tad bit embarrassed to post my stats here, because from the look of things this site is most frequented by *cough*nerds*cough*over-achievers.

I'm American but I've lived and studied in Mexico for the past 7 years. I suppose I can be considered a minority, I'm half asian-indian. Just graduated from HS and am going to study in France for 9 months this October (language school, no degree involved.) I need to apply for college before I leave, in two months!

GPA: 9.3 on a 10.0 scale UW (3.7 on a 4.0 scale, I believe)
SAT I: 1400 (800 verbal, 600 math)
SAT II: 800 Spanish, 800 French, 740 Writing

ECs are BAD. Seriously, bad. I've done volunteer work (senior year only) and have had the occasional job translating transcripts. As for school-related projects, I've only been on a few committees, nothing I'd put on an app. Most of my time has been taken up by French lessons, which explains the lack of other activities. This is what I'm afraid is seriously going to damage my prospects. I don't really have anything to be 'proud' of except for the fact that I speak three languages. No talents, special hobbies, etc. so don't bother asking ^_^

I'm interested mostly in journalism, international relations, possibly PoliSci. I want to be in a decent-sized city, hopefully nothing under 200 thou. Preferably NOT in the midwest, though I'm open to suggestion. I'd love the east coast (I'm from Philly *waves Eagles banner* and would love to be somewhere near there). The west coast is good, too, the south is acceptable, though not Alabama, Louisiana or Mississippi.

So .... these are the schools I've been considering the most:

a)USC
b)DePaul
c)American (my mom grew up in DC, though, and HATES it, so it's a no-go)
d)BU
e)U. Miami
f)UT Austin (my Dad's top pick. He loves Texas, for whatever insane reason.)

Please, I need to know if these places are good for my intended major, if I have a good chance of getting in, and PLEASE suggest some OTHER safety, match and reach schools.

ALSO, v. important, no schools that require you take all SATs before Dec. of your senior year ... I took my SAT I in Oct. of my senior year but my SAT IIs just this past june, so that's no good for me. *grumbles* it blows, it really does. What can ya do? ;)

I appreciate it <3

By Alexandre (Alexandre) on Sunday, July 18, 2004 - 10:53 am: Edit

Journalism:
Northwestern University (match)
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (reach)
University of Wisconsin-Madison (safety)
USC (match)

Political Science:
#1 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (match) (must apply before October 1, but your SAT will be good enough and you don't need SATII)
#2 University of California-Berkeley (reach) (November 30 Deadline)
#3 Duke University (reach)
#4 University of Chicago (match)
#5 Amherst, Swarthmore, Williams, Haverford, Wesleyan, Carleton, Davidson, Washington and Lee, Bowdoin, Bates, Colby, Reed, Pomona, Oberlin.
#... Wisconsin-Madison (Safety)
(if you can improve your SAT math by a 100 without dropping too much on your verbal, you can add Harvard, Stanford and Princeton this this list)

International Relations:
#1 Johns Hopkins University (match)
#1 Georgetown University (match)
#1 Tufts (match)
#4 Wisconsin-Madison (safety)
(if you can improve your SAT math by a 100 without dropping too much on your verbal, you can add Princeton to this list)

I hope this isn't too confusing. Let me know if you have any questions!

PS: I know you didn't say Midwest, but Chicago, Ann Arbor and Madison are all great places to live. Chicago is one of America's three great cities and Madison and Ann Arbor are two of the top 5 college towns in the US.

By Vulcano (Vulcano) on Sunday, July 18, 2004 - 12:27 pm: Edit

Berkeley is an impossible reach for out of state, Northwestern is a reach not a match, University of Chicago is a reach.

Lilybbloom, your list is great, although I suggest applying to a couple reaches. But I do think you havea great list. Check out Indiana University for good journalism and good merit aid.

By Madness (Madness) on Sunday, July 18, 2004 - 12:54 pm: Edit

Lilybbloom, you can do better!!! I'm the same way, great academics/test scores and SUCKY EC's. (BTW, my own personal list has Northwestern as a match.)
For reaches, I would definitely add Tufts, Georgetown, and even Wellesley (good in polisci and I.R., not as good as Smith but Smith is scary). As a match/safety, I would add Kenyon (I knew a girl with much worse stats who got in), it's a little rural but a very good school.
Also, you could try NYU, i don't know how good its specific programs are, but you can't beat NYC for journalism opportunities.

By Blaineko (Blaineko) on Sunday, July 18, 2004 - 01:48 pm: Edit

Lilyb...

Although the schools on the following list of suggestions do not have an organized journalism major because they stress writing across the board, they do have great political science and international relation majors/independent options in IR.

My suggestions, given your stats include:

Cornell U (Reach/Match)
Davidson C (Reach/Match)
Middlebury (Reach/Match)
Colgate U (Reach/Match)

John's Hopkins U (Match)
U of Chicago (Match)
Grinnell C (Match)
Hamilton C (Match)
Trinity C (Match)

U of Rochester (Match/Safety)
Smith C (Match/Safety)
Emory U (Match/Safety)
Vanderbuilt U (Match/Safety)
New College of the U of S. Florida (Match/Safety)

U of Iowa (Safety)
U of Illinois--U-C (Safety)
St. Mary's C of MD (Safety)
Mt. Holyoke C (Safety)
Depauw U (Safety)
Skidmore C (Safety)
Denison U (Safety)
College of Wooster (Safety)
Reed C (Safety)
Lweis & Clark C (Safety)
Trinity U (Safety)

Some of the schools on this list look at ECs, some give them less weight, and some look for high SAT scores. If you write a great essay about living in Mexico and going to school for a short answer or in the space for additional iformation on the common app, you have a shot at some of the other Ivies (i.e. Dartmouth, U of Penn). You can move each school DOWN one selective category, IF your teacher recs and essays are very good to excellent. Think carefully about how you package yourself, and you can get in even at the top schools, so don't be discouraged.

Remember also that you can ED, EDI, EDII and/or EA at the school you most want to attend. It gives you a boost (sometimes a huge boost) to your app.

Hope this helps.

By Lilybbloom (Lilybbloom) on Sunday, July 18, 2004 - 01:55 pm: Edit

You've all helped me A LOT, thanks :D I'm surprised you think I can get in to such good schools ... I was actually also thinking about applying to places like Penn St. or Temple but you pretty much have me convinced to try harder.

I have a stupid question about Early Decision ... The thing is, I have no problem picking a top choice school and applying ED, but ... what about financial aid? Can I be ED on the condition that I get enough? Most of these schools are only options IF I get FA.

By Blaineko (Blaineko) on Sunday, July 18, 2004 - 02:38 pm: Edit

Well, most of the schools on the list I gave you gurentee to meet need of their ED or EA applicants.

On the list I gave you, in particular, Grinnell is very generous and gurentees full aid for all it's acceptees. They had the first poli-sci department, and have lots of internationals as well as US students. They are pretty liberal, but not in your face about it, so Grinnell is attractive to conservative students as well. And, although Iowa may seem in the middle of nowhere to some, I was truly surprised by it.

There are a couple of EA schools (there are more) I would suggest that do not have app fees too, that meet need:

Case Western Reserve
U Rochester
Trinity U

You would also qualify for merit aid, especially at:
U Rochester
DePauw U
Grinnell C

Mt. Holyoke C in MA is a very good school too. Don't worry too much that it is all-women, as men take classes there, and you can take classes and socialize at the other schools in the Five College Consortium (i.e. Amherst, Hampshire, U of Mass-Amherst, and Smith C.). There is even free bus service to kids at those schools.

I also like Smith C for you too.

I like Davidson College in NC and I think you have a good shot there. The are well know for producing wellrounded graduates who can think and communicate effectively.

As for Middlebury, although they gurentee aid, try NOT to apply ED, as some of my friends have said that you get a little bit more loan than grant if you do so. Aside from that issue, Middlebury has an amazing IR program and language school. Never mind, that they are linked with Breadloaf.

Hamilton, with it's focus on clear and communicative graduates, is particularly good at producing or training students to think and share their thoughts and ideas through writing, speech and work. Definately check them out. If you ED here, it definately helps--A LOT. I'm looking here as well.

Macalester C, although I didn't put it on the list above, is another amazing school with awesome financial aid prospects for you. Lots of different people and great programs, pretty much across the board. Again...great aid.

With all of the schools, check out their school newspapers to get a feel for the colleges or universities. That way, if visiting is difficult, you at least already know, somewhat, how it's going to be.

Anyway, sorry so long--just thought you'd like to know.

By Lilybbloom (Lilybbloom) on Sunday, July 18, 2004 - 02:41 pm: Edit

::Anyway, sorry so long--just thought you'd like to know.::

Don't apologize, that was great!! Thanks so much for all the info!

By Blaineko (Blaineko) on Sunday, July 18, 2004 - 02:45 pm: Edit

Lily...

If you get accepted ED, and the aid package is not enough, you can bargin with them, and if it still isn't enough, you can ask to be released from your commitment to attend, although you cannot later go to the school.

With most EA schools (excluding single-choice EA) you get a decision and aid package early, so at least you know that you are accepted (great for lifting the worry early) and what kind of aid you qualify for.

I'm sort of in the same boat as you, so I have applied to one ED school, two EA schools, then regular decision ones. I do have an EDII school ready if my first choice rejects me however.

Let me know what you do.

By Lilybbloom (Lilybbloom) on Sunday, July 18, 2004 - 07:51 pm: Edit

Blaineko -- thanks so much, I'll definitely let you know!

By Blaineko (Blaineko) on Sunday, July 18, 2004 - 10:20 pm: Edit

No prob Lilyb.

Good luck.

By Midwesterner (Midwesterner) on Monday, July 19, 2004 - 02:57 pm: Edit

Lily, I was wondering about this part of your post:
"ALSO, v. important, no schools that require you take all SATs before Dec. of your senior year ... I took my SAT I in Oct. of my senior year but my SAT IIs just this past june, so that's no good for me."

It's my understanding that colleges want all of your SATs done by December of senior year for those who are going straight to college from HS. (Otherwise, their scores would arrive too late for consideration.) Since you are taking a gap year, I doubt if it matters that you took the SAT IIs late in your senior year. Please get a clarification in writing from the colleges in question. Don't rule out a school because of a misunderstanding.