Safeties - Is private better?

[Anonymous]

Safeties are determined by acceptance rate. A school with a low acceptance rate isn't anyone's safety regardless of stats. My kid is at a T20 but didn't get into a single school from his target list. Just the one reach and 4 safeties with 55-70% acceptance rates (and some people would disagree with 55% being classified as a safety).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with others. It’s gotten tough but not THAT tough. With a 4.0 UW and over 1400 you’ll have plenty of options. I think the idea is just to have a few schools that would be likelies/safeties in case something really wonky happens with one of them.

I hope you are right. I've been seeing a lot of doomsday reports about admissions this year and it has us not feeling too great about next year.

People just need to be realistic and manage expectations.

But what should the expectation be for a kid who challenged themselves with AP classes, excelled in sports, found time for volunteer work and employment in the summer? What is realistic?

There is so much data out there. Plug it in and you’ll easily get a dozen realistic options for that kid. Many have been named already in this thread.

Here's Kansas:

"University of Kansas has an acceptance rate of 88%. Half the applicants admitted to University of Kansas who submitted test scores have an SAT score between 1090 and 1340 or an ACT score of 21 and 28."

I had an intern from the University of Kansas, and she was not very smart. I met her bf and he wasn't smart either.
Choose your safeties carefully OP

I've met some not so smart kids from T50 schools as well, so I'd gather it's not just the school, but the individual. U of Kansas has plenty of smart kids, look at the honors program or the kids in the top 25%. But yes, someone who only got a 21 on the ACT/1090 on the SAT are not going to be as smart as someone who got a 1340

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with others. It’s gotten tough but not THAT tough. With a 4.0 UW and over 1400 you’ll have plenty of options. I think the idea is just to have a few schools that would be likelies/safeties in case something really wonky happens with one of them.

I hope you are right. I've been seeing a lot of doomsday reports about admissions this year and it has us not feeling too great about next year.

People just need to be realistic and manage expectations.

But what should the expectation be for a kid who challenged themselves with AP classes, excelled in sports, found time for volunteer work and employment in the summer? What is realistic?

So many options.
Gpa?
Public or private?
Scores?
Pointy interests?
Awards?

[Anonymous]

University of Vermont
University of Arizona
UNC-Charlotte
SMU
Cal Poly Pomona
Michigan State

[Anonymous]

Syracuse
Richmond
Elon

[Anonymous]

NP here but son is in practically the identical situation to the OP (including the additional info added later). We're familiar with "safety" publics (and for those who don't mind the cold definitely put Mich State and Minnestota on your lists).

What privates would folks recommend that have a similar vibe as a UVA/UF/UNC/Texas etc.? U Miami is on the list already but hardly a safety. Strong preference for warm climate. TIA.

[Anonymous]

The reason you state, OP, doesn't seem like a reason to seek privates.

Other state schools:

MSU
ASU
AU
UVM
Alabama
U of SC (South Carolina)
WVU
Rutgers
SUNY Binghamton

Reaches, if desired: Michigan and UNC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here but son is in practically the identical situation to the OP (including the additional info added later). We're familiar with "safety" publics (and for those who don't mind the cold definitely put Mich State and Minnestota on your lists).

What privates would folks recommend that have a similar vibe as a UVA/UF/UNC/Texas etc.? U Miami is on the list already but hardly a safety. Strong preference for warm climate. TIA.

College of Charleston
Elon
University of the South
University of San Francisco
Rollins
Reed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here but son is in practically the identical situation to the OP (including the additional info added later). We're familiar with "safety" publics (and for those who don't mind the cold definitely put Mich State and Minnestota on your lists).

What privates would folks recommend that have a similar vibe as a UVA/UF/UNC/Texas etc.? U Miami is on the list already but hardly a safety. Strong preference for warm climate. TIA.

College of Charleston
Elon
University of the South
University of San Francisco
Rollins
Reed

Public

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Syracuse
Richmond
Elon

UR had a 23% acceptance rate in 2023

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Syracuse
Richmond
Elon

UR had a 23% acceptance rate in 2023

+1. And the OP said that their DC doesn’t want a small school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason you state, OP, doesn't seem like a reason to seek privates.

Other state schools:

MSU
ASU
AU
UVM
Alabama
U of SC (South Carolina)
WVU
Rutgers
SUNY Binghamton

Reaches, if desired: Michigan and UNC

Are these the schools for kids taking 10-12 APs in high school and getting a 4/0 UW? I feel like you could take a much lighter courseload and still attend these schools? Am I wrong? Is it worth it to have a challenging senior year or is it smarter to just take APs that are interesting and explore other electives b/c you'll probably end up at the same place anyway? Am I reading it wrong? This is so different that when I did this.

[Anonymous]

Roll Tide

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reason you state, OP, doesn't seem like a reason to seek privates.

Other state schools:

MSU
ASU
AU
UVM
Alabama
U of SC (South Carolina)
WVU
Rutgers
SUNY Binghamton

Reaches, if desired: Michigan and UNC

Are these the schools for kids taking 10-12 APs in high school and getting a 4/0 UW? I feel like you could take a much lighter courseload and still attend these schools? Am I wrong? Is it worth it to have a challenging senior year or is it smarter to just take APs that are interesting and explore other electives b/c you'll probably end up at the same place anyway? Am I reading it wrong? This is so different that when I did this.

To some extent yes because it will be the main option for top students from the state that for budget and/or distance reasons will stay in state. The strong course load might help with honors and/or merit. I can’t speak to all the ones listed but SUNY Binghamton was considered one of the top SUNY schools back when I was in high school. Even though MSU has a high acceptance rate, it also has a decently high average GPA and some strong programs. Rutgers is also a solid education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

We are expected to be full pay no matter where my kid goes.

I meant merit. We are full pay too. We were pleasantly surprised by how much merit we received at “safeties.”