I think you can’t state what is what - without a test - but with a 34 and with strong rigor, it’s certainly attainable - whether or not the student got in.
It’s got a 21% admit rate - so low but not super low - but obviously ED impacts that some. It’s yield is not high - so that helps for acceptance. Take out ED, it’s really sort or normal but last year only 30% including ED and a low 13.6% non ED. In other words, if your student is a stud and at least academically it sounds like he is (don’t know about outside of class), Wes needs him more than he needs them.
It’s ok to have reaches as long as you have the sure things too. But depending on the overall profile, it may not be a reach - maybe a solid target.
The ESF is an interesting look. It’s a stand alone and focused school, but if you want the resources, it shares some of Syracuse U, a much bigger greek and athletic school. You don’t need to be a part - you may just use Bird Library and nothing else - but it’s the best of both worlds.