<p>By “likelies” I thought you meant “matches.” Sorry!</p>
<p>I think that Wheaton (in MA) is probably a safety for her. Connecticut College is, if not necessarily a slam dunk safety, a very likely.</p>
<p>It seems to me that her chances are good at Hamilton, Colby, and Bates, but not in the slam dunk safety range.</p>
<p>Vassar and Wesleyan are both reaches. If she is willing to look in the midwest, she should consider Kenyon, Denison, Earlham, Beloit, and the College of Wooster. Carleton, Oberlin, and St. Olaf are fine schools, but not safeties. </p>
<p>I think that she should consider UVM, even though it is larger. Kids seem to love UVM, which is considered to be a “LAC-like” flagship. The location in Burlington is very appealing.</p>
<p>*She has gone to an all girls school K- 12 and emphatically says that is enough! </p>
<p>She also is not considering schools in our home state of PA, which does eliminate some good matches. </p>
<p>She is OK not playing a sport (I think she would play club or IM if she could not play at a varsity level). </p>
<p>In fact, she is thinking pre-med *</p>
<p>Understand the girls only issue. I went to an all girls Catholic high school and had no interest in all girls colleges either…LOL</p>
<p>Since your D is interested in some major with a pre-med curriculum, you’re right that she might not have time to also do a sport other than club.</p>
<p>Should we assume that money is no object and you can pay full freight? If not, what is your budget?</p>
<p>In response to a couple questions posed here:</p>
<ol>
<li> Fortunately, do not have to depend on financial aid and not a factor in the decision making process.<br></li>
<li> ACT scores: E-32 M-33 R-36 S-26 32 Composite. Her SAT scores from last Spring: 680 Math, 690 Reading and 780 Writing. She is planning on taking them again in a couple of weeks and is working on improving her Math score.</li>
</ol>
<p>She may end up applying ED. If she gets in to her first choice, then I guess I won’t have to worry about rounding out her list with a couple of safeties! However, I’d like her to be prepared to go with her apps to her other schools if she applies ED and does not get in.</p>
<p>Can she re-take the ACT? If she bumps up that Science score by 3 or 4 points she would move up to a 33 composite. The “Science” section is not real science, mostly just interpreting graphs, charts, and data tables. This is something many kids improve dramatically with a little concentrated practice.</p>
<p>I think this candidate has a very good shot at many of the schools on her list, but she needs one true safety. Mt Holyoke and Smith would be safeties for her and IMO have stronger academic resources than most of the other schools that fall into that category, e.g., Hampshire, Wheaton. I understand the whole women’s school thing, but it’s unfortunate when someone passes up a better educational opportunity on that ground. Here’s hoping she gets into her first choice ED. Which she might.</p>
<p>She would likely get very good offers from 4 PA Div 3 schools with nice campuses–Franklin & Marhsall; Juniata, Susquehanna and Muhlenberg.
She might also look at Bucknell.</p>
<p>“she is thinking pre-med and I don’t know if she truly will have the time to dedicate to a varsity sport after her first year.”</p>
<p>Williams, Colgate, and Middlebury are full of varsity athletes in pre-professional programs, especially pre-med. It’s part of the culture of those schools.</p>
<p>Yes, and that’s one of the things that attract her to those schools. And she certainly is used to balancing a challenging course load, sports and other activities. She goes to a small, all girls HS and is used to pretty much getting involved in whatever she wants to and I do value that --it’s been great for her. I guess I am just trying to put in to perspective for her that academics will come first and sports will be an “extra” and can be played at a varsity, club or IM level. She should choose a school for the academics and social environment (somewhere she’ll feel comfortable living for four years), and then, if she can play at a varsity level, great, and if not she can find another way to incorporate sports into her college life. </p>
<p>Many of the schools all of you have suggested are right on target for what she is looking for. I think she has a good shot at getting in to most of them, but obviously, many are very selective and you just don’t know! She’s having a challenging time finding schools that meet her other criteria of location , size , campus feel, coed, etc and that have higher acceptance rates. She has seen Hobart and Union and I think both will remain on her list as "I think I would be happy there"and “likelier to get into” than a Williams or Amherst. But she will definitely be shooting for those schools too!</p>
<p>^ Just out of curiousity, are you or your daughter open to colleges outside the Northeast area? You have a great density of outstanding colleges in this area but there are plenty of great choices in other regions as well.</p>
<p>^ Little known fact: from the Philadelphia area, Oberlin and Kenyon (both in Ohio) are closer than Colby and roughly the same distance as Bates and Bowdoin. From the Pittsburgh area, it’s no contest; Oberlin and Kenyon are practically in your backyard.</p>
<p>From the DC area, Oberlin and Kenyon are closer than Colby, Bates, Bowdoin, Middlebury, and Williams, and about the same distance as Amherst. Yet many people in the DC area and in Pennsylvania wouldn’t dream of sending their kid to a top LAC in Ohio on the mistaken assumption it’s too “far,” because it’s outside the Northeast region.</p>
<p>Smith and MHC are “likely” - - but I wouldn’t go as far as saying they are “safeties.” I also wouldn’t over-state the five college interaction (travel b/w the three Amherst schools - - UMass, Amherst, Hamp - - is considerably easier than to/from either of the women’s colleges).</p>
<p>My S is has a similar list with about the same test scores, but a little lower GPA. He also likes Bowdoin, Colby, Whitman, Colorado College, Bates… basically any school that is strong academically, and has a great outdoor club. I think he would like William’s and Midd too, but I think they are beyond his reach. For Safeties he is looking at St. Lawrence in upstate NY and Sewanee in TN. You should have your D check them out. Both have a small beautiful campus in the wilderness, close knit student bodies and great academics. They both have much higher acceptance rates, good merit aid and Sewanee even has EA… which I LOVE!!!</p>
<p>Some compromise usually is necessary in a target or safety school, almost by definition.
Where do you want to compromise? Personally, I’d rather compromise on distance from home than on features related to quality or fit. Beyond the Northeast are many excellent options that often are overlooked. </p>
<p>I suspect, too, that among “likelies” you will find a little less Ivy Envy in the West or Midwest than you might encounter at some of the New York and New England LACs. A LAC in Minnesota, Iowa, Colorado or Washington State may not be among the 25 or even 50 most selective schools in the country, but will still be among the best institutions within hundreds of miles. That can give them an extra edge in attracting top students from within the region who choose them not reluctantly but because they really want to be there.</p>
<p>If you do want a less selective, outdoorsy LAC in the East, I recommend St. Mary’s College of Maryland. This is Maryland’s public honors college, but is not as well known or selective as Virginia’s William and Mary. It has a beautiful waterfront campus.</p>
<p>If you are considering a public LAC Geneseo (SUNY) would be one I would also add to the list. GPA/SAT are within range and biology has become the most popular major on campus. Geneseo’s med school acceptance rate is 92%. </p>
<p>St. Lawrence University, is a nice fit for the outdoorsy type of student, Canton, NY is a lovely little town, great academics, need-based aid & merit aid, small classes. It is truly “A Candle in the Wilderness” as it has always been known. One of my children is an alum of SLU & she enjoyed her 4 years in the North Country. </p>
<p>I presently have one at Alfred University (NY) & one at Wheaton College (MA).<br>
The oldest is an alum of UCONN.<br>
Two picked LAC’s, one picked a National University & one chose a Regional University.
We consider ourselves very lucky with the children’s choices & also very broke! </p>
</p>