<p>Xiggi:</p>
<p>I did not mean that Princeton offers merit aid. But it is most generous in the financial aid it gives--without trumpeting it as Harvard has. As an example, the young man who was awarded $7k per year more at Princeton than at MIT in financial aid. This is why I make an exception of Princeton for ED.</p>
<p>If she likes Sloan and Wharton she should also look at the ORFE program at Princeton - particularly if she has her eyes on Wall Street.</p>
<p>What is ORFE?</p>
<p>Operations Research and Financial Engineering.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.orfe.princeton.edu/%5B/url%5D">www.orfe.princeton.edu/</a></p>
<p>Just confirming what everyone else says:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Your daughter is obviously a great candidate for any school. About the only thing she could do to improve her chances would be a national Intel placement. The GC is right that it's a crapshoot no matter what, and she may not be accepted to EVERY school to which she applies, but she will be accepted to most of the schools to which she applies (assuming she applies to at least, say, 5).</p></li>
<li><p>Re Princeton: Princeton gets more than half of its class from its Early Decision pool. As a result, I think its Regular Decision results are as random as they come. Two friends of my kid (one the val, class president, math prodigy, "best student in a decade" at large competitive magnet school, national Intel placement; the other an incredible immigrant story) were both turned down by Princeton (and accepted absolutely everywhere else).</p></li>
<li><p>Honestly, I don't think you should spend a lot of time and effort thinking about safety schools. Maybe you should, however, spend some time and effort looking for great schools that give merit aid, or that require fewer loans. A couple cases in point from my kids' friends: engineering girl chose Carnegie-Mellon with full no-loan scholarship and stipend over Yale with standard need-based package, literary boy (w/ no $ at all) chose NYU and full no-loan scholarship/stipend over Columbia with full package including loan and contribution requirement. A number of liberal arts colleges have a lot of investment in their science programs and have trouble getting top science students, and may be willing to give merit aid to attract a top science kid (especially a woman). </p></li>
<li><p>She may decide to go to MIT anyway, but it is not at all unknown for a "need only" school to adjust its definition of need somewhat to counter much better offers elsewhere. (Basically, in my vicarious experience HYPSM-level schools will never stoop so low as to match offers from "lesser" schools, but they will often match each other if there is a significant difference, and they will sweeten their offers a little to land a top student who is seriously considering a full merit ride elsewhere.)</p></li>
<li><p>Don't get hung up on finding a "business major". Except for Penn's Wharton School, no top university or LAC offers undergraduate business majors. However, plenty of Harvard, Yale, MIT, Amherst, etc. graduates wind up in top MBA programs, which is what counts in the business world. And, yes, the Operations Research program at Princeton is a fabulous business credential.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Similarly, all the colleges discussed here -- and all of their peers -- offer programs in Asia, or access to others' programs in Asia. If she is doing a lot of research science, however, it may be tough to work a term abroad around that.</p>
<p>JHS thanks:</p>
<p>Her PSAT is 234? Would she get anything for some merit scholarship for PSAT?</p>
<p>Only at certain schools. HYPS etc. don't give merit for NMS.</p>
<p>New Parent, Congratulations to your daughter for her wonderful accomplishments. She is certainly in the range of just about any college in America, but as you have heard and will hear again and again theres no guarantee so she needs to prepare a balanced list of colleges that offer a range of selectivity.</p>
<p>I think youve had a lot of good advice so I will just mention a couple of other points.</p>
<p>The top universities and the urban based smaller colleges are heavily favored by Asians and therefore really have their pick of whom they accept. Many of the smaller and more remotely located liberal arts colleges, however, have a hard time recruiting and matriculating Asians, so in effect Asians become unrepresented minorities (URMs). Because racial diversity is important to all colleges, these schools need to try harder to get Asians to apply and attend. </p>
<p>Some schools that I would put into this category are Williams, Grinnell, Carleton, Kenyon, Hamilton and to a lesser extent Amherst. These all offer superb academics, in the sciences as well as other fields that may tie into business like economics.</p>
<p>As far as I know none of these colleges offers business per se but Williams and Amherst especially have strong connections for Wall Street internships and MBA programs. Im not that familiar with Amherst, but Williams for sure has excellent science research opportunities.</p>
<p>Another idea for a less selective college would be to look at womens colleges like Smith or Barnard. Again, excellent academics but less selective admissions.</p>
<p>The most selective LACs (like Williams, Amherst and some others) don't offer merit aid, but they are consistently generous with need based aid. Many of the other LACs that I've listed would provide merit aid as well. </p>
<p>Just a note: even though need based aid is based on a formula the formula used is NOT consistent from school to school, so what you are awarded at school A may be more or less than at school B, even though your situation is exactly the same. This is where the school's own need (e.g. do they need another Asian or a female science major?) comes in.</p>
<p>Study abroad in Asia (or anywhere else for that matter) is very common at these LACs. Students are free to attend a long list of programs that are administered by other colleges. This is true across the board; they are not restricted to programs managed by their individual college.</p>
<p>I would definitely second the suggestion that she apply to a college like the University of Michigan that has rolling admissions. This is different from early action or early decision. If she were to apply in September she would know if she was accepted in a few weeks. If yes, then she could use UMich as her safety (assuming of course that she wants to go there) and concentrate on more selective colleges.</p>
<p>Good luck to you and let us know how it goes as you and your daughter learn more about the process.</p>
<p>Just a note re momrath's excellent post: My understanding of the Michigan "rolling admissions" program is that in actual operation it looks like an Early Action program: There is one (and only one) round of early notifications in mid-to-late-December, and a large number (maybe a majority) of the eligible kids are deferred into the regular admissions pool, something they may or may not get around to telling the affected kids in February or March. So applying to Michigan doesn't really provide any peace of mind; you can't count on hearing before you have to get your regular applications done. But because it says it is a state university rolling admissions program, it does come within the exception to the Ivies' EA/ED rules, so you can effectively apply EA/ED to two schools.</p>
<p>I have a question "Are there advantages to apply to EA or SCEA schools?"</p>
<p>Because of family financial needs and to compare the aid, ED is out. Thus maybe applying to ED schools only in RD round.</p>
<p>The answer is a resounding YES.</p>
<p>Marite: Thank you, Well in that case she has to make her up mind and apply EA or SCEA and see what happens.</p>
<p>There are some colleges that allow multiple EA applications, such as Chicago and MIT. Do a search. Also remember the rolling admissions.</p>
<p>EA is a non-restricted process. Restricted programs are ED and REA -Restricted EA is a new term that has replaced the former SCEA. </p>
<p>The list of schools practicing REA is not that extensive.</p>
<p>Xiggi:</p>
<p>Where I can find REA and EA school list?</p>
<p>"My understanding of the Michigan "rolling admissions" program is that in actual operation it looks like an Early Action program: There is one (and only one) round of early notifications in mid-to-late-December, and a large number (maybe a majority) of the eligible kids are deferred into the regular admissions pool, something they may or may not get around to telling the affected kids in February or March. So applying to Michigan doesn't really provide any peace of mind; you can't count on hearing before you have to get your regular applications done. "</p>
<p>U Michigan IS rolling, with acceptances as early as mid-October last year, see these threads:
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=105977&highlight=november%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=105977&highlight=november</a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=112587&highlight=november%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=112587&highlight=november</a></p>
<p>Thanks, entomom. My information was apparently out of date.</p>
<p>You're welcome, you had me worried as my D plans to apply early as a safety. One footnote though, Carolyn has reported on her site that U Michigan has sent word to HS conselors that starting the application season of fall 2007 (for this years rising juniors), it may cease rolling admissions and go to a regular ED/RD system. Nothing definite yet, but they seem to be testing the waters to see what the reaction is.</p>