She may be saying she doesn’t feel resilient enough to handle the rejections. She may be saying she doesn’t want to spend 4 years competing with the kind of kids who did everything and then some to get accepted to a reach school (even if she in their peer.). She will not be any less smart or accomplished or hard-working by virtue of the choice she does make. I would leave well enough alone and be happy that she seems to have identified schools where she has a good chance of being accepted and being able to afford tuition.