Schools for a kid with 1490?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 1490 DS who was a hs senior last year got into two SLACS ranked 5-10, two more in the teens/high 20s (small amount of merit at both) and UVA and W&M. Denied at 2 Ivys (legacy at both, but were known reaches and chose not to ED because these weren’t top choices), waitlisted at another top 10 SLAC (didn’t choose to stay on WL), and into a large solid Midwestern state flagship (merit). Full pay, no hooks, rigorous course load (12 APS with 4a and 5s in the exams, math through BC calc, 4 years foreign language in high school). ECs were strong but nothing remarkable, had summer jobs, attended good NoVa public. Probably got nice LOR from teachers, who liked him, and wrote good essays.

His results were in line with what he expected and he was very happy with his choices. He is currently enjoying his first year at one of the top 10 SLACs, even with the COVID situation.

That's impressive. What was his GPA?

I’m not sure what he ended up with by graduation. He had mostly As but some B pluses in math/science. Weighted maybe 4.2, 4.3? In a school district where APs get 1.0 bump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 1490 DS who was a hs senior last year got into two SLACS ranked 5-10, two more in the teens/high 20s (small amount of merit at both) and UVA and W&M. Denied at 2 Ivys (legacy at both, but were known reaches and chose not to ED because these weren’t top choices), waitlisted at another top 10 SLAC (didn’t choose to stay on WL), and into a large solid Midwestern state flagship (merit). Full pay, no hooks, rigorous course load (12 APS with 4a and 5s in the exams, math through BC calc, 4 years foreign language in high school). ECs were strong but nothing remarkable, had summer jobs, attended good NoVa public. Probably got nice LOR from teachers, who liked him, and wrote good essays.

His results were in line with what he expected and he was very happy with his choices. He is currently enjoying his first year at one of the top 10 SLACs, even with the COVID situation.

I'm so surprised that a student like this was rejected from two Ivys where he was a legacy! But I'm so happy for him that everything worked out well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 1490 DS who was a hs senior last year got into two SLACS ranked 5-10, two more in the teens/high 20s (small amount of merit at both) and UVA and W&M. Denied at 2 Ivys (legacy at both, but were known reaches and chose not to ED because these weren’t top choices), waitlisted at another top 10 SLAC (didn’t choose to stay on WL), and into a large solid Midwestern state flagship (merit). Full pay, no hooks, rigorous course load (12 APS with 4a and 5s in the exams, math through BC calc, 4 years foreign language in high school). ECs were strong but nothing remarkable, had summer jobs, attended good NoVa public. Probably got nice LOR from teachers, who liked him, and wrote good essays.

His results were in line with what he expected and he was very happy with his choices. He is currently enjoying his first year at one of the top 10 SLACs, even with the COVID situation.

I'm so surprised that a student like this was rejected from two Ivys where he was a legacy! But I'm so happy for him that everything worked out well.

We weren’t. His stats weren’t quite there for a kid from an affluent DC suburb. And my observation is that it is really hard for NoVa public school students to get into Ivys without being either an athlete or an URM or having some kind of truly notable achievement. I strongly support my alma mater’s efforts to admit more 1st Gen and URM kids. The way I figure it is my kids have tremendous advantages thanks to their parents’ educations, so why not spread the opportunity around to kids who need that Ivy League boost more than my kids do. I have to assume if they were admitted, they earned it and brought something to the table that my kid didn’t. However, I will own up to being just a tiny bit bitter about the athletes and about the private school kids who get in because of the long standing and well developed relationships top privates have with these colleges but I knew how that game worked and chose not to play it, so I can’t connect complain.

[Anonymous]

Just to add my $.02, my friends daughter with a 1490, a few Bs at a Chicago private got into Northwestern, but was a legacy. If that helps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 1490 DS who was a hs senior last year got into two SLACS ranked 5-10, two more in the teens/high 20s (small amount of merit at both) and UVA and W&M. Denied at 2 Ivys (legacy at both, but were known reaches and chose not to ED because these weren’t top choices), waitlisted at another top 10 SLAC (didn’t choose to stay on WL), and into a large solid Midwestern state flagship (merit). Full pay, no hooks, rigorous course load (12 APS with 4a and 5s in the exams, math through BC calc, 4 years foreign language in high school). ECs were strong but nothing remarkable, had summer jobs, attended good NoVa public. Probably got nice LOR from teachers, who liked him, and wrote good essays.

His results were in line with what he expected and he was very happy with his choices. He is currently enjoying his first year at one of the top 10 SLACs, even with the COVID situation.

I'm so surprised that a student like this was rejected from two Ivys where he was a legacy! But I'm so happy for him that everything worked out well.

We weren’t. His stats weren’t quite there for a kid from an affluent DC suburb. And my observation is that it is really hard for NoVa public school students to get into Ivys without being either an athlete or an URM or having some kind of truly notable achievement. I strongly support my alma mater’s efforts to admit more 1st Gen and URM kids. The way I figure it is my kids have tremendous advantages thanks to their parents’ educations, so why not spread the opportunity around to kids who need that Ivy League boost more than my kids do. I have to assume if they were admitted, they earned it and brought something to the table that my kid didn’t. However, I will own up to being just a tiny bit bitter about the athletes and about the private school kids who get in because of the long standing and well developed relationships top privates have with these colleges but I knew how that game worked and chose not to play it, so I can’t connect complain.

Same happened to us - legacy at two Ivies but not million dollar type gifts. DS had the requisite stats and ECs but didn't get in.