Things you wish you knew…

[Anonymous]

I learned not to stress too much.
Where ever your kid ends up, somehow it all works out

[Anonymous]

Don’t get sucked into the mania displayed on this forum. College is (hopefully) not the end of your child’s future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I learned not to stress too much.
Where ever your kid ends up, somehow it all works out

There are a LOT of colleges out there who want your money!

[Anonymous]

So many things

- if you are looking at MD flagship (can’t speak for VA), the importance on the weighted GPA and if at a private school looking at their track record for admissions to UMD. This is as much a financial thing because in-state might be your least expensive option
- having backup options to your in-state both for acceptance rate and affordability (if seeking merit)
- Someone gave me the advice to look for outside school activities as well and to seek leadership positions by Junior year - that was helpful because the outside the school activity gave my kid real world experience with people with different backgrounds and personalities, was something she was interested in and gave her a chance to build community more than any of the in school options
- Look for rolling and EA colleges where your kid would be willing to attend and remember you need the Commin Core essay to apply to most colleges so start that over the summer and consider finding/paying for essay guidance if needed
- One thing I wish I knew - when it’s better to apply undecided vs a specific major - in hindsight I don’t think the portfolio was strong enough for some schools so applying undecided would have been better for some schools assuming my kid would want to attend even if not in the visual arts program.

[Anonymous]

I wish I had known how much of a 3+ ring circus the process was and how valuable expert guidance is. I thought she should be doing this on her own initially. After early disappointment, I plunged in, educating myself on the process, then helping with research, interest, cost evaluation, and feedback on app/essays. Turned out great in RD, 2nd kid well prepared and had excellent options. Now, I coach other kids. There is just so much to know with not only top tier apps, but the whole process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:would have done a lot less. worried less. let the kids fail more. let them do a super wide range of things and forget the "story".

getting into a school like Ohio didn't require so much drama. we could have enjoyed HS more

I came in to say something like this ^^

You and DC will get tired of people asking where they’re going. Come up with a good answer. Either be open and bore them to tears with details (so they’ll regret ever asking) or be mysterious and evasive. We’re doing (at DC’s request) the latter and it’s driving their HS admin crazy. Don’t care. We’re just about done with them.

And remember that your “real” time with them is coming to an end and that that’s OK. That’s how it’s supposed to go.

[Anonymous]

Only one thing would have been nice to know. — so that DS (class of 22) could have been spared the time he took to write essays/prepare apps for state schools that he would never get into: you need a blockbuster, AP-enhanced, probably grade-inflated HS GPA to gain admission OOS to the better UCs, Georgia, Florida, Texas and maybe a few others.

[Kid had a 3.87 UW from big3 (1570 submitted) and that wasn’t enough. The above named schools can’t / won’t differentiate and the 3.87 looks like the candidate isn’t even trying when compared to 4.7s with 25 APs from a public. ]

Michigan knows his HS, so accepts strong kids with high-for-that-HS gpas.

[Anonymous]

Read both "Who Gets In and Why" and "The Price You Pay for College."

Be very realistic with your child (and yourself) about what you can afford but don't let it limit where DC applies (assuming at least one high admit school is within budget).

Don't get sucked into the idea of a "dream" school.

[Anonymous]

Kids grow a lot between mid-high school years and going off to college age. My kid would have thrived at a UK school, but there was no sure way of knowing that at 14-15.

But in retrospect, had we known that, we would have skipped the resume building and enjoyed HS more. Sure, quit soccer. Sure, try out for the play Junior Year. Sure, chemistry isn’t your thing and a B is fine. UK would be fine w all that and my tuition bill would be 200k cheaper all in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only one thing would have been nice to know. — so that DS (class of 22) could have been spared the time he took to write essays/prepare apps for state schools that he would never get into: you need a blockbuster, AP-enhanced, probably grade-inflated HS GPA to gain admission OOS to the better UCs, Georgia, Florida, Texas and maybe a few others.

[Kid had a 3.87 UW from big3 (1570 submitted) and that wasn’t enough. The above named schools can’t / won’t differentiate and the 3.87 looks like the candidate isn’t even trying when compared to 4.7s with 25 APs from a public. ]

Michigan knows his HS, so accepts strong kids with high-for-that-HS gpas.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:start crafting ur child’s narrative in middle school - after that it’s too late to appear authentic -

OMG. This ^^ is the kind of "advice" I wish I had never even given a second thought to. I wish I had just not worried so much.

+1
not to worry so much
my kid and all friends seem to have done fine in the end
alot of the lower admissions rates is from kids who are not going to be admitted so strong candidates are still strong candidates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish we had pushed harder on grades from day 1. Not in a crazy “you can’t have a life” kind of way. But, I was judging grades as they were regarded in my day. And I also thought people still cared about an upward trend. Nothing matters but gpa anymore.

But there are PLENTY Of fine schools out there for the range of kid's GPA's

You have to try not to jump on the status train.

Be proud of the kid you have, if he or she is doing their best.

[Anonymous]

Let the kids figure it out. They will have to sooner or later. We had a college counselor but did not craft anything. Just let the kid find the internships and ECs. She never took any advice, not even the CCs college list. She did listen to comments about essays. I don’t know how important essays will be in the future with ChatGPT. I know a few who wrote their essays with ChatGPT. Better than anything the kid could have written.

[Anonymous]

I wish I had convinced my kid to transfer out of TJ to our base school. They would have had a much better high school experience, more sleep, and more self-confidence and college results could have been the same if not better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Read both "Who Gets In and Why" and "The Price You Pay for College."

Be very realistic with your child (and yourself) about what you can afford but don't let it limit where DC applies (assuming at least one high admit school is within budget).

Don't get sucked into the idea of a "dream" school.

Also, look at the lists on this website (below). You'll be able to relax knowing that what matters is your kid, not the school they attend.

https://lesshighschoolstress.com/business/