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<p>Just as hard as you work on your reach applications.</p>
<p>Seriously. </p>
<p>The state universities might not require an interview, or care about demonstrated interest, but if you send an application riddled with typos, or lackluster essays, they’ll pick up on that and the “safety” may not be so safe after all.</p>
<p>The private schools might not require an interview, and it may not be possible to spend the time/money to visit them all, but if you do last minute, half-hearted applications and essays for them, they’ll pick up on that, and the “safety” may not be so safe after all. By the same token, maybe you can’t do an on-campus interview, but many LACs do local interviews, others will interview you over the phone if you ask. </p>
<p>And, finally, keep this in mind: if your daughter absolutely would NOT attend her safeties, then they are not truly safety schools after all. Yes, you can think “gap year” if she doesn’t get into her top choices — but then why bother applying to these safety schools she’s not interested in in the first place? Maybe, she needs to keep looking.</p>
<p>(If you do visit the safeties, if at all possible have her sit in on some classes, and spend time talking to students while she’s there. She may be pleasantly surprised. Or perhaps she will decide that these aren’t worth the effort. But, there’s no point in applying to ANY school if you’re not going to put in effort to the process.)</p>
<p>Good luck to your daughter!</p>