@BostonBrotha I’m actually in the exact same position as you-not with Swarthmore-but as far as being rejected from CU and deferred from UChicago. I agree; the college admissions world is tough. But at this point, you need to disregard your non-acceptance to those schools. Contemplating your rejection will only impact your psyche and get to you.
While a lot of the schools you applied to are competitive, I think you have a strong chance at Georgetown and amherst. Good luck!
I did not see a real safety in your list. Without one, you may end up in a community collage no matter how brilliant you are. If you were merely shocked by the Columbia rejection, then imagine that scenario!
He is already into a safety school (post #12), although based on this post I wonder if he really would be happy to attend it.
I guess when all is said and done, I would be happy to attend my safety (especially if I get in the honors program on a full ride). But it would seem like a worst-case scenario for me honestly; it would be like I failed everywhere else and have to go there as a last resort (I realize I’m very lucky that this is the worst problem I’m facing in my life right now).
Dartmouth, Duke, Williams, Northwestern: the schools I’m shooting for right now (though I’m careful not to fall in love as Columbia devastated me when I became so committed to it). What are the odds I get into one of these?
No one can really say. Your stats are obviously high. But no one here knows the quality of your essays, what is truly in your recommendations (and even you don’t know that), and exactly what the admissions pool looks like at those colleges this year. It appears that you will get serious consideration at all of them. But no one knows what decision admissions will make.
You should have applied to UMich EA. Anyway, their Rd is rolling. So , you should submit your RD ASAP. It should be a high match for you.
I think you’ll get into one of those .
Have you ever been to Williams? It’s odd to me that someone who had Columbia as their dream college would have Williams among their next highest choices (same for Dartmouth, although not quite as extreme).
You say you got “flat out-rejected” from Columbia and later state that your counselor was “surprised to see that you didn’t get deferred?”
Anyway, all the schools you listed are reaches for anyone. I think you’ll get into Northwestern and Vandy though.