Don’t sell her stats short (and maybe consider having her take the SATs one more time to possibly enhance her merit profile). She has a chance for meaningful merit awards, certainly at Pitt, but possibly even at places like Michigan or USC (in addition to the southern publics with advertised merit programs). My daughter’s BFF even got C$5,000/year merit aid at McGill, and admission to a humanities honors program, with similar stats and similar interests. Together with McGill’s much lower base price than comparable American colleges, that really sealed the deal for her, and it worked out beautifully.
Another approach would be to look at Pitzer, one of the Claremont Colleges. Each one is a smallish LAC, but they have adjacent campuses (in a long-established LA suburb), cross-registration, a common research library and athletic facilities, and common graduate programs, which makes the ensemble not so unlike Princeton. I don’t think they have merit aid, but Pitzer would be a match or safety (or close to it) from an admissions standpoint.
Similarly, she may think about Smith or Mount Holyoke, both of which have some merit aid available for women who could clearly get accepted elsewhere, in the context of the Five College Consortium.
“excellent college selections…but o don’t think any of them would be true safeties…which is what I thought this OP was looking for.”
For most of what is in the post I agree. However, McGill is a relatively large school that admits students based on grades and SATs. Admission is relatively highly predictable in Canada. Given that OP has a 4.0 unweighted, I am interpreting this as having only A’s for all of high school. With 1470 on the (I am assuming two-part) SAT, then McGill probably is a true safety. Ironically that means that one of the relatively more academically challenging and famous schools mentioned in this thread might be one of the safest also, in terms of getting in.
McGill’s reputation is strong enough that there should be no problem getting jobs and/or admission to graduate schools in the US with a degree from there. One issue is that it is very demanding academically, although OP’s great high school stats suggests this should be okay.
I also agree with the earlier post by @twoinanddone that if OP’s daughter applies EA to a few schools, then she might hear back from some before the application deadline for her safeties.
It depends what you mean by “true safety.” If you mean “absolute guaranteed admission with guaranteed merit aid,” no. However, if it’s overwhelmingly likely that the applicant will be admitted, with no guarantee of merit aid but a decent chance at it, then I think Smith and Bryn Mawr are at the very least safe choices.
U of Rochester? May offer some merit. Agree that American is likely a match. Fordham offers nice merit.
Dickinson is somewhat smaller, but may offer merit.
Lehigh? Not a safety, but a match perhaps.
Syracuse would most likely offer her merit (my son with lower GPA higher SAT got merit there).
If in your position, I would likely require her to apply to Pitt and/or Penn state as a “parental choice” school. If she gets substantial merit at one or the other, the cost factor may make her rethink her options. It may not, but the full-pay cost may seem doable now, but loom large when four years are figured in.
Pitzer is not a safety for anyone. Their admission rate is around 12%. She could also look at Scripps and major in public policy at Pitzer. Not sure if Scripps has that.
Thanks everyone. We are primarily looking for safeties - and while some of these are not, I do enjoy your comments and appreciate the advice.
I agree with everyone about the liberal arts colleges mentioned, but I’m afraid they are just too small for her - even with the consortium opportunities.
Good suggestions on Ole Miss - another we never considered. And interesting details about McGill…
What about University of Richmond? I don’t know about their IR program but they do offer merit scholarships.
Off the top of my head I thought of Ithaca, Rochester, William & Mary, and Miami (OH) Many, if not all of these, were mentioned upthread.
We were really impressed with Case Western - midsized, urban, and not just a tech school. Top merit scholarships cover nearly half the COA. Nonbinding EA is an option and demonstrated interest is important.
Re American - I know of a few very highly qualified students with stats similar to your child’s who were rejected - I think some yield protection might be happening there. Said students were genuinely interested in the school and were disappointed to be rejected.
Good luck! Sounds like you have a hardworking, smart child.
You’ve got to show the love to your safeties. They value demonstrated interest more than the super selective schools, especially from high stats kids who aren’t likely to matriculate.