Sidwell College Admissions This Year

[Anonymous]

My daughter’s childhood friend got a 3 digit SAT score, and was admitted to a Patriot League college (think Lehigh, Lafayette, Bucknell, etc) as a science major. She lasted less than a month there and has decided not to go to a 4-year school. She has a lot of great characteristics, but not academically.

[Anonymous]

Poster above here^^ the friend is white and middle class with at least one college educated parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My Sidwell senior got into 3 Ivies. All in RD. Going to one. It does happen. Completely unhooked. Not legacy, not URM, not first generation, not an athlete. Very high stats. Hugely disappointing outcomes in early round, including safeties. Kid then wrote roughly 30 unique essays derived from 9 “root” essays, which I think made a critical difference IMO in the RD round. Kid’s passion for deep intellectual inquiry came through loud and clear. The essays were not perfunctory. We accepted the reality that my kid “checked no boxes” in the early round. If unhooked, accept the fact that in the early round colleges focus on their institutional priorities and my unhooked kid doesn’t fall into any of those categories. Stay focused on making the essays extraordinary because high stats kids may have a tendency to undervalue the importance of the essays. It took me a long time to convince my kid of this, but it finally broke through and fortunately worked out. All the while, my kid remained very happy for the hooked kids and felt almost all were fully deserving of the opportunities they got. Kid was constructive and so was I. I’m trying not to sound preachy, but focus on what you can control not what you cannot.

Similar story to us but at an area public magnet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So many 1%ers on here clutching their pearls that their little cubs will finally have to compete with kids who've had to overcome way more challenges than theirs. Keep 'em coming!

Not compete against, that would, of course, be fair. The pearl clutching is that there are entirely different criteria. That should trouble anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Sidwell senior got into 3 Ivies. All in RD. Going to one. It does happen. Completely unhooked. Not legacy, not URM, not first generation, not an athlete. Very high stats. Hugely disappointing outcomes in early round, including safeties. Kid then wrote roughly 30 unique essays derived from 9 “root” essays, which I think made a critical difference IMO in the RD round. Kid’s passion for deep intellectual inquiry came through loud and clear. The essays were not perfunctory. We accepted the reality that my kid “checked no boxes” in the early round. If unhooked, accept the fact that in the early round colleges focus on their institutional priorities and my unhooked kid doesn’t fall into any of those categories. Stay focused on making the essays extraordinary because high stats kids may have a tendency to undervalue the importance of the essays. It took me a long time to convince my kid of this, but it finally broke through and fortunately worked out. All the while, my kid remained very happy for the hooked kids and felt almost all were fully deserving of the opportunities they got. Kid was constructive and so was I. I’m trying not to sound preachy, but focus on what you can control not what you cannot.

You do sound preachy. How do you know the other parents didn't do all this and still didn't get into ivies or any of the other top schools? They are allowed to feel disappointed and upset. I do think that Sidwell does not serve its students well but that's another story for another day.

I am not the pp you are replying to, but it is fine to be upset about college results, people need to remember, that no one is entitled to seats at a school. It is ridiculous what the parent community - this is not focused at Sidwell, but in the region generally, has devolved to. Ridiculous that people think there are like 20 schools that are acceptable and that if your kid isn't going to one of them, they are somehow less, and that the school they went to is a "scam"

People really need to check themselves.

I'd recommend you google PBS Newshour college admissions. A fascinating piece that aired earlier this week. It highlighted a young woman who was admitted to Emory this admissions season. She got an 18 on the ACT (yep, an 18). In the era of test optional she simply didn't send the test result, a result that would have rightly eliminated her from consideration at such a university. The piece showed the admissions staff praise themselves for "opening up" admissions to candidates like this young woman.

Parents, do you think this is so great? An 18 on the ACT?

In this area, it takes a tremendous amount of work and to get even a B+ at Sidwell, GDS or STA, so standardized test scores reinforce that these students are strong academic high flyers. These kids are not the ones getting anything close to an 18 on an ACT. (Say what you will about test prep around the margins, but getting an 18 means you are not an academic high flyer.)

This year, just as the PBS piece highlights, plenty of high achieving students were displaced by students from less rigorous high schools and who were were able to hide their low standardized test results. In this case, the admissions staff at Emory seemed very proud of this fact, as if admission were itself an entitlement to be doled out vs. earned by demonstrable achievement.

That unprecedented dynamic is why this year was especially rough for a lot of kids. Let's please stop minimizing what happened this year by suggesting it is "entitlement" by kids who got rejected. One could argue that it is entitlement to earn an 18 on the ACT and believe you should have a spot at Emory, let alone get that spot.

Unfortunately, this student will most likely struggle at Emory or any college. A college-ready ACT score is at least a composite score of 22. I hope Emory has support/courses to help this student succeed.

Signed, a college professor

"Unqualified" students select a major that does not require any tests or require only take home tests and/or essays to pass courses and they hire other students to work on the take home tests and write the papers for them. Weird system we have here.

[Anonymous]

And since schools are gaming the rankings, they have vested interest in making sure these students pass because retention and graduation rates are part of the rankings criteria.

see how this whole system feeds on each other and sucks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Sidwell senior got into 3 Ivies. All in RD. Going to one. It does happen. Completely unhooked. Not legacy, not URM, not first generation, not an athlete. Very high stats. Hugely disappointing outcomes in early round, including safeties. Kid then wrote roughly 30 unique essays derived from 9 “root” essays, which I think made a critical difference IMO in the RD round. Kid’s passion for deep intellectual inquiry came through loud and clear. The essays were not perfunctory. We accepted the reality that my kid “checked no boxes” in the early round. If unhooked, accept the fact that in the early round colleges focus on their institutional priorities and my unhooked kid doesn’t fall into any of those categories. Stay focused on making the essays extraordinary because high stats kids may have a tendency to undervalue the importance of the essays. It took me a long time to convince my kid of this, but it finally broke through and fortunately worked out. All the while, my kid remained very happy for the hooked kids and felt almost all were fully deserving of the opportunities they got. Kid was constructive and so was I. I’m trying not to sound preachy, but focus on what you can control not what you cannot.

You do sound preachy. How do you know the other parents didn't do all this and still didn't get into ivies or any of the other top schools? They are allowed to feel disappointed and upset. I do think that Sidwell does not serve its students well but that's another story for another day.

I am not the pp you are replying to, but it is fine to be upset about college results, people need to remember, that no one is entitled to seats at a school. It is ridiculous what the parent community - this is not focused at Sidwell, but in the region generally, has devolved to. Ridiculous that people think there are like 20 schools that are acceptable and that if your kid isn't going to one of them, they are somehow less, and that the school they went to is a "scam"

People really need to check themselves.

I'd recommend you google PBS Newshour college admissions. A fascinating piece that aired earlier this week. It highlighted a young woman who was admitted to Emory this admissions season. She got an 18 on the ACT (yep, an 18). In the era of test optional she simply didn't send the test result, a result that would have rightly eliminated her from consideration at such a university. The piece showed the admissions staff praise themselves for "opening up" admissions to candidates like this young woman.

Parents, do you think this is so great? An 18 on the ACT?

In this area, it takes a tremendous amount of work and to get even a B+ at Sidwell, GDS or STA, so standardized test scores reinforce that these students are strong academic high flyers. These kids are not the ones getting anything close to an 18 on an ACT. (Say what you will about test prep around the margins, but getting an 18 means you are not an academic high flyer.)

This year, just as the PBS piece highlights, plenty of high achieving students were displaced by students from less rigorous high schools and who were were able to hide their low standardized test results. In this case, the admissions staff at Emory seemed very proud of this fact, as if admission were itself an entitlement to be doled out vs. earned by demonstrable achievement.

That unprecedented dynamic is why this year was especially rough for a lot of kids. Let's please stop minimizing what happened this year by suggesting it is "entitlement" by kids who got rejected. One could argue that it is entitlement to earn an 18 on the ACT and believe you should have a spot at Emory, let alone get that spot.

Unfortunately, this student will most likely struggle at Emory or any college. A college-ready ACT score is at least a composite score of 22. I hope Emory has support/courses to help this student succeed.

Signed, a college professor

"Unqualified" students select a major that does not require any tests or require only take home tests and/or essays to pass courses and they hire other students to work on the take home tests and write the papers for them. Weird system we have here.

This seems like a stretch for the student described. I'm guessing someone with an 18 comes from a less privileged background and would not have $ to be hiring people to do their work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Sidwell senior got into 3 Ivies. All in RD. Going to one. It does happen. Completely unhooked. Not legacy, not URM, not first generation, not an athlete. Very high stats. Hugely disappointing outcomes in early round, including safeties. Kid then wrote roughly 30 unique essays derived from 9 “root” essays, which I think made a critical difference IMO in the RD round. Kid’s passion for deep intellectual inquiry came through loud and clear. The essays were not perfunctory. We accepted the reality that my kid “checked no boxes” in the early round. If unhooked, accept the fact that in the early round colleges focus on their institutional priorities and my unhooked kid doesn’t fall into any of those categories. Stay focused on making the essays extraordinary because high stats kids may have a tendency to undervalue the importance of the essays. It took me a long time to convince my kid of this, but it finally broke through and fortunately worked out. All the while, my kid remained very happy for the hooked kids and felt almost all were fully deserving of the opportunities they got. Kid was constructive and so was I. I’m trying not to sound preachy, but focus on what you can control not what you cannot.

You do sound preachy. How do you know the other parents didn't do all this and still didn't get into ivies or any of the other top schools? They are allowed to feel disappointed and upset. I do think that Sidwell does not serve its students well but that's another story for another day.

I am not the pp you are replying to, but it is fine to be upset about college results, people need to remember, that no one is entitled to seats at a school. It is ridiculous what the parent community - this is not focused at Sidwell, but in the region generally, has devolved to. Ridiculous that people think there are like 20 schools that are acceptable and that if your kid isn't going to one of them, they are somehow less, and that the school they went to is a "scam"

People really need to check themselves.

I'd recommend you google PBS Newshour college admissions. A fascinating piece that aired earlier this week. It highlighted a young woman who was admitted to Emory this admissions season. She got an 18 on the ACT (yep, an 18). In the era of test optional she simply didn't send the test result, a result that would have rightly eliminated her from consideration at such a university. The piece showed the admissions staff praise themselves for "opening up" admissions to candidates like this young woman.

Parents, do you think this is so great? An 18 on the ACT?

In this area, it takes a tremendous amount of work and to get even a B+ at Sidwell, GDS or STA, so standardized test scores reinforce that these students are strong academic high flyers. These kids are not the ones getting anything close to an 18 on an ACT. (Say what you will about test prep around the margins, but getting an 18 means you are not an academic high flyer.)

This year, just as the PBS piece highlights, plenty of high achieving students were displaced by students from less rigorous high schools and who were were able to hide their low standardized test results. In this case, the admissions staff at Emory seemed very proud of this fact, as if admission were itself an entitlement to be doled out vs. earned by demonstrable achievement.

That unprecedented dynamic is why this year was especially rough for a lot of kids. Let's please stop minimizing what happened this year by suggesting it is "entitlement" by kids who got rejected. One could argue that it is entitlement to earn an 18 on the ACT and believe you should have a spot at Emory, let alone get that spot.

Unfortunately, this student will most likely struggle at Emory or any college. A college-ready ACT score is at least a composite score of 22. I hope Emory has support/courses to help this student succeed.

Signed, a college professor

"Unqualified" students select a major that does not require any tests or require only take home tests and/or essays to pass courses and they hire other students to work on the take home tests and write the papers for them. Weird system we have here.

I have literally never heard of this happening.

And not enjoying the classist/racist stereotypes being thrown around on here of “poor” students majoring “bullshit studies.” From what I’ve seen it’s the complete opposite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Sidwell senior got into 3 Ivies. All in RD. Going to one. It does happen. Completely unhooked. Not legacy, not URM, not first generation, not an athlete. Very high stats. Hugely disappointing outcomes in early round, including safeties. Kid then wrote roughly 30 unique essays derived from 9 “root” essays, which I think made a critical difference IMO in the RD round. Kid’s passion for deep intellectual inquiry came through loud and clear. The essays were not perfunctory. We accepted the reality that my kid “checked no boxes” in the early round. If unhooked, accept the fact that in the early round colleges focus on their institutional priorities and my unhooked kid doesn’t fall into any of those categories. Stay focused on making the essays extraordinary because high stats kids may have a tendency to undervalue the importance of the essays. It took me a long time to convince my kid of this, but it finally broke through and fortunately worked out. All the while, my kid remained very happy for the hooked kids and felt almost all were fully deserving of the opportunities they got. Kid was constructive and so was I. I’m trying not to sound preachy, but focus on what you can control not what you cannot.

You do sound preachy. How do you know the other parents didn't do all this and still didn't get into ivies or any of the other top schools? They are allowed to feel disappointed and upset. I do think that Sidwell does not serve its students well but that's another story for another day.

I am not the pp you are replying to, but it is fine to be upset about college results, people need to remember, that no one is entitled to seats at a school. It is ridiculous what the parent community - this is not focused at Sidwell, but in the region generally, has devolved to. Ridiculous that people think there are like 20 schools that are acceptable and that if your kid isn't going to one of them, they are somehow less, and that the school they went to is a "scam"

People really need to check themselves.

I'd recommend you google PBS Newshour college admissions. A fascinating piece that aired earlier this week. It highlighted a young woman who was admitted to Emory this admissions season. She got an 18 on the ACT (yep, an 18). In the era of test optional she simply didn't send the test result, a result that would have rightly eliminated her from consideration at such a university. The piece showed the admissions staff praise themselves for "opening up" admissions to candidates like this young woman.

Parents, do you think this is so great? An 18 on the ACT?

In this area, it takes a tremendous amount of work and to get even a B+ at Sidwell, GDS or STA, so standardized test scores reinforce that these students are strong academic high flyers. These kids are not the ones getting anything close to an 18 on an ACT. (Say what you will about test prep around the margins, but getting an 18 means you are not an academic high flyer.)

This year, just as the PBS piece highlights, plenty of high achieving students were displaced by students from less rigorous high schools and who were were able to hide their low standardized test results. In this case, the admissions staff at Emory seemed very proud of this fact, as if admission were itself an entitlement to be doled out vs. earned by demonstrable achievement.

That unprecedented dynamic is why this year was especially rough for a lot of kids. Let's please stop minimizing what happened this year by suggesting it is "entitlement" by kids who got rejected. One could argue that it is entitlement to earn an 18 on the ACT and believe you should have a spot at Emory, let alone get that spot.

Unfortunately, this student will most likely struggle at Emory or any college. A college-ready ACT score is at least a composite score of 22. I hope Emory has support/courses to help this student succeed.

Signed, a college professor

"Unqualified" students select a major that does not require any tests or require only take home tests and/or essays to pass courses and they hire other students to work on the take home tests and write the papers for them. Weird system we have here.

I have literally never heard of this happening.

And not enjoying the classist/racist stereotypes being thrown around on here of “poor” students majoring “bullshit studies.” From what I’ve seen it’s the complete opposite.

I have heard of this for a female UVA student who would make "qualified" boyfriend and then have this boyfriend work on all take home tests and essays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Sidwell senior got into 3 Ivies. All in RD. Going to one. It does happen. Completely unhooked. Not legacy, not URM, not first generation, not an athlete. Very high stats. Hugely disappointing outcomes in early round, including safeties. Kid then wrote roughly 30 unique essays derived from 9 “root” essays, which I think made a critical difference IMO in the RD round. Kid’s passion for deep intellectual inquiry came through loud and clear. The essays were not perfunctory. We accepted the reality that my kid “checked no boxes” in the early round. If unhooked, accept the fact that in the early round colleges focus on their institutional priorities and my unhooked kid doesn’t fall into any of those categories. Stay focused on making the essays extraordinary because high stats kids may have a tendency to undervalue the importance of the essays. It took me a long time to convince my kid of this, but it finally broke through and fortunately worked out. All the while, my kid remained very happy for the hooked kids and felt almost all were fully deserving of the opportunities they got. Kid was constructive and so was I. I’m trying not to sound preachy, but focus on what you can control not what you cannot.

You do sound preachy. How do you know the other parents didn't do all this and still didn't get into ivies or any of the other top schools? They are allowed to feel disappointed and upset. I do think that Sidwell does not serve its students well but that's another story for another day.

I am not the pp you are replying to, but it is fine to be upset about college results, people need to remember, that no one is entitled to seats at a school. It is ridiculous what the parent community - this is not focused at Sidwell, but in the region generally, has devolved to. Ridiculous that people think there are like 20 schools that are acceptable and that if your kid isn't going to one of them, they are somehow less, and that the school they went to is a "scam"

People really need to check themselves.

I'd recommend you google PBS Newshour college admissions. A fascinating piece that aired earlier this week. It highlighted a young woman who was admitted to Emory this admissions season. She got an 18 on the ACT (yep, an 18). In the era of test optional she simply didn't send the test result, a result that would have rightly eliminated her from consideration at such a university. The piece showed the admissions staff praise themselves for "opening up" admissions to candidates like this young woman.

Parents, do you think this is so great? An 18 on the ACT?

In this area, it takes a tremendous amount of work and to get even a B+ at Sidwell, GDS or STA, so standardized test scores reinforce that these students are strong academic high flyers. These kids are not the ones getting anything close to an 18 on an ACT. (Say what you will about test prep around the margins, but getting an 18 means you are not an academic high flyer.)

This year, just as the PBS piece highlights, plenty of high achieving students were displaced by students from less rigorous high schools and who were were able to hide their low standardized test results. In this case, the admissions staff at Emory seemed very proud of this fact, as if admission were itself an entitlement to be doled out vs. earned by demonstrable achievement.

That unprecedented dynamic is why this year was especially rough for a lot of kids. Let's please stop minimizing what happened this year by suggesting it is "entitlement" by kids who got rejected. One could argue that it is entitlement to earn an 18 on the ACT and believe you should have a spot at Emory, let alone get that spot.

Unfortunately, this student will most likely struggle at Emory or any college. A college-ready ACT score is at least a composite score of 22. I hope Emory has support/courses to help this student succeed.

Signed, a college professor

"Unqualified" students select a major that does not require any tests or require only take home tests and/or essays to pass courses and they hire other students to work on the take home tests and write the papers for them. Weird system we have here.

This seems like a stretch for the student described. I'm guessing someone with an 18 comes from a less privileged background and would not have $ to be hiring people to do their work.

That’s a lot of assumptions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Sidwell senior got into 3 Ivies. All in RD. Going to one. It does happen. Completely unhooked. Not legacy, not URM, not first generation, not an athlete. Very high stats. Hugely disappointing outcomes in early round, including safeties. Kid then wrote roughly 30 unique essays derived from 9 “root” essays, which I think made a critical difference IMO in the RD round. Kid’s passion for deep intellectual inquiry came through loud and clear. The essays were not perfunctory. We accepted the reality that my kid “checked no boxes” in the early round. If unhooked, accept the fact that in the early round colleges focus on their institutional priorities and my unhooked kid doesn’t fall into any of those categories. Stay focused on making the essays extraordinary because high stats kids may have a tendency to undervalue the importance of the essays. It took me a long time to convince my kid of this, but it finally broke through and fortunately worked out. All the while, my kid remained very happy for the hooked kids and felt almost all were fully deserving of the opportunities they got. Kid was constructive and so was I. I’m trying not to sound preachy, but focus on what you can control not what you cannot.

You do sound preachy. How do you know the other parents didn't do all this and still didn't get into ivies or any of the other top schools? They are allowed to feel disappointed and upset. I do think that Sidwell does not serve its students well but that's another story for another day.

I am not the pp you are replying to, but it is fine to be upset about college results, people need to remember, that no one is entitled to seats at a school. It is ridiculous what the parent community - this is not focused at Sidwell, but in the region generally, has devolved to. Ridiculous that people think there are like 20 schools that are acceptable and that if your kid isn't going to one of them, they are somehow less, and that the school they went to is a "scam"

People really need to check themselves.

I'd recommend you google PBS Newshour college admissions. A fascinating piece that aired earlier this week. It highlighted a young woman who was admitted to Emory this admissions season. She got an 18 on the ACT (yep, an 18). In the era of test optional she simply didn't send the test result, a result that would have rightly eliminated her from consideration at such a university. The piece showed the admissions staff praise themselves for "opening up" admissions to candidates like this young woman.

Parents, do you think this is so great? An 18 on the ACT?

In this area, it takes a tremendous amount of work and to get even a B+ at Sidwell, GDS or STA, so standardized test scores reinforce that these students are strong academic high flyers. These kids are not the ones getting anything close to an 18 on an ACT. (Say what you will about test prep around the margins, but getting an 18 means you are not an academic high flyer.)

This year, just as the PBS piece highlights, plenty of high achieving students were displaced by students from less rigorous high schools and who were were able to hide their low standardized test results. In this case, the admissions staff at Emory seemed very proud of this fact, as if admission were itself an entitlement to be doled out vs. earned by demonstrable achievement.

That unprecedented dynamic is why this year was especially rough for a lot of kids. Let's please stop minimizing what happened this year by suggesting it is "entitlement" by kids who got rejected. One could argue that it is entitlement to earn an 18 on the ACT and believe you should have a spot at Emory, let alone get that spot.

Unfortunately, this student will most likely struggle at Emory or any college. A college-ready ACT score is at least a composite score of 22. I hope Emory has support/courses to help this student succeed.

Signed, a college professor

"Unqualified" students select a major that does not require any tests or require only take home tests and/or essays to pass courses and they hire other students to work on the take home tests and write the papers for them. Weird system we have here.

What major doesn’t require in class tests or essays?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Sidwell senior got into 3 Ivies. All in RD. Going to one. It does happen. Completely unhooked. Not legacy, not URM, not first generation, not an athlete. Very high stats. Hugely disappointing outcomes in early round, including safeties. Kid then wrote roughly 30 unique essays derived from 9 “root” essays, which I think made a critical difference IMO in the RD round. Kid’s passion for deep intellectual inquiry came through loud and clear. The essays were not perfunctory. We accepted the reality that my kid “checked no boxes” in the early round. If unhooked, accept the fact that in the early round colleges focus on their institutional priorities and my unhooked kid doesn’t fall into any of those categories. Stay focused on making the essays extraordinary because high stats kids may have a tendency to undervalue the importance of the essays. It took me a long time to convince my kid of this, but it finally broke through and fortunately worked out. All the while, my kid remained very happy for the hooked kids and felt almost all were fully deserving of the opportunities they got. Kid was constructive and so was I. I’m trying not to sound preachy, but focus on what you can control not what you cannot.

You do sound preachy. How do you know the other parents didn't do all this and still didn't get into ivies or any of the other top schools? They are allowed to feel disappointed and upset. I do think that Sidwell does not serve its students well but that's another story for another day.

I am not the pp you are replying to, but it is fine to be upset about college results, people need to remember, that no one is entitled to seats at a school. It is ridiculous what the parent community - this is not focused at Sidwell, but in the region generally, has devolved to. Ridiculous that people think there are like 20 schools that are acceptable and that if your kid isn't going to one of them, they are somehow less, and that the school they went to is a "scam"

People really need to check themselves.

I'd recommend you google PBS Newshour college admissions. A fascinating piece that aired earlier this week. It highlighted a young woman who was admitted to Emory this admissions season. She got an 18 on the ACT (yep, an 18). In the era of test optional she simply didn't send the test result, a result that would have rightly eliminated her from consideration at such a university. The piece showed the admissions staff praise themselves for "opening up" admissions to candidates like this young woman.

Parents, do you think this is so great? An 18 on the ACT?

In this area, it takes a tremendous amount of work and to get even a B+ at Sidwell, GDS or STA, so standardized test scores reinforce that these students are strong academic high flyers. These kids are not the ones getting anything close to an 18 on an ACT. (Say what you will about test prep around the margins, but getting an 18 means you are not an academic high flyer.)

This year, just as the PBS piece highlights, plenty of high achieving students were displaced by students from less rigorous high schools and who were were able to hide their low standardized test results. In this case, the admissions staff at Emory seemed very proud of this fact, as if admission were itself an entitlement to be doled out vs. earned by demonstrable achievement.

That unprecedented dynamic is why this year was especially rough for a lot of kids. Let's please stop minimizing what happened this year by suggesting it is "entitlement" by kids who got rejected. One could argue that it is entitlement to earn an 18 on the ACT and believe you should have a spot at Emory, let alone get that spot.

Unfortunately, this student will most likely struggle at Emory or any college. A college-ready ACT score is at least a composite score of 22. I hope Emory has support/courses to help this student succeed.

Signed, a college professor

"Unqualified" students select a major that does not require any tests or require only take home tests and/or essays to pass courses and they hire other students to work on the take home tests and write the papers for them. Weird system we have here.

I have literally never heard of this happening.

And not enjoying the classist/racist stereotypes being thrown around on here of “poor” students majoring “bullshit studies.” From what I’ve seen it’s the complete opposite.

I have heard of this for a female UVA student who would make "qualified" boyfriend and then have this boyfriend work on all take home tests and essays.

I’m way too much of a control freak to pay someone to do my HW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Sidwell senior got into 3 Ivies. All in RD. Going to one. It does happen. Completely unhooked. Not legacy, not URM, not first generation, not an athlete. Very high stats. Hugely disappointing outcomes in early round, including safeties. Kid then wrote roughly 30 unique essays derived from 9 “root” essays, which I think made a critical difference IMO in the RD round. Kid’s passion for deep intellectual inquiry came through loud and clear. The essays were not perfunctory. We accepted the reality that my kid “checked no boxes” in the early round. If unhooked, accept the fact that in the early round colleges focus on their institutional priorities and my unhooked kid doesn’t fall into any of those categories. Stay focused on making the essays extraordinary because high stats kids may have a tendency to undervalue the importance of the essays. It took me a long time to convince my kid of this, but it finally broke through and fortunately worked out. All the while, my kid remained very happy for the hooked kids and felt almost all were fully deserving of the opportunities they got. Kid was constructive and so was I. I’m trying not to sound preachy, but focus on what you can control not what you cannot.

You do sound preachy. How do you know the other parents didn't do all this and still didn't get into ivies or any of the other top schools? They are allowed to feel disappointed and upset. I do think that Sidwell does not serve its students well but that's another story for another day.

I am not the pp you are replying to, but it is fine to be upset about college results, people need to remember, that no one is entitled to seats at a school. It is ridiculous what the parent community - this is not focused at Sidwell, but in the region generally, has devolved to. Ridiculous that people think there are like 20 schools that are acceptable and that if your kid isn't going to one of them, they are somehow less, and that the school they went to is a "scam"

People really need to check themselves.

I'd recommend you google PBS Newshour college admissions. A fascinating piece that aired earlier this week. It highlighted a young woman who was admitted to Emory this admissions season. She got an 18 on the ACT (yep, an 18). In the era of test optional she simply didn't send the test result, a result that would have rightly eliminated her from consideration at such a university. The piece showed the admissions staff praise themselves for "opening up" admissions to candidates like this young woman.

Parents, do you think this is so great? An 18 on the ACT?

In this area, it takes a tremendous amount of work and to get even a B+ at Sidwell, GDS or STA, so standardized test scores reinforce that these students are strong academic high flyers. These kids are not the ones getting anything close to an 18 on an ACT. (Say what you will about test prep around the margins, but getting an 18 means you are not an academic high flyer.)

This year, just as the PBS piece highlights, plenty of high achieving students were displaced by students from less rigorous high schools and who were were able to hide their low standardized test results. In this case, the admissions staff at Emory seemed very proud of this fact, as if admission were itself an entitlement to be doled out vs. earned by demonstrable achievement.

That unprecedented dynamic is why this year was especially rough for a lot of kids. Let's please stop minimizing what happened this year by suggesting it is "entitlement" by kids who got rejected. One could argue that it is entitlement to earn an 18 on the ACT and believe you should have a spot at Emory, let alone get that spot.

Unfortunately, this student will most likely struggle at Emory or any college. A college-ready ACT score is at least a composite score of 22. I hope Emory has support/courses to help this student succeed.

Signed, a college professor

"Unqualified" students select a major that does not require any tests or require only take home tests and/or essays to pass courses and they hire other students to work on the take home tests and write the papers for them. Weird system we have here.

I have literally never heard of this happening.

And not enjoying the classist/racist stereotypes being thrown around on here of “poor” students majoring “bullshit studies.” From what I’ve seen it’s the complete opposite.

Yes, many of these comments reek of bias, unfounded judgment and entitlement. Blech

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Sidwell senior got into 3 Ivies. All in RD. Going to one. It does happen. Completely unhooked. Not legacy, not URM, not first generation, not an athlete. Very high stats. Hugely disappointing outcomes in early round, including safeties. Kid then wrote roughly 30 unique essays derived from 9 “root” essays, which I think made a critical difference IMO in the RD round. Kid’s passion for deep intellectual inquiry came through loud and clear. The essays were not perfunctory. We accepted the reality that my kid “checked no boxes” in the early round. If unhooked, accept the fact that in the early round colleges focus on their institutional priorities and my unhooked kid doesn’t fall into any of those categories. Stay focused on making the essays extraordinary because high stats kids may have a tendency to undervalue the importance of the essays. It took me a long time to convince my kid of this, but it finally broke through and fortunately worked out. All the while, my kid remained very happy for the hooked kids and felt almost all were fully deserving of the opportunities they got. Kid was constructive and so was I. I’m trying not to sound preachy, but focus on what you can control not what you cannot.

Congratulations -- quite an impressive achievement. Do you mind sharing the range of your DC's "very high stats"?

Very high stats. Yes. The top 5/7 kids at Sidwell still do well in a pool where the Top 40 percent would all have a 4.0 at FCPS or MCPS.

It also means your kid had no social life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Sidwell senior got into 3 Ivies. All in RD. Going to one. It does happen. Completely unhooked. Not legacy, not URM, not first generation, not an athlete. Very high stats. Hugely disappointing outcomes in early round, including safeties. Kid then wrote roughly 30 unique essays derived from 9 “root” essays, which I think made a critical difference IMO in the RD round. Kid’s passion for deep intellectual inquiry came through loud and clear. The essays were not perfunctory. We accepted the reality that my kid “checked no boxes” in the early round. If unhooked, accept the fact that in the early round colleges focus on their institutional priorities and my unhooked kid doesn’t fall into any of those categories. Stay focused on making the essays extraordinary because high stats kids may have a tendency to undervalue the importance of the essays. It took me a long time to convince my kid of this, but it finally broke through and fortunately worked out. All the while, my kid remained very happy for the hooked kids and felt almost all were fully deserving of the opportunities they got. Kid was constructive and so was I. I’m trying not to sound preachy, but focus on what you can control not what you cannot.

You do sound preachy. How do you know the other parents didn't do all this and still didn't get into ivies or any of the other top schools? They are allowed to feel disappointed and upset. I do think that Sidwell does not serve its students well but that's another story for another day.

I am not the pp you are replying to, but it is fine to be upset about college results, people need to remember, that no one is entitled to seats at a school. It is ridiculous what the parent community - this is not focused at Sidwell, but in the region generally, has devolved to. Ridiculous that people think there are like 20 schools that are acceptable and that if your kid isn't going to one of them, they are somehow less, and that the school they went to is a "scam"

People really need to check themselves.

I'd recommend you google PBS Newshour college admissions. A fascinating piece that aired earlier this week. It highlighted a young woman who was admitted to Emory this admissions season. She got an 18 on the ACT (yep, an 18). In the era of test optional she simply didn't send the test result, a result that would have rightly eliminated her from consideration at such a university. The piece showed the admissions staff praise themselves for "opening up" admissions to candidates like this young woman.

Parents, do you think this is so great? An 18 on the ACT?

In this area, it takes a tremendous amount of work and to get even a B+ at Sidwell, GDS or STA, so standardized test scores reinforce that these students are strong academic high flyers. These kids are not the ones getting anything close to an 18 on an ACT. (Say what you will about test prep around the margins, but getting an 18 means you are not an academic high flyer.)

This year, just as the PBS piece highlights, plenty of high achieving students were displaced by students from less rigorous high schools and who were were able to hide their low standardized test results. In this case, the admissions staff at Emory seemed very proud of this fact, as if admission were itself an entitlement to be doled out vs. earned by demonstrable achievement.

That unprecedented dynamic is why this year was especially rough for a lot of kids. Let's please stop minimizing what happened this year by suggesting it is "entitlement" by kids who got rejected. One could argue that it is entitlement to earn an 18 on the ACT and believe you should have a spot at Emory, let alone get that spot.

Unfortunately, this student will most likely struggle at Emory or any college. A college-ready ACT score is at least a composite score of 22. I hope Emory has support/courses to help this student succeed.

Signed, a college professor

"Unqualified" students select a major that does not require any tests or require only take home tests and/or essays to pass courses and they hire other students to work on the take home tests and write the papers for them. Weird system we have here.

This seems like a stretch for the student described. I'm guessing someone with an 18 comes from a less privileged background and would not have $ to be hiring people to do their work.

That’s a lot of assumptions.

The basis for this statement are studies that show initial SAT/ACT scores are highly correlated with parental income and education. Then add on test prep for those who'd like to increase their initial score.