My son is similar to your daughter in terms of GPA (3.8) and with a considerably lower ACT score (27), and coming out of a tip top private with a rigorous schedule. For him, Wake, Bucknell, Lehigh, and comparable schools are all reaches. He’s definitely not applying to any of those more selective LACs like those on your D’s list. Frustrating as it is (and your GC doesn’t sound like the most sensitive in the world), I do think it is the reality today. I’m sorry. It feels disappointing, I know, but there are so many good schools, and your daughter will get into one that is amazing.
In terms of the school choices, my oldest goes to Bucknell, and if you aren’t excited about Gettysburg, I’m not sure Bucknell or Lehigh are the best choices. I wouldn’t use the word “wild”, but Greek life is huge at both schools (and my impression is that lots of drinking goes along with it). I will say my son in incredibly happy there, and that the kids are very, very friendly, confident, nice, and still strong students. We’ve been pleased with the school overall.
Some schools I’ve visited that might be great for your daughter - - Colorado College - - very competitive, gorgeous, nice college town, super size. Elon might be more of a safety or likely match for her (not sure), but it is a really great school in every way. I preferred it to Wake Forest (though my son preferred Wake). They have to be one of the most student focused institutions of all the ones I visited (over 25 between two children). There was nothing I didn’t like about it. Every single thing they do is done with student convenience and happiness and safety first and foremost. Very worth visiting. Oh, and yes, I second Lafayette! Lovely school, similar to Bucknell in terms of physical feel, but less party oriented . . .I thought it was great and also another very student oriented school.
Best of luck with your search! I really hope she gets into one of those reaches. She sounds like a wonderful student who would thrive regardless. But I hope you don’t feel too down because when you start really looking, you’ll be so impressed with some of the places you’ll discover!
What about Tulane? Not an LAC, but a solid school that she has good stats for, as long as she applies EA and shows interest. Also look at University of Richmond.
University of Denver is another school that comes to mind. I have a lot of friends with children there and they are very happy. It would likely be a safety for your D and would be worth considering.
I don’t have a problem with the original list as long as she adds a few safety schools that she likes, given that she does not appear to like TCNJ. The schools in the list are pretty competitive and could go either way- just my opinion.
First off from experience , i wholly agree with your GC assesment of your D. My child had similar stats but
went to a top NE prep, was a top Varsity athlete as well. In terms of Nescac, those listed are high reaches and most not listed would be high reaches. They look for grades, pedigree, and the prospective students simply must add more to the student body other than just being another good student. ie, EC , sports, etc…Plus they love love love full pay, and legacy that donates. Our child was accepted to two . In his case he just made an instant connection with TCNJ . He has a unique prespective on schools , having spent the better part of his life traveling around the country with exposure to most of the top schools . He has no hang ups on name, so he decided on TCNJ (yes we were surprised) but he’s doing great and really enjoys it. And i must say the more i see of that school the more impressed we are.
You havent said (unless i missed it) what your D is interested in . I think that would be the biggest factor in determining a school. What’s the point of going somewhere that is known for something she has no interest in . Therefore , before you throw out schools try to get some idea where her interest are. Then i would focus on having one or two reach schools , a few likely , and a safety. YOu may find , when you narrow the field of study that what you thought were safeties are in fact reaches and vice versa. . . For example TCNJ(especially for NJ residents) makes a TON of sense for any student thinking Bio-med/chem/Business/Ed/CS. In our childs case, we know he will be going on to graduate school and this offers him just as strong an opportunity for a top grade program as any of the other pedigree schools he was accepted to and he will be debt free.
just curious, has she actually visted and spent real time at TCNJ? It’s very similar to the Nescacs in many ways, it’s surprising to read the comment you listed.
I hope you can visit enough of the types of schools she wants to attend, and as @stones3 has said, what she is interested in. I don’t think I saw what she wants to study, and what her career goals are.
You have time to continue the process but some school deadlines are looming, so I would cast a wide enough net to include any of the schools that would be a possibility. Include at least 3 admission safeties to schools she would consider attending. When it comes down to it, between now and towards the end of her academic year and selection deadline, she may totally flip on what kind of school she wants to attend - or she may visit a campus and fall in love with a school that she didn’t fall in love with on paper.
I want to second doschicos: Apply to LACs in another geographic region. Those schools are looking for geographic diversity. They want their names in high schools where they are not on everyone’s radar. The NE LACs come up over and over on the eastern seaboard - but the midwestern LACs, for example are no farther away for many in the mid-atlantic and southeast and just as good educationally, though the schools’ names may be less recognized by the ‘man on the street.’ (They are well recognized by graduate schools where many of the students end up.) Grinnell, Macalester, Kenyon, Oberlin, Lawrence, Beloit, Hendrix, Colorado College - all provide an outstanding education. What they don’t have is the NE preppiness and Ivy-league wannabe feel. That’s not a plus or a minus - depends on what your kid likes.
Those are tough schools to get into for anyone, but it is a reasonable list. Maybe expand the list around where the counselor thinks she will get in. Similar schools to Lehigh are Union, Bucknell, Lafayette, Gettysburg, Dickinson
She’s off base.
I think TCNJ is the only thing approaching a “safety” on this list.
All the others are quite competitive. Lehigh and Middlebury are among the most competitive on the list (along with Haverford). She needs some more match and safety schools.
i think you need to know what field of study before you can confidentially say what’s a safety and what is a reach.
Different schools of concentration at the same institution have different admission criteria. ex- TCNJ premed/chem
and BusFin all tougher to get into than many of the other programs.
Bobber, for TCNJ based on Naviance she has no chance of rejection being instate and 31 ACT. Lehigh, she has only a 25% chance of rejection or waitlist. BC is about 50%.
There is too little data on the other schools to draw a conclusion.
I think her chances will also go up at Wake if she applies ED. A girl from our HS ( competitive HS in a bordering state) was waitlisted with the same stats. I do not view WF as a safety, however I am not the guidance counselor.