<p>Because you said you won't need Fin Aid, I would suggest that your D TRY (not always possible) to identify a top school sooner rather than later. For elite schools ED is usually an advantage. This means more spring visits or some in early fall if you want to see a school in session. </p>
<p>Do one "rolling admission" Like Michigan (do ASAP in September!)
Do a couple of Early Actions (non binding, can be safeties.)
Do one ED. If that fails, do a second in the second round, ED2.</p>
<p>My D applied to three EA safeties. (3 admissions by January.) She applied to one school ED and was rejected. She applied to a second ED2 and was admitted. </p>
<p>One caveat to the above advice: identify some of the very academic schools that might want to give your D merit aid (Vanderbilt, Grinnell, Rice, etc.) See if any of these schools is a match for your D. Consider forgoing ED to apply to one or more of these. Merit aid can be really attractive and leave $ for grad school.</p>
<p>Finally, I think a look at top LACs would be in order. Consider Middlebury, Carleton, Vassar, Haverford, Wesleyan, Bowdoin, Bates, Hamilton, Macalester, Trinity, etc. These schools are just a hair less selective than Ivies but still really bright students, great teachers, & a great college atmosphere.</p>
<p>Same here, Alumother, Duke-sized was OK until she actually saw a LAC! Then it took a lot of persuasion to get her to consider something over 2000. You are right, I'm not sure OP's daughter has gotten that far yet. The OP's original list included large/small/suburban, etc.
What I meant to say was under the circumstances, UMich should be an important part of the strategy (Mom and Dad work there), but if she applies there very early, and is accepted, don't stop apps to any other safeties if all the other schools on the list are LACs, etc. If she truly likes Michigan, then the safety issue is done when that acceptance comes in. My daughter applied to the state uni, but that was a fallback for a situation where some calamity had befallen the family (death, illness, job loss) such that college fit didn't matter anymore - ultimate financial and location safety. She had other "true safeties" that were schools more comparable in fit to her favorites.</p>
<p>My daughter has all those qualities & a Type A personality. She did not want to take the stress that many of her friends go through with regular admissions. You need to develop a "Essay" that the admissions can remember like on Spanlish - movie. You need a resume with charities and actviies at school. I started with my daughter in her freshman year. We have been doing charity work for years b/4 this college stuff. It helped her to distingish herself from the others. She was in IB and did her EE in England at the Tate. There is much competition. Counselors do not know. I read books myself. I talked with parents that I knew- how they did the process.
Send me an email and I can give you more details. Good references- choose teacher who write well & know the student.</p>
<p>To the OP, by the way, my daughter followed SBMom's strategy almost step by step - she was admitted ED and is happy as a clam. She got significant merit money from her "true safety", and had she been rejected ED and EDII, would probably have considered seriously taking the bucks over a different match school.</p>
<p>The only thing about ED is that they do change and grow, senior year. Judge your daughter carefully in this, if she is the type to second guess every decision, "the grass is greener", or if you think she is unusually immature, or if the search this summer just doesn't go well - maybe let the ED advantage go by, for her sake. Even DD, who was set on wanting to be finished ASAP, felt a little "what if" twinge when she got over the initial excitement of acceptance. After a day or so, though, she was just happy to know where she was going.
After our experience, which was exactly what ED should be, I don't like ED, almost all students would benefit from a little extra growing time - but the system is what it is, play it to your advantage.</p>
<p>moms dream is correct, some have SCEA-- "single choice early action"-- that precludes any other EA apps. But in general you can do one binding ED and several non-binding EAs.</p>
<p>Yale, we discovered, has SCEA as does Harvard. Amherst, Princeton, Wellesley all have ED. Though Wellesley does and early evaluation in January if requested. I've ordered the books you've all recommended and will keep checking back for advice. I suspect she will apply to U of M for a combined degree in the School of Music and Literature, Science, and the Arts (known here as LS&A) in the Honor's program. She can't do MT and any other degree at U of Mich (not permitted by the program chair). Also is pretty interested in a similar program at Northwestern (again MT majors there are unlikely to be permitted to do anything other than MT). Interestingly, the kids from her school have not had much luck getting into Northwestern (?rivalry with U of M). Her best friend got accepted this year RD to Yale (after being deferred EA), Cornell, U Penn, U of M and waitlisted at Harvard, but rejected at Northwestern. A friend last year got accepted at UM and eventually went to Wesleyan after being rejected at this first choice, Northwestern.</p>
<p>echosensei, I posted on the A for Admissions thread, but would like to add a couple other observations on why I think Williams would be a good fit for your daughter. What caught my eye were:</p>
<p>*The theater/chemistry double major -- Williams has just completed a $30 million dollar performing arts center and will be aggressively seeking students with performance interest
* Music -- a very strong department, both vocal and instrumental. One of the best among the non-conservatory LACs.
* Chemistry -- a very strong department, excellent research opportunities
* Interlochen one of my sons best friends at Williams has a connection to Interlochen. I think he was a camper first then a counselor. If you or your daughter would like to contact him about the music department at Williams, please PM me and I will point you in the right direction
* Golf Williams has a great course (especially if you like playing in the snow. Just kidding.. .)
* Not eligible for financial aid In that event, consider applying ED. Williams ED admit rate is in the 40% range.
* Focus on arts -- My son is involved in the arts (art studio and art history) and has many friends who are musicians, actors, and writers. The arts scene is a vibrant and well funded at Williams, moreso than at the other "little ivies."
* Obviously, I'm somewhat prejudiced (my son LOVES it), but if I could answer any further questions about Williams, please let me know.</p>
<p>So many of us parents were in the same boat as you and your husband. We thought our kids were winners and wanted desperately to help them convince the colleges of the same. The best way to assist her in this process is to do just what you are doing: equal parts research, strategy and advocacy! Your daughter has great potential, Im sure shell excel. The most important points are to find school that fit her and to have a safety in her back pocket. UMich could certainly be that safety but only if she believes it. Otherwise Id take a look at Skidmore, Smith as alternatives in the less selective category. </p>
<p>PS On the personal side, I'm a Michigander by birth although I haven't lived there for decades (How old that sounds!) Isn't Whitmore Lake where the big roller coaster was? Still there?</p>