<p>I'll reiterate what others have said - but maybe in stronger language. Your daughter has NO SAFETIES at all on the list you posted in the original post. NONE. (Okay, maybe Wellsley, but no other ones.) Find a school she likes with an admit rate above 70% for your safety. :)</p>
<p>It is interesting to me, Befuddled, that your daughter has articulated she would rather go to college 'even her safeties', rather than consider another year to finish the IB...and yet she is clearly very specific in her likes and dislikes/and expressing a desire to be in pretty intellectual place- and ready to dismiss some schools for this reason. This creates something of a dilemma in terms of finding a real safety. I happen to think that Mount Holyoke fits the safety list for her- they really take a lot of international kids there, her stats are solid, and the academic strengths meet her needs well- there is not the 'female disadvantage' issue. I think Wheaton is also a safety, but she wasn't too keen on it- so hence it is not suitable. </p>
<p>A safety is not a safety unless she would happily go...particularly given your circumstances.</p>
<p>A comment about Skidmore -- we visited there this summer, and learned that its acceptance rate has dropped below 40% -- and given demographics, will probably fall lower this year. Even though your daughter's stats are excellent, no school with a 35-38% acceptance rate can be considered a safety. It's a match. And I would consider Wesleyan and Vassar to be reach schools for everyone.</p>
<p>Your daughter has a really nice list... All are great schools.</p>
<p>As an entering first-year student at Wellesley, perhaps I can give you some perspective. Your daughter seems like a pretty strong applicant for the school, as she does for many schools on the list... It's hard to say if it's a reach or a match, since the acceptances there seem to be kind of unpredictable. I have to disagree with AnxiousMom on this one ;)... the acceptance rate is 37%, and its significantly lower if you don't include the high number of students who are enrolled through Early Decision. I've heard of students with stellar stats not getting in, as well as students with more "average" stats gaining admission... I think this is due to the fact that Wellesley is one of the few schools I've come across that really takes the whole applicant into consideration. SAT scores and grade point average don't completely overshadow extracurricular activities and things of that sort. Haverford would probably be more of a reach... I was actually accepted at Wellesley and waitlisted at Haverford.</p>
<p>I understand your concerns about the women's college atmosphere and the lack of dating opportunities available... It's a thought that's crossed my mind several times, as well. I'm a teenage girl myself, and am absolutely interested in meeting men and having an active social life. Wellesley's unique in the fact that it's located right near Boston, with a bus running daily to Cambridge--right where Harvard and MIT are located. Wellesley students are able to take courses at MIT, and there are several organizations that are joint collaborations between the two schools. Three other colleges are also located practically within walking distance-- Brandeis, Olin, and Babson. The cross-registration and joint-activities apply to these schools, as well, although MIT seems to be the main "brother school" of Wellesley. While the other top women's schools are great, they can't quite boast such terrific networking opportunities... and I think that's what draws a lot of girls into Wellesley.</p>
<p>I'm apologize if I sound like a talking viewbook for Wellesley, but there are certainly a lot of misconceptions about the school!</p>
<p>Anyway, your list sounds pretty good, although I would add a few more safeties and matches, as almost all of the schools on your list right now are pretty competitive. Besides, it's great to have a lot of options when you make your final decision (assuming she doesn't apply ED anywhere), and it's also nice to compare any money received.</p>
<p>Pennsylvania has quite a few nice LACs that might fit your criteria... Lafayette, Franklin and Marshall, Gettysburg, and Muhlenberg are a few that come to mind.</p>
<p>I havent read all your posts but there seems to be some disconnect between her SAT scores, gpa and class rank. If the reason is because she is a superb test taker then she should re-evaluate her reach, match and safety choices because colleges tend to place much more emphesis on gpa. The upward trend works in her favor however.</p>
<p>If the disconnect is because of the highly competetive nature of the school she is attending, the school report should work in her favor in explaining the disconnect. I am surprised that her school reports class rank. Most competetive private prep schools have long since suspended the practice of class rank because it was perceived as detrimental to college admissions.</p>
<p>Having made these observations, your daughter's list is quite nice and it seems that she would be happy to attend any one of them. All hs students should be so inclined.</p>
<p>agree that wesleyan and vassar are reaches in that they only accept a small percentage of students. we know several kids who did not get into either, despite stellar stats from prestigious private schools.</p>
<p>A couple of comments</p>
<p>First, it sounds as if your D has attended the type of schools where the GCs and CCs can be very savvy about how she will do in admissions at different colleges, whether Brown likes "true" internationals, whether or not schools will puzzle out her class rank and attach any significance to that, etc. Use that resource - they will know much more about students from that particular high school will fare than we do.
Secondly, like others, I'm concerned about safeties. Would she consider an EA school? It may be hard to find one that has a rigorous intellectual climate, but where the kids don't "study all the time". Perhaps an honors program at a larger state school?
Thirdly, and this ties in with #2, would she widen the search to other areas of the country, concentrating on match/safeties? Geography might really help her, particularly at a school that values her international experience as well. Emory comes to mind - it is a little larger than some others on her list, and certainly not a safety, but it might be a match, and if you are staying overseas, will be travel convenient.</p>
<p>I haven't visited yet with my daughter, but have you considered Washington University in St. Louis? It's larger than the schools you have seen so far, but it seems like the ideal size to me with about 7,000 undergrads. I'm told that there is good student-professor interaction, strong academics, wonderful dorms/food, and very happy students. If my daughter is interested, I'm going to have to throw out my "no ED" advice and allow her to apply early decision, because otherwise she would end up on the wait list! I don't know if WUSTL invented enrollment management, but it certainly has taken the concept to the next level.</p>
<p>I could be out of the ball park here, but it seems to me that those people who don't check the financial aid box on the common app have a better shot at getting into Wash U (if they are indeed qualified otherwise.) The rest do wind up on the wait list. Keep in mind that Wash U is need aware, not need blind, if that is relevant to your financial situation.</p>
<p>As your daughter narrows down her college list you will both go through trying times. My best adivce to you is to look at a college where she feels happy. That said, I would encourage you to look again at Mount Holyoke. It is an excellent school especially in science. My D attends there and has had no problem.</p>