<p>So, I see all kinds of threads here about choosing your dream school over a full ride/safety and other threads about unhappily, reluctantly attending your safety (due to bad luck and/or finances), BUT - </p>
<p>I'd really like to her about kids who happily chose their safety school (for whatever reason) over other "reachier" admits. My own D is very happy with her choice (safety school, dream location, good program in her field) and is looking forward to the fall. Me, I'm the Queen of Second-Guessing. </p>
<p>D is one of those kids who likes to be a big fish and she is very much internally-motivated (that is, she does not need a competitive environment to drive her.) I know she'll have a great time, I know she'll succeed at whatever she sets her mind to, and most of the time I'm also thrilled with her choice, too. At other times...eh, it's that second-guessing thing.</p>
<p>Any similar stories from current high school seniors (or even better, from those already living the situation?) Thanks!</p>
<p>
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D is one of those kids who likes to be a big fish and she is very much internally-motivated (that is, she does not need a competitive environment to drive her.)
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She sounds like she can succeed in any school, and so choosing the school that she likes is then the best decision :D</p>
<p>While not her "safety" school, D chose a school some levels lower than her most elite admits. (So hopefully you'll consider this on topic.)</p>
<p>D is also a kid "who can run from the front and still set her best time". No complaints. Socially great fit. Active dating life although nothing serious. Lots of activities. Treated very well. Academics plenty tough. Opps galore as a big fish. But as to those second guesses, you still have them at the end of sophomore year, too. They won't. You will, even when it's going really well. (Well. Would it be even better at Elite U?) It's what we second-guessers do. Just learn to keep it to yourself and make your questions more subtle than I have made mine. ;)</p>
<p>BTW, I do think it is very important to have a critical mass of kids that your kid can be pushed by and push . Just doesn't have to be that large a group.</p>
<p>Our kid applied to all safeties or very strong matches and no reach dream colleges. Actually two of his strong matched were his dream colleges. He has been extremely happy with his choice and will be graduating in less than 4 weeks.</p>
<p>The ancillary bennie was that the college appliction process four yrs ago was absolutely stress free.</p>
<p>My son started out at a "match", messed up, and will be graduating from a college next month that would have been a tier below his safest-safeties when he was in high school. He has had opportunities at the safety (a CSU) that are as good as anything he could have gotten anywhere else; and he has found and created his own challenges there. I mean... he takes a heavier courseload because the reading load per course is somewhat lighter, he worked more hours off campus, etc. </p>
<p>But the point is, hindsight teaches me clearly that the kid will do as well as he or she wants to in whatever environment they end up in. I think its a mistake for parents to undervalue the quality of education offered at a "safety".</p>
<p>Thanks to all comments so far! Cur, my daughter is nowhere near yours, academic-wise, but I love your example. That's what I'm hoping for: a happy daughter with challenging classes, good friends, and the opportunity to excel both in class and socially. The second-guessing is MY cross to bear, not hers...</p>
<p>Originaloog, that's been our experience too - a nearly stress-free senior year. (I say "nearly" only because of the trauma of shopping for prom...) Maybe that's my problem - not enough to worry about! My H claims I'm never really happy unless I'm worrying about something.</p>
<p>S's four final choices are his target schools, the super-reach and the flagship. He's down to the two target schools now -- not because of money, but because of program and fit.</p>
<p>H and I have been pointing at our feet and symbolically shooting them a lot lately, though -- that full ride sure is tempting. However, we told him long ago that we would make it happen, and he has partial scholarships at the two finalists, which at least helps mitigate the pain. He's helping to foot the bill as well, and he has known that since middle school. Between scholarships and his loans/work, he'll contribute about 40% of the cost of this adventure he's embarking upon.</p>
<p>He was accepted at two EA, one in mid-Feb., and one RD. We have had a pretty stress-free ride until this month.</p>
<p>And calmom, I think you're right - sometimes I lose perspective (which is why the hindsight of others is so helpful!) There seems to be a subtle pressure for kids to choose the reachiest school to which they were admitted, and I admit that sometimes I'm the one applying that pressure. (That's worse that seond-guessing.) Thanks for the reality check.</p>
<p>My niece got rejected by Harvard, Brown and Columbia, accepted by WPI and RPI, but decided to attend UNH. She's kind of a homebody and feels she'll be as happy in the engineering program there as anywhere.</p>
<p>I chose UIUC Engineering over Northwestern, where many of my high school peers went. The education was absolutely top notch, and now I'm a grad student at Stanford, so I'm quite happy with my decision.</p>
<p>I guess you could say that I really only applied to safety schools - there was no question that I'd get admitted to the 3 flagship state publics (all are in that 70-100 range in the USNWR depending on the year), with the exception of the UMKC combined BA/MD 6 year program. </p>
<p>All three (yes only three) of the publics I applied to had the main elements I was looking for - all were big, all were Division I schools, all had my major, all were going to have plenty of opportunities for a Pre-med student - the only difference between the three was the distance from home. </p>
<p>In the end, I went to my number one choice, had a great, great, great 4 years. I'm not really a competitive person and don't do necessarily do well where EVERYONE is going after the same thing. I enjoyed being in a situation where I could find a lot of things to do, and ended up being VERY involved in a number of campus organizations. I know I wouldn't have done so well elsewhere...</p>