New PSAT results

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Child is in 10th grade, they took the PSAT/NMSQT exam in October 2015 (the same exam given to the 11th graders at their private school).

Scored a 740/760 Math, a 740/760 Verbal, a 1480/1520 overall, and a 222/228 National Merit score (though as a sophomore, they cannot qualify for NMSF).

DC currently has all A/A+s, no A-s. They are beginning to believe that perhaps they can be admitted to a top 10 school, what should we as parents do to help support their goals?

Extra-curriculars? Leadership opportunities? Sports? If they're an URM, they're a shoo-in for multiple Ivy League acceptances.

Not necessarily. If that were the case, there would be a SIGNIFICANT number of URMs enrolled, and the stats wouldn't range from 2-5% for the Ivies (MIT and Stanford included). Also, URMs are not just African Americans in those stats. Shoo-in is debatable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Child is in 10th grade, they took the PSAT/NMSQT exam in October 2015 (the same exam given to the 11th graders at their private school).

Scored a 740/760 Math, a 740/760 Verbal, a 1480/1520 overall, and a 222/228 National Merit score (though as a sophomore, they cannot qualify for NMSF).

DC currently has all A/A+s, no A-s. They are beginning to believe that perhaps they can be admitted to a top 10 school, what should we as parents do to help support their goals?

Just remember that while these are excellent scores, there are tons of smart kids across the country with similar GPA and scores. Yes, your child sounds like top 10 material and seriously competitive, no doubt. However, s/he is not the only game in town with those stats.

Various websites are full of kids/parents bemoaning the fact their kids scored 2400 with straight A grades but rejected, not even deferred. It sounds like you are definitely on the right track but remember to keep it real. The admissions people have their own criteria and educating yourself to admissions thinking will be to your advantage down the road.

http://www.thecollegesolution.com/getting-rejected-by-harvard/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Child is in 10th grade, they took the PSAT/NMSQT exam in October 2015 (the same exam given to the 11th graders at their private school).

Scored a 740/760 Math, a 740/760 Verbal, a 1480/1520 overall, and a 222/228 National Merit score (though as a sophomore, they cannot qualify for NMSF).

DC currently has all A/A+s, no A-s. They are beginning to believe that perhaps they can be admitted to a top 10 school, what should we as parents do to help support their goals?

Can you afford $60K/year tuition at a top 10?

These sort of remarks can be insulting. Did it ever occur to you that these posters have done some due diligence researching the cost of colleges? The magnitude in this PSAT thread of interest and disseminating a test score that ONLY gets you a semi-National Merit acknowledgment and possible SAT future score is incredible.

I would think that if these posters have done this type of due diligence than they are doing financial research (loan, grant, scholarship) also, at least the majority. I see your comment mentioned frequently (not sure if same poster), and you make a good point. But constantly asking if posters can afford to send their child shows, on your part, that you think they aren't smart enough to look at a price tag. They might disregard it, but that's on them. Their checkbook. Their money. They decide how to use it whether you think it's the right way to go. It's not your name on the bottom line.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/statefarm/2015/10/07/save-for-your-kids-college-or-save-for-retirement/#2715e4857a0b15c2569e5ff7