Yeah, so I ran the NPCs, and many meet-need schools are above our budget. I’ll need some kind of merit.
This is useful, in a way, because it lets me cut down the list quite quickly, though also disappointing, because it feels like I have less agency in rejecting them.
Thanks to everyone who recommended that I do those NPCs. It’s a good, sobering reality check.
Just remember - you can only go to one school. You are a # to most schools. They need to fill seats. If you reject them, they don’t care so they move to the next. They care about hitting a #.
Same toward you - if they reject you, it’s not personal. It’s a decision they made. Sure they’ll tell you how great you are but there’s just too many great ones and limited space. But that’s just spin for them even if true - they’ve moved on.
This is business - not personal.
Most important is the one where you end up.
You’re a great student. You also are seeking a generous AP policy (lots of publics have this) and you have Madison in the bag - and it will have kids like you (smart kids) in droves.
To me, the issue is - do you want large or small / mid - Wisconsin and Brandeis are polar opposites. Brandeis has budget issues - so they might come through with some merit and get you to $60k. Might…. Tufts won’t.
So if you don’t want huge - then find the ‘might’ schools - Case Western, Rochester, Syracuse, Denver (will) or many more- you already have Grinnell and Rice - if you have time, add Vandy and WashU instead of Tufts and Northwestern - they have merit - even if unlikely.
Or do you like big - you have Ohio State, UMN, UW - would you take any over cheaper Wisconsin ? They are all substitutional.
Given your love of physics and applied math amongst others. Have you looked at Arizona (top level physics and social sciences), Purdue or Georgia Tech - if you want big ? These are budget friendly to $60k.
You’re great - but guess what - all these schools - even safer ones will have hundreds of kids like you.
So it’s not about rejecting someone - they don’t care. They get rejected by far more than attend in most cases. They don’t need you specifically. They need butts in seat, and revenue.
So how does one like both UMN and Grinnell (which is not near a city like you seek)? U Washington and Swarthmore? Can schools be any more different than one another ?
Forget the I want like minded academics. You’ll find those kids everywhere including your local regional state school.
Besides, less than $60k, figure out what you want.
Great coverage for AP scores? Great yet you picked many schools that don’t ?
Large, mid size or small ?
Urban, rural, suburban?
Mountains? Desert ? Water nearby ?
Diversity ??
Big time sports ?
Both my kids chose safeties in the end - they fit them. In some cases they realized they applied to schools that didn’t fit - even when they got in.
My daughter’s best friend in college chose her regional public over Duke, Vandy, and Rice. They don’t care he said no. They had others and he went to Charleston, will work in research at a medical school this fall while he applies to medical school.
Figure out what you want - I truly can’t tell - and go from there.
In some ways, you should blow this up and start again.
A rank or pedigree may be great on paper but you will be somewhere four years, day after day - you want it to be the right place, not necessarily the most impressive to others.
Good luck.