<p>If you are an Illinois resident, then you have to have her apply to the Univ of IL-Urbana. Apply to both the Engineering and Liberal Arts colleges. I believe the Liberal Arts college also offers computer science.</p>
<p>Check out University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa as another safety school. They offer awesome merit financial aid. Go to the Univ of Alabama forum, and the people there talk up the University. Even though it is ranked 75-100 range, it seems to have a good reputation. Financial Aid is a separate application due Dec 1, and there is a separate application for the Honors Program.</p>
<p>Regarding ED to Cornell:
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<p>If you are accepted, you are suppose to withdraw your application to all other colleges. If you do not get enough financial aid, you can always reject, but then you will not have any other options (had to withdraw your application from other schools). The schools claim they check with each other about ED students, and that would look very bad if a school like MIT found out that you were admitted ED and did not withdraw your application. That would even taint applying in future years.</p>
<p>BTW: Don’t worry about being too nerdy at MIT and CalTech. They also know how to enjoy life.</p>