<p>Last year, my daughter wasn’t accepted at either of the two top schools where she really, really wanted to go-- but she was accepted at all the other schools (all 10 of them!) with financial aid coming in very close (all within $3K). It was actually very difficult. She made a list of the top 4 and we visited the top 2 twice. Even then, it was touch and go until the last day. I’m still not sure she made the right decision for her but what’s done is done and, frankly, they were all wonderful schools, even her safeties (which was a reach for another one of my kids the same year).</p>
<p>These are useful responses/perspectives from different parents. I am actually surprised that most folks seem to be in the bucket of wait for acceptances, and then decide. I was thinking it will be most folks have an absolute priority order of colleges ready before acceptances.</p>
<p>Reach school is choice number one. He already got into choice number 2, so a no brainer if choice number one is a negative.</p>
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<p>Wow…this is exactly how it went with my D 5 years ago. And what we are planning to do with D2 who is a high school senior this year.</p>