3.75/1550 Big 3 rising Senior - College Options?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll bite. Here’s a selection of really nice schools, of different sizes and locations that could be of interest, depending on major and setting. Lots of very different schools.

Reach: Northwestern, Cornell, U Penn, U Chicago, Bowdoin, Brown, Dartmouth
Target / Reach: Michigan, Rochester, Wash U, Wesleyan, Middlebury, Tufts
Target: Colby, Colgate, U Washington, Boston College, NYU
Safeties: Univ of Toronto, McGill, Wisconsin, Reed, Bates, Dickinson, Gettysburg, Tulane

My kid has a 3.9 at a Big3; can he/she move the target/reaches to target?

No.

It isn't about your kids stats, it is about the number of kids who have similar records who are applying to all of the same schools.

There are X times the number of kids applying for generally the same number of seats that existed 30 years ago.

so the 3.95 kid has the same options as the 3.75 kid?

I can't answer specifically the impact of the 0.20 differential, but it needs to be said that STA, NCS, GDS and Sidwell aren't identical when it comes time to assign grades.

Anecdotally, GDS kids who I know personally have all had higher GPAs than my Sidwell teen. As in, > 3.90. Their ACT/SATs were easily lower, even when superscored. One girl had a 4.0 at GDS and her mom acted like that wasn't a big deal, all you need to do is work hard! That sort of situation is a unicorn at Sidwell.

Yes. 3.95 could well be the highest GPA for a graduating class at Sidwell. If your DC is 3.95 at Sidwell, they will have terrific options, ED or no ED.

How about a 3.85 kid taking rigorous course load?

3.85 unhooked from top area privates will do very well but can more or less forget about the very top schools (read HYPS + MIT). With a strong hook, would be competitive anywhere.

Are schools like these outside of your "very top schools" disclaimer: Duke, Amherst, Pomona, Brown (I know all are still crazy hard, just trying to get a sense of your "forget it" category)

Yes, in my view, 3.85 from Big 3 puts HYPSM totally out of reach for the unhooked. The schools you mentioned -- Duke, Amherst, Pomona -- would be very much within reach. Brown is probably just out of reach as well (short of exceptional offsetting factors).

Curious if the 5 Kids going to Yale from STA were all top academic students? Heard they were not athletic recruits or legacies but wondering if had some other interesting angle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll bite. Here’s a selection of really nice schools, of different sizes and locations that could be of interest, depending on major and setting. Lots of very different schools.

Reach: Northwestern, Cornell, U Penn, U Chicago, Bowdoin, Brown, Dartmouth
Target / Reach: Michigan, Rochester, Wash U, Wesleyan, Middlebury, Tufts
Target: Colby, Colgate, U Washington, Boston College, NYU
Safeties: Univ of Toronto, McGill, Wisconsin, Reed, Bates, Dickinson, Gettysburg, Tulane

My kid has a 3.9 at a Big3; can he/she move the target/reaches to target?

If they are maintaining straight As in junior senior year in rigorous courses I’d say you’d get into 3 of the 6 regular and probably 5 of the 6 if you ED. It’s all still such a crap shoot. The benefit for strong kids now is that they will have all their junior year grades with face to face in session school. I think the past seniors got screwed because grades were so wonky and inflated during remote learning.

Thx. My kid has the 3.9 and change (3.95?) through junior year. We not a legacy/URM/recruit. Just smart and really driven. Would be thrilled with Michigan. Hard to know how high to aim.

3.95 at big 3: Mighican is basically a certainty.

God shot at Michigan. Chicago. Cornell if ED. Need test scores and good ECs.

Chicago if ED.

Don't waste an ED on Cornell unless you are legacy.

Chicago is harder to get into than cornell. It also doesn’t have back doors like the school of human ecology and ag.

Not for prep school kids who ED. STA sent something like 13 kids to Chicago this year, out of a class of 80.

Yes - Chicago seems to love STA and Sidwell kids who are willing to ED. Too bad my kid isn't interested in Chicago winters....

Chicago knows that these kids are used to the academic grind and often find Chicago to be a step down in intensity. I have a kid at one of these schools who is debating ED-ing to Chicago. He isn't sure he wants to sign up for 4 more years of a pressure cooker environment.

Used to the academic grind? Or headed for a breakdown? Parents in Darien, Connecticut are up in arms about the “academic grind” their kids are being subjected to, claiming it’s causing all kinds of mental health problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll bite. Here’s a selection of really nice schools, of different sizes and locations that could be of interest, depending on major and setting. Lots of very different schools.

Reach: Northwestern, Cornell, U Penn, U Chicago, Bowdoin, Brown, Dartmouth
Target / Reach: Michigan, Rochester, Wash U, Wesleyan, Middlebury, Tufts
Target: Colby, Colgate, U Washington, Boston College, NYU
Safeties: Univ of Toronto, McGill, Wisconsin, Reed, Bates, Dickinson, Gettysburg, Tulane

My kid has a 3.9 at a Big3; can he/she move the target/reaches to target?

No.

It isn't about your kids stats, it is about the number of kids who have similar records who are applying to all of the same schools.

There are X times the number of kids applying for generally the same number of seats that existed 30 years ago.

so the 3.95 kid has the same options as the 3.75 kid?

I can't answer specifically the impact of the 0.20 differential, but it needs to be said that STA, NCS, GDS and Sidwell aren't identical when it comes time to assign grades.

Anecdotally, GDS kids who I know personally have all had higher GPAs than my Sidwell teen. As in, > 3.90. Their ACT/SATs were easily lower, even when superscored. One girl had a 4.0 at GDS and her mom acted like that wasn't a big deal, all you need to do is work hard! That sort of situation is a unicorn at Sidwell.

Doesn't this all depend on how hard the classes are you are taking? At my kids' top private, certain classes are WAY more rigorous (Multivariable Calc, Advanced Chem, Physics C, etc.). So a GPA alone doesn't mean all that much unless you know what classes the kid has taken.

This is always a factor. There are plenty of threads on DCUM where people write x-number of APs, but they haven’t said if the APs are ‘easier’ or harder. Taking Calculus and whatever are the hardest courses across the curriculum counts way more than accumulating APs/ IBs in classes that are less challenging.

No, it doesn't. Sidwell and GDS don't weight classes. The CCO will include a form in college apps indicating whether the student chose the most rigorous courses that were actually available to them.**

But Susan isn't amassing a higher GPA than Bob at Sidwell because Susan took multivariable calc and Bob took Calc AB. An A- is an A-, points-wise

** a friendly reminder that 'rigor' determinations include context, such as whether an incoming 9th grader will or will not ever be eligible for certain math / science / language offerings based on the course offerings at their MS

It’s not just whether the rigor box is checked. It’s about the overall package. I saw plenty of kids at MCPS who had ‘most rigorous’ checked because they were full IB but had taken ‘easier’ IB classes (meaning nonCalc) they had inferior results to students who were not full IB but had amassed a ‘most rigorous’ check with Calc, science AP, Eng AP etc. The actual classes matter.

“Inferior” is in the eye of the beholder. Call is a waste of time fir kids who are not headed fir STEM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll bite. Here’s a selection of really nice schools, of different sizes and locations that could be of interest, depending on major and setting. Lots of very different schools.

Reach: Northwestern, Cornell, U Penn, U Chicago, Bowdoin, Brown, Dartmouth
Target / Reach: Michigan, Rochester, Wash U, Wesleyan, Middlebury, Tufts
Target: Colby, Colgate, U Washington, Boston College, NYU
Safeties: Univ of Toronto, McGill, Wisconsin, Reed, Bates, Dickinson, Gettysburg, Tulane

My kid has a 3.9 at a Big3; can he/she move the target/reaches to target?

No.

It isn't about your kids stats, it is about the number of kids who have similar records who are applying to all of the same schools.

There are X times the number of kids applying for generally the same number of seats that existed 30 years ago.

so the 3.95 kid has the same options as the 3.75 kid?

I can't answer specifically the impact of the 0.20 differential, but it needs to be said that STA, NCS, GDS and Sidwell aren't identical when it comes time to assign grades.

Anecdotally, GDS kids who I know personally have all had higher GPAs than my Sidwell teen. As in, > 3.90. Their ACT/SATs were easily lower, even when superscored. One girl had a 4.0 at GDS and her mom acted like that wasn't a big deal, all you need to do is work hard! That sort of situation is a unicorn at Sidwell.

Yes. 3.95 could well be the highest GPA for a graduating class at Sidwell. If your DC is 3.95 at Sidwell, they will have terrific options, ED or no ED.

How about a 3.85 kid taking rigorous course load?

3.85 unhooked from top area privates will do very well but can more or less forget about the very top schools (read HYPS + MIT). With a strong hook, would be competitive anywhere.

Are schools like these outside of your "very top schools" disclaimer: Duke, Amherst, Pomona, Brown (I know all are still crazy hard, just trying to get a sense of your "forget it" category)

Yes, in my view, 3.85 from Big 3 puts HYPSM totally out of reach for the unhooked. The schools you mentioned -- Duke, Amherst, Pomona -- would be very much within reach. Brown is probably just out of reach as well (short of exceptional offsetting factors).

Curious if the 5 Kids going to Yale from STA were all top academic students? Heard they were not athletic recruits or legacies but wondering if had some other interesting angle.

I think one is a legacy. They are all top students (from tippy top to top). They have interesting passions. They are impressive kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll bite. Here’s a selection of really nice schools, of different sizes and locations that could be of interest, depending on major and setting. Lots of very different schools.

Reach: Northwestern, Cornell, U Penn, U Chicago, Bowdoin, Brown, Dartmouth
Target / Reach: Michigan, Rochester, Wash U, Wesleyan, Middlebury, Tufts
Target: Colby, Colgate, U Washington, Boston College, NYU
Safeties: Univ of Toronto, McGill, Wisconsin, Reed, Bates, Dickinson, Gettysburg, Tulane

My kid has a 3.9 at a Big3; can he/she move the target/reaches to target?

No.

It isn't about your kids stats, it is about the number of kids who have similar records who are applying to all of the same schools.

There are X times the number of kids applying for generally the same number of seats that existed 30 years ago.

so the 3.95 kid has the same options as the 3.75 kid?

I can't answer specifically the impact of the 0.20 differential, but it needs to be said that STA, NCS, GDS and Sidwell aren't identical when it comes time to assign grades.

Anecdotally, GDS kids who I know personally have all had higher GPAs than my Sidwell teen. As in, > 3.90. Their ACT/SATs were easily lower, even when superscored. One girl had a 4.0 at GDS and her mom acted like that wasn't a big deal, all you need to do is work hard! That sort of situation is a unicorn at Sidwell.

Yes. 3.95 could well be the highest GPA for a graduating class at Sidwell. If your DC is 3.95 at Sidwell, they will have terrific options, ED or no ED.

How about a 3.85 kid taking rigorous course load?

3.85 unhooked from top area privates will do very well but can more or less forget about the very top schools (read HYPS + MIT). With a strong hook, would be competitive anywhere.

Are schools like these outside of your "very top schools" disclaimer: Duke, Amherst, Pomona, Brown (I know all are still crazy hard, just trying to get a sense of your "forget it" category)

Yes, in my view, 3.85 from Big 3 puts HYPSM totally out of reach for the unhooked. The schools you mentioned -- Duke, Amherst, Pomona -- would be very much within reach. Brown is probably just out of reach as well (short of exceptional offsetting factors).

Curious if the 5 Kids going to Yale from STA were all top academic students? Heard they were not athletic recruits or legacies but wondering if had some other interesting angle.

I think one is a legacy. They are all top students (from tippy top to top). They have interesting passions. They are impressive kids.

St Albans kids have not announced their "destinations" have they? Unlike NCS, market etc..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll bite. Here’s a selection of really nice schools, of different sizes and locations that could be of interest, depending on major and setting. Lots of very different schools.

Reach: Northwestern, Cornell, U Penn, U Chicago, Bowdoin, Brown, Dartmouth
Target / Reach: Michigan, Rochester, Wash U, Wesleyan, Middlebury, Tufts
Target: Colby, Colgate, U Washington, Boston College, NYU
Safeties: Univ of Toronto, McGill, Wisconsin, Reed, Bates, Dickinson, Gettysburg, Tulane

My kid has a 3.9 at a Big3; can he/she move the target/reaches to target?

No.

It isn't about your kids stats, it is about the number of kids who have similar records who are applying to all of the same schools.

There are X times the number of kids applying for generally the same number of seats that existed 30 years ago.

so the 3.95 kid has the same options as the 3.75 kid?

I can't answer specifically the impact of the 0.20 differential, but it needs to be said that STA, NCS, GDS and Sidwell aren't identical when it comes time to assign grades.

Anecdotally, GDS kids who I know personally have all had higher GPAs than my Sidwell teen. As in, > 3.90. Their ACT/SATs were easily lower, even when superscored. One girl had a 4.0 at GDS and her mom acted like that wasn't a big deal, all you need to do is work hard! That sort of situation is a unicorn at Sidwell.

Doesn't this all depend on how hard the classes are you are taking? At my kids' top private, certain classes are WAY more rigorous (Multivariable Calc, Advanced Chem, Physics C, etc.). So a GPA alone doesn't mean all that much unless you know what classes the kid has taken.

This is always a factor. There are plenty of threads on DCUM where people write x-number of APs, but they haven’t said if the APs are ‘easier’ or harder. Taking Calculus and whatever are the hardest courses across the curriculum counts way more than accumulating APs/ IBs in classes that are less challenging.

No, it doesn't. Sidwell and GDS don't weight classes. The CCO will include a form in college apps indicating whether the student chose the most rigorous courses that were actually available to them.**

But Susan isn't amassing a higher GPA than Bob at Sidwell because Susan took multivariable calc and Bob took Calc AB. An A- is an A-, points-wise

** a friendly reminder that 'rigor' determinations include context, such as whether an incoming 9th grader will or will not ever be eligible for certain math / science / language offerings based on the course offerings at their MS

It’s not just whether the rigor box is checked. It’s about the overall package. I saw plenty of kids at MCPS who had ‘most rigorous’ checked because they were full IB but had taken ‘easier’ IB classes (meaning nonCalc) they had inferior results to students who were not full IB but had amassed a ‘most rigorous’ check with Calc, science AP, Eng AP etc. The actual classes matter.

How are the difficult course loads determined if not explicitly listed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll bite. Here’s a selection of really nice schools, of different sizes and locations that could be of interest, depending on major and setting. Lots of very different schools.

Reach: Northwestern, Cornell, U Penn, U Chicago, Bowdoin, Brown, Dartmouth
Target / Reach: Michigan, Rochester, Wash U, Wesleyan, Middlebury, Tufts
Target: Colby, Colgate, U Washington, Boston College, NYU
Safeties: Univ of Toronto, McGill, Wisconsin, Reed, Bates, Dickinson, Gettysburg, Tulane

My kid has a 3.9 at a Big3; can he/she move the target/reaches to target?

No.

It isn't about your kids stats, it is about the number of kids who have similar records who are applying to all of the same schools.

There are X times the number of kids applying for generally the same number of seats that existed 30 years ago.

so the 3.95 kid has the same options as the 3.75 kid?

I can't answer specifically the impact of the 0.20 differential, but it needs to be said that STA, NCS, GDS and Sidwell aren't identical when it comes time to assign grades.

Anecdotally, GDS kids who I know personally have all had higher GPAs than my Sidwell teen. As in, > 3.90. Their ACT/SATs were easily lower, even when superscored. One girl had a 4.0 at GDS and her mom acted like that wasn't a big deal, all you need to do is work hard! That sort of situation is a unicorn at Sidwell.

Yes. 3.95 could well be the highest GPA for a graduating class at Sidwell. If your DC is 3.95 at Sidwell, they will have terrific options, ED or no ED.

How about a 3.85 kid taking rigorous course load?

3.85 unhooked from top area privates will do very well but can more or less forget about the very top schools (read HYPS + MIT). With a strong hook, would be competitive anywhere.

Are schools like these outside of your "very top schools" disclaimer: Duke, Amherst, Pomona, Brown (I know all are still crazy hard, just trying to get a sense of your "forget it" category)

Yes, in my view, 3.85 from Big 3 puts HYPSM totally out of reach for the unhooked. The schools you mentioned -- Duke, Amherst, Pomona -- would be very much within reach. Brown is probably just out of reach as well (short of exceptional offsetting factors).

Curious if the 5 Kids going to Yale from STA were all top academic students? Heard they were not athletic recruits or legacies but wondering if had some other interesting angle.

I think one is a legacy. They are all top students (from tippy top to top). They have interesting passions. They are impressive kids.

St Albans kids have not announced their "destinations" have they? Unlike NCS, market etc..

Not outside of the community but my son an his friends (upperschoolers but not seniors) know about 95% of the destinations. it is ultimately a small, tight school and he (and friends) are social media friends with all but a couple of the graduating seniors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I guess not "Big 3," but Potomac parent here with rising senior. Though kid has met with college counselor, parents have not and probably won't, considering requested emails to set up said meeting have been completely ignored. Clicked through to kid's Naviance and was horrified at the schools the counselor put in. Honestly, just can't face this process. Didn't really for older kids until late summer and all worked out fine. Not everybody is as intense and insane as DCUM would lead you to believe. In any event, OP, you now full well that your kid is a top applicant. Why do you need to come here with this question?

OP again. Thanks for this response. Actually, I am pretty sure (100 percent certain) that DC is NOT a top applicant (in the sense of the top 5 or even 10 kids in the class) who can be nearly certain that they will end up at a T10 school. The students who have strong records but are below this tier face more uncertainty than they have in the past. Even counselors seem limited in their ability to help forecast outcomes (perhaps bc they mostly only know what has gone on in their own schools).

Even though you were told to ignore advice from public school parents, here is mine since you asked. My DC is a rising senior in MCPS, with very rigorous course load, 1550 SAT and 3.9 uw gpa. DC is working with a private college counselor, and these are the schools on their list right now: Emory, UVA (reaches), W&M, Wake Forest (targets), possibly UNC (reach/target), UMD (safety). DC needs to add a couple of targets and safeties.

UVA isn't a reach

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll bite. Here’s a selection of really nice schools, of different sizes and locations that could be of interest, depending on major and setting. Lots of very different schools.

Reach: Northwestern, Cornell, U Penn, U Chicago, Bowdoin, Brown, Dartmouth
Target / Reach: Michigan, Rochester, Wash U, Wesleyan, Middlebury, Tufts
Target: Colby, Colgate, U Washington, Boston College, NYU
Safeties: Univ of Toronto, McGill, Wisconsin, Reed, Bates, Dickinson, Gettysburg, Tulane

My kid has a 3.9 at a Big3; can he/she move the target/reaches to target?

No.

It isn't about your kids stats, it is about the number of kids who have similar records who are applying to all of the same schools.

There are X times the number of kids applying for generally the same number of seats that existed 30 years ago.

so the 3.95 kid has the same options as the 3.75 kid?

I can't answer specifically the impact of the 0.20 differential, but it needs to be said that STA, NCS, GDS and Sidwell aren't identical when it comes time to assign grades.

Anecdotally, GDS kids who I know personally have all had higher GPAs than my Sidwell teen. As in, > 3.90. Their ACT/SATs were easily lower, even when superscored. One girl had a 4.0 at GDS and her mom acted like that wasn't a big deal, all you need to do is work hard! That sort of situation is a unicorn at Sidwell.

Doesn't this all depend on how hard the classes are you are taking? At my kids' top private, certain classes are WAY more rigorous (Multivariable Calc, Advanced Chem, Physics C, etc.). So a GPA alone doesn't mean all that much unless you know what classes the kid has taken.

This is always a factor. There are plenty of threads on DCUM where people write x-number of APs, but they haven’t said if the APs are ‘easier’ or harder. Taking Calculus and whatever are the hardest courses across the curriculum counts way more than accumulating APs/ IBs in classes that are less challenging.

No, it doesn't. Sidwell and GDS don't weight classes. The CCO will include a form in college apps indicating whether the student chose the most rigorous courses that were actually available to them.**

But Susan isn't amassing a higher GPA than Bob at Sidwell because Susan took multivariable calc and Bob took Calc AB. An A- is an A-, points-wise

** a friendly reminder that 'rigor' determinations include context, such as whether an incoming 9th grader will or will not ever be eligible for certain math / science / language offerings based on the course offerings at their MS

It’s not just whether the rigor box is checked. It’s about the overall package. I saw plenty of kids at MCPS who had ‘most rigorous’ checked because they were full IB but had taken ‘easier’ IB classes (meaning nonCalc) they had inferior results to students who were not full IB but had amassed a ‘most rigorous’ check with Calc, science AP, Eng AP etc. The actual classes matter.

How are the difficult course loads determined if not explicitly listed?

Again, nobody is talking about MCPS here. MCPS college application experiences are completely irrelevant to Sidwell, GDS and STA/NCS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I guess not "Big 3," but Potomac parent here with rising senior. Though kid has met with college counselor, parents have not and probably won't, considering requested emails to set up said meeting have been completely ignored. Clicked through to kid's Naviance and was horrified at the schools the counselor put in. Honestly, just can't face this process. Didn't really for older kids until late summer and all worked out fine. Not everybody is as intense and insane as DCUM would lead you to believe. In any event, OP, you now full well that your kid is a top applicant. Why do you need to come here with this question?

OP again. Thanks for this response. Actually, I am pretty sure (100 percent certain) that DC is NOT a top applicant (in the sense of the top 5 or even 10 kids in the class) who can be nearly certain that they will end up at a T10 school. The students who have strong records but are below this tier face more uncertainty than they have in the past. Even counselors seem limited in their ability to help forecast outcomes (perhaps bc they mostly only know what has gone on in their own schools).

Even though you were told to ignore advice from public school parents, here is mine since you asked. My DC is a rising senior in MCPS, with very rigorous course load, 1550 SAT and 3.9 uw gpa. DC is working with a private college counselor, and these are the schools on their list right now: Emory, UVA (reaches), W&M, Wake Forest (targets), possibly UNC (reach/target), UMD (safety). DC needs to add a couple of targets and safeties.

UVA isn't a reach

Of course it’s a reach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I guess not "Big 3," but Potomac parent here with rising senior. Though kid has met with college counselor, parents have not and probably won't, considering requested emails to set up said meeting have been completely ignored. Clicked through to kid's Naviance and was horrified at the schools the counselor put in. Honestly, just can't face this process. Didn't really for older kids until late summer and all worked out fine. Not everybody is as intense and insane as DCUM would lead you to believe. In any event, OP, you now full well that your kid is a top applicant. Why do you need to come here with this question?

OP again. Thanks for this response. Actually, I am pretty sure (100 percent certain) that DC is NOT a top applicant (in the sense of the top 5 or even 10 kids in the class) who can be nearly certain that they will end up at a T10 school. The students who have strong records but are below this tier face more uncertainty than they have in the past. Even counselors seem limited in their ability to help forecast outcomes (perhaps bc they mostly only know what has gone on in their own schools).

Even though you were told to ignore advice from public school parents, here is mine since you asked. My DC is a rising senior in MCPS, with very rigorous course load, 1550 SAT and 3.9 uw gpa. DC is working with a private college counselor, and these are the schools on their list right now: Emory, UVA (reaches), W&M, Wake Forest (targets), possibly UNC (reach/target), UMD (safety). DC needs to add a couple of targets and safeties.

UVA isn't a reach

Of course it’s a reach.

It might be a reach to the MCPS kid in PP's post, but not for the 3.75/1550 Big 3 kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I guess not "Big 3," but Potomac parent here with rising senior. Though kid has met with college counselor, parents have not and probably won't, considering requested emails to set up said meeting have been completely ignored. Clicked through to kid's Naviance and was horrified at the schools the counselor put in. Honestly, just can't face this process. Didn't really for older kids until late summer and all worked out fine. Not everybody is as intense and insane as DCUM would lead you to believe. In any event, OP, you now full well that your kid is a top applicant. Why do you need to come here with this question?

OP again. Thanks for this response. Actually, I am pretty sure (100 percent certain) that DC is NOT a top applicant (in the sense of the top 5 or even 10 kids in the class) who can be nearly certain that they will end up at a T10 school. The students who have strong records but are below this tier face more uncertainty than they have in the past. Even counselors seem limited in their ability to help forecast outcomes (perhaps bc they mostly only know what has gone on in their own schools).

Even though you were told to ignore advice from public school parents, here is mine since you asked. My DC is a rising senior in MCPS, with very rigorous course load, 1550 SAT and 3.9 uw gpa. DC is working with a private college counselor, and these are the schools on their list right now: Emory, UVA (reaches), W&M, Wake Forest (targets), possibly UNC (reach/target), UMD (safety). DC needs to add a couple of targets and safeties.

UVA isn't a reach

Of course it’s a reach.

It might be a reach to the MCPS kid in PP's post, but not for the 3.75/1550 Big 3 kid.

Disagree. Those stats are just barely into the 75th percentile of attending students. Go back in this forum or College Confidential and look at the stats and ECs of kids who were deferred, rejected or waitlisted. You will be astounded. Also UVA cares very much about class rank, which the 3.75/1550 doesn’t tell us. Now if that student is a first generation or URM then I might agree with you. Also UVA wants to see big time ECs and also the “most rigorous” box checked off

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I guess not "Big 3," but Potomac parent here with rising senior. Though kid has met with college counselor, parents have not and probably won't, considering requested emails to set up said meeting have been completely ignored. Clicked through to kid's Naviance and was horrified at the schools the counselor put in. Honestly, just can't face this process. Didn't really for older kids until late summer and all worked out fine. Not everybody is as intense and insane as DCUM would lead you to believe. In any event, OP, you now full well that your kid is a top applicant. Why do you need to come here with this question?

OP again. Thanks for this response. Actually, I am pretty sure (100 percent certain) that DC is NOT a top applicant (in the sense of the top 5 or even 10 kids in the class) who can be nearly certain that they will end up at a T10 school. The students who have strong records but are below this tier face more uncertainty than they have in the past. Even counselors seem limited in their ability to help forecast outcomes (perhaps bc they mostly only know what has gone on in their own schools).

Even though you were told to ignore advice from public school parents, here is mine since you asked. My DC is a rising senior in MCPS, with very rigorous course load, 1550 SAT and 3.9 uw gpa. DC is working with a private college counselor, and these are the schools on their list right now: Emory, UVA (reaches), W&M, Wake Forest (targets), possibly UNC (reach/target), UMD (safety). DC needs to add a couple of targets and safeties.

UVA isn't a reach

Of course it’s a reach.

It might be a reach to the MCPS kid in PP's post, but not for the 3.75/1550 Big 3 kid.

Disagree. Those stats are just barely into the 75th percentile of attending students. Go back in this forum or College Confidential and look at the stats and ECs of kids who were deferred, rejected or waitlisted. You will be astounded. Also UVA cares very much about class rank, which the 3.75/1550 doesn’t tell us. Now if that student is a first generation or URM then I might agree with you. Also UVA wants to see big time ECs and also the “most rigorous” box checked off

Sure..the attending student stats, which include all manner of publics from around the country. Big 3 grading is just much harsher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I guess not "Big 3," but Potomac parent here with rising senior. Though kid has met with college counselor, parents have not and probably won't, considering requested emails to set up said meeting have been completely ignored. Clicked through to kid's Naviance and was horrified at the schools the counselor put in. Honestly, just can't face this process. Didn't really for older kids until late summer and all worked out fine. Not everybody is as intense and insane as DCUM would lead you to believe. In any event, OP, you now full well that your kid is a top applicant. Why do you need to come here with this question?

OP again. Thanks for this response. Actually, I am pretty sure (100 percent certain) that DC is NOT a top applicant (in the sense of the top 5 or even 10 kids in the class) who can be nearly certain that they will end up at a T10 school. The students who have strong records but are below this tier face more uncertainty than they have in the past. Even counselors seem limited in their ability to help forecast outcomes (perhaps bc they mostly only know what has gone on in their own schools).

Even though you were told to ignore advice from public school parents, here is mine since you asked. My DC is a rising senior in MCPS, with very rigorous course load, 1550 SAT and 3.9 uw gpa. DC is working with a private college counselor, and these are the schools on their list right now: Emory, UVA (reaches), W&M, Wake Forest (targets), possibly UNC (reach/target), UMD (safety). DC needs to add a couple of targets and safeties.

UVA isn't a reach

The top DC privates have weird grading. A 3.8 can be near the top the of class. There is no weighing for honors or AP so a 4.0 is the max GPA regardless of what classes a kid takes.
the top colleges know this and admit accordingly. At our school kids get into stanford, harvard, etc with a 3.9. unheard of in public.
Not better, just different.



Of course it’s a reach.

It might be a reach to the MCPS kid in PP's post, but not for the 3.75/1550 Big 3 kid.

Disagree. Those stats are just barely into the 75th percentile of attending students. Go back in this forum or College Confidential and look at the stats and ECs of kids who were deferred, rejected or waitlisted. You will be astounded. Also UVA cares very much about class rank, which the 3.75/1550 doesn’t tell us. Now if that student is a first generation or URM then I might agree with you. Also UVA wants to see big time ECs and also the “most rigorous” box checked off

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I guess not "Big 3," but Potomac parent here with rising senior. Though kid has met with college counselor, parents have not and probably won't, considering requested emails to set up said meeting have been completely ignored. Clicked through to kid's Naviance and was horrified at the schools the counselor put in. Honestly, just can't face this process. Didn't really for older kids until late summer and all worked out fine. Not everybody is as intense and insane as DCUM would lead you to believe. In any event, OP, you now full well that your kid is a top applicant. Why do you need to come here with this question?

OP again. Thanks for this response. Actually, I am pretty sure (100 percent certain) that DC is NOT a top applicant (in the sense of the top 5 or even 10 kids in the class) who can be nearly certain that they will end up at a T10 school. The students who have strong records but are below this tier face more uncertainty than they have in the past. Even counselors seem limited in their ability to help forecast outcomes (perhaps bc they mostly only know what has gone on in their own schools).

Even though you were told to ignore advice from public school parents, here is mine since you asked. My DC is a rising senior in MCPS, with very rigorous course load, 1550 SAT and 3.9 uw gpa. DC is working with a private college counselor, and these are the schools on their list right now: Emory, UVA (reaches), W&M, Wake Forest (targets), possibly UNC (reach/target), UMD (safety). DC needs to add a couple of targets and safeties.

UVA isn't a reach

Of course it’s a reach.

It might be a reach to the MCPS kid in PP's post, but not for the 3.75/1550 Big 3 kid.

Disagree. Those stats are just barely into the 75th percentile of attending students. Go back in this forum or College Confidential and look at the stats and ECs of kids who were deferred, rejected or waitlisted. You will be astounded. Also UVA cares very much about class rank, which the 3.75/1550 doesn’t tell us. Now if that student is a first generation or URM then I might agree with you. Also UVA wants to see big time ECs and also the “most rigorous” box checked off

The top DC privates have weird grading. A 3.8 can be near the top the of class. There is no weighing for honors or AP so a 4.0 is the max GPA regardless of what classes a kid takes.
the top colleges know this and admit accordingly. At our school kids get into stanford, harvard, etc with a 3.9. unheard of in public.
Not better, just different.