<p>With the stats your D has, I am surprised that the GC recommended the "Colleges That Change Lives" schools. Though I think the book is extremely valuable in bringing attention to some excellent schools that are below the college search radar for many student except for those who live in the region of those colleges, they do not seem to be schools that someone like you D needs to examine. Though the very top schools are lottery tickets, your D certainly has a shot at them, and it would have been nice to have your GC more supportive about the process. I have seen a number of GCs that are not that competent, nor are they interested in going the extra mile for their student, and yours might fall in that category. I would ask her very politely why she does not think your D should apply to Harvard, and let her know that you know that the chances are not high. Sometimes a college has had a problem with a highschool that makes the apps from there suspect. It could be that the school hid info, was not helpful when called, or did not abide by the protocol that selective colleges use. I don't believe that it is fair to the students to have this sort of boycott but it does happen, which is why those schools that want to keep their students chances for acceptance optimum will abide by certain rules that are legally questionable and will not support students who break them.<br>
You may want to ask if any tiff occurred between your D's highschool and Harvard.
I would think that many of your D's other apps are for highly selected schools as well. What does the GC think about her applying there? The numbers for Princeton and Yale are not that different from Harvard's.<br>
I think that what the CCers are telling you about your D is valuable info. If the GC is just making "don't get obsessed with this school" noises, that is entirely appropriate. I believe I read somewhere that these top school only accept about 30% of their kids for pure academic reasons. And many of those kids have won national awards for science/math olympiads, Intel type competitions and are doing academic work beyond highschool. The top colleges do not get excited with most school/regional achievements. You win the county figure skating contest and make nationals---yawn. You get a medal at the Olympics, they are interested. You play for the All state Orchestra, so what? You are the new Yoyo Ma, that may help you get in. HPY have a number of students who are the best in the world/country at an activiity AND have excellent academic stats. Some kids get in as athletic picks, when they are not at that level, but that is because the college has a particular need for that activity, and the candidate is the best in the app lot.The few athletes that I have seen who were accepted were no academic slouches, either.
I do believe that there may be a number of apps that get in through "luck". I have seen kids get in who were indistinguishable from those who did not. There just might be a few spots left after the college wish list has been addressed, and the superstars are selected. I am sure there a a number of students that are then considered, and picking any one over the other is not going to make that much of a difference. What strikes the adcom's fancey the most might then come to play. It could be that an essay topic interests those making the decision. Or it may turn them off. There is a point where it is truly splitting hairs.<br>
Good luck to your D in her application process. Though I feel that her selections can be top heavy in selectivity, she should also find a safety or two that would suit her. Even with her "perfection", it is possible to not make the cut when it comes to the most selective schools.</p>