OK, I know you’re out there… reading the other threads on CC and wondering how on earth you’ll ever get into a college with competition like what you’re seeing here.
But take a deep breath and relax. The people posting here are NOT your competition. The 4.0 unweighted average kid, with leadership positions in every school activity and 3 internships under his belt is NOT applying to the same schools you are. So relax.
Get that essay written-- today is a good day to start. And start getting those apps in. Early apps are your friend, especially for schools with rolling admissions. (Let them admit you before they see some apps from the uber students.)
As far as safeties go, I’ve only recently realized that there are community colleges with dorms!! My daughter applied to 2 of them this morning-- they are her safeties. So no matter how she does on the October SAT, she’ll have choices. It’s so freeing to know that, completely takes the pressure off the process. And both are about a third the size of our local CC.
Her Common App is done, just running the last essay options by her English teacher in the next week or two (he’s assigning them as homework one at a time.) So by mid October, all her apps will be in and she’ll be good to go,
My advice to you, as a mom and a high school teacher: Don’t delay. Take a look at the state schools in your state. (They’re likely to be more affordable, and with less than top grades you may not be able to count on merit aid.) Also, for the CC’s at least, consider using their own application. It goes fast, and at least in NY several of them don’t charge you the application fee if you use their individual app. (Herkimer and Tompkins-Cortland that I’m aware of.)
Get started, OK?