Safeties - Is private better?

[Anonymous]

Given that a lot of OOS flagships are becoming much harder admits, is it better to look at private schools that don't have in-state admissions requirements? We are in VA and my kid will be one of many who are vying for UVA. My kid doesn't want a small school, so I'm having a hard time finding schools that will still be safeties. UVA, VT & JMU are on their list. Right now, my kid is undecided and I think would benefit from a school where you don't have to lock in your major before even starting college. What would have been a safety before for a 4.0 UW, 1400/1500 SAT with good ECs aren't really safeties anymore. I am struggling to come up with safeties that make sense.

[Anonymous]

If you can afford them, sure.

[Anonymous]

What are safeties for a typical UVA applicant?

[Anonymous]

Yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Given that a lot of OOS flagships are becoming much harder admits, is it better to look at private schools that don't have in-state admissions requirements? We are in VA and my kid will be one of many who are vying for UVA. My kid doesn't want a small school, so I'm having a hard time finding schools that will still be safeties. UVA, VT & JMU are on their list. Right now, my kid is undecided and I think would benefit from a school where you don't have to lock in your major before even starting college. What would have been a safety before for a 4.0 UW, 1400/1500 SAT with good ECs aren't really safeties anymore. I am struggling to come up with safeties that make sense.

JMU is 100% a safety for your kid. Some nerd will come in here and say, "Not from NoVa!" but they're patently wrong. JMU still accepts nearly 80% of its applicants and its freshman classes are still largely comprised of students who were not even in the top quarter of their high school class. Really, it's a safety school's safety school.

There are also tons of solid OOS flagships that are still safeties for your kid: Alabama, Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska, Kansas, Michigan State, Minnesota, just to name a few.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given that a lot of OOS flagships are becoming much harder admits, is it better to look at private schools that don't have in-state admissions requirements? We are in VA and my kid will be one of many who are vying for UVA. My kid doesn't want a small school, so I'm having a hard time finding schools that will still be safeties. UVA, VT & JMU are on their list. Right now, my kid is undecided and I think would benefit from a school where you don't have to lock in your major before even starting college. What would have been a safety before for a 4.0 UW, 1400/1500 SAT with good ECs aren't really safeties anymore. I am struggling to come up with safeties that make sense.

JMU is 100% a safety for your kid. Some nerd will come in here and say, "Not from NoVa!" but they're patently wrong. JMU still accepts nearly 80% of its applicants and its freshman classes are still largely comprised of students who were not even in the top quarter of their high school class. Really, it's a safety school's safety school.

There are also tons of solid OOS flagships that are still safeties for your kid: Alabama, Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska, Kansas, Michigan State, Minnesota, just to name a few.

Add Kansas State, Oregon, Arizona, and Arizona State to the second list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you can afford them, sure.

+1 if you are anticipating/requiring merit, I'm not sure you would technically classify as a safety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given that a lot of OOS flagships are becoming much harder admits, is it better to look at private schools that don't have in-state admissions requirements? We are in VA and my kid will be one of many who are vying for UVA. My kid doesn't want a small school, so I'm having a hard time finding schools that will still be safeties. UVA, VT & JMU are on their list. Right now, my kid is undecided and I think would benefit from a school where you don't have to lock in your major before even starting college. What would have been a safety before for a 4.0 UW, 1400/1500 SAT with good ECs aren't really safeties anymore. I am struggling to come up with safeties that make sense.

JMU is 100% a safety for your kid. Some nerd will come in here and say, "Not from NoVa!" but they're patently wrong. JMU still accepts nearly 80% of its applicants and its freshman classes are still largely comprised of students who were not even in the top quarter of their high school class. Really, it's a safety school's safety school.

There are also tons of solid OOS flagships that are still safeties for your kid: Alabama, Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska, Kansas, Michigan State, Minnesota, just to name a few.

+1
My DD had an uw3.8/w4.4, 28 act and is in at MSU and Iowa (didn’t apply to the others). With nice merit too.

[Anonymous]

What about Boulder, Tennessee and Penn State? Are those still safeties?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about Boulder, Tennessee and Penn State? Are those still safeties?

Only safeties for strong applicants. A friend’s son with a 3.8 from FCPS was rejected at Boulder last year.

[Anonymous]

I agree JMU is still very much a safety for a kid with that profile. Would also add U Delaware. SUNY schools are another possibility. Plenty of options!

[Anonymous]

Is money an issue for you? We are shocked at how much money our kid has gotten from OOS public “safeties.” We were aware nothing is really safety these days….so applied to many. He now has 5 excellent options that all come I around the same cost as our in-state option. Similar stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree JMU is still very much a safety for a kid with that profile. Would also add U Delaware. SUNY schools are another possibility. Plenty of options!

I've heard some good things about Delaware. My junior wants to stay in the east (distance to home).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is money an issue for you? We are shocked at how much money our kid has gotten from OOS public “safeties.” We were aware nothing is really safety these days….so applied to many. He now has 5 excellent options that all come I around the same cost as our in-state option. Similar stats.

I should add not all of these are flagships (a few regional). But including UNH and UVM

[Anonymous]

Privates are more likely to yield protect, although few of the top publics clearly do now as well. So publics are better if you are looking for a safe admit.