<p>
They generally are reaches for all applicants; especially Columbia.</p>
<p>However, you should apply to some hard reaches that you really like. A lot of schools, definitely including Georgetown, like stories of people living abroad. You are a US citizen, so not an international applicant, but still have all the diversity of an international, so it’s win-win.</p>
<p>
Oh, it’s certainly worth applying, if your scores/grades fall in/ahead of their averages.</p>
<p>My younger S applied to Cornell; younger D applied to Columbia and Brown.</p>
<p>If your stats are within the range to try, I think it is fine to have one or two applications that have slim chances. You never know if you will be accepted. And you might even decide you like another school better anyway. Just because it is in the Ivy League, that doesn’t mean they are the “best schools in the country.” They are certainly excellent schools, but so are a lot of other schools.</p>
<p>I think it is sad when students get accepted to wonderful schools, but don’t get accepted to an Ivy League school and think they have somehow failed.</p>
<p>HH - If you want to conserve your choice of ten schools to take risks, try this. Identify a school (most state schools do but I believe there are a lot of private schools too) with rolling admissions that you are interested and apply there as a safety school right in August when they start accepting applications. If you get in (you find out within 4-6 weeks) then you can use your other shots to apply to those you feel are a match or a reach.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>My school still does the whole process on paper via snail mail. But they don’t limit our apps, strangely.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Eh, these are all reaches as well, except perhaps Michigan. You’re lucky it worked out. OP, you need a much less risky list than this poster unless you have a very good safety.</p>