<p>Pomona and Dartmouth both fall into the same Barrons college selectivity group, namely the highest ("most competitive"). They have that in common with Harvard. So it might be stretching a point to call either college a "safety," although certainly a strong candidate for Harvard might well be a even stronger candidate for either of those colleges. </p>
<p>But more to the point of this thread bump :) be sure to line up a sure-bet safety college as you apply to Harvard. A lot of students ought to have a decision in hand by now from a rolling admission college.</p>
<p>D1 applied for Cal tech-EA, MIT-EA and one local state university (which is on the rolling admission). Other colleges that D1 has submitted or will submit applications are HYP, Stanford, Olin and Duke. The state university D1 applied is not the best state college, but has honors college, 7-year BA/MD program, in the same city we live and provides large amount of scholarship to national merit finalists (we assume that D1 will be a finalist/D1 has perfect PSAT).</p>
<p>We never truly consider the concept of safety schools since her STAT is high (> 2300 SAT1 and USAMO qualifier every year since freshman year, 10 APs, all 5 and other significant distinction). I am sure she will get some rejection letters. However, I would be surprised if she gets more than two rejections. </p>
<p>People always discuss about their matching colleges. In reality, most of us are quite flexible (D1 included) and are compatible with most of the colleges we applied.</p>
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In reality, most of us are quite flexible (D1 included) and are compatible with most of the colleges we applied.
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<p>Yes, there have been posters on this forum before who have said that eighteen-year-olds are adaptable, and usually can thrive at a lot of different colleges. It appears that Harvard will enjoy plenty of applications this year under its new single-deadline system. There are other colleges worth applying to also.</p>
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how wise is it to apply for harvard, yale, princeton, stanfrod, AND caltech?
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<p>It could be very wise indeed. But none of those colleges are safety colleges except for a few superelite students--maybe not even for them. So if those are the target colleges (and I know students with an interest pattern such that most or all of those colleges would be target colleges), then the applicant should first of all find a suitable safety college, and then devote considerable time to preparing good applications to each of those fine colleges. Presumably, a student wouldn't even think of applying to all those colleges except after years of rigorous preparation during high school.</p>
<p>Yes, trying for all and seeing what you can get is the optimal application strategy. You just have to be careful about inconsistent commitments, such as applying early decision somewhere when you'd really rather attend somewhere else. But when you're applying in the regular round, you may as well cast a wide net.</p>
<p>I see that appears in the College Board College Handbook as a college with a rather low base acceptance rate. If it's the preferred safety college for most well prepared applicants on Puerto Rico, it wouldn't have the capacity to admit all the other applicants. </p>
<p>Good luck to everyone applying this year. The regular decision deadlines are coming up.</p>
<p>I found this thread amusing..Not applying to Harvard, but favorite safety is the school one gets into first! (Unless, of course, it was an ED reach...)</p>
<p>That's the way it worked out for my son last year. He got his first acceptance from RPI shortly before Thanksgiving. It certainly made all the rest of the waiting easier.</p>
<p>Yep, an acceptance before Thanksgiving is definitely something to be thankful for. I'm rather surprised that I haven't heard more stories like that in this thread from this year's applicants.</p>
<p>^ (university of puerto rico-rio piedras) its easy to get into if u have half decent grades and scores. depends on your intended major but im doing poli sci so its ok. ppl interested in humanities/ social sciences/ natural sciences usually go here, while those interested in engineering/biotech stuff prefer upr-mayaguez... i wish i was half as qualified for other schools as i am for this one, but thats obviously why its a safety...thanks, and good luck to everyone else!!!</p>
<p>I saw a thread elsewhere about an applicant who didn't seem to have a safety application finished, so I'm bumping this thread to mention the importance of applying to a sure-bet safety college.</p>