<p>From the Questbridge homepage:
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<p>If the OP is applying through Questbridge, he probably needs not worry about financial aid. I remember when a student posted about his list and was excoriated for having such a top-heavy one. It turned out that he was applying through Questbridge and pretty much swept the whole Ivy+ board.</p>
<p>I remember reading last year here on CC about a Questbridge applicant who was NOT matched at ANY of the Questbridge schools he applied to. That is a good enough reason to have a true safety as well.</p>
<p>I don’t think the fact that schools vary widely in location and size is an issue. Kids change a lot between September and May-- many start senior year thinking they want “small Lac” only to find that by late next spring they are thinking “big, with a wider range of programs”.</p>
<p>I also believe that Questbridge can be a huge boost-- with his stats and Questbridge, he is probably in at a half dozen of the schools on his list.</p>
<p>The first post did not mention Questbridge and so like many “chances” type posts, the more information, the better.</p>
<p>Thank you all for the help and great advice! I think I will actually stick with the 14 colleges + Rice then…I’ve heard its a great research university. But yea, I am a Questbridge Scholar, and I hope to become a Finalist (doubt I’ll get Matched). I’m hoping this can help me in Regular Decision, though I am Asian, so I don’t know how much Questbridge can help me…</p>
<p>
Thanks, this gives me so much hope! </p>
<p>I just don’t think that I can get into any of my top choices because I don’t have any distinguishing national achievements. I am an average hard-working math/science-based kind-of-well-rounded Asian guy…the exact opposite of quirky. This is partly why my college list is so long.</p>
<p>OK, so, again, which school is your safety? Certainly Rice is no one’s safety. In fact no school you list is anyone’s safety.</p>
<p>^Berkeley I guess…;)</p>
<p>IMO…i think its wayyy too many
but i firmly believe in no more than 6…
and i have very similar stats to you</p>
<p>So do you guys have any suggestions for safeties?</p>
<p>rocket6louise-- Why do you “firmly believe in no more than 6”?</p>
<p>you can’t possibly want to go to all the ivies. knock off half of them</p>
<p>"So do you guys have any suggestions for safeties?
USC as I mentioned before. Add Carleton as a match. They are very strong in the sciences</p>
<p>What do you want to study? What do you really care about? I don’t get anything out of your stats except that you’re a a high achiever who is into . . . well, high achievement. But admission to top schools is not a reward for top stats. And frankly, I have to wonder about a candidate who lists MIT/Caltech in the same breath as Yale/Brown. These are very different types of schools. To me, that suggests a candidate who is most concerned about prestige, But if that’s your central motivation, I’m not so sure what you’d really add to the most selective schools which have the luxury of choosing among many candidates with similar credentials, and for whom prestige-driven candidates are a dime a dozen.</p>
<p>I’d urge you to look for one good “match” school that’s just a good fit and not quite so prestigious. And then dial it down a notch and find a genuine “safety” school that’s a good fit, and where you’d be happy to end up notwithstanding its lower prestige rating. Then, and only then, revisit your current list which consists entirely of “reach” schools, and decide which of them would be a genuinely good “fit” based on the same kinds of factors that defined your “match” and “safety.”</p>
<p>Safety: University of Rochester if you want a research university. Vassar or Oberlin if you want a college like Brown. Think along those lines.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t consider Mudd or USC to be safeties. Rochester would be safer. You are obviously ignoring the many exhortations to stop chasing prestige and THINK about what you’re seeking in a school.</p>
<p>If he is a NMF, then with his stats USC IS a safety, particularly if he applies by Dec 1. USC is actively recruiting hi stat students such as the OP with merit scholarships and great FA awards. Take my word for it.</p>
<p>I know USC recruits NMFs, but they reject NMFs as well, don’t they? The money is only guaranteed if you are accepted. Would like to hear some anecdotal evidence either way, for my own curiosity.</p>
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<p>NMSF backed up by val status and great standardized test scores–USC won’t throw this fish back into the sea, so long as the essays, recommendations and disciplinary record don’t portray him as a complete jerk.</p>
<p>USC has definitely sought out high stat kids to up their profile and has met with great success. The scholarship for NMSF acceptees has gone down in amount though. It used to be full tuition, but now I think it is less.</p>
<p>Here is a post of some kid in the 2007-08 application season who was a NMSF but rejected from USC:</p>
<p>USC rejected a National Merit Scholarship Finalist?
USC REJECTED ME!</p>
<p>Stats:
SAT: 2140; CR: 680 W: 780 M: 680
ACT: n/a
SAT IIs: Math IIC: 690
GPA: 3.9
Rank: 32/466
Other stats:
Essays: very good
Teacher Recs: 1- better than i expected
Counselor Rec:
Hook (if any): national merit finalist, Varsity Girl’s Golf Team 4 years, Captain for 2 years
State or Country: CA
School Type: public
Ethnicity: Korean
Gender: female
Other Factors/Hook?: 7 AP Classes, Ryman Arts-graduated as an elected candidate for full scholarship program for advanced drawing/painting classes in a rigorous studio environment held at USC</p>
<p>What i’m wondering is, should i appeal?
AND… has any other national merit finalists who applied to USC been rejected? </p>
<p>Full thread:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/483899-usc-rejected-national-merit-scholarship-finalist.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/483899-usc-rejected-national-merit-scholarship-finalist.html</a></p>
<p>OP is #1 in class (instead of 32), much better test scores (2290 vs. 2140), better and more SAT Subject test scores. I think USC will take him.</p>
<p>Would I bet the ranch on it? Nope–would still throw in a lower tier UC as a true safety.</p>
<p>“NMSF backed up by val status and great standardized test scores–USC won’t throw this fish back into the sea, so long as the essays, recommendations and disciplinary record don’t portray him as a complete jerk.”
Exactly. I’m taking bets that he would be accepted…
Full disclosure- Son is a Sr at USC on a full tuition scholarship. He has many merit scholarship friends there with stats close to both the OP’s and my son’s. And USC was his statistical “safety”.</p>
<p>“It used to be full tuition, but now I think it is less.”
It has been 1/2 tuition for many years now.</p>