Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:33     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
I don’t understand. What would be the reason for not applying to any safety colleges? Why roll the dice like this?
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:30     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
Anonymous wrote:DC is in the top 1-2% of her large public high school and has a 1540 SAT (school average is mid 1000) with lots of leadership. She has no interest in attending any of the schools that are considered true safeties and would rather apply to several high targets instead of adding a safety. She applied EA in state to UMD but their acceptances have been so weird lately, that I'm starting to worry that this is a bad ieaa. She's not applying for any impacted majors. Thoughts?


The verbage has changed since all of us dinosaur parents applied to colleges. "Reach" " Target" "Likely". Likely.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:22     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
You absolutely need a safety. What is the intended major? That affects the answer of where to apply.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:16     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What is considered a “safety” will be different for different kids. Given how competitive the application process is for selective schools, she should apply to a couple that are slightly less selective than her top choices.

Thank you. What are some suggestions for safeties for her at this stage of admissions?


Maybe you should name the names of the schools she thinks are worthy of attending since she seems pretty particular.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:06     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Send an app to ASU. Rolling school, true safety. Every year some top kids get shut out and apply there in April. It costs you $55 to take care of it now and will save you months of anxiety.

You can get accepted but are you willing to pay $60k OOS for your safety?


Well if not, then you need to search and find one that will admit your kid and give you merit to make it "affordable to You". It would be dumb not to do so.

PP. Thats why posted that question. Folks can claim any number of privates or OOS publics as "safeties" but if you aren't willing to full pay, not sure you could classify as such.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:05     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
Anonymous wrote:#1 Rule in college admissions should be:

Make sure your child finds a safety they LOVE.

Takes away all the anxiety, strain, and heartbreak. If you didn’t do this, you’re an idiot.


Finding a safety they LOVE may be stressful in and of itself. Finding a safety they like well enough, is affordable and can definitely get into is just fine.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:00     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
UMD is hard to get into. She should not be banking on that. She could definitely be rejected.

My kid was 3.9UW GPA/ 4.7 W GPA, 1580 SATs, a couple extra currics and a good summer job. He squeaked in via Freshman Connection/spring admit.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:59     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
UMD offers EA but doesn't give decisions until Feb 1.

So incredibly stupid.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:59     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
Penn State will probably take her and the application isn't hard.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:59     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Send an app to ASU. Rolling school, true safety. Every year some top kids get shut out and apply there in April. It costs you $55 to take care of it now and will save you months of anxiety.

You can get accepted but are you willing to pay $60k OOS for your safety?


Well if not, then you need to search and find one that will admit your kid and give you merit to make it "affordable to You". It would be dumb not to do so.

Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:58     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
Someone did this at my five three high school years ago. He applied to five Ivy and got rejected by four and waitlisted at one. It worked out well for him because the school was heavily invested in getting him off the waitlist and he did.

Generally, I would only do this if your kid is off with taking a gap year.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:58     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Applying only to reach schools is risky. Sometimes the only ones accepted the kid are the targets and safeties.

In a typical year, kids at our school would apply to several ivies and Stanford MIT as reach, applying to Duke, JHU as targets, and applying to Northwestern, Vandy, WashU, as safties. Often times, the only schools accepted them are the safeties. So counselor's advice is to focus on the essays for target/safety schools.

Thank you. She's not applying to only ultra reach schools but as of now she has no true safeties.


Then things might not look so good come March. She should find some safeties she will like...everyone can find them. If not, you will be forced to choose from what is "left come April" and most likely that will not be any better (and most likely a whole lot worse).

Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:57     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
If possible, visit a couple potential safety schools so your kid has a chance to fall in love with them and be excited at the prospect of attending them if it comes to that.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:56     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
^^
Not a bad idea . There are a lot of solid privates that probably offer great merit
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:56     Subject: Did anyone's kid skip applying to a safety?
Anonymous wrote:This sounds like a recipe for disaster

+1

I highly recommend picking your own "Safety schools" and making them ones you like. Than waiting until March, and searching for those still accepting applications (hint: most of those won't excite your kid if they had trouble finding safeties summer before senior year, they really won't).