<p>Multiple safeties are starting to become a must with the spread of Tufts Syndrome. It seems like we see more stories of kids who would be in the top 25% of matriculants getting rejected from schools because some schools seem to despise being treated like a safety.</p>
<p>The part about applying to the safety schools early (and often lol) will go a long way towards assuring that the safety net is securly in place.</p>
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Multiple safeties are starting to become a must with the spread of Tufts Syndrome.
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<p>I tried to write my definition of "safety" college in such a way that one only strictly needs ONE safety. It does, of course, really, truly have to be a sure bet for admission. The only way to put that to the test is to apply, early if at all possible, and observe the result. I think that there are enough pretty decent colleges in the United States </p>
<p>with "rolling" admission processes or other channels for getting an early answer to an admission application that most applicants should be able to make do with one, and no more than one, safety. I call any college at which there is genuine doubt about being admitted (for the particular applicant) NOT a safety college for that applicant.</p>
<p>Dad II, I know that I would NOT want to be the parent of the "one in 10 years" kid who was rejected everywhere!! And don't forget that the aid at the top 20 school(s) to which a student might be accepted may not be enough to make it an affordable option.</p>
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The top schools REJECT tons of students with perfect SAT's every year.
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<p>That was the subject of a very extensive thread several months ago. </p>
<p>I think it is actually exceedingly rare for an applicant with an SAT score of 2400 and any kind of decent grades in tough classes to fail to get into some college in the "CC top universities" or "CC top LACs" echelon. Those students are few to begin with, and well liked by most admission committees. But, yes, they too should apply to some sure-bet safety college.</p>
<p>Another reason for having likely schools (I hate the term safety) is that they may be more forgiving if senioritis sets in, and the first-term senior grades are not up to par. </p>
<p>A financial likely is also important to include in the mix - especially with the economy being what it is.</p>
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My d. was accepted at several reaches, but waitlisted at her "matches" -- and I have heard many similar reports. I think it is the idea of a "match" that is overrated -- the student is either sure to get in or she isn't -- it is no consolation to the student who is waitlisted at match school to know that the odds of admission had been 50/50 or better.
No, it isn't -- it is a school that your kid is assured of getting in. In many states, admission to certain public universities is guaranteed to residents with a certain GPA or class rank -- but the schools themselves may be quite difficult to get into for students who do not have whatever credential is required for guaranteed admission. Some kids can convert a match or even a reach school into a "safety" through an early application, especially if the school offers rolling admissions. Once the kid is in, they are in.</p>
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How many true top 1% HS students failed to gain admission into a top 20 school?
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<p>There are at least 26,000 high schools in the United States. If most have at least 100 students, there are at least 26,000 top 1 percent students (and maybe quite a few more, if most high schools are larger). There are enough high school students in the top percentile of their classes to fill up the entering classes at the most desirable colleges. Peak scorers on admission tests are rarer, but slots in entering classes at the very most desired colleges are also fairly rare. See </p>
<p>for cumulative figures on entering class sizes at highly desired colleges.</p>
<p>Harriet</p>
<p>Goucher and Lewis & Clark were/are really interesting LAC's that seemed to be admissions safeties (for him) and had EA so he could check that out. Their incredible international focus and location close to fascinating cities made them stand out as places he could really enjoy. For other students, different factors would come into play. These schools were such a good match for my son that we all felt sad to say no to them in the end.</p>
<p>Calmom-
I didn't say we couldn't afford it-- I just said I'd rather not pay that much! I like the idea of a "mommy safety" that was suggested on another thread about this topic. That's a safety that mom prefers (maybe for cost) that might just possibly make it onto the radar screen at some point. Then, if necessary, there is possibly the choice between the expensive vs the inexpensive safety.</p>
<p>DadII-
There is no guarantee that <em>any</em> top student will get into <em>any</em> reach school. The top schools are considered a reach for just about anyone, unless you are a bigtime development candidate or a bigtime recruited athlete. Not to have a safety is foolish, IMO.</p>
<p>Highly recommend that whatever likely is chosen, it be an EA school with rolling admission and that all paperwork be submitted early. Even though DD had to audition, her likely financial and education safety audition was early and she had that acceptance in hand before Christmas, with merit $$. It was also a school she would have been happy to go to, even though not first choice. That sure did relieve the stress of the rest of the application process.</p>
<p>My point is that "top" by USNews or anyone else's opinion, may not be "better."</p>
<p>S1 was in the top 2% of his class in h.s He applied to only three schools...all state u's, all safeties. He is a jr.at the one he liked the best although he would have been happy at all. He has loved his school from day one. </p>
<p>Top students may sometimes feel the pressure to apply to "reach" schools when in reality they may love a safety just as much if given the nudge/opportunity/permission (that they might feel they need) to examine them as closely as they do their reaches.</p>
<p>DS safeties were a match school and a reach school because they both have EA. He was accepted at both, and really, we could have stopped there.</p>
<p>But we didn't.</p>
<p>DS chose Drew as a safety because we knew she'd get merit money, we qualify for FA and it is a sweet school near NYC, her love.</p>
<p>It didn't hurt that her bf went there, but they would have only overlapped one year.</p>
<p>She was accepted but I'm so glad she didn't have to attend. Even with merit money it was about 8K more than her #! school. Still, I think she would have been happy there if she would have let herself.</p>
<p>Where she is, she is ecstatic.</p>
<p>Can someone explain to me how you determine a financial safety?</p>
<p>biokid, a financial safety is one can get into that you are positive you can pay for! Either because you can afford the full price or because you are guaranteed to get a certain amount of aid (some schools might guarantee scholarships to kids with a certain SAT/GPA).</p>
<p>For some kids the financial safety is one you can commute to while living at home and working for tuition.</p>
<p>I got lucky. My daughter fell in love with her academic and financial safety- Grand Valley State in Michigan. They were generous with financial aid- we are paying about $10,0000 out of state, and that includes room and board and books. Her 2nd choice, DePaul , offered $9,500 per year in merit money, but we still would have been trying to find $23,000 or so. I didn't say a word when she was making her choice, but when she picked Grand Valley, I breathed a sigh of relief!</p>
<p>I agree that safety needs to take into consideration of whether or not the family could afford the place if no merit aid is offered, and the family would need to pay full COA.</p>
<p>I suggest that the moderators put this thread at the top of the page permanently so that it doesn't disappear two weeks from now. Many parents are making summer plans to visit colleges, and this thread needs to remind them to include safeties on their tours.</p>
<p>I think one of the most important things is to talk about this at the very start - when the first viewbooks come in at the latest. We told our son up front that we were going to have to leave our options open because of our financial situation. I think knowing up front that the goal was to find a number of schools he could be happy at - not to find a "dream school" made it a much better year.</p>
<p>And, if the safety happens to offer rolling admissions, it is always nice to have an "acceptance" on file before the rest of the apps go out. Safeties are just as important as reaches; if a students applies, let's hope they have visited and are more than comfortable with attending.</p>
<p>D's two (so far) safeties are not only academic safeties, but financial safeties - she would automatically get a merit half-scholarship to one through the church (our pastor has the letter all ready to go!) and the other gives a sizeable merit scholarship based on a minimum GPA and SAT score (which should be very attainable given D's PSAT score). And both offer Early Action, so those apps will be done by the start of practice in mid-August. Third safety will probably be one of the SUNY locations that is also recruiting her - a year ago I would have tagged Geneseo as a safety (just a few minutes down the road), but it has fast become the most difficult SUNY school to get into - a lot of disappointed seniors in that regard this year, including some she has run against....</p>