<p>We took a quite opposite approach applying to several safeties and matches as well as two ivies. My d DD was sort of superstitious about the reach schools and once the application was sent would not even talk about them. We went on to visit the matches, and she picked the one she liked best, with the mindset that this is the school she would attend. Then, on the afternoon of April First, the fat envelope was delivered. This changed every thing and she is now signed up for her #1 reach school. The point I wanted to make is she did find a really good match school that she really liked. She felt somewhat sad in sending her non-attend letter to her match school. I think she would have been happy at the match school.
On a side note: The Val of my D s HS with 1600 SAT was rejected from the ivy she was accepted to.</p>