Parent of Junior here - Is this year extra bad or is this how it is?

[Anonymous]

I know part of this is that my junior knows a lot more seniors this year than in years past, but it seems like schools that I would have expected to be options are rejecting a lot of kids that my kid knows. UVA, Clemson, VT, etc. were options to DC's friends who were class of 2023, but the 2024 students are not seeing the same results.

The reason why I'm thinking about this is b/c of class schedule for senior year. Several class of '23 kids, who are at competitive schools, took advantage of the Sr. Flex period (leaving early or coming in late). We've been told that's a bad idea for next year. My kid is looking at 5 AP classes and has at least one friend taking all APs and taking 2 summer courses. These are 4.0 UW students who already have several APs under their belt. If schools that used to be targets are all reaches now days, does it make sense to still take a ton of APs? Mine will have an AP in all the core subjects and FL. They have little to no interest in AP Gov, but signed up for it b/c of fear that not taking it will hurt their college chances. But, is that just listening to the noise? Does it actually matter when acceptance rates are so low that they may end up going to a school where rigor isn't as intense? I'm wondering if balance has gone out the window and I just need to accept it or if my kid is being fed a lie. What are other junior parents thinkging/hearing?

[Anonymous]

You have to realize that your kid looks like a million other kids from the outside. A gazillion kids are taking 5 APs, etc. They. All. Look. The. Same.

So what makes your kid different from the rest? What makes him tick as a human being? What's his thing? Who is he? And you can't mention any numbers, or stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to realize that your kid looks like a million other kids from the outside. A gazillion kids are taking 5 APs, etc. They. All. Look. The. Same.

So what makes your kid different from the rest? What makes him tick as a human being? What's his thing? Who is he? And you can't mention any numbers, or stats.

But does 4 APs vs. 5 APs make a difference? If they only take 4, are they not even invited to the table? Or, do they still look the same, but one of them just had more stress senior year?

[Anonymous]

I dont think this year is unique. It's been rough the past few years. Just make sure you have applied and could accept attending a handful of safeties.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like there are kids who are already a level higher than yours OP. Too late to try to compete with them. They are going to apply for T20. Assuming yours had good grades, A’s, he will be just fine and if the difference between sanity and crazy for your kid is one AP, honestly, I would drop the one AP.

[Anonymous]

Next year is supposed to be a population cliff so it should be easier but who knows? I think the question is will your kid be burnt out or can he handle one more ap class? Probably best to compromise- don’t do flex but also don’t do another ap just to have it especially if he’s not into the subject. is there a class he’s more interested in like at a community college if he’s allowed to cross enroll?

[Anonymous]

Don’t go flex period but pick a class that shows interest

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to realize that your kid looks like a million other kids from the outside. A gazillion kids are taking 5 APs, etc. They. All. Look. The. Same.

So what makes your kid different from the rest? What makes him tick as a human being? What's his thing? Who is he? And you can't mention any numbers, or stats.

And this is a ridiculous part of the process, I'm sorry it is. MOST kids do not have anything that makes them SUPER special, I don't care how many clubs, APs, etc. they engage in (mine included). Can they do the work? That should be the end.

If they want to make it a lottery, just make it a lottery.

[Anonymous]

Will ypur kid have 5 total classes with flex period or 6? If 6 total and 5 APs, I wouldn't sweat it. I don't think the flex period will show up (I'm in MCPS, so may be different for you). I do think fewer tha 6 classes total might be noticeable.

My senior has 7 (no flex), but 2 classes are light classes. 3 AP + MVC & DE. It's been fine. Jr. year classes were harder. Admitted early to everywhere they applied, including Ivy.

My '22 took a study hall spring semester of sr year. Should have taken one fall, it was too stressful with 8 classes (different magnet school), sport and college apps. Worked out with great college choices, though. I don't think the amount of classes made a difference, but some of the ones they might have dropped did help "tell the story" for this kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like there are kids who are already a level higher than yours OP. Too late to try to compete with them. They are going to apply for T20. Assuming yours had good grades, A’s, he will be just fine and if the difference between sanity and crazy for your kid is one AP, honestly, I would drop the one AP.

I'm not sure what this means. Lots of kids get into T20 classes with schedules like what's listed above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will ypur kid have 5 total classes with flex period or 6? If 6 total and 5 APs, I wouldn't sweat it. I don't think the flex period will show up (I'm in MCPS, so may be different for you). I do think fewer tha 6 classes total might be noticeable.

My senior has 7 (no flex), but 2 classes are light classes. 3 AP + MVC & DE. It's been fine. Jr. year classes were harder. Admitted early to everywhere they applied, including Ivy.

My '22 took a study hall spring semester of sr year. Should have taken one fall, it was too stressful with 8 classes (different magnet school), sport and college apps. Worked out with great college choices, though. I don't think the amount of classes made a difference, but some of the ones they might have dropped did help "tell the story" for this kid.

There are 7 periods in APS, but AP Science is 2 periods. So, that leaves one elective. I'm not saying AP Gov would put my kid over the top, but I'm just wondering if it makes a difference or if taking regular gov actually puts a non-gov major at a disadvantage. THe advice seems to be to take APs that interest them, but it doesn't seem anyone actually follows that. The norm, at least what I'm hearing form DC's fellow overachieving friends, is take all the APs you can fit in your schedule (who cares about sleep). For sure, the flex period is out. I hate that it's this way for our kids.

[Anonymous]

My DD recognizes that even with a 4.3 gpa, APs, and interesting ECs, admission to her top choices is iffy. High stats kids are a dime a dozen.

She will also apply to schools that are much less selective where she’s confident she would be accepted, probably with significant merit aid. If she ends up attending one of her lower-ranked choices, she will likely have plenty of her college fund left over for grad school.

[Anonymous]

What about this population cliff? Isn't that supposed to be for HS class of '26? The class of '25 is the largest in our school. Is our school an oddball? Doesn't that mean it will be easier for current sophomores, not juniors?

[Anonymous]

There’s a big focus on rural kids by AOs - have a friend at Ivy in a leadership role - and rural, whether Wyoming, Hawaii or WV is the golden ticket this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t go flex period but pick a class that shows interest

Never pick a flex