All this talk recently on a big net vs a wide net makes me wonder how the net we cast falls. I think it was a pretty big and wide net, but maybe I’m wrong. DD applied to 5 co-ed and 5 all-girl schools. Please give me your opinion on if her net is a good one.
Exeter
Hotchkiss
Choate Rosemary
Loomis Chaffee
Mercersburg
Emma Willard
Westover
Madeira
St. Timothy’s
Chatham Hall
We have also tossed around the idea of apply to a couple that have rolling admissions, but are not sure how FA works with that. We only started talking about the rolling admissions schools in the last week.
DD is am almost straight A’s student, she is not super athletic so gym is normally a B. Her recommendations were great (I saw most of them). Her essays were pretty good, and on decent topics. She is an URM. She volunteers several places, and swims (but not a varsity level swimmer). She also speaks, not quite fluent, French. She needs almost full FA.
I think we chose a good range of schools, what do you think?
I think you did. I’d throw in Andover unless you have somerhing against it. The way I see it, if she’s competitive for Exeter, it’d be like she’s applying to Exeter twice in one admission season. I think that is why many people apply to both schools.
I suspect that your D will be facing the decision of coed vs. single gender as well as choices within each category. And hopefully several will also come through with the FA. Is your family ready for decision making?
The reason I’m recommmending Andover is that there are certain “elements” in OP’s daughter that justify incuding it in the mix, namely good academics, URM, signicant fianncial need etc. Despite its selectivity, given its size of admitted classes, focus on diversities and the very strong FA program, Andover is a worthy candidate with a good cost/potential benefit ratio in OP’s case, IMHO.
We never considered both Andover and Exeter, DD picked Exeter and Hotchkiss as her 2 big name schools then we added Choate based on a recommendation from a friend who attended. I know it’s past the deadline now, so I’ll keep it in mind in case she reapplies next year.
I think this is an excellent, well balanced list – and I’m delighted that she applied to Westover! My D toured a lot of applicant families this admissions season — maybe you met her! Best of luck! : )
I agree with the others that your list is a balanced one. I also agree that Andover would have been a good addition, purely for FA reasons as they are one of the most need blind schools. You may find that some of the other schools on your list will admit but without aid (or sufficient aid). Best of luck!
