Where do A students from top local privates go?

[Anonymous]

This whole thread is weird. The kid has already applied and been accepted at a safety. OP apparently has naviance access and presumably consulted with the college counselor in making the (very long) list. Those will be better sources of information for kids from your school than this board. There isn't much more you can do or need to do now.

[Anonymous]

This thread seemed to have devolved pretty quickly with public school parent input. But, the actual answer for A/A- students from "top local private" high schools are the top colleges. Potomac, Maret, GDS, StA/NCS, Sidwell, Visi, Holton do not have grade inflation. They don't weight grades and very few students have 4.0 GPA. GPAs of 3.8 may be "a dime a dozen" at public schools, but not the better privates. Most of the better privates are too small to use Naviance. So the best way to understand chances is from your school's college counselor. Neither my DC nor most of the Ivy students from my DC's high school had 4.0s. But, they stood out in other ways.

BTW full pay doesn't matter, unless you scroll down to the second tier colleges w/o need blind and no loan policies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread seemed to have devolved pretty quickly with public school parent input. But, the actual answer for A/A- students from "top local private" high schools are the top colleges. Potomac, Maret, GDS, StA/NCS, Sidwell, Visi, Holton do not have grade inflation. They don't weight grades and very few students have 4.0 GPA. GPAs of 3.8 may be "a dime a dozen" at public schools, but not the better privates. Most of the better privates are too small to use Naviance. So the best way to understand chances is from your school's college counselor. Neither my DC nor most of the Ivy students from my DC's high school had 4.0s. But, they stood out in other ways.

BTW full pay doesn't matter, unless you scroll down to the second tier colleges w/o need blind and no loan policies.

Thanks I was OP (and not engaging in the discussions). We do work with our kids (DH and I). Because SHE said it is a $250,000 decision. Actually, $300,000.

But you seem grounded so what do you think is realistic for schools. Yes we had internal counselor, naviance, and private counselor input. We came to the decision or where to ED. We were told we had about a 33-50 percent at the Ivy but He did not get in. So where do we stand with RD now?

[Anonymous]

My A student/35 ACT from a top private is at Berkeley. She was rejected or wait listed at HPYS, vandy, and uva. Accepted to VA Tech, Pitt & NYU, but chose Cal. I wish you and your child luck in March. Finding “match” schools is difficult for A students with high test scores and all “top” schools are pretty random.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My A student/35 ACT from a top private is at Berkeley. She was rejected or wait listed at HPYS, vandy, and uva. Accepted to VA Tech, Pitt & NYU, but chose Cal. I wish you and your child luck in March. Finding “match” schools is difficult for A students with high test scores and all “top” schools are pretty random.

Perfect example of how random it can be with high performing kids applying at the highest level schools.

My senior is in the middle of applying now to SLAC ranging from #1-70s on the US news list. I expect his acceptances (and his merit aid amounts) will be pretty random. Good news he likes several safeties as well as he likes the top rated schools. He'll have a nice mix to choose from I expect. Its all about a fit (and a little about money).

I hope your kid is enjoying Berkeley - my next kid to come along really loves that school -

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks I was OP (and not engaging in the discussions). We do work with our kids (DH and I). Because SHE said it is a $250,000 decision. Actually, $300,000.

But you seem grounded so what do you think is realistic for schools. Yes we had internal counselor, naviance, and private counselor input. We came to the decision or where to ED. We were told we had about a 33-50 percent at the Ivy but He did not get in. So where do we stand with RD now?

DD's school used the rule that every <20% admit rate school should be considered a reach, no matter what. It's really too unpredictable at those colleges. The schools she considered for her match list included NYU, Wesleyan, Reed, Oberlin, Kenyon, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, and Bryn Mawr. We're Virginians, so UVA was on her safety list and she didn't consider any other publics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks I was OP (and not engaging in the discussions). We do work with our kids (DH and I). Because SHE said it is a $250,000 decision. Actually, $300,000.

But you seem grounded so what do you think is realistic for schools. Yes we had internal counselor, naviance, and private counselor input. We came to the decision or where to ED. We were told we had about a 33-50 percent at the Ivy but He did not get in. So where do we stand with RD now?

DD's school used the rule that every <20% admit rate school should be considered a reach, no matter what. It's really too unpredictable at those colleges. The schools she considered for her match list included NYU, Wesleyan, Reed, Oberlin, Kenyon, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, and Bryn Mawr. We're Virginians, so UVA was on her safety list and she didn't consider any other publics.

Did she get UVA? OP here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My A student/35 ACT from a top private is at Berkeley. She was rejected or wait listed at HPYS, vandy, and uva. Accepted to VA Tech, Pitt & NYU, but chose Cal. I wish you and your child luck in March. Finding “match” schools is difficult for A students with high test scores and all “top” schools are pretty random.

Perfect example of how random it can be with high performing kids applying at the highest level schools.

My senior is in the middle of applying now to SLAC ranging from #1-70s on the US news list. I expect his acceptances (and his merit aid amounts) will be pretty random. Good news he likes several safeties as well as he likes the top rated schools. He'll have a nice mix to choose from I expect. Its all about a fit (and a little about money).

I hope your kid is enjoying Berkeley - my next kid to come along really loves that school -

How did she not get UVA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My A student/35 ACT from a top private is at Berkeley. She was rejected or wait listed at HPYS, vandy, and uva. Accepted to VA Tech, Pitt & NYU, but chose Cal. I wish you and your child luck in March. Finding “match” schools is difficult for A students with high test scores and all “top” schools are pretty random.

Perfect example of how random it can be with high performing kids applying at the highest level schools.

My senior is in the middle of applying now to SLAC ranging from #1-70s on the US news list. I expect his acceptances (and his merit aid amounts) will be pretty random. Good news he likes several safeties as well as he likes the top rated schools. He'll have a nice mix to choose from I expect. Its all about a fit (and a little about money).

I hope your kid is enjoying Berkeley - my next kid to come along really loves that school -

How did she not get UVA?

Out of state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My A student/35 ACT from a top private is at Berkeley. She was rejected or wait listed at HPYS, vandy, and uva. Accepted to VA Tech, Pitt & NYU, but chose Cal. I wish you and your child luck in March. Finding “match” schools is difficult for A students with high test scores and all “top” schools are pretty random.

Perfect example of how random it can be with high performing kids applying at the highest level schools.

My senior is in the middle of applying now to SLAC ranging from #1-70s on the US news list. I expect his acceptances (and his merit aid amounts) will be pretty random. Good news he likes several safeties as well as he likes the top rated schools. He'll have a nice mix to choose from I expect. Its all about a fit (and a little about money).

I hope your kid is enjoying Berkeley - my next kid to come along really loves that school -

How did she not get UVA?

For you folks living in VA, you may not realize how hard it is to get into UVA out of state. Lucky you as VA residents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks I was OP (and not engaging in the discussions). We do work with our kids (DH and I). Because SHE said it is a $250,000 decision. Actually, $300,000.

But you seem grounded so what do you think is realistic for schools. Yes we had internal counselor, naviance, and private counselor input. We came to the decision or where to ED. We were told we had about a 33-50 percent at the Ivy but He did not get in. So where do we stand with RD now?

DD's school used the rule that every <20% admit rate school should be considered a reach, no matter what. It's really too unpredictable at those colleges. The schools she considered for her match list included NYU, Wesleyan, Reed, Oberlin, Kenyon, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, and Bryn Mawr. We're Virginians, so UVA was on her safety list and she didn't consider any other publics.

Wes had a 15% acceptance rate....so by your definition a reach, nor a match.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread seemed to have devolved pretty quickly with public school parent input. But, the actual answer for A/A- students from "top local private" high schools are the top colleges. Potomac, Maret, GDS, StA/NCS, Sidwell, Visi, Holton do not have grade inflation. They don't weight grades and very few students have 4.0 GPA. GPAs of 3.8 may be "a dime a dozen" at public schools, but not the better privates. Most of the better privates are too small to use Naviance. So the best way to understand chances is from your school's college counselor. Neither my DC nor most of the Ivy students from my DC's high school had 4.0s. But, they stood out in other ways.

BTW full pay doesn't matter, unless you scroll down to the second tier colleges w/o need blind and no loan policies.

Thanks I was OP (and not engaging in the discussions). We do work with our kids (DH and I). Because SHE said it is a $250,000 decision. Actually, $300,000.

But you seem grounded so what do you think is realistic for schools. Yes we had internal counselor, naviance, and private counselor input. We came to the decision or where to ED. We were told we had about a 33-50 percent at the Ivy but He did not get in. So where do we stand with RD now?

You’ll find out in a couple of months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks I was OP (and not engaging in the discussions). We do work with our kids (DH and I). Because SHE said it is a $250,000 decision. Actually, $300,000.

But you seem grounded so what do you think is realistic for schools. Yes we had internal counselor, naviance, and private counselor input. We came to the decision or where to ED. We were told we had about a 33-50 percent at the Ivy but He did not get in. So where do we stand with RD now?

DD's school used the rule that every <20% admit rate school should be considered a reach, no matter what. It's really too unpredictable at those colleges. The schools she considered for her match list included NYU, Wesleyan, Reed, Oberlin, Kenyon, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, and Bryn Mawr. We're Virginians, so UVA was on her safety list and she didn't consider any other publics.

Did she get UVA? OP here.

DD was accepted early at her first choice, so she withdrew her other apps. According to DD (take it for what it's worth), several strong DC and Maryland residents from her school were rejected at UVA while weaker Virginia students were accepted. Her sense is that UVA is being exceptionally selective with OOS applicants. It is hard to compare the heavily weighted public school GPAs with unweighted private school GPAs. Their median is something like a 4.2, which means typical accepted students got several Bs on their transcripts and is probably closer to a 3.6/3.7 unweighted. And if that average is pulled up by OOS students, then it is a notch lower for instate students, even from Northern Virginia. With decent essays and good teacher recs, I'd guess your DD is in a solid position for UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks I was OP (and not engaging in the discussions). We do work with our kids (DH and I). Because SHE said it is a $250,000 decision. Actually, $300,000.

But you seem grounded so what do you think is realistic for schools. Yes we had internal counselor, naviance, and private counselor input. We came to the decision or where to ED. We were told we had about a 33-50 percent at the Ivy but He did not get in. So where do we stand with RD now?

DD's school used the rule that every <20% admit rate school should be considered a reach, no matter what. It's really too unpredictable at those colleges. The schools she considered for her match list included NYU, Wesleyan, Reed, Oberlin, Kenyon, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, and Bryn Mawr. We're Virginians, so UVA was on her safety list and she didn't consider any other publics.

Wes had a 15% acceptance rate....so by your definition a reach, nor a match.

You're right. That was a judgement by the college counselor because they take something like half of their students from private schools and the track record of students from DD's high school seemed predictable. But, they've been ratcheting up their numbers every year, so it might be different now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks I was OP (and not engaging in the discussions). We do work with our kids (DH and I). Because SHE said it is a $250,000 decision. Actually, $300,000.

But you seem grounded so what do you think is realistic for schools. Yes we had internal counselor, naviance, and private counselor input. We came to the decision or where to ED. We were told we had about a 33-50 percent at the Ivy but He did not get in. So where do we stand with RD now?

DD's school used the rule that every <20% admit rate school should be considered a reach, no matter what. It's really too unpredictable at those colleges. The schools she considered for her match list included NYU, Wesleyan, Reed, Oberlin, Kenyon, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, and Bryn Mawr. We're Virginians, so UVA was on her safety list and she didn't consider any other publics.

Did she get UVA? OP here.

DD was accepted early at her first choice, so she withdrew her other apps. According to DD (take it for what it's worth), several strong DC and Maryland residents from her school were rejected at UVA while weaker Virginia students were accepted. Her sense is that UVA is being exceptionally selective with OOS applicants. It is hard to compare the heavily weighted public school GPAs with unweighted private school GPAs. Their median is something like a 4.2, which means typical accepted students got several Bs on their transcripts and is probably closer to a 3.6/3.7 unweighted. And if that average is pulled up by OOS students, then it is a notch lower for instate students, even from Northern Virginia. With decent essays and good teacher recs, I'd guess your DD is in a solid position for UVA.

I believe that UVA yield protects from some of the top DC privates. They believe these students will go to an Ivy or another SLAC, so UVA places these students on the waitlist (unless the student is applying for the Jefferson scholarship).