Also, it helps a bit to try and apply to some schools which are less popular with British kids. Most London kids who are friends of my kids apply only to schools located between Boston and DC plus some other top 30 schools such as Duke, Northwestern, Stanford, etc. You should do some research and looks for schools in the South, Midwest, West Coast that have relatively low (7% and below) international populations. Also, look for schools that are test optional as your school grades are better than your SATs. Lastly, you have good SAT Subject Test scores. A few schools (eg, Colorado College) will accept 3 SAT Subject tests in lieu of SAT/ACTs. Good luck.
Thank you! I’m considering to make Rhodes college, st. lawrence uni, and hobart & william smith college my safties now. Are they reasonable?
If you apply to all three yes. Having been to St. Lawrence twice it is exceptionally nice.
You are very high in the middle 50% so SLU is more of a match school, your sweet spot.
This is the area of selectively I would focus on.
St. Lawrence is indeed exceptionally nice and a solid match school for you. Since your current CR score may be below their 25th percentile, they really shouldn’t be considered a safety. SLU, H&WS and Rhodes have similar statistical profiles, so what applies to one of them may apply to all three.
So should I apply to only one of them and add another safety where my score is within the top 25%?
If you are looking for a strict safety, your CR score should be the 25th percentile, even if your total score
If you are looking for a strict safety, your CR score (currently at 540?) should be at least at the 25th percentile, even if your total score falls within the top quarter. However, I’m more inclined than other posters to conclude that several match schools, appropriately chosen, can also roughly constitute a “safety.”
SLU has an overall acceptance rate of 50% only because of the wall of schools south of it.
You are only a few SAT questions away from the 75th percentile. The acceptance curve is very steep above and below the average. So, its likely for SLU that the acceptance rate for you is about 90%. Show interest, arrange a Skype interview, stuff like that to take away residual risk. Meet an alumnus in the UK, etc.
You could remove Rhodes let’s say and add a school like Providence College and really sleep well but I think you are in good shape. You are probably just across the 75th percentile line there and it’s a great place to be.