where to apply?

[JaBlue]

Hi. I have no idea where I want to go to school. I'm 17 and about to start (yes i'm behind) the app process.

I have good grades in the toughest classes - about half As and half Bs. I was way ahead in math and took calc as a junior and physics C and AP chem and all that stuff but there are a few problems. I got bored in a lot of classes and ended up missing [I wouldn't say that I've been missing it!] about 1/3 of school. I still got the grades, just didn't show. In addition to that, I took only 4 classes at school last year instead of 6 because I took calc and some finance class through berkeley online. I got incompletes in both classes because they stopped being interesting. This year I only have 3 classes at school, but I have two self study philosophy pass/fail classes that I made up myself so that I could do something interesting.

Anyway, with all this wierd [censored] about me I figure htey'll either love me or hate me and I have no idea where I'm going to get in.

I write better than just about all my peers, for what it's worth (not on here though).

Other things: I am top 100 in the US for my age in chess and I had a summer job where I got to learn about finance. I am also an avid mountain biker and road biker. I ended up quitting my summer job after school year started because it was shitty pay and I wasn't learning anything in return for my grunt work, which was what I expected. And I'm the best jazz guitar player in the county. I was never involved in school so I was never in any clubs or president or anything but I am well liked.

I also did pretty well on Standardized tests with 2140 (equiv ~1400/1600) on the SAT and 31 on the ACT and some reasonable SATII and AP scores

In terms of where I'd like to go to school, I don't want to go to a huge school with 3000 in a class, although if I have to I guess I will, and I don't want to go to a tiny school with 300 in a class. Ideal class size is prob. 500-1500 with some wiggle room. In terms of location I'd probably like to be on a coast and at least within driving distance to a city. I visitted dartmouth which is in the middle of nowhere but I liked the campus a lot. Having casinos within driving distance is a bonus.

Lastly, I'm not sure what I want to study so I'd like the school to be well rounded. I think I might like to be a writer so a strong english department is good. I also love music, so a music school is good too - it must have jazz, though - I ain't playing Beethoven or Bach. And philosophy is very interesting to me too. I am good in the sciences and math although I really doubt I want to study them much. Business is kind of interesting but I discovered over the summer I need more than money in a job to be happy in life (why the [censored] am I playing ******?!?)

Anyway, if you got through this, I'd like suggestions on where to consider applying and if you know the school well, support for why I should apply there would be great too. Keep in mind where you think I might get in and that I don't want to be surrounded by morons. I definitely want to have fun as I'm all ready in the habit of going out, getting drunk or high, etc. quite a bit.

Thanks a ton.

editted to add that I live near san francisco right now so the UCs are definitely big parts of my choice although they are probably too big for my liking

[El Ishmael]

Class of '11?

[El Ishmael]

Look in cities. Not like I have any experience in the middle of nowhere, but I'm just assuming a little here.

That said, Vassar might not be too bad, even though Poughkeepsie is a [censored] shithole and it's not really THAT close to NYC. I know a few people who go there and like it (kinda artsy though).

I'd stay away from Wesleyan. Gay pride city up there and the town absolutely sucks.

It sounds like a Swarthmore-type place would be right for you, although it's not really near anything AFAIK.

EDIT: Similarly, Haverford.

[JaBlue]

[ QUOTE ]

Gay pride city up there

[/ QUOTE ]

uhh, I live near San Francsico

[El Ishmael]

Oh, thought you were East Coast.

[Worrots]

[ QUOTE ]
It sounds like a Swarthmore-type place would be right for you, although it's not really near anything AFAIK.


[/ QUOTE ]

Swarthmore has Philly right there if he wants to be near a big city with a decent jazz scene. And Atlantic City is easily accessible for a occasional weekend of p*k*r. That's what I did when I was there.

Swarthmore or Haverford might be nerdy enough for him (and I mean that in good way), but a bit small, ~1500 students total. If OP is looking to screw around with lots of hot chicks and party all the time, these schools aren't for him. If he's looking for a reality check on how smart he actually is, then either would do.

[RunDownHouse]

My undergrad had about 5500-6000 students total, and I think it was an excellent size, maybe on the small side of excellent. Enough students so that you didn't know everyone in the first week, but also small enough to keep class size down and get personal attention from profs.

[Maulik]

[ QUOTE ]
My undergrad had about 5500-6000 students total, and I think it was an excellent size, maybe on the small side of excellent. Enough students so that you didn't know everyone in the first week, but also small enough to keep class size down and get personal attention from profs.

[/ QUOTE ]

what school was it? from every post on college you prove to be elusive in regard to your alma mater.

[sam h]

[ QUOTE ]
In terms of where I'd like to go to school, I don't want to go to a huge school with 3000 in a class, although if I have to I guess I will, and I don't want to go to a tiny school with 300 in a class. Ideal class size is prob. 500-1500 with some wiggle room. In terms of location I'd probably like to be on a coast and at least within driving distance to a city. I visitted dartmouth which is in the middle of nowhere but I liked the campus a lot. Having casinos within driving distance is a bonus.

Lastly, I'm not sure what I want to study so I'd like the school to be well rounded. I think I might like to be a writer so a strong english department is good. I also love music, so a music school is good too - it must have jazz, though - I ain't playing Beethoven or Bach. And philosophy is very interesting to me too. I am good in the sciences and math although I really doubt I want to study them much. Business is kind of interesting but I discovered over the summer I need more than money in a job to be happy in life (why the [censored] am I playing ******?!?)

Anyway, if you got through this, I'd like suggestions on where to consider applying and if you know the school well, support for why I should apply there would be great too. Keep in mind where you think I might get in and that I don't want to be surrounded by morons. I definitely want to have fun as I'm all ready in the habit of going out, getting drunk or high, etc. quite a bit.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you wanted to go to the east coast, both Wesleyan and Vasser sound like decent fits for many of your criteria. You might think about Yale too. It is bigger than you want but the residential college system there gives it a smaller feel. If you are willing to relax the class size thing, then Swarthmore might not be bad. That is where I went.

On the west coast, maybe Reed. I think it is a bit smaller than you want, but Portland is cool and it is known for having a very smart but free-thinking and somewhat quirky student body.

[JaBlue]

Do you really think I can get into these schools?