Ivy Day. Good luck everyone!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brown: Rejected
UPen: accepted
Harvard: accepted
4.6 GPA
11 APs all 5s
1540 SAT
Great EC

URM? Athlete?

I am the poster. I am shocked to see some of these reactions. Here is a little background.
We are in Virginia but not in DVM. She will be indeed the first in the family to attend a 4-year college.
She handled all her college stuff. Father is a blue-collar worker and I work in health care.
At the start of the process, she only applied to two schools: UVA and VCU. But the school called
a meeting and urge us to consider top out-of-state schools. They specifically said that our daughter was
underselling herself. Applying to these schools or even getting accepted was not on our radar until this meeting with the school.
It was at this point, I started doing some research and started reading stuff on this forum.

She also had a good interview. The interviewer specifically said that it was his best interview.

I don't know what's wrong with all these other people. It sounds like you have raised a smart, hard working, committed, young lady, and she will do very well wherever she goes. Much luck to her, and I hope she changes the world.

People were reacting to the fact that the poster didn't initially mention that her daughter was first gen. If she had said that from the start, everyone would have understood why she was accepted to Harvard and Penn. That's almost certainly why her daughter was accepted, not because of her "Great ECs." There are nothing wrong w/ hooks, but people should be upfront. Otherwise it's a misrepresentation and gives others false hope.

First generation
Rural VA
Private school
Counselors selling her (she goes to a private where a meeting was held to encourage OOS apps? A counselor and staff are not going to encourage this if they’re not going to market the student to the college. Given thus, I wouldn’t be surprised if teachers at her school read and helped with essays.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brown: Rejected
UPen: accepted
Harvard: accepted
4.6 GPA
11 APs all 5s
1540 SAT
Great EC

URM? Athlete?

I am the poster. I am shocked to see some of these reactions. Here is a little background.
We are in Virginia but not in DVM. She will be indeed the first in the family to attend a 4-year college.
She handled all her college stuff. Father is a blue-collar worker and I work in health care.
At the start of the process, she only applied to two schools: UVA and VCU. But the school called
a meeting and urge us to consider top out-of-state schools. They specifically said that our daughter was
underselling herself. Applying to these schools or even getting accepted was not on our radar until this meeting with the school.
It was at this point, I started doing some research and started reading stuff on this forum.

She also had a good interview. The interviewer specifically said that it was his best interview.

I don't know what's wrong with all these other people. It sounds like you have raised a smart, hard working, committed, young lady, and she will do very well wherever she goes. Much luck to her, and I hope she changes the world.

People were reacting to the fact that the poster didn't initially mention that her daughter was first gen. If she had said that from the start, everyone would have understood why she was accepted to Harvard and Penn. That's almost certainly why her daughter was accepted, not because of her "Great ECs." There are nothing wrong w/ hooks, but people should be upfront. Otherwise it's a misrepresentation and gives others false hope.

First generation
Rural VA
Private school
Counselors selling her (she goes to a private where a meeting was held to encourage OOS apps? A counselor and staff are not going to encourage this if they’re not going to market the student to the college. Given thus, I wouldn’t be surprised if teachers at her school read and helped with essays.)

The PP said it was public school, not private. Even so, I could if this student really stood out among her peers - which is sounds like she might have - a counselor could encourage her to apply to more schools and help with the process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brown: Rejected
UPen: accepted
Harvard: accepted
4.6 GPA
11 APs all 5s
1540 SAT
Great EC

URM? Athlete?

I am the poster. I am shocked to see some of these reactions. Here is a little background.
We are in Virginia but not in DVM. She will be indeed the first in the family to attend a 4-year college.
She handled all her college stuff. Father is a blue-collar worker and I work in health care.
At the start of the process, she only applied to two schools: UVA and VCU. But the school called
a meeting and urge us to consider top out-of-state schools. They specifically said that our daughter was
underselling herself. Applying to these schools or even getting accepted was not on our radar until this meeting with the school.
It was at this point, I started doing some research and started reading stuff on this forum.

She also had a good interview. The interviewer specifically said that it was his best interview.

I don't know what's wrong with all these other people. It sounds like you have raised a smart, hard working, committed, young lady, and she will do very well wherever she goes. Much luck to her, and I hope she changes the world.

People were reacting to the fact that the poster didn't initially mention that her daughter was first gen. If she had said that from the start, everyone would have understood why she was accepted to Harvard and Penn. That's almost certainly why her daughter was accepted, not because of her "Great ECs." There are nothing wrong w/ hooks, but people should be upfront. Otherwise it's a misrepresentation and gives others false hope.

First generation
Rural VA
Private school
Counselors selling her (she goes to a private where a meeting was held to encourage OOS apps? A counselor and staff are not going to encourage this if they’re not going to market the student to the college. Given thus, I wouldn’t be surprised if teachers at her school read and helped with essays.)

The PP said it was public school, not private. Even so, I could if this student really stood out among her peers - which is sounds like she might have - a counselor could encourage her to apply to more schools and help with the process.

It could be a transition from going from being the smartest person in the school to being surrounded by brilliant people at university. Kids at magnet schools for better or worse get the stuffing knocked out of them in ninth grade, then have an easier transition to university.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brown: Rejected
UPen: accepted
Harvard: accepted
4.6 GPA
11 APs all 5s
1540 SAT
Great EC

URM? Athlete?

I am the poster. I am shocked to see some of these reactions. Here is a little background.
We are in Virginia but not in DVM. She will be indeed the first in the family to attend a 4-year college.
She handled all her college stuff. Father is a blue-collar worker and I work in health care.
At the start of the process, she only applied to two schools: UVA and VCU. But the school called
a meeting and urge us to consider top out-of-state schools. They specifically said that our daughter was
underselling herself. Applying to these schools or even getting accepted was not on our radar until this meeting with the school.
It was at this point, I started doing some research and started reading stuff on this forum.

She also had a good interview. The interviewer specifically said that it was his best interview.

I don't know what's wrong with all these other people. It sounds like you have raised a smart, hard working, committed, young lady, and she will do very well wherever she goes. Much luck to her, and I hope she changes the world.

People were reacting to the fact that the poster didn't initially mention that her daughter was first gen. If she had said that from the start, everyone would have understood why she was accepted to Harvard and Penn. That's almost certainly why her daughter was accepted, not because of her "Great ECs." There are nothing wrong w/ hooks, but people should be upfront. Otherwise it's a misrepresentation and gives others false hope.

She may not have realized that those are important. Regardless, I don't know why people can't just be happy for these high achieving children. I don't know what y'all were doing at 17, but I sure didn't have long term ECs, commitment to service, 11 APs and amazing GPA/SAT scores, while going to a rural public school as the child of parents who did not go to college.

[Anonymous]

I thought this thread was about acceptance into Ivies from the region, not a thread about one impressive high school senior. And the way people are dissecting this young woman's background, making assumptions about her high school experience and projecting into her freshman year is bananas! It's like posters can't settle down until they figure out exactly how she succeeded. Think about that.

Can't we say congrats and move on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brown: Rejected
UPen: accepted
Harvard: accepted
4.6 GPA
11 APs all 5s
1540 SAT
Great EC

URM? Athlete?

I am the poster. I am shocked to see some of these reactions. Here is a little background.
We are in Virginia but not in DVM. She will be indeed the first in the family to attend a 4-year college.
She handled all her college stuff. Father is a blue-collar worker and I work in health care.
At the start of the process, she only applied to two schools: UVA and VCU. But the school called
a meeting and urge us to consider top out-of-state schools. They specifically said that our daughter was
underselling herself. Applying to these schools or even getting accepted was not on our radar until this meeting with the school.
It was at this point, I started doing some research and started reading stuff on this forum.

She also had a good interview. The interviewer specifically said that it was his best interview.

I don't know what's wrong with all these other people. It sounds like you have raised a smart, hard working, committed, young lady, and she will do very well wherever she goes. Much luck to her, and I hope she changes the world.

People were reacting to the fact that the poster didn't initially mention that her daughter was first gen. If she had said that from the start, everyone would have understood why she was accepted to Harvard and Penn. That's almost certainly why her daughter was accepted, not because of her "Great ECs." There are nothing wrong w/ hooks, but people should be upfront. Otherwise it's a misrepresentation and gives others false hope.

She may not have realized that those are important. Regardless, I don't know why people can't just be happy for these high achieving children. I don't know what y'all were doing at 17, but I sure didn't have long term ECs, commitment to service, 11 APs and amazing GPA/SAT scores, while going to a rural public school as the child of parents who did not go to college.

I’m very happy for the child, who sounds like a rock star. I also responded saying that something was missing from the fact pattern, and I was right. Being rural, blue collar background, and first gen is a big boost. But that in no way takes away from the accomplishment, and PP should be proud. PP may not have even realized rural, blue collar background, and first gen are actually hooks, and that’s okay. Not everyone lived and breathes admissions arcana.

So, in summary, the people who said that part of the story had to be missing were correct, but that doesn’t mean this wasn’t a huge accomplishment or that PPs child is not a rock star.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brown: Rejected
UPen: accepted
Harvard: accepted
4.6 GPA
11 APs all 5s
1540 SAT
Great EC

URM? Athlete?

I am the poster. I am shocked to see some of these reactions. Here is a little background.
We are in Virginia but not in DVM. She will be indeed the first in the family to attend a 4-year college.
She handled all her college stuff. Father is a blue-collar worker and I work in health care.
At the start of the process, she only applied to two schools: UVA and VCU. But the school called
a meeting and urge us to consider top out-of-state schools. They specifically said that our daughter was
underselling herself. Applying to these schools or even getting accepted was not on our radar until this meeting with the school.
It was at this point, I started doing some research and started reading stuff on this forum.

She also had a good interview. The interviewer specifically said that it was his best interview.

So many heroes in this story. Big congrats to kid, parents and the outstanding school who actually cared.

[Anonymous]

Congrats to your daughter. She sounds awesome. People are right that these are transitions for everyone. If chooses Harvard and has questions feel free to reach out. I went there and have family there now and happy to chat with her if ever helpful. (I also interview as alum and actually believe it can be very helpful fwiw)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

NP. I’m openly skeptical of the story of the “ordinary” applicant who got in. There is another hook or the person is a troll.

+1. I know 4 kids at Ivy or Ivy adjacent schools and they're all smart & quirky with pointy ECs.

+1 the kid I know who got into MIT was a MOP contestant for 2 years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Congrats to your daughter. She sounds awesome. People are right that these are transitions for everyone. If chooses Harvard and has questions feel free to reach out. I went there and have family there now and happy to chat with her if ever helpful. (I also interview as alum and actually believe it can be very helpful fwiw)

I am the poster. The recent posts have been very encouraging. Yesterday was ecstatic but we are growing a bit more anxious.
Her father wants her to remain near the family. He would rather her go to UVA (1-hour drive from home )
She wants to be a pediatrician and my recent research suggests that UVA would better pre-med option. More and more we
are leaning toward UVA. It just feels like a more comfortable place for her and the family. Any thoughts?

[Anonymous]

All three are good for premed. Med school placement will be best from Harvard, then Penn, then UVA, but she can get into top medical schools from all three with the right grades and MCATs. Most people will tell you she is crazy if she turns down Harvard, but people do it for UVA and even lesser schools. Fit and price are important factors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Congrats to your daughter. She sounds awesome. People are right that these are transitions for everyone. If chooses Harvard and has questions feel free to reach out. I went there and have family there now and happy to chat with her if ever helpful. (I also interview as alum and actually believe it can be very helpful fwiw)

I am the poster. The recent posts have been very encouraging. Yesterday was ecstatic but we are growing a bit more anxious.
Her father wants her to remain near the family. He would rather her go to UVA (1-hour drive from home )
She wants to be a pediatrician and my recent research suggests that UVA would better pre-med option. More and more we
are leaning toward UVA. It just feels like a more comfortable place for her and the family. Any thoughts?

Congratulations on the admissions success! What you're expressing is part of what makes being a 1st Gen college attendee more challenging. If it is parents who are anxious, let DD follow her dream, whatever it is. If it is DD who is anxious, be sure to visit before making a decision. Lots of kids go far away for school. UVA is a great option, but nobody should pass up Harvard lightly

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brown: Rejected
UPen: accepted
Harvard: accepted
4.6 GPA
11 APs all 5s
1540 SAT
Great EC

URM? Athlete?

I am the poster. I am shocked to see some of these reactions. Here is a little background.
We are in Virginia but not in DVM. She will be indeed the first in the family to attend a 4-year college.
She handled all her college stuff. Father is a blue-collar worker and I work in health care.
At the start of the process, she only applied to two schools: UVA and VCU. But the school called
a meeting and urge us to consider top out-of-state schools. They specifically said that our daughter was
underselling herself. Applying to these schools or even getting accepted was not on our radar until this meeting with the school.
It was at this point, I started doing some research and started reading stuff on this forum.

She also had a good interview. The interviewer specifically said that it was his best interview.

I don't know what's wrong with all these other people. It sounds like you have raised a smart, hard working, committed, young lady, and she will do very well wherever she goes. Much luck to her, and I hope she changes the world.

People were reacting to the fact that the poster didn't initially mention that her daughter was first gen. If she had said that from the start, everyone would have understood why she was accepted to Harvard and Penn. That's almost certainly why her daughter was accepted, not because of her "Great ECs." There are nothing wrong w/ hooks, but people should be upfront. Otherwise it's a misrepresentation and gives others false hope.

+1. Being first gen was the most relevant detail.

[Anonymous]

Are you getting financial aid from them all? Which one is the best deal?

Dad will need to prepare for the probability that DD will be changed by her college experience.

[Anonymous]

My vote would be Harvard. I'm not sure why you would say UVA would be a better pre-med option. Undergrad should be a place where the student should get a good well-rounded education and grow. Hard-core specialization should come later. Harvard would open so many doors for her. I made a similar choice and turned down a very top school (I did not know much then.) Even though I turned out fine, to this day I still wonder "what if".