Worst College Advice you have heard, that you know is untrue

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's practically impossible to get in to UVA from NoVA.

Well, having been through that battle, I think that's just about right unless you went to T.J. Or you must be in top ten percent of your class, have a 4.40+ GPA, ACT of 34 or higher, 10 APs and national awards. 93% of this year's accepted students were top ten percent.

There are many, many, many kids in NoVA who are in the top 10%, have taken 10 APs, and have ACT around 34. Anybody who says "it's practically impossible to get in to UVA from NoVA" is doing a disservice to those kids. I would hate to think one of those kids didn't apply because they listened to that nonsense.

^ 38% in-state acceptance rate so somebody's getting in. (two kids in my neighborhood alone, one had a 4.1 and 33 ACT).

Yes, but overall acceptance rate for class of 2022 is only 26.7%. Also if you look by Fairfax County you will see a figure of 1143, which means that Fairfax County students may be at a slight disadvantage. That figure, however, overlooks the fact that that figure includes the 250 kids from TJ who get into UVA. That means a quarter of the students from Fairfax County who get in are TJ students. Those of us remaining in the other 21 high schools in FCPS have to battle it out for the remaining seats. We are also competing against those FCPS residents who have kids in VA, MD, DC and Arlington privates. We are also battling it out against those residents whose children are in private boarding schools. If you are a Caucasian male or female, or Asian American male or female, you must have over a 4.4, a 34 or higher, and be at least in the top ten percent of your class, AND have many AP courses AND national awards. If you don't believe me, go read college confidential UVA class of 2022 RD and look at those who got in and those who didn't. This is why legislation is proposed every year in the Va General Assembly to provide FCPS with more seats at UVA but, of course, the legislation goes nowhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. A student can get into the college of their choice because of their academic merits.
2. Students can get a perfect SAT score studying on their own.
3. Private counseling is not necessary to get into your dream school.

DC got a perfect SAT score this month on his first try.

No prep.

One and done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
"It's a time to find yourself...study broadly. Don't rush to choose a major."

Nope. That's what high school is for, or a gap year if you need it. Go into college with a plan. Think about AFTER college when you enter.

This is the only bad advice in the quoted post. They're called universities for a reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
+1 billion. My daughter is currently in her first year of medical school at Pritzker (UChicago). Thinking about the classmates she's talked about...Cornell College (in Iowa), Earlham, Loyola University Chicago, St Mary's College, Trinity (in TX)...probably more.

They were literally 1 out of maybe 10 who were accepted to medical school. Outliers. At top colleges 15-25% of each class heads to medical school.

You understand the concept of self-selection, right? It's not like Med schools go to elite colleges around the country and shanghai their students into their programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That it's okay to take a random minimum wage job during the summers while in college.

Total crap. Every job matters. Apply and get jobs that will get you resume lines and experience to qualify for post-graduation jobs. Don't waste your summers.

More crap advice from the helicopter brigade.

A part-time job to cover rent and expenses builds character, tolerance, work ethic and, probably most importantly, drives home to students the potential consequences of not attending college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:As a former organic chemistry professor, don't forget the huge number of premeds who was out before ever applying to med school. So many don't make the grades early on.

What?
So what kind of grades in organic chemistry "early on" (I assume you mean freshman year) will knock you out of getting in to med school?

What he is trying to say - apparently after his nightly 4 bottles of wine - is that a lot of kids with premed hopes fail organic chemistry so they are out of the running for med school early on.

got it. That sounds about right.

Well, of course, this wouldn't apply to the leisure studies med school applicants who never have to take organic chem. After all, we often hear that you don't have to major in science to become a doctor, right? Just make sure to have a 4.0 GPA......

My mom went to medical school after earning an English degree.

[Anonymous]

If you don't get into HYPS or UVA, I'm- uh, I mean you're a goddamned failure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a former organic chemistry professor, don't forget the huge number of premeds who was out before ever applying to med school. So many don't make the grades early on.

What?
So what kind of grades in organic chemistry "early on" (I assume you mean freshman year) will knock you out of getting in to med school?

What he is trying to say - apparently after his nightly 4 bottles of wine - is that a lot of kids with premed hopes fail organic chemistry so they are out of the running for med school early on.

got it. That sounds about right.

Well, of course, this wouldn't apply to the leisure studies med school applicants who never have to take organic chem. After all, we often hear that you don't have to major in science to become a doctor, right? Just make sure to have a 4.0 GPA......

My mom went to medical school after earning an English degree.

That's great. But most English majors do not also take Gen Chems/labs, Organic chems/labs, physics, calculus, Principal of Bios/labs.

I get that it can be done but the courses you take for an English degree tend not to include much of the above classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
"It's a time to find yourself...study broadly. Don't rush to choose a major."

Nope. That's what high school is for, or a gap year if you need it. Go into college with a plan. Think about AFTER college when you enter.

This is the only bad advice in the quoted post. They're called universities for a reason.

+1 I'm always highly skeptical of the child that purports to know exactly what they want to do when they're 18......how could they possible know what the options are?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much 90% of everything in this entire forum, and 60% of everything on CC.

And yet here you are...

[Anonymous]

A college GPA of 3.0 is good

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
"It's a time to find yourself...study broadly. Don't rush to choose a major."

Nope. That's what high school is for, or a gap year if you need it. Go into college with a plan. Think about AFTER college when you enter.

This is the only bad advice in the quoted post. They're called universities for a reason.

+1 I'm always highly skeptical of the child that purports to know exactly what they want to do when they're 18......how could they possible know what the options are?

Our school is really putting a lot of resources into career planning for high schoolers - job shadows, internships, apprenticeships, interviews with people in the field, exposing kids to different career clusters (e.g. healthcare, business/finance, law, trades, hospitality, etc.) so that the students graduate with some idea of what fields match with their skills and interests as opposed to going in totally blind.

I think it's AWESOME and I wish more high schools emphasized it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you don't get into HYPS or UVA, I'm- uh, I mean you're a goddamned failure.

[Anonymous]

When people talk about their 17yo becoming an surgeon I physically cringe. ex, "If your DD17 is thinking medical school, do X Y Z..." Like omg, shut the F up idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When people talk about their 17yo becoming an surgeon I physically cringe. ex, "If your DD17 is thinking medical school, do X Y Z..." Like omg, shut the F up idiot.

you haven't met the 17 year olds that are on the bs/md combined program interview circuit.