So I am looking at college...

[Toastedlightly]

Is there a book or something that could help me compare colleges? Anybody have any experiance with any of them??

-Toastedlightly
Using OT for answers since 04.

 

[nageov3t]

barrons?

us news college report?

 

[chrisms]

If you have a few in mind mention them here and you can get some info from people on their personal experience, whatever that is worth. Collegesearch.com and a bunch of other sites have basic college info (avg. SAT and GPA of entering freshman, number of students, programs, etc.)

 

[ChooChooChooseMe]

Collegeboard.org?

 

[chrisms]

There was also this really good site I found, forget what it's called though.. had a bunch of different ratings and personal stories from students. Ratings had things like how hard it is to get laid, how much people drink on campus, how good are the professors, etc. It was a fairly large site so it shouldn't be hard to find on google

 

[Toastedlightly]

Well I am thinking of going in as a chemical engineering major. Colleges I am thinking of/looked at:

University of Minnesota: Twin Cities
University of Wisconsin: Madison

anyone have experiance with either of these?

 

[Kipper]

http://www.petersons.com/

 

[Brackis]

answer us these questions:

1. GPA and SAT Scores (if you have taken them, and any SAT2s or APs), along with the type of highschool you go to (public? private? smart student body? dumb student body?)

2. Some general interests you have for a major or career. In addition, are you looking for a school that is known for having a strong department in this subject, or are you interested in also attending for a well rounded undergraduate education based upon the school general reputation?

3. Preference for location? Big School? Urban? Rural? Suburban? Don't care?

4. Does tuition cost matter?

5. Circumstances that may hurt or help your case when applying (ex. are very good at a sport, have a legacy (family member attended) or connection at a particular school, failed algebra II, etc...)

 

[Toastedlightly]

Originally posted by: Brackis
answer us these questions:

1. GPA and SAT Scores (if you have taken them, and any SAT2s or APs), along with the type of highschool you go to (public? private? smart student body? dumb student body?)

2. Some general interests you have for a major or career

3. Preference for location? Big School? Urban? Rural? Suburban? Don't care?

4. Does tuition cost matter?

5. Circumstances that may hurt or help your case when applying (ex. are very good at a sport, have a legacy (family member attended) or connection at a particular school, failed algebra II, etc...)

1. GPA of 3.5. Taking the SAT and ACT in June (I am only a Junior right now). I go to a public highschool, pretty much a dumb school.

2. Science.. chemistry really. Perhaps physics. Mathematics.

3. No preferences on location.

4. Tuition does matter, but if alot can be covered with loans and scholarships I should be alright.

5. Nothing that would really help or hurt. Lots of volunteer work.

 

[amol]

is you GPA of 3.5 weighted or unweighted?

and did you take any Honors/AP/IB classes?


edit: and do your teachers know you well? you're going to need them for college recommendations ...

my biology teacher (went to Berkeley) had a student for 2 years (Biology and AP Biology) and he sent in a huge recommendation that ultimately got that student into Berkeley

 

[Mo0o]

US news COllege report is pretty comprehensive.

 

[esun]

If you want to ask some kids like yourself as well as some college kids, try the www.collegeconfidential.com forums. They have some pretty active members that know about which college suits what type of people.

 

[Toastedlightly]

Originally posted by: Amol
is you GPA of 3.5 weighted or unweighted?

and did you take any Honors/AP/IB classes?

That is unweighted. I took all the 'advanced' classes, currently in AP classes and College in the Schools classes.

 

[FleshLight]

What ap/ib classes you taking? Any sports/extra currics? What awards have you recieved? Any setbacks (like someone dying, getting cancer, etc)? What'd you get on SATs/SAT IIs? 3.5 weighted or unweighted? Leadership positions in anything?

 

[Brackis]

Originally posted by: Toastedlightly

Originally posted by: Brackis
answer us these questions:

1. GPA and SAT Scores (if you have taken them, and any SAT2s or APs), along with the type of highschool you go to (public? private? smart student body? dumb student body?)

2. Some general interests you have for a major or career

3. Preference for location? Big School? Urban? Rural? Suburban? Don't care?

4. Does tuition cost matter?

5. Circumstances that may hurt or help your case when applying (ex. are very good at a sport, have a legacy (family member attended) or connection at a particular school, failed algebra II, etc...)

1. GPA of 3.5. Taking the SAT and ACT in June (I am only a Junior right now). I go to a public highschool, pretty much a dumb school.

2. Science.. chemistry really. Perhaps physics. Mathematics.

3. No preferences on location.

4. Tuition does matter, but if alot can be covered with loans and scholarships I should be alright.

5. Nothing that would really help or hurt. Lots of volunteer work.

Volunteer work is a nice thing to have, it certainly shows colleges that you are able to function outside of a textbook and notes. I would definitley suggest practicing for the SAT and ACT tests as your GPA is hard to judge (not high enough to be exceptional, but certainly not low enough to make you a moron).
In the Midwest when I was looking at school I liked Carnegie Mellon and Northwestern which both have great general academics and science programs, but are very tough to get into (this is where the SAT could help you if you score high). Both are expensive, but cover 100% of "demonstrated need" if you can get in.
UW@Madison is also a great school.
As someone from New England I am only making uneducated guesses as to what your options and chances are (ex I never took the ACT and know nothing about it). If you can formulate solid application essays and get high standardized test scores you have a great shot at most places.
Start early, talk to teachers about possible writing recs for you, do something worthwhile over the summer, make drafts of essays, finish out the schoolyear well and into the fall, etc...

What was your PSAT score?

 

[amol]

you say you go to "dumb" school? what do you mean by dumb? most kids dont apply themselves or they dont go to college?


off topic ... i dont know if i should be happy or worried that out of the 107 students in the country who got a 2400 on the first new SAT, 4 of them are in my schools junior class ... whether that gives students from my school an extra boost or if it puts more pressure on us ...

btw, im a sophomore

 

[judasmachine]

oh god you had to ask! i remember one called something like "Sally's guide to schools" or sumsuchshiat. compared profesional reputations, and costs to hotness of the student body and parties.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: Amol
you say you go to "dumb" school? what do you mean by dumb? most kids dont apply themselves or they dont go to college?


off topic ... i dont know if i should be happy or worried that out of the 107 students in the country who got a 2400 on the first new SAT, 4 of them are in my schools junior class ... whether that gives students from my school an extra boost or if it puts more pressure on us ...

btw, im a sophomore

It hurts you if you're in that class but will benefit the students after them.

 

[Pepsi90919]

BWAHAHAHA I JUST GRADUATED !!!!!!!11

 

[Brackis]

Originally posted by: Amol
you say you go to "dumb" school? what do you mean by dumb? most kids dont apply themselves or they dont go to college?


off topic ... i dont know if i should be happy or worried that out of the 107 students in the country who got a 2400 on the first new SAT, 4 of them are in my schools junior class ... whether that gives students from my school an extra boost or if it puts more pressure on us ...

btw, im a sophomore

It doesn't hurt you if you are getting good grades. If you have good grades then even if your scores are lower (from what I've read and heard about you I doubt you will score poorly), then you are demonstrating that in the classroom you are on par with higher scoring kids. I'm guessing you go to one of those uber crazy california schools where half the kids go to UCLA, Cal, Stanford.

 

[amol]

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: Amol
you say you go to "dumb" school? what do you mean by dumb? most kids dont apply themselves or they dont go to college?


off topic ... i dont know if i should be happy or worried that out of the 107 students in the country who got a 2400 on the first new SAT, 4 of them are in my schools junior class ... whether that gives students from my school an extra boost or if it puts more pressure on us ...

btw, im a sophomore

It hurts you if you're in that class but will benefit the students after them.

then it's good for me

they're in the junior class, i'm in the sophomore class

 

[Siva]

Do you want a big school or a little one? Do you want to talk to your professors or are you ok with only interacting with TAs until you're a grad student? What kind of social atmosphere are you looking for, ie drinking/frats? There's more to college than academics.

 

[amol]

Originally posted by: Brackis

Originally posted by: Amol
you say you go to "dumb" school? what do you mean by dumb? most kids dont apply themselves or they dont go to college?


off topic ... i dont know if i should be happy or worried that out of the 107 students in the country who got a 2400 on the first new SAT, 4 of them are in my schools junior class ... whether that gives students from my school an extra boost or if it puts more pressure on us ...

btw, im a sophomore

It doesn't hurt you if you are getting good grades. If you have good grades then even if your scores are lower (from what I've read and heard about you I doubt you will score poorly), then you are demonstrating that in the classroom you are on par with higher scoring kids. I'm guessing you go to one of those uber crazy california schools where half the kids go to UCLA, Cal, Stanford.

yeah, it's a crazy high school (for a public high school)

Majority of the students go to USC, UCLA, Cal, Stanford, and UCSD

A couple go to Cal-Tech, Harvard, or MIT

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: Amol

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: Amol
you say you go to "dumb" school? what do you mean by dumb? most kids dont apply themselves or they dont go to college?


off topic ... i dont know if i should be happy or worried that out of the 107 students in the country who got a 2400 on the first new SAT, 4 of them are in my schools junior class ... whether that gives students from my school an extra boost or if it puts more pressure on us ...

btw, im a sophomore

It hurts you if you're in that class but will benefit the students after them.

then it's good for me

they're in the junior class, i'm in the sophomore class

Yup, it would be bad for the junior because colleges usually accept a certain number of students from each highschool and those spots will probably be taken by the 4 kids that you mentioned. But since they scored so well they bring up the prestige of HS so it'll be in your advantage since you're a sophmore.

 

[amol]

back to the OP ...

how are you compared to the other studnets in your class?

top student? top 5%? top 10%? how big is your class?