Reviews of colleges in or near big cities for great (but not outstanding student)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is a good student (A- unweighted at a decent but not "top tier" private school outside DMV), strong standard ECs (varsity sport/club leadership, community service), strong SAT (1510).
Major: Undecided social sciences

Has anyone had a DC attend or have experiences at these colleges that you'd be willing to share?
University of Denver
UW Seattle
McGill
UC Davis or UC Santa Cruz
Santa Clara
U Wisconsin Madison

Finally, would these reaches (USC, BU, tufts, NYU, UCSB, Michigan) be too high of a reach for this profile student? He's interested in applying but I'm afraid they're too reachy.

UCSB and UCDavis are about the same for selectivity. Both are great schools but not located in big cities. OOS is a far easier admit. When you hear about 4.0 UW top stat kids not getting into UCSB or UC Davis they are probably from the Bay Area. If your kids gets into Davis, he’ll get into UCSB.

Davis has a really cute town, restaurants stay open late, lots of live music, very public transportation and bike friendly, train station right next to it. Sacramento is one stop, SJ is about 3 hours, you can take Amtrak to Richmond and switch to BART to get to SF. California Zephyr runs to Truckee (Tahoe). Nice kids, more parties than DS was expecting and he enjoys it. Housing is easy.

Santa Cruz. Easier to get into and beautiful campus literally in the redwood forest. They have a shuttle that runs into the city/town. Housing is a nightmare. It feels remote even though you are close to San Jose. The drive up 17 to San Jose can take 30 minutes or 3 hours depending on traffic. It’s a somewhat treacherous highway with frequent crashes but beautiful drive.

Santa Clara cares about demonstrated interest so go visit and do all the stuff that requires demonstrating interest. Apply early action. SC is in an urban/suburban area. Easier to get into than UCs. Santa Clara area is nice, a little boring but very close to downtown SJ and there is a Cal Train station right next to campus for easy access to SF. Housing is easier than SC but more expensive than Davis.

[Anonymous]

What about BU general studies? It’s an easier admit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about BU general studies? It’s an easier admit.

Sorry didn’t read 1510. Ed should get into arts and sciences. Maybe not management or engineering.

[Anonymous]

add Georgia and V Tech

[Anonymous]

My DS with similar stats got decent merit at Denver and Santa Clara EA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:add Georgia and V Tech

V Tech is far from the city though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:add Georgia and V Tech

Neither of these are in or near a big city - Athens, GA is pretty far from ATL.

You mentioned McGill. Would you consider U Toronto or UBC in Canada? Both are big but very good schools in cool cities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is a good student (A- unweighted at a decent but not "top tier" private school outside DMV), strong standard ECs (varsity sport/club leadership, community service), strong SAT (1510).
Major: Undecided social sciences

Has anyone had a DC attend or have experiences at these colleges that you'd be willing to share?
University of Denver
UW Seattle
McGill
UC Davis or UC Santa Cruz
Santa Clara
U Wisconsin Madison

Finally, would these reaches (USC, BU, tufts, NYU, UCSB, Michigan) be too high of a reach for this profile student? He's interested in applying but I'm afraid they're too reachy.

I’ve never seen St. Louis University, but maybe SLU?

Also, Syracuse University.

[Anonymous]

A boy with good grades and 1500+ SAT from a strong private school has a good chance at Tufts if he applies ED (only do that if he really likes it). FWIW, my DS is there and LOVES it (had a similar profile and a couple other academically strong but not tippy-top boys from his private got in ED...the girls had a harder time)....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS is a good student (A- unweighted at a decent but not "top tier" private school outside DMV), strong standard ECs (varsity sport/club leadership, community service), strong SAT (1510).
Major: Undecided social sciences

Has anyone had a DC attend or have experiences at these colleges that you'd be willing to share?
University of Denver
UW Seattle
McGill
UC Davis or UC Santa Cruz
Santa Clara
U Wisconsin Madison

Finally, would these reaches (USC, BU, tufts, NYU, UCSB, Michigan) be too high of a reach for this profile student? He's interested in applying but I'm afraid they're too reachy.

BU and NYU - very good ED candidate.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U Denver could be a safety. My DS with lower stats got in EA with merit. We did not visit or demonstrate any interest.

We were underwhelmed with most UC schools besides Cal and UCLA, and the process of applying to UC schools OOS was eye opening.

Consider Fordham (target) and University of Oregon (safety)

I can’t imagine a kid going to Oregon over UC Davis academically. UCD is a harder admit than Oregon but a reasonable target, with a higher OOS admit rate around 60% than in state around 40%.

[Anonymous]

Good shot at NYU and BU.

Might want to consider the DC schools - GW, AU, maybe Georgetown depending on the high school.

Maybe consider BC, Villanova (both are Catholic) or Brandeis (Jewish).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about BU general studies? It’s an easier admit.

Or UB? University of Buffalo ? It checks every box for OPs DS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Michigan is a maybe. 1500+ SAT is good.

There is a home for kids who are not Ivy shoo-ins.

ED is new this year. Make sure the price is not a barrier. If so, don't bother with ED or EA.

Do not apply as an Econ major. It's too popular. Pick another social science.

If applying EA, apply as early as possible. Show interest by attending webinars, trying to meet an AO at a college fair or at school, and signing up for any junk mail.

ED OOS at Michigan was a nightmare this year. It was a wasted ED because they deferred basically everyone just like they have been doing for years in EA. Did not improve chances of getting in at all. What a joke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is a good student (A- unweighted at a decent but not "top tier" private school outside DMV), strong standard ECs (varsity sport/club leadership, community service), strong SAT (1510).
Major: Undecided social sciences

Has anyone had a DC attend or have experiences at these colleges that you'd be willing to share?
University of Denver
UW Seattle
McGill
UC Davis or UC Santa Cruz
Santa Clara
U Wisconsin Madison

Finally, would these reaches (USC, BU, tufts, NYU, UCSB, Michigan) be too high of a reach for this profile student? He's interested in applying but I'm afraid they're too reachy.

I have a similar DS (private school, good ECs, same GPA range, 35 ACT). I kept hearing how boys like this are sought after by top colleges, but he has had surprising deferrals so far. Maybe the January round of EA decisions will be better, but it has been hard for him.