Not Enough Safeties?!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Dear reader,</p>

<p>I am struggling to decide which ten schools I want to apply to. As of now, I have a list, but I am not sure how severe a problem my lack of safety schools is. </p>

<p>I was hoping I could give you some of my basic information. Any feedback you choose to leave would be amazing. Thank you very much.</p>

<p>Ethnicity: Asian American</p>

<p>SAT I: 2340 (Single Score)
2380 (Super Score) - Essay 12</p>

<p>SAT II:
Math II: 800
Physics: 800
Chemistry: 800
U.S. History: 770</p>

<p>School: Private
GPA: 3.86</p>

<p>AP Tests (No AP classes at school)</p>

<p>World History - 5
US History - 5
Computer Science A - 5
Chemistry - 5</p>

<p>Senior Year Planned AP Tests</p>

<p>Calculus BC
Physics BC
Biology - M</p>

<p>College List</p>

<p>Schools I am Definitely Applying To:
Princeton
Yale
Harvard
Stanford
Williams
UChicago
Duke
University of Washington (in-state)</p>

<p>Schools I am not Sure Of (Picking two more out of these schools):</p>

<p>Northwestern
Brown
UPenn
WashU
Vanderbilt</p>

<p>Also, I realize that every school on these lists, besides Washington (and maybe Vanderbilt?) is a reach or high-high-target. I would be fine going to the UW if I didn't get in anywhere else. </p>

<p>I am looking to go into a math and sciences subject. I don't actually have too much experience with any one area, though, so I was hoping to find what I really want to do in college. I am leaning towards engineering or biology at the moment (not very certain I will actually pursue these topics in the future though). Do you think I should add another safety school onto the list? And if so, do you have any recommendations?</p>

<p>Thanks for any help.</p>

<p>Sincerely,
The Cookie Monster</p>

2

<p>I would say you should add another safety. You never know what might happen and somehow you don’t get accepted by any school you apply to because you only have one safety. Two safeties essentially gets rid of this risk. Also, without knowing what you want to do, no one can tell you what school you should add additionally.</p>

3

<p>If you’d be happy at UW, you’re fine. If not I would certainly add safeties. It would not be at all unusual to not get into any of these schools. The easiest to get into on your list require demonstrated interest so I’ve seen many high stats kids counting on Vandy not get in.</p>

<p>I’m surprised a private school counselor would approve this list. Where do you rank? Do you have an outstanding EC? How much can you spend?</p>

4

<p>Always strikes me odd when people pick schools with markedly differerent sizes, strengths and academic philosophies . . hard to tell what the unifying principles are behind the choices so far.</p>

<p>To your question, I have one back to you: are there any schools you may apply to at which you have data (Naviance? college counselors opinion?) indicating that you are a dead cinch to get in?</p>

<p>UW looks like that school . . . so as long as you know you will get into UW and would be happy to go there I think you’re OK.</p>

<p>7 out of your first 8 and 4 out of your next 5 are reaches for almost everyone. Fr examples, Browns said no to:
80% of those with an 800 CR
83% of those with an 800 Math
72% of those with a perfect ACT score of 36
81% of the Valedictorians who applied.</p>

<p>So as long as you are OK with more rejections than admits I think you’re OK.</p>

<p>And OK to have interests as distinct from selected majors. </p>

<p>P.S. Do you need a “financial safety school?” reason I ask is that - for example - U Chicago is $56k per year all in . . .</p>

5

<p>A “financial safety school” is a school where the NET cost is affordable to your family.</p>

<p>The net cost is:
List Cost of Attendance
minus expected need-based aid
minus expected merit aid
minus what is contributed by the student</p>

<p>The Cost of Attendance is tuition, fees, books, room ,board, travel, incidentals. We ended up doing a spreadsheet with those costs because some costs are variable (e.g., fl;ying home crioss country 4 times a year vs. catching a ride from friends)</p>

<p>The expected need-based aid can be calculated from the federal FAFSA data; it’s more or less accurate, although some schools count as “aid” private loans. The Ivies are particulary good at proving almost all grants to meet the family’s needs; Brown, for example, provided examples of families getting aid who earn up to $180k per year. </p>

<p>The expected merit aid we estimated by gathering school data (what % of students receive “non-need-based aid” and at what average amount) then calculating with couselors’ help whay the chances were that our kid was going to land a merit award. Some schools are more generous Examples: U Chicago- 11% of kids get an average of $11k; at Duke 3% get an average of $30k ( I assume that’s mosty athletes.</p>

<p>In our family for the last kid the annual net cost had to “start with a 2” . . .as long as the annual NET cost of attendance was less than $30k per year she could go where she wanted.</p>

6

<p>Yea u def need saftey schools or at least less competitive ones. For you interests I would say apply to johns hopkins and university of miami</p>