If your DC's secondary school appears to have a pipeline to a specific Top 10 college...
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Anonymous
| Would you encourage them to take advantage of it in ED even though it's not their tippy top choice? The college checks all the "fit" boxes, and DC would be happy to attend but also has the profile to buy a lottery ticket anywhere. Parent 1 doesn't think DC should give up an almost assured acceptance that is already a ridiculously good option. Parent 2 says let Icarus fly, and if it comes to it as it very likely will, fall. |
Anonymous
| No, they should only apply ED to the "top choice" school if they have one. And just because a school has an apparent pipeline doesn't mean everyone in the senior class should apply there. |
Anonymous
| Is this Chicago? |
Anonymous
| Just because your child's private school sends many students to Elite School X doesn't mean that your child is assured of a spot. I would not factor the supposed pipeline into an ED decision. |
Anonymous
| If your kid definitely wants a top 10, then probably go ED 1 to the pipeline----unless you hear that lots of kids are trying for it in which case go whereever DC wants. |
Anonymous
| Many elite private schools throughout the US seem to have excellent relations with the University of Chicago as well as with Georgetown University (which grows in prestige with distance from DC). |
Anonymous
Depends upon the particular top 10 college or university and the student's intended major and other interests. Listing the top 10 National Universities: Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT, Stanford, U Penn, Duke, & Northwestern = an absolute Yes !!! But if the top 10 National University is Caltech, Johns Hopkins, or for some--MIT = then fit should be given a high priority. If the relationship is with a Top 10 LAC, then the concept of fit becomes paramount due to the small size, location, and intimacy of most LACs. Top 10 LACs = Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore, Wellesley, Bowdoin, Claremont McKenna, Carleton College, & Middlebury. There is no automatic yes with respect to elite top 10 LACs. The easiest to categorize as a "yes" even if not the student's top choice would be Middlebury, Williams, & Bowdoin in my view. |
Anonymous
| And, yes, I realize that several top 10 National Universities do not offer ED. |
Anonymous
| OP: Please share which school or, at least, whether it is a Top 10 National University or a Top 10 LAC (with the assumption that you are not concerned over single sex Wellesley College or tiny Caltech). |
Anonymous
Understood, but in this case DC is the #1 or 2 student in the grade. Given the bountiful number of students matriculating to this college year after year from DC's secondary, acceptance really does seem virtually assured if DC applies ED. |
Anonymous
Top 10 National University |
Anonymous
Wow ! That narrows the list as not all Top 10 National Universities offer ED. If I had to guess, then my guess would be that it is the University of Chicago and the dilemma arises due to location & academic intensity. If the student has the qualifications for a top 10 National University, but doesn't want U Chicago, then ask why and depending upon the student's response proceed with the student's wishes. Consider applying to some well established public university honors colleges as a back-up with significant privileges and merit scholarship money. This way, foregoing a near sure thing will give the student attractive options. |
Anonymous
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If your HS has such a “pipeline,” it must be a private school.* And assuming so, can’t your counselor give a good indication of your child’s odds at their true dream college vs the one where the college has such a strong relationship?
* I know someone will say some lublics have pipelines to top colleges, too. Not true, at least not in the same way. A private school’s pipeline is in large part driven by the private school counselors’ cultivated relationships with the college admissions persons. They can and do actually call and get feedback on their candidates. A public school’s “pipeline” simply means that the college has found students from the HS to be successful there so they are confident that the qualified students can flourish there, thereby perhaps leading to higher number of acceptances. |
Anonymous
Yes, DC goes to private school. "True dream" college is HYPS, which also happens to be Parent 2's alma mater (hence wanting to let Icarus fly even if it means ultimately falling). College counselor says DC has a great shot, but it's nowhere near as close to a lock as the pipeline school would be. |
Anonymous
| Does DC like the school? Have you visited? If it is Chicago, there is always ED2. |