College List - Ideas suggestions

<p>Haverford, Earlham, Grinnell and Dennison. Got into the last 3 with merit money and is attending Grinnell. Admissions though have gotten harder. D applied last year and targeted schools that she was at or above the 75% mark. She had higher stats than you with a similar range of EC's and outstanding recs plus good SAT's to match her ACT's. She got into Kenyon, Grinnell, Ill Wesleyan, Dennison several state schools and waitlisted at Macalester. It's easy to say well my stats are at the 50% I have a good chance of getting in but for a suburban kid that just isn't realistic. The kids below the the 50% and even near it have something that is giving them an edge, URM, passion for something, national achievement, terrible school, overcoming hardship, really rich families that will give a builidng (just joking), legacy etc. For an average kid forget the 50% the 75% should be your starting point. If you aren't close to it the school is a reach. Every list should have some reaches, some matches and some safeties. You are missing the other two. Being from suburban Boston seems to make it even worse. Search to last spring and Andi's son's saga. He too is a suburban Boston kid though with very high stats and some very good EC's who didn't get into any of his schools.</p>

<p>SRMom3 is telling you some very important advice. She is right.</p>

<p>Your job is to search enough to find schools you'd really like at a range of selectivity levels. If you find one that has EA or rolling, and you are admitted, you can be done with safeties or matches-- provided you'd be happy attending that school.</p>

<p>Andi's son was higher in stats and he was denied at what many would consider a match. Do read the thread about him.</p>

<p>Might look at Holy Coss or Trinity both better schools than Clark or Wheaton.</p>