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<p>People seem to be suggesting that, outside the few schools with admit rates below a certain point (~15-20%), everything else is a safety. I’d be careful about this.</p>
<p>It’s true that your stats would put you in the top 25% at schools ranked 30-something in the USNWR rankings (places like Kenyon, Trinity College, or the University of Rochester). However, these are solid schools that do reject most applicants (~60%). I’d be surprised if their rejections did not include a few kids with very high stats. So, you still need to show enthusiasm in your applications.</p>
<p>Now throw in cost concerns. Suppose you want to attend one of these very expensive schools, you don’t qualify for need-based aid, but your parents cannot afford the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). In that case, you can’t take anything for granted. For those private USNWR 30-something schools, you’ll be competing against applicants with stats as high as yours for the most generous merit scholarships, which only go to a very few students. </p>
<p>As for public honors colleges, I hear stories of kids being rejected outright despite very high stats.</p>