@Houston1021 Thank you. It might be tough to visit Rice during the fall since I go to a boarding school, and we have Saturday classes and whatnot … and it’s a 3-5 hour flight! All of that said, I do plan on visiting in the summer, but I might make the extra effort to figure out how to go there while classes are still in session, especially because it sounds like your daughter had an incredible experience.
@prezbucky Thank you for such a thorough response – I really appreciate it. Coming to terms with the fact that college is going to be so much more difficult is something that I have yet to do, but you are right that it is something I need to consider. I feel like, among the three, Rice is the easiest place to stay happy at (based on articles and polls), but, as I have mentioned throughout the thread, the distance from home might make it slightly more difficult to stay “balanced”. I feel like Penn is the toughest and most competitive, and Brown is slightly more laid-back – feel free to correct me if I am wrong. All of that said, I still have to actually visit these schools to get a true sense of the communities. As for Swarthmore, I am still a bit scared of its rigor and the harsh grading scale, but it is still near the top of my list due to my internship there. Also, it’s an option that is similar to my high school, which is rather small.
In addition, Lehigh, NYU (though not the best for engineering), BU, and Rochester are all among the schools that I have considered as safer and more match-range schools. It is good to see that they came to mind for you as well! So far, Lehigh is probably my favorite “match” school, and many kids with my stats at my school have been granted admission.
And, I don’t think financial aid will be a factor in where I apply (I am beyond lucky and grateful to not need aid), but I will be sure to look out for merit aid and scholarships.
Thank you once again for all of your help!