<p>Wow, just saw this, @AnnieBeats. I don’t know where you got the idea I thought my son was average. (Or why there’s anything wrong with being average. Someone has to be!) No, I know he’s intellectually gifted. But he doesn’t have the hooks that help with admissions. There’s a difference between being cast as the lead in several plays and, say, starting a theatre company. I’m just looking for realistic options for him. He did apply ED to Brown, but he needs to find some less reachy schools, as all applicants do, whether they are snowflakes or not.</p>
<p>And to everyone else, thanks for the good suggestions! As most of you surmised, I was asking from the perspective of an admissions committee, not as a parent.(Of course I think my son is an interesting, witty, profoundly original person. He knows this and thinks highly of himself.) But it’s not about what we think. It’s about how the application readers will see him. And that is why I asked for help in coming up with a college list. Of course, if the Brown readers think he is as wonderful as his parents do those other applications will be unnecessary, but in the meantime, he must still have a back-up plan.</p>
<p>OK I have a different take on OPs original question. I think a great match for a child who doesn’t really know what they want to do is a large well regarded public university. They typically have strong programs in a variety of different fields. I would think that schools like UVA, Penn State, University of Pittsburgh or even Ohio State would be good matches. He could get into their Honors colleges and at least at some of the Universities be eligible for scholarships. They are large enough that they will likely have strong programs in any field he eventually gravitates to. With the exception of perhaps UVA they will more than likely be strong matches, however, I think a match is a school that matches your needs and you are more likely than not to be accepted to. </p>
<p>For what it’s worth, I loved @Massmomm original letter about her son and thought she was being very realistic about a son that she loves very much. </p>
<p>@lvvcsf, we have also come to the conclusion that he should add a large university or two to his list for exactly the reasons you stated. He doesn’t need support for Asperger’s, but he will need to connect with a Christian fellowship on campus for social/spiritual support no matter where he ends up. He’s kind of a late bloomer (what 17 year old boy decides he really should start taking ballet lessons as soon as he can find some spare time?) so I think college is where he’s really going to figure out who he is.</p>
<p>I think a lot of us are in @Massmomm’s shoes—we have great kids, smart kids, lovable kids with high scores and grades and good school-based ECs. 10 or 15 years ago, our kids probably could have counted on getting into at least one of their reach schools. But the college situation is different today, and finding the right match is a little difficult, especially for those us with kids who look “average” on paper but who also have the potential, the desire, and the ability to shine in the right environment. </p>
<p>IMO, it’s not devaluing a child to say “Go for Brown, but find someplace else you’ll love just as much in case you decide you need a ‘Plan B’.” That’s the advice I gave my own daughter at the beginning of her college search. And by looking beyond the “reach” schools, she actually found a “match” school that seems to suit her needs and wants better than any of the more prestigious colleges that she had considered at one point. BTW, there’s nothing wrong with finding a good “match” school…isn’t that what we really want in the end for our kids? </p>
<p>Oh, and for the backstory. I’m a lot more realistic about college admissions these days because of our experience with our daughter. She was also high stats (2340 SAT, salutatorian, musically talented) and a legacy at Stanford, but didn’t get in there. It wasn’t her first choice, but it still made us realize how competitive the process really is and how important it is to realize that the admissions readers may see your child very differently from the way you see her.</p>
<p>Look at Elon! It’s in North Carolina and it’s a larger LAC with a great theater department. Also, our kid whose stats were not nearly as good as your son’s but who was also a quirky musician got good merit aid from both Bennington and Bard. So don’t assume you won’t get any money – but look at Elon! Good theater department.</p>
<p>Tufts and Brandeis both have strong STEM and theater programs, and your son certainly stands a chance of admission to both. Syracuse is another possibility. </p>