Since there have been multiple comments about The Deep South (including OP’s notation that there is no interest in schools in this region), it might be helpful to mention that the four states (cotton producing) which are traditionally thought of as comprising The Deep South are South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama & Mississippi. (Odd that Louisiana is not included.)
Thanks for the ideas. Places like GT, JHU and Tufts will definitely be on the list, but obviously aren’t safeties.
I expect our high school counselors will be helpful, but they don’t work with families until mid-junior year and we’d like to do some visits to appropriate places before then, so the ideas are very much appreciated.
This thread asked for matches as well as safeties, therefore JHU, Tufts & Georgetown are appropriate for one with 1500 SAT score, in my opinion. That is why I did not list Princeton, for example, as it is a reach for everyone.
@Publisher : I may just be overly cautious. Good to hear you think they could be more match. Hard to tell these days!
You are right to be cautious.
Val with a 4.0uw, 1520 and 35 (ss) act plus all the rest of a strong package was waitlisted at Georgetown last fall. It is not a match or safety for any stat line.
The only thing for gtown is if you have unique language skills it helps.
I’m sure jhu and tufts have similar stories.
FWIW. For our student we looked Safety and match this way.
Guaranteed for safety and better than 50 percent for match.
Jhu tufts and gtown Do not fit that bill in my sense of the terms. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t doable at all. And a good shot means a chance even if statistically remote.
Maybe look into University of Rochester and Ithaca College. Both seemed to offer lots of merit and have large Political Science departments, though I can’t speak to the specifics. Boston College might be another, or Haverford?
Will son likely be a National Merit Finalist? It’s worth looking at schools that give significant NMF scholarships. (E.g., USC, Arizona State, UT Dallas, etc.). Some would be nice safeties or matches. Much information to be found under Scholarship section of CC.
I wouldn’t consider Georgetown a match for most people, especially SFS. I think OP is correct to list it as reach. If we are taking about visiting schools - then I assume it will be visited, and in that case visiting GWU (match) and AU (not as much of a safety as one would think for high stats) makes sense.
Likewise in Boston, assume Harvard will be visited, a number of other schools that would be matches (or low reach perhaps in the case of Tufts) there have been mentioned here. (BU, BC, Brandeis, the LACs)
Fordham would be a match and worth a visit if in NY. Judging by the Fordham thread on cc, they’re pretty generous with merit to high stats applicants.
At this point i think if you are in a city and have time to visit somewhere you’re iffy about - do it anyway. Comparing various types of schools helps kids crystallize what they really want imo.