Sure, be open to other schools - knowing it was a reach anyway. But a deferral is not a rejection. So mentally, no that it’s not happening but I wouldn’t simply dismiss. I’d follow through the process and you never know. Someone deferred is getting in. And it beats a rejection
Congrats on UNH and Muhlenberg and the merit awards.
Best of luck
PS - if it came to full pay Hamilton (which initially you said you’d be ok with) and “great” merit at another - are you still going Hamilton? It’s different than Swat obviously - just looking at it environmentallly.
The good news is there are great options in the bag - and given the profile, I’m guessing more to come - Dickinson for certain, I’d surmise W&M, JMU and UMD. And hopefully ones off the reach list- and you never know about Swat. It’s not over. But yes, be open to others.
Just chiming to say my DD is a first year at Hamilton (dancer as well) and very happy there. I think it’s a “fit” school. It’s isolated but I think my DD loves the simplicity of that. she focuses on her work and has a nice group of friends. People are “low key” not super fancy. Some kids would probably find it stifling. Campus itself is lovely. Buildings are well maintained a campus is a nice size. She has professors who she says are excellent and the administration is there to help and support students. Everyone on campus and the area is very nice. It’s rather shocking in a good way!
I just wanted to say congrats on the acceptances to UNH and Muhlenberg with great merit offers! Those are wonderful choices and it looks like the odds are good for some additional ones to come.
UMDCP should be considered a reach for any RD applicant, since it reputedly admits nearly all of its class in EA, leaving very little space for RD admits.
DD applied EA but to the College of Business which is quite competitive. Agree she will be admitted but the nail biter is the school within the school. Friday decisions expected.
In at the University of Maryland Smith College of Business including Honors college. Everything else really does feel a lot less important now that she has this fantastic option on the table.
Got a likely postcard from William and Mary yesterday. That was welcome news on a chilly February day! She is hoping for Tufts or Hamilton, too, and will likely pick among those three. We know Swat/Amherst/Williams RD are long shots.
I get it - but read about the OP. There are kids getting into W&M with far less stats.
It’s not a UGA level. UMD - i was confident in (and told OP days before).
Swat - I get - it’s impossible.
I think OP needs to figure out what they want - major wise - vs. just prestige. Prestige isn’t necessarily paying higher salaries - but it depends on the career outcome.
And then there’s the cost although OP noted up front there are no cost issues - which gives them a leg up for Tufts - but it may not be the right school for them - simply depending on major.
Anyway, OPs situation went (for them) from worrisome to really positive - and I understand why - they just needed decisions to come. OPs student is - very well accomplished - even in this day and age of everyone is - and I’ll leave it at that.
There are, and then there are anomalies where kids with top stats don’t get in.
So our HS would strongly suggest to kids with the OP’s qualification that they have two actual likelies, and not count colleges like William & Mary among those two.
I am a cautious person by nature so seeing some admissions in the bag feels really good. Of course we are still hoping for a little prestige but at this point that feels like a nice to have. She knows she will be happy anywhere and saving money is always a worthy goal especially if graduate school is in her future.
I really do appreciate everyone’s perspectives. It’s nice to know we are on track with what we expected to happen.
