<p>Thanks everyone. It’s pretty gloomy! Any other schools that would be matches/safeties that are a little smaller?</p>
<p>Sorry Charliesmom, I have not revisited the thread for a while. She goes to Bard.</p>
<p>I don’t think of Bard as a true safety school but any school is a safety if a student can get an EA acceptance to it which she did. I think your D needs to look at some schools where she is sure to get in, or some EA schools where she can get an early answer. </p>
<p>EA and rolling admissions are great in that they give you a “litmus test” as to what your student’s selectivity is. It really pinpointed things for my older son, gave my latest in college a lot of security, and was a wake up call for the second student.</p>
<p>OP, sorry to use your thread to ask a quick question. BTW, our DS likes UPenn too from a quick visit. </p>
<p>Dad’o’2, thank you very much for the tip of Case EA. The application dealine is very early (11/1). When do they let the student know the decision? Do they send out the FA at the same time?</p>
<p>My son, like OP’s D is a junior now, with a set of decent stat - 33 ish ACT (will retake in June), 3.9 ish unweight GPA targeting at least 11 AP by graduation. Decent E/C and some leadership roles. What will be the chance for him to get some merit $$ from Case?</p>
<p>Vermont
Pepperdine
Colorado College
UIowa
UMinnesota</p>
<p>Vermont, Iowa and Minnesota all have Honors Programs that she might qualify for.</p>
<p>Iowa City is a decent college town and I believe they have an straight mathematical admissions formula, GPA + (something times your SAT) = a number; if you’re over the threshhold you’re in.</p>
<p>Minnesota, large school but nice location between Minneapolis & St. Paul.</p>
<p>Case Western is a good safety for your daughter. Lots of merit money :)</p>
<p>Take a look at Lehigh…but if you don’t visit or show real interest they’ll just reject or wait-list you even with ivy qualifications.</p>
<p>Dad II, your son will get merit money from Case Western.</p>
<p>I have a daughter who goes to Rochester and an older daughter who was accepted there but chose another school, both with merit $. Do not consider Rochester a safety school. It is increasingly popular, highly regarded, gets great press and it is a school that likes to see demonstrated interest. I second considering Pitt, Vermont, Case as more in the match/safety area. If driving through upstate NY you might consider looking at Skidmore although clearly a different school than Penn.</p>
<p>Dad II–I believe Case notifies EA acceptances mid-December, with merit scholarship notification either with the acceptance or shortly thereafter. I would think your son would likely receive merit money in the range of 1/2 to 3/4 of tuition. Not many full rides as I understand.</p>
<p>What about Furman?</p>
<p>This week we visited Bowdoin, Brown and Wesleyan. She felt that Bowdoin was too small and isolated but really liked Wesleyan and Brown. One question I have…do we need to visit Rochester in order to show interest or can she visit them at a college fair and just apply? Also, she loved Wash U! Thanks.</p>
<p>If your daughter really likes Wesleyan and Brown, she should definitely take a good luck at Vassar. There is tremendous overlap in applications between those three schools.</p>
<p>YES, she needs to visit Rochester and especially interview. Rochester is huge on demonstrated interest.</p>
<p>I know that about Rochester, but what if she talks to them at a college fair and has an alumni interview?</p>
<p>^Does Rochester do alumni interviews? I was under the impression that it organized a huge staff of people to do evaluative admissions interviews, traveling around to major cities as well as on campus.</p>
<p>My daughter did not have an interview either on-campus or an event off-campus for Rochester. She did visit without a tour when in Rochester for all-state chorus 9no time to schedule-might have also been reading period/finals for students then) and did let admissions know that she had been on campus. She did visit for accepted students day. I think what got her into Rochester was her area of interest as well as an incredibly written unique and personal essay.</p>
<p>We are trying to pick some safeties. D will definitely apply to U Mass Amherst (instate) and w ill probably qualify for their honors college (Commonwealth Colllege). We need to pick another safety or two. We have U. Wisconsin, GW, U Miami, NYU, Skidmore and UVM on the list. Her favorite schools are Penn, Wash U and Tufts. She likes the size, spirit, people, etc. So which of these other schools I listed would be better academically than U. Mass and which would be most like the three favorites (that are reaches)?</p>
<p>I forgot to put Tulane on the list of possible safeties</p>
<p>First, she should not consider NYU, GW or Skidmore safeties. Not even close. Tulane, as someone said upthread, is getting more competitive, so I’m not sure that it’s a safety either. </p>
<p>That leaves Wisconsin, Miami and UVM. I know nothing about Miami. Wisconsin has tons of spirit, and I think the student body is most comparable to Tufts from the 3 favorites you listed. UVM is not in a big city, but Burlington is a great college town. The students tend to be a little bit more laid back and counter-cultural types, as compared to what you’d get at Penn and Wash U. Academically, I think Wisconsin is stronger than UVM. </p>
<p>Apply to Wisconsin as early as possible, and to UVM early action.</p>