I guess it matters if Classics is important. There’s still likely to be some classes. Op said econ but perhaps a classics minor or Poli sci or history.
But you can check UNH or Maine. Even URI, UCONN or SUNY Bing or Albany for another safety
I think OP gets into HC and easily. The GPA, the profile, the ACT when only 6 in 10 even submit. Then it’s a question of do they see the value if full pay. And I think Dartmouth too while unlikely for all is at least realistic here.
I think holding apps til a Dartmouth decision is foolish tho. Take Emory. You need to apply by Nov 15 for merit consideration. As I recall it was two short essays. You’re doing them anyway. Y not do for a chance at $25k (x 4).
Go through common app for each school. My kid applied to 21 and used one essay 6 times and other essays several times.
Some common questions are tell us about a personal characteristic of yourself. Or a time you overcame a challenge, etc.
Many private schools have ED or RD and don’t have a merit deadline. Those are the schools where you can be more patient.
The weak part is the safety/likely section.
Why UMass as an OOS safety choice? (It’s not an especially pretty campus, not especially well-known for economics?)
What about Penn State (w/ Honors/Schreyer)+ U Rochester&William&Mary for an additional safety&2 likelies (all roughly ranked similarly as BC)?
Dickinson would be a terrific addition for the “likely” category also, terrific professional outcomes for economics and very strong at languages. Hobart and Lawrence if PSU/UR/W&M aren’t to his liking.
I would cut BC altogether since he likes HC better and it’s going to be much more expensive (no merit).
Wake is a low reach due to acceptance rate (it’s a match academically).
I would work on the safety applications first to work out the kinks without hardly any consequences, then Dartmouth ED, then the likelies and matches throughout November. Once he’s done, he does one reach app at a time, with very little left to finish (in case he’s denied or deferred at Dartmouth), taking them in the order he ranks them personally, favorite first, etc. When he can’t keep going, the list is cut by virtue of his choice.
What about a smaller public like William and Mary? Still expensive for OOS but probably 20K a year less than some of these top-tier privates you are considering.
believe me, getting him to light on a safety has been hell. I am still not sure UMass is the one. He liked the area basically. The others you mention are just very rural and in places no one in our family has ever been or knows anything about. I don’t even know how he would get there (flying from CA, no car). We know New England much better and are comfortable with it even though it is just as far away. I like Univ VT for him but he’s not warming up to it yet. I think Rochester is a good choice and I guess it’s a match/likely? He didn’t say no.
Rochester a match and not cheap. URI not far from Providence. Southwest flies there. Umass flies to Hartford. It’s almost an hour. You can see if they have shuttles. But southwest flies there too. Unh - u can bus, train I believe to the school in two hrs from Boston.
Burlington a bit pricier to get to but has an airport. If he likes the Boston area better Brandeis would be similar to Rochester.
The Manchester NH Airport is just under 38 miles from UNH, and takes about 45 minutes to drive. Southwest Airlines services this airport. Boston is about 1 1/2 hours away from UNH. I have to tell you….the Manchester Airport is a breeze! Contact UNH about shuttle service.
We’re very familiar with new England travel (have a kid at Smith). It’s middle of Pennsylvania that eludes me. But we aren’t considering anything there as a result.
This is getting a little off topic…but if you take the train into Boston, then you can take the T (i think it’s the silver line) to the airport. My kids have done that many times.
It’s not all that easy to get to Holy Cross either.
Kids adapt, and get used to the travel. They don’t need non-stop flights. My kid traveled cross country and never had a non-stop in four years. She was fine.
Dickinson is 33mm and Gettysburg is 49m from Harrisburg’s airport (per Google Maps). From LAX you can fly American, Delta, or United and get to Harrisburg with 1 layover. Ditto for SFO & SAN. I imagine you can contact the schools about what transportation options between the college and the airport exist. They may exist year-round, but I suspect they would be highly likely to happen at the start and end of breaks when most students would be traveling through the airport.
FWIW my s22 had identical grades, rank and a 1550 SAT.
White from MT
He is a first year at Midd now.
Applied RD needing financial aid
He did not send AP scores even though they were good. His common app mentioned he was AP scholar w distinction though.
Not a recruited athlete, but was 4 year 3 sport varsity/captain of 1 in HS.
Was tired of writing supplements and I told him about Midd, which I learned about here on CC. We toured after acceptance (also Wesleyan). He ended up liking it best.
Since they are similar and s22 is at Midd I thought I’d share.
This is from when we started this whole thing (his rank changed to 6th IIRC when he applied):
I think your list is fine. If you wanted to trim, I would look at the ones that don’t seem to fit - Emory and Vandy in particular.
If he likes Dartmouth enough to ED, your NE LACs are similar in vibe (and as you note, two require no more essays.)
I generally suggest trying to get a few in EA, not just for merit but also for stress relief. If the reachy ED doesn’t come through, you will probably have something in hand in the meantime and you have a head start on all the other apps.
While it can be a drag to be cranking out essays through the holiday season, you CAN wait and do that if necessary. And if the “bones” are there from the EA/ED apps, it’ll take effort but is doable. Maybe you should discuss what this option would look like with him and see if he wants to roll the dice. I may be the only parent here whose kid chose that route. Look at all the due dates for RD now so you fully understand that.
Overall, though, your son looks like a strong candidate. ED has a good chance of working out, and if not, he’ll have plenty of options.
I agree with gardenstate - I would definitely apply to a couple EA along with the Dartmouth restricted EA. I had my D22 do that, she got a couple acceptances before getting her ED decision. If she had been rejected ED, I wanted her to have a couple acceptances in hand as well. I believe you can only apply to public schools EA if applying to Dartmouth restricted EA?
UVM is a good safety option for EA. Your son would likely get $19k-$20k merit. They have one optional supplemental essay which seems to truly be optional.
Re Clark (MA) (mentioned above). They have EA if you’re allowed to apply to privates. Your son is a good candidate to get $20k merit. The campus and facilities felt a bit worn when we toured (if Wes campus was not in your liking, Clark is not better imo). They have great community engagement if that’s a consideration.
I haven’t seen Lafayette mentioned in the discussion of likelys. They seem to be one of the top LACs that offer some merit. One hour drive to Newark NJ (probably direct flight there to CA). Nice campus, town is small/mid size, and there are some outdoor options nearby in the Delaware water gap and the poconos.
Can’t help with the list since it seems all over the place and other posters seem to have it covered.
But a tip for you on the motivation piece- you need to schedule one day a week (Sunday is good) where nobody mentions the word “college” and keep to that until May 1. Kids burn out even after all the apps are in; kids burn out even when they get into their ED college. He needs to be a HS kid for part of the week even though nailing down his list seems to be the most important thing for him right now.
You will likely find he has MUCH more energy to edit those last minute essays on those last minute schools when the family has “recharge day” scheduled for all of you. Go on a hike. Go bowling. Bake some elaborate concoction that nobody has time to bake otherwise but that looks alluring. Watch “Princess Bride” together. Something bonding and non-college related.
Trust me. It gave my kids the “over the finish line” boost. Nobody gets to utter “college” or “applications” or “essays” or “strategy”. And it can help the entire family refocus.
You can fly into Harrisburg, or fly into Philly then take the train (fast&convenient). Lafayette Dickinson Gettysburg all have a shuttle service at breaks.
There’s an airport in State College (where Penn State is), with the main connections at airports such as Philly or Detroit (American, United, Delta).
Additional safeties or low matches:
UVM (I agree with the others)
Lafayette (in PA)
William & Mary (preppy public SLAC in VA)
Bucknell (in PA)
Trinity (in CT)
