Brainstorming college options for my DD

[Anonymous]

So much depends on how demonstrated the music is, how good she is at sport (would she be recruited?), etc.

But, from student description and assuming she has great test scores and decent honors, I'd take a look at:

Reach: Amherst, Swarthmore, Haverford, Wellesley
Target: Vassar, Wesleyan, William and Mary, Reed, Smith
Likely: Muhlenberg

[Anonymous]

Davidson, Pomona, Scripps and Tufts

[Anonymous]

Wake Forest

[Anonymous]

Davidson

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much depends on how demonstrated the music is, how good she is at sport (would she be recruited?), etc.

But, from student description and assuming she has great test scores and decent honors, I'd take a look at:

Reach: Amherst, Swarthmore, Haverford, Wellesley
Target: Vassar, Wesleyan, William and Mary, Reed, Smith
Likely: Muhlenberg

No school that admits less than 20% of applicants is a target, no matter what. Remember that OP. Even if your DD has extraordinary grades and everything else, so do many many other applicants to any competitive school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much depends on how demonstrated the music is, how good she is at sport (would she be recruited?), etc.

But, from student description and assuming she has great test scores and decent honors, I'd take a look at:

Reach: Amherst, Swarthmore, Haverford, Wellesley
Target: Vassar, Wesleyan, William and Mary, Reed, Smith
Likely: Muhlenberg

No school that admits less than 20% of applicants is a target, no matter what. Remember that OP. Even if your DD has extraordinary grades and everything else, so do many many other applicants to any competitive school.

100pct agree
Your student sounds like a great candidate, OP. Being mindful that our world is full of great candidates, agree with advice to start making visits to rule out/rule in the basics in terms of climate (weather and social), urban/rural, walkability to shops and restaurants, and build a brutally realistic balanced list (for instance Vassar and Wesleyan are reaches for everyone). For schools that value demonstrated interest, your student can start planning what that will look like (next year some on campus interviews, later one or two prospective students day on campus if possible etc)

[Anonymous]

Mount Holyoke (says an alum)

[Anonymous]

Where does your daughter want to go? What does she want to do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where does your daughter want to go? What does she want to do?

She’s in the middle of her sophomore year of high school. She shouldn’t know this. The mother needs to step way back.

[Anonymous]

I think a lot of these comments are harsh and some are imo too in the weeks for a 10th grader.

What we did has been mentioned. Took our kid to nearby schools to look at size, location, etc which helped DS formulate opinions on what he might like/dislike. At some point in Jr year we bought the Fiske Guide and started using their helpful - if you like this school, consider these. DC also did independent research on some website used filters to provide lists of schools and then he’d research them independently.

What was harder to account for was how much DC changed/matured during the 2ish year research and application process. His list ended up being a hodgepodge of what he articulated wanting early with large state schools thrown in b/c they grew to be less intimidating the older he got.

[Anonymous]

My similar, eyeing premed DD’s top choice is Dartmouth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that a lot could change.

But fyi in the PNW I might recommend Reed and Whitman over the two you mentioned — maybe especially Whitman for a kid who doesn’t like urban bustle. Whitman is hard to get to, but that isolation gives it a vibe that’s really unique. A reasonably sized town with great restaurants etc., but also the wide streets and rural charm feel of a midwestern town. Wonderfully friendly, down-to-earth kids, arty and outdoorsy, smart and unpretentious. Great STEM, and also art everywhere on campus.

Don’t have a kid there and not an alum, though DC is applying.

Reed is definitely not down to earth.

PP, I suggested it bc it draws very smart kids, it’s got terrific STEM and also great arts, campus in a city but not too urban/bustling. Just seemed like potentially a better fit for the kid OP described.

It does have that, but it’s far from down-to-earth. Reed draws from a very liberal, very intense student population. For someone who wants moderate and down-to-earth, Reed isn’t the right place.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks for the helpful suggestions! I know this is early days, but I am a Type A planner (and for those who say I should stay out of it . . . what? I am paying after all ). We are in the DMV and fortunately have been saving in a 529 since DD's birth (so honestly cost doesn't need to be a deciding factor - though obviously cheaper is always nice = more money left for possible grad school). Of course things can change and who DD is now may be different from two years from now - so just trying to get some ideas on potential schools on the radar. I mentioned her sports/music interests only b/c I recall back in the day colleges liked "well rounded" kids . . . but I don't expect her to be a recruited athlete (and she is by no means a star musician - just solid/pretty good). Her art is truly superlative . . . but she doesn't want to be an artist, so not sure how that would come in to play in a college application. At this point I would guess she will go STEM (finds those classes "easier" b/c there are clear right/wrong answers as opposed to all the grey areas in history/humanities). And I know - all kids these days are high GPA/high SAT - so she will need to cast a wide net.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much depends on how demonstrated the music is, how good she is at sport (would she be recruited?), etc.

But, from student description and assuming she has great test scores and decent honors, I'd take a look at:

Reach: Amherst, Swarthmore, Haverford, Wellesley
Target: Vassar, Wesleyan, William and Mary, Reed, Smith
Likely: Muhlenberg

No school that admits less than 20% of applicants is a target, no matter what. Remember that OP. Even if your DD has extraordinary grades and everything else, so do many many other applicants to any competitive school.

I stand by my list. Maybe qualify some targets with "hard target." But, if OP's kid has top academic stats plus superlative art w/ awards/portfolio to support, this should be fairly accurate.(Similar to my kid).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much depends on how demonstrated the music is, how good she is at sport (would she be recruited?), etc.

But, from student description and assuming she has great test scores and decent honors, I'd take a look at:

Reach: Amherst, Swarthmore, Haverford, Wellesley
Target: Vassar, Wesleyan, William and Mary, Reed, Smith
Likely: Muhlenberg

No school that admits less than 20% of applicants is a target, no matter what. Remember that OP. Even if your DD has extraordinary grades and everything else, so do many many other applicants to any competitive school.

100pct agree
Your student sounds like a great candidate, OP. Being mindful that our world is full of great candidates, agree with advice to start making visits to rule out/rule in the basics in terms of climate (weather and social), urban/rural, walkability to shops and restaurants, and build a brutally realistic balanced list (for instance Vassar and Wesleyan are reaches for everyone). For schools that value demonstrated interest, your student can start planning what that will look like (next year some on campus interviews, later one or two prospective students day on campus if possible etc)

+1 I would do a few visits during spring break to get a sense of these preferences. Cast a wide net and don't focus on really selective schools at this point. You just want to test the waters and get some direction for later search.

Other than that in 10th grade, I'd say the only college talk would be to avoid focusing on super selective schools and let her know that you know there are many places she can go to college, be happy and get a great education. The pressure from peers is starting and this is when my DD had a big meltdown about was she doing enough to get into a "good college". I'd been avoiding talking about college because I didn't want to put on the pressure but in my absence all she heard was "only T30 etc are good" nonsense. Showing her some safeties that had great programs for her interest helped relieve her worries.

And as a parent you can do some pre-research and mainly figure out budget and understand merit vs need aid. Read The Price You Pay for College.