As far as safety schools I think he’ll do Georgetown (enjoys international politics, big Model UN’er), UNC-Chapel Hill (apply for the Morehead-Cain or Roberson), and NC State (apply for the Park Scholarship). May sound like a long-shot to apply for the Morehead-Cain and the Park, but each year about 4 kids from his school get each of those scholarships and the opportunities provided are so much more than just financial aid.
Funny you say Oberlin! The last Chancellor of the university near us, his wife and kids went to Oberlin and have asked my son to take a look at it (they know him well).
^Maybe its a sign - lol. The Morehead - Cain would be tough to turn down if he gets it. Good luck to your S!
It’s his advisor not his counselor who is talking with him about colleges. His advisor is also one of his teachers. This guy got his Master’s at Harvard and PhD at Stanford. He knows my son well as the class is a small size with lots of discussion on US history-based literature.
Relatively new to forum, just waned to say thanks for everyone’s input. Very, very helpful and supportive!
Given that description, the following schools seem to fit on paper: Macalester; Wesleyan; Brown; Haverford; Rhodes, especially if he likes Blues; Oberlin–but not urban at all.
Most of the LAC’s in NE are all in rural/small town settings, hardly urban.
Good luck!
Would UNC-CH and NCSU be affordable even without the full rides? Also, are they assured for admission? A safety must be assured for both admission and affordability.
Oh, my sweet summer child.
ucbalumnus: He’d have assured admission at NCSU and Chapel Hill. Over half of the kids at his school get admitted to UNC Chapel Hill, and he’s one of the top students, and it’s easier to get into State. Both of these are safety schools. Although I’d love to have him in-state, I imagine the only way he’d go to UNC-Chapel Hill or NC State is on a full ride to save money for Grad school.
Just in case any of you and wondering if I’m a neurotic helicopter mom, no joke I’m not. My other three kids each found one school that perfectly fit their needs (all state schools, although one not in our state), applied early, were admitted and accepted having only applied to one school. One is even a Park Scholar and looked nowhere else. This one, my last one, is the challenging one… which is why I am so appreciative of everyones help 
Or the worst case scenario of not getting admitted, or not getting enough financial aid and scholarships, at all other schools.
I’d caution you not to consider Georgetown, or any college with an acceptance rate lower than 20%, as a safety. Csll it a match, or a low match if you prefer. Even for top notch candidates, and your son sounds like he fits this category, college admissions can be very quirky.
If he likes to write and considers himself a good writer - in addition to his other interests and talents - he sounds like a Plan 2 Honors kid. He can major in “Plan 2 Honors” as odd as that sounds, and along the way can pick up additional majors and minors. 75% of the Plan 2 kids (each class about 170 students) also major in another school on the campus : Business, Engineering, Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, etc. They can be in the respective honors programs for these schools as well. They are expected to have significant study abroad experiences - and are funded to do so. One specific study abroad scholarship states that the only requirement is that it NOT be academic. In other words this study abroad scholarship is entirely devoted to self- exploration. Can I go back to college, please??
P2Honors kids get the best of both - A large research university and all its resources, as well as a small liberal arts community with small discussion based classes and hand-picked professors that have to apply (and get chosen in part by P2Honors students) - from disciplines across the university.
We just sat through an info session on Plan 2 Honors. Really impressive stuff.
WOW! Plan 2Honors sounds right up his alley! He applied for NSLI’s language immersion program to spend this summer in China (hasn’t heard yet if he’s got it). I can find it offered at University of Texas, and am curious if it’s something offered at other colleges as well. If so, anyone know where or if similar programs go by different names?
Since he has Columbia on his list, I’d suggest he also apply to Chicago.
The way you described him -
"Urban, edgy, intellectual. He has diverse, multicultural and musical friends. Moves in lots of social groups. Not preppy, not into sports. Most likely participate in student government and clubs " made me think of Chicago immediately. Small class sizes with rigorous reading and writing requirements is what Chicago is known for. The core means Chicago graduates get an incredible Liberal Arts education. Chicago does not have an CS or Engineering major, and for the most part it attracts a different sort of student than Stanford, where 40+% of UGs are CS or Engineering majors.
My 2 cents on him going to less anyplace other than the best LAC’s- he may find it hard to find enough intellectual peers with his level of abilities, interests and drive. He may end up be a “big fish” in a little pond- which could be lonely.
Also, at smaller colleges and LAC’s, some depts can be staffed with only a few professors. He should check out the strength and depth of various depts at schools he may be interested in.
menloparkmom: Chicago does sound like a good fit. Small classes and rigorous readi and writing sound like him. This is all so very helpful. I see you’re from Menlo Park. I grew up out there and understand Stanford looks out of place on his list. If he were to head there Berkeley sounds much more like him. At one point he was looking at Chicago. I’ll suggest he take another look. Thanks!
@NCMom14, Plan 2 Honors, AKA Plan II Honors started at UT Austin about 80 years ago. It was the second degree plan offered - hence the name. It is a well kept secret and a hidden gem inside a mega University. Kids often turn down Ivy league offers to attend UT Austin for Plan II. As for your question, I don’t know of another program like it in the country.
I would try to visit as many academically rigorous LACs as you can fit into your Northeast trip. My son looked at about 10 LACs (on the east coast and midwest) and his impression after visiting changed dramatically from his impression before hand – for better or for worse depending on the school.
If your son responds favorably to the LAC category, then he could expand his list to include others that are less selective. If he wants small (or even medium) the your State school may not be a good fit, even though it’s likely an admissions safety.
All of the most selective LACs lean left, but the level of activism varies. Pomona, Amherst, Williams, Middlebury are more middle left liberal. Swarthmore, Wesleyan, Oberlin more far left progressive.
All have good basic liberal arts foundations: English, history, political science, economics. As I mentioned I would give Williams and Wesleyan the edge for math and science. For music, it depends what he’s looking for e.g., opportunities to perform in campus ensembles or an indie music scene?
I hope you don’t think Georgetown is a safety school. UNC out of state is not a safety school either. UNC’s OSS acceptance rate is 15% and Georgetown’s is 14%. Those schools are reaches for nearly every body.
Some schools post admission rates for specific GPA/Rank and score combinations. I’ve seen them for Georgetown (although the page now seems to have been removed). According to one of my previous posts, a Georgetown applicant who ranks in the top 5% of the HS class, with one perfect 800 SAT score, has something like a 35% to just under 50% chance of admission (depending on which of Georgetown’s undergraduate programs/schools we’re talking about).
So I’d say it’s a stretch to consider Georgetown a high match, let alone a safety.
Brown’s spring break is the week of 3/23. I would not visit that week. Your son would not get a feel for the usual high energy on campus. When you do visit, I would plan to attend a class or two and some student performances or events - theatre, music, improv etc… There is always something happening when school is in session. I’d venture to say that the more he can experience at Brown, the better his application will read - that is, of course, if he likes it. Parent weekend in the fall is actually a good time to visit because there is so much going on.
If you visit Amherst, Hampshire is nearby and if you’re out that way you may as well drive a little farther west and see Williams. My daughter did not like Amherst, but LOVED Williams. Go figure.
Alternatively, you could see many more schools in Boston or NYC or Philly.
Enjoy your trip!