<p>We hadn’t even considered Harvard, but we’ll look into it. Nice to know that your son liked their gaming/sci fi offerings, mathmom - both are very important to her.</p>
<p>D is soured on Brown because one of her least favorite people attends. She begrudgingly offered to grow up, though, so we’ll see.</p>
<p>Her school has a good track record with the tougher colleges. The top 10% has a lot of success with Duke and Northwestern for some unknown reason (4-5 kids go to these schools each year) and a friend was accepted SCEA at Yale with no major hooks. I’m completely new to the mechanics of the admissions game, but she makes the top 10% cutoff so I assume her options are pretty wide open.</p>
<p>Really like Whitman so far! It sounds like just the right environment for her and merit scholarships are a huge plus. She loves the Pacific NW - it’s a big part of why she’s keeping a close eye on Reed.</p>
<p>We were actually just looking at Pomona and Pitzer a while ago. Again, D loves the location. I think she’s leaning toward Pitzer based off first impressions.</p>
<p>When we first toured RPI, in one of the engineering buildings, I think, some guy steps out of a lab and does a juggling routine for the tour. Said he was just a grad student who liked to juggle.</p>
<p>Data are missing from the OP’s post. First, where does the OP live. There’s no need to be too precise, but in my experience, it’s harder for someone from the Boston to DC corridor to get into Harvard or Brown than it is for someone from Overland Park, Kansas. </p>
<p>Is the 3.8 overall or academic subjects only? GCs and high schools tend to include phys ed and health classes in gpa. A lot of colleges recompute an unweighted average to include just “solid” classes. I’m not trying to imply anything about the OP’s D’s grades, just making a general observation. </p>
<p>Where does the 3.8 put her in her class? OP said top 10%. Top 5%? If not, again, if this is a regular, strong, suburban high school in the Boston to DC corridor, I don’t think “only” top 10% and a 2250 SAT has a prayer at some of the schools on this list. </p>
<p>If the OP hasn’t already done so, I’d suggest asking if the high school has Naviance and seeing what sorts of stats those who got into the top colleges from your high school had. That will be much better guide than our guesses. </p>
<p>If your D wants to throw a “hail Mary” pass and apply to Harvard, that’s fine. However, I wouldn’t spend ANY time investigating it now. START with schools that are safeties and matches, not the reaches.</p>
<p>Apologies for the hijack, but this stopped me in my tracks. I’m a teacher and I can’t imagine using “quirky” as a euphemism for behavioral, emotional, or (undiagnosed) learning problems. </p>
<p>Novelisto, did the boarding school actually tell you this? I’ve read other posts on CC that claim various descriptors are “code.” As a recommendation letter writer, it disturbs me that I may be inadvertently creating negative impressions about students.</p>
<p>I’m going to start a new thread about this. </p>
<p>Would your D consider a women’s college? In my experience, the nerdiness/ quirkiness factor at Wellesley is much higher than Wellesley’s “reputation” suggests. For instance, Tamora Pierce came to speak a few weeks ago, and the auditorium was packed.</p>
<p>We’re in large-town South Carolina. She’s top 6%, but pulling in straight-As this semester, so I expect she’ll break 5%. No Naviance. The 3.8 is overall - Bs in math are what usually drag her down. We’re not really focusing on the tippy-tops anyway - much more interested in sorting out safeties and what really fits!</p>
<p>D is not at all the techie/math/science type, so I think RPI is out, though it sounds like a great place. (She would swoon at a juggler.)</p>
<p>Bennington and Marlboro seem like nice fits, but not the best sizes. I think she wants to stay in the 1500+ area.</p>
<p>I believe D could definitely get on board with a women’s college once she visits. Tamora Pierce getting a packed auditorium sounds promising. We’ll investigate further!</p>
<p>Evergreen State has a very interesting curriculum. It looks like something she would enjoy. Definitely going on the list to research more.</p>
<p>Grinnell would definitely be a possible great fit. My son is a happy senior there and is definitely quirky. Some people are turned off by the location, thinking there will be nothing to do, but the college does an amazing job of bringing in entertainment. Not everyone stresses about grades there. My son doesn’t, though some of his friends do.</p>
<p>A friend’s son is at Evergreen now. He is smart, quirky and outdoorsy. We visited and H and I loved it, but it didn’t make S’s final list.</p>
<p>We could tell that Reed was a great school and my son did apply and was accepted. Something about Grinnell just spoke to him. They don’t have a couch seesaw, but they do have “treehouses” in the library. These are all wonderful schools.</p>