I think Oct 9th? Last year was 10/11
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So today C25 added a couple colleges to the list based on the way their linguistics majors are structured, and we now have what I believe is the maximal list, with 8 definite applies and 4 maybes. (Context: The plan is to double major in math and linguistics, but econ—the social science version, not the business one!—is a dark horse possibility. All of these are either near lower-48 family or nearish a nonstop flight from home except as noted.)
The definites:
- Fordham: no lx major, an interesting econ curriculum, pretty buildings but the interiors are mostly meh, the Bronx neighborhood is a big plus, qualifies for a really good (nonguaranteed) scholarship, not terribly religious but likes the Jesuit approach to education
- Hofstra: knows someone there who likes it, unusual but intriguing math curriculum
- St Joseph’s [PA]: good lx curriculum, double majoring would be easy and triple majoring not out of the question, see above about Jesuit education
- Syracuse: one of the few places where C25 finds their study abroad setup appealing, very much the kind of econ program the kid wants, in the current top two
- Nevada Reno (not near family): C25 is a fan of American kitsch and fascinated with the way it happens in Nevada, familiar with the kind of lx research coming from the school and would like to be a part of it
- Oregon: likes the lx curriculum, transfer equivalencies with DE courses very clear
- Pittsburgh (not near family): lx research there is more interdisciplinary than most places (which is a plus), likes the city
- Rochester: focus on undergrad research is a draw, math curriculum is much more interesting than most, seems perfectly set up for a double or even triple major, in the current top two
And here’s the “bubble schools” that may or may not end up being applied to:
- Alaska Fairbanks: in-state option, the guaranteed scholarship is amazing but the kid can’t imagine how anyone survives a Fairbanks winter (and honestly neither can I)
- SUNY Binghamton: more physically appealing than other SUNY colleges that offer linguistics, math/lx/econ curricula are good but all kind of boringly normal
- Washington State (not near family): auto-qualifies for a fabulous scholarship, horrifically designed website makes it hard to evaluate details of major curricula
- Western Washington (not near family): major destination for Alaska HS graduates and so would know a few other students, interesting lx research being done there, not sure whether the quarter system would be a good or a bad thing
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On paper, my kid isn’t applying to any reach schools. Grades & scores well above the 75% for all, and no school less than 50% admit rate. Though their niche major/program technically makes these schools a reach for all even though the schools themselves are mostly in the 80% accept rate.
No word from the high school regarding NMSF but with a SI of 224, it should be a lock.
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Nice list (entirely agree re Fairbanks). Which Fordham campus?
The Rose Hill (Bronx) campus. To C25, Manhattan feels like a place people go to, but the Bronx feels like a place people live in.
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The only reach schools my 3.7 GPA kid is applying to are a handful of UCs because…California in-state tuition.
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@VTMom03: My S25 will go on a case-by-case basis, but as his list currently stands, it looks like he’ll likely submit at more places than he thought. His score is in the mid- to upper 1300s. His district’s profile has the school average at about 1100 this past year and he is from an under-resourced region in our state. I am thinking that within that context he might submit at more places than he thought he would. There are a few T/O reach schools on his list (Middlebury, Colby, and William & Mary), and I’m not sure yet what his strategy will be with those.
@OctoberKate: My guy bombed last year’s PSAT too. His head just wasn’t in it that day, if I recall. He took it in 10th grade as well and did better that time around, but it still wouldn’t have been enough. No NMSF for him either… but I think at this stage he gets that if he’d actually done a bit of prep for that PSAT last year, things might have gone differently.
@2plustrio: Yes, my kid has a few reach schools on the list. His safeties are on the slim side unfortunately. He will apply to our in-state public, but I think he’d rather eat glass than go, so I don’t know that we can really call it a safety? He does have one other safety that we still need to visit that I think he would actually much prefer to our in-state public.
Freaking out about rigor over here!
I read about so many people having 10-12 APs and my son will have 5 by graduation. We live in an affluent suburban school district and my son hates the competitive culture here. I’m proud of him for staying true to taking the courses he loves, but I worry that it will look like he chose easier courses instead of the ones that he’s been waiting all four years to take (anatomy, which doesn’t offer AP and APstat, didn’t leave room for AP Calc). So he didn’t want to buy into the grind of joyless striving to get into an ivy, but now he’s fallen in love with schools that are a reach.
I know AOs look at the options kids had in high school and want them to challenge themselves, and his school offers a record high number of APs, so this also works against him.
Anyway, I know “freaking out” doesn’t help anyone, and all we can do is put our best foot forward with a well thought out list. Just posting on here for community support because I know we’re all in this together, and it can be anything that we get in our head about (are the scores high enough? enough ECs? LOR etc etc).
Glad we’ve got this thread, I appreciate reading all your thoughts!
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We were in a similar spot with the whole eating glass thing and took the state school of our list and found some much more exciting liklies. I’m really glad we took the time to do that because I want him to be HAPPY when he gets an acceptance letter not just relieved to have a backup plan.
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He’ll find his place! If the college only wants people that take a zillion APs just for the sake of taking APs then that doesn’t sound like his school or his people. There will be someplace great that wants the kid who is actively exploring his interests and who is making his own path rather than following the expected course. It will be ok! 
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I think it comes down to a good list. What are the reach schools? My son with 7 AP classes got into some reach schools but not the really reach schools if that makes sense. For example he got into Colby but not Williams. William and Mary and U Rochester but not Georgetown or Duke. He applied to 12 schools. Got rejected or waitlisted at 4. Feel free to pm me if you have questions and good luck!
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And his college counselor told him kids were taking 10-12 to get into the higher ranked school for what’s its worth.
Thank you so much for this @OctoberKate! (I might just come back and re-read this comment multiple times). It’s EXACTLY this.
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Thanks so much for this context! His 3 top choices are Wash U, Haverford and U Rochester, all for their great research opportunities. Other reaches include Vassar, Wesleyan and Case Western. That said, because he loves school so much he’ll be happy wherever he goes (also on the list are Macalester, Pitt, Fordham and Drexel).
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Thanks everyone so much for the feedback, and congrats on a great score for your son @Longview43 ! My D25’s high school is a regional magnet school that pulls kids from multiple districts. Our home district is rural and has an average SAT score of about 1100, maybe lower. At her magnet school the average SAT last year was a 1415 
, so there, she’s “average”. (This score being the average is completely nuts to me.) Our Naviance scattergrams are also skewed extremely high because the students get compared against each other, not against their home districts. We are also planning to be strategic for each school, but are still working out what that strategy should be. 
The only schools in your list I’m really familiar with (having researched them for one of my guys) are Rochester, Case Western and Pitt. I don’t think you need all the APs for those. Good progression through school, showing some academic curiosity, and being a person with other interests (but not like “I cured cancer” or “I’m a likely Olympian” level thing) are what they are looking for.
No real academic reaches here until yesterday when a school reached out to her athletically. They can see her transcripts on the ncsa site, so I assume they must think she at least has a shot? Hopefully it’s a moot point though because she’s hoping to get an offer from her #1 soon. I’ll take any good mojo anyone has….
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D25 is auto admit to 10 state publics (already got the “acceptance”). I couldn’t pay her to go to any of them. She wants out of the state so bad!
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Mr Groundhog might drive C25 and I crazy. He was questioning why they didn’t have more top ranked LACs on their list. 
A little late to the party, and rankings don’t mean anything.
C25 is almost ready to submit. Probably just one more read through. Their list is pretty reach heavy, but they have some good safeties and targets for EA.
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Sigh. I hear you. Sounds just like my mother —- “but why isn’t he applying to any GOOD schools.”
Holy Moly Batman.
I don’t know how to convince people that “good schools” are the right schools for that kid, with their interests, their financial situation, and their fit. And has nothing to do with USNWR rankings. Sure, my kid probably has a solid chance at higher ranked schools, but they aren’t right for him.
Sigh. I just smile and nod and say this is his list.
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