Please suggest target schools

[Anonymous]

ED 100% makes sense in the situation. Agree targets are few: William and Mary is one, UVA, some of the other state schools, less competitive SLACs. There aren’t very many “top” schools with at least a 20-30% acceptance rate in RD. Anything below that is too chancy to be a target.

[Anonymous]

I know lots of you folks hate SLACs but schools like Pomona and Carleton aren’t targets for anyone. Especially in RD. It’s just not the way that it works.

[Anonymous]

How is another T10 like Northwester a target for anyone?!

[Anonymous]

*Northwestern

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wit those preferences, I don't know why Northwestern isn't on your reach list (unless she hates the quarter system or the chicago area).

I think it's optimistic to say UCSD is a safety -- it's a really hard admit and the California politics keep swinging around so that they often can't admit many out of states -- so maybe she goes to Holton and they've admitted similar girls in the past, but with the swing in California priorities, maybe not now. UCDavis seems like more of a safety, but even then probably a reach. UCSanta Cruz maybe a bit easier. What about Wisconsin or UMass? Delaware actually has a really strong chemistry program, so that might be a good add.

I had a similar kid and I agree that "targets" are tough, although the line between safeties and targets is pretty blurry. We basically had a lot of reaches, and then a few safeties. If you can afford to apply to a lot of reaches, that can be worth it, since it's all a crap shoot once you're a potential admit for those top schools. The "targets" mostly seemed like they'd be substantially more expensive than the safeties, and not that much measurably a better experience for my kid.

UW-Seattle also yield protects, not a safety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wit those preferences, I don't know why Northwestern isn't on your reach list (unless she hates the quarter system or the chicago area).

I think it's optimistic to say UCSD is a safety -- it's a really hard admit and the California politics keep swinging around so that they often can't admit many out of states -- so maybe she goes to Holton and they've admitted similar girls in the past, but with the swing in California priorities, maybe not now. UCDavis seems like more of a safety, but even then probably a reach. UCSanta Cruz maybe a bit easier. What about Wisconsin or UMass? Delaware actually has a really strong chemistry program, so that might be a good add.

I had a similar kid and I agree that "targets" are tough, although the line between safeties and targets is pretty blurry. We basically had a lot of reaches, and then a few safeties. If you can afford to apply to a lot of reaches, that can be worth it, since it's all a crap shoot once you're a potential admit for those top schools. The "targets" mostly seemed like they'd be substantially more expensive than the safeties, and not that much measurably a better experience for my kid.

UW-Seattle also yield protects, not a safety.

LOL, no it doesn't.

[Anonymous]

OP, my 3.98/1560 kid (OOS) was not admitted to UCSD last year. Maybe your high school has a better track record there, but I think categorizing it as a safety is a stretch.

For targets, look for large publics where the out of state acceptance rate is 25-50%. Maybe Wisconsin?

[Anonymous]

^Also, I agree that to figure out the top choice and apply ED if at all possible.

[Anonymous]

People are confusing target with certainty. Calling a school a target doesn’t mean there is certainty. Sure there is yield protection. But target is a school that is a good fit by stats, they never have the certainty of getting in. Yet it doesn’t make it a reach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know lots of you folks hate SLACs but schools like Pomona and Carleton aren’t targets for anyone. Especially in RD. It’s just not the way that it works.

Carleton is easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People are confusing target with certainty. Calling a school a target doesn’t mean there is certainty. Sure there is yield protection. But target is a school that is a good fit by stats, they never have the certainty of getting in. Yet it doesn’t make it a reach.

That’s silly. My kid scored 1560, putting them in the middle 50% at Stanford and MIT. Are you going to try to tell me that those schools are not reaches for them? In your mind, they’re targets??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter sounds a lot like yours, both in personality and in her school situation. Fit was very important. Was waitlisted at Rice in RD; is now very happy at William & Mary.

Thanks. What was ED/SCEA school if any?

SCEA: Yale, rejected.
RD: Princeton (rejected); Rice and WashU (WL); admitted to Carleton and W&M. Also admitted with merit money at St. Olaf and Pitt (rolling).

This was 1560, National Merit, 4.0 UW at a private. Normal ECs (nothing over the top). Older sister is at Berkeley; she had no desire to go there, based on school size and general experience of older sister. Wanted medium-size, excellent teaching, warm connections with smart/friendly students.

Unhooked high stats kid from competitive metropolitan areas: do not SCEA. ED1 somewhere and ED2 if don’t get in. It worked out here, but it often does not.

Why? What if the favorite school is SCEA? So just don't apply?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Below are our DC's reaches and safety schools. The safeties are realistic based on counselor's lists and Naviance. Looking for 4-5 target schools to fill out this list. Thanks!

Rice
Penn
Princeton
Swarthmore

Pittsburgh
UC San Diego
U Washington

Female applicant, chemistry or computational chemistry major, top 10% in a HS that sends 25% to Ivies+. Want mid-size research universities in suburbs or cities but not too rural. Open to anywhere in the country as long as not too conservative, swing states are fine. Not interested in sororities/frat culture and not a big partier. A very social nerd who plans to join clubs (outdoor/camping, theater production, coding/hackathon, semester overseas, etc.). No need for merit/financial aid.

Wait!?? UC SD and UDub are Safeties??? No way. Target's at best. Not enough Stats to tell. One of my kids got into Engineering at Purdue and Wisconsin last year but not UDub. I have similar children - Chemical Engineering and BioChemistry and they wanted research. I will tell you that research is a mess right now - no guarantees anywhere. Safeties for them included University of Minnesota, U of Arizona, U of Vermont, CU, Pitt. Target - UDub, Wisconsin, UC Davis, UC SD, UC Santa Barbara, UVa, Purdue. Reaches Berkley, Michigan... They did not want small schools though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was also going to suggest W&M.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter sounds a lot like yours, both in personality and in her school situation. Fit was very important. Was waitlisted at Rice in RD; is now very happy at William & Mary.

Thanks. What was ED/SCEA school if any?

SCEA: Yale, rejected.
RD: Princeton (rejected); Rice and WashU (WL); admitted to Carleton and W&M. Also admitted with merit money at St. Olaf and Pitt (rolling).

This was 1560, National Merit, 4.0 UW at a private. Normal ECs (nothing over the top). Older sister is at Berkeley; she had no desire to go there, based on school size and general experience of older sister. Wanted medium-size, excellent teaching, warm connections with smart/friendly students.

Unhooked high stats kid from competitive metropolitan areas: do not SCEA. ED1 somewhere and ED2 if don’t get in. It worked out here, but it often does not.

Why? What if the favorite school is SCEA? So just don't apply?

Yes. I know people who have done this. They love an SCEA school and have the stats, but the odds are just too intimidating so they make the sensible choice and ED to a slightly less prestigious school that they like well enough.