My daughter is a junior and we are starting the college search.
Some of her stats:
GPA 4.3/4.0 5.76/5 no unweighted available
PSAT 1490
SAT- not taken yet
APs
Physics 1- 4
Computer Science-5
Stats- current
BC Calculus- current
Bio- Sr Yr
Spanish- Sr Yr
Multivariable Calc- Sr Yr
all other courses honors
ECs
FTC Robotics team- lead programmer
Girl Scouts
National Honor Society
Girls Who Code (new)
Summers- has volunteered at a variety of STEM programs for younger kids
Intended Major: Computer Science, maybe Bio minor?
Prefers: non urban, smaller schools (making an exception for MIT, Brown)
Current list of colleges
MIT
Brown
Smith
Wellesley
Mount Holyoke
WPI
Amherst
Williams
UMass Amherst (safety)
Is this a reasonable list? Net price calculators have our EFC around 5,000. Would like to not go over that. Any colleges we should take a look at that are not on our list? Is it reasonable to expect she’ll get into a couple of these schools?
Although your daughter is very accomplished, several of the schools on the list are reaches for everyone (i.e., MIT, Brown, Wellesley, Amherst; others might be, too). Is she willing to expand the list geographically?
WPI is the only one on the list that was no affordable according to the NPC. I have heard they will sometimes throw more money at girls to get them there so thought it was worth an application. I will run UMass again.
Have her study hard for the SAT. If her scores are good, remove Amherst and add Harvey Mudd. They would be her tribe. She would need subject test scores, too (Math II and one other).
No hooks. I expect good SAT scores. She got 1490 on the PSAT with little studying (and I am trying to convince her to study for the SAT). She will take Math II subject tests, haven’t fully decided on the other. Maybe bio and Spanish.
Have her study for and try the ACT as well. She may do better on that. She can study now and take the one in February.
Also, I would not have her take the Math1 and Math2 subject tests, if that’s what you meant. Have her take the Math2. If she’s a science kid, then I’d have the other subject test be in Bio or Chem or Physics.
What a great student! Some of your reaches are super reaches (not because of your daughter, but because so, so many qualified applicants apply that they’re reaches for everyone). I agree that Harvey Mudd sounds like a great fit for her if she hits the SAT out of the ballpark; HM puts a big emphasis on standardized test scores.
No offense, but I’d worry about Agnes Scott. I think I read a year or two ago that there are issues with the endowment.
If you can afford Mount Holyoke, WPI, and UMass and she is a good fit for them, your list is fine.
You certainly have enough reaches – might want to add another match or two. Assuming it is in-state and affordable, I think you can consider UMass a safety. Holyoke is a match and WPI probably a low match, assuming she keeps her grades up and scores well on SAT/ACT.
If she is into tech, yes, add Mudd or heck, even Caltech or MIT. If time and money for apps are concerns, remove a LAC reach or two (especially Smith and Wellesley; Amherst and Williams are pretty strong in the sciences among LACs).
Agnes Scott’s endowment is around $223 million. Not to worry. Perhaps you are confusing it with Mills or Sweet Briar, who were having financial concerns. Mills significantly lowered its tuition this year.
I also love Harvey Mudd, but it doesn’t sound like this student wants to go diagonally across country. And why add more reach schools? Sounds like it would be more helpful to add more match/safeties for the OP.