<p>I suggest two things: (actually I'll probably have more) - finding the "fit" and "sharpening the hooks". My reasoning goes like this 25% of the actual student body at 98 of the top 100 college and universities in the country (including Harvard/Yale/Swarthmore/Penn/Duke, etc.) have SAT Is below 1380 (and in 90 of those 100, many more than 25%). So what got them (or anyone else, with very rare exceptions) into the school was not likely their SAT scores. There was obviously something else seen by adcoms that made them believe that these applicants would help the school fulfill its institutional mission. The job of your d and s is to find out what that is, and accentuate it.</p>
<p>Having said that, in many cases if they truly find a "fit", and can express what that is, the school will want them every bit as much as they want the school. (think marriage?)</p>
<p>Finally, while we make a point of looking at the finer points of all these fine schools, they are ALL fine schools. There is no doubt in my mind that for every applicant (with some rare exceptions) there are at least a score of schools where the student will flourish, find what they need, be happy, and grow. As long as they don't get too hung up on any one reach school, (or one which you might not be able to afford), they'll do just fine.</p>
<p>(For the record, my d.'s final choices came down to Williams - where she was heavily recruited (and my alma mater) - and Smith, and chose Smith. For HER, they just had an awful lot more, especially in languages, Junior Year Abroad opportunities, music, a paid research assistantship in her first two years and in her field of interest, greater diversity (other than Y chromosomes) a happening town, and a Quaker meeting down the street. Others might find otherwise.)</p>