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<p>Most of the UCs (even the ones that she should be easily able to get into) are considered good for math. Is your budget lower than the nominal in-state list price? Upper division and honors math classes tend to be small, so if she is starting out advanced, she may find mostly small classes in her major.</p>
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<p>Not all private schools are generous with need-based financial aid in the way that Harvard, Stanford, and MIT are. (Of course, these generous with need-based financial aid schools are definitely not safeties for admissions!)</p>
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<p>She will probably have to dip down to the low safety level if she wants merit scholarships.</p>
<p>The problem is, if she applies only to selective schools, and makes overly optimistic assumptions about financial aid from private schools, she may get “shut out” – either no acceptances, or acceptances only at schools which give insufficient financial aid (so that the net cost or loan obligation is higher than in-state UC). That leaves community college as the safety (which may not work out that well if she is starting advanced in math and wants to major in math).</p>