What regrets to you have to the 2023 college cycle?

[Anonymous]

We reached on ED1, got the memo, and played it safer for ED2, which worked out. I think DC is in at the best possible school and most importantly a great fit. If we had reached again for ED2, it probably wouldn’t have worked and DC would be obliterated in RD, just looking at all these kids with 35s and 4.0s getting rejected. Nothing wrong with playing it safe sometimes when you can lock in a very good outcome with high probability! If you’ve got a school that you really like and it’s a target, don’t hesitate to pull the ED trigger

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We reached on ED1, got the memo, and played it safer for ED2, which worked out. I think DC is in at the best possible school and most importantly a great fit. If we had reached again for ED2, it probably wouldn’t have worked and DC would be obliterated in RD, just looking at all these kids with 35s and 4.0s getting rejected. Nothing wrong with playing it safe sometimes when you can lock in a very good outcome with high probability! If you’ve got a school that you really like and it’s a target, don’t hesitate to pull the ED trigger

we did same but i am feeling threw in towel. was your dc deferred or rejected ed 1?

[Anonymous]

No ragrets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We reached on ED1, got the memo, and played it safer for ED2, which worked out. I think DC is in at the best possible school and most importantly a great fit. If we had reached again for ED2, it probably wouldn’t have worked and DC would be obliterated in RD, just looking at all these kids with 35s and 4.0s getting rejected. Nothing wrong with playing it safe sometimes when you can lock in a very good outcome with high probability! If you’ve got a school that you really like and it’s a target, don’t hesitate to pull the ED trigger

we did same but i am feeling threw in towel. was your dc deferred or rejected ed 1?

Rejected. Actually think DC will be better off and happier at ED2 school, notwithstanding a few slots down in USNWR

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No ragrets.

None whatsoever? 😂

[Anonymous]

We would have talked finances sooner and also location. DS applied to a couple schools he’d never attend.
He also planned to apply to a couple RD but burned out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We reached on ED1, got the memo, and played it safer for ED2, which worked out. I think DC is in at the best possible school and most importantly a great fit. If we had reached again for ED2, it probably wouldn’t have worked and DC would be obliterated in RD, just looking at all these kids with 35s and 4.0s getting rejected. Nothing wrong with playing it safe sometimes when you can lock in a very good outcome with high probability! If you’ve got a school that you really like and it’s a target, don’t hesitate to pull the ED trigger

we did same but i am feeling threw in towel. was your dc deferred or rejected ed 1?

Rejected. Actually think DC will be better off and happier at ED2 school, notwithstanding a few slots down in USNWR

mine was deferred. feel like we should have waited out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We reached on ED1, got the memo, and played it safer for ED2, which worked out. I think DC is in at the best possible school and most importantly a great fit. If we had reached again for ED2, it probably wouldn’t have worked and DC would be obliterated in RD, just looking at all these kids with 35s and 4.0s getting rejected. Nothing wrong with playing it safe sometimes when you can lock in a very good outcome with high probability! If you’ve got a school that you really like and it’s a target, don’t hesitate to pull the ED trigger

we did same but i am feeling threw in towel. was your dc deferred or rejected ed 1?

Rejected. Actually think DC will be better off and happier at ED2 school, notwithstanding a few slots down in USNWR

schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We reached on ED1, got the memo, and played it safer for ED2, which worked out. I think DC is in at the best possible school and most importantly a great fit. If we had reached again for ED2, it probably wouldn’t have worked and DC would be obliterated in RD, just looking at all these kids with 35s and 4.0s getting rejected. Nothing wrong with playing it safe sometimes when you can lock in a very good outcome with high probability! If you’ve got a school that you really like and it’s a target, don’t hesitate to pull the ED trigger

we did same but i am feeling threw in towel. was your dc deferred or rejected ed 1?

Rejected. Actually think DC will be better off and happier at ED2 school, notwithstanding a few slots down in USNWR

schools?

LAC ranked 10-20 ED1, 25-35 ED2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I should never have given in and let my child apply to a school that was beyond our financial means. Four of the school they applied to were within reach and one is close to $20K more a year. I honestly didn't think they'd get into the expensive one based on Naviance, and so I gave in. Well, they got in to all five and of course it's the crazy expensive one that my child has become totally fixated on. They are willing to borrow a fortune to go and nothing I say about not starting life in so much debt is sinking in. But I think that if I had put my foot down during the application process they would have looked elsewhere.

How will your kid be borrowing a fortune? Kids are only able to borrow around 5k a year. After that, it’s the parents borrowing.

+1. The FAFSA limit is $5500. Kids can’t take out loans because they have no collateral. It’s parents who must take out loans, refinance etc for undergrad

Just a minor quip: it’s a little more than that. $27k total is the limit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not hiring an independent counselor. The schools ones always put the interests of the school above the interests of your own child. You cannot trust them.

For my kid, not having enough high reaches. My kid did not put any high reaches down because (see above) the counselor made DC feel admissions was extremely unlikely. But my kid got into every single school applied for, including all reaches. I thought that the counselor was too negative and argued with DC about this, and DC now says I was right, in the end.

That having said, we are quite happy with the outcome. DC is going to a SLAC that is a great fit, with a huge amount of merit aid.

We had the opposite problem. Very high stat kid from magnet was told they could reach mid-high to high. Didn't get into any of them. Should've applied to more targets. Got into good state, but it was a safety, though not sure now it's a safety anymore given what a crapshoot college admissions seems to be these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Regrets:
- Getting advice from too many different people. Find a college counselor you and your kid trust and go with that
- Not visiting schools that value demonstrated interest
- Do more work over the summer. Get the main essay and activities list completely done
- Don't assume a high-stats kid will get in anywhere. Being well above 75% for GPA and tests mean nothing at school that are gunning for rankings. Cast a wide net.

+1 But DC did start apps in the summer. And get recs EARLY.

[Anonymous]

I’m advising my next kid to fight for every half grade in every class. Not a lot of room for error with grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not hiring an independent counselor. The schools ones always put the interests of the school above the interests of your own child. You cannot trust them.

For my kid, not having enough high reaches. My kid did not put any high reaches down because (see above) the counselor made DC feel admissions was extremely unlikely. But my kid got into every single school applied for, including all reaches. I thought that the counselor was too negative and argued with DC about this, and DC now says I was right, in the end.

That having said, we are quite happy with the outcome. DC is going to a SLAC that is a great fit, with a huge amount of merit aid.

We had the opposite problem. Very high stat kid from magnet was told they could reach mid-high to high. Didn't get into any of them. Should've applied to more targets. Got into good state, but it was a safety, though not sure now it's a safety anymore given what a crapshoot college admissions seems to be these days.

Was advice from an independent counselor or school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m advising my next kid to fight for every half grade in every class. Not a lot of room for error with grades.

Mine had perfect grades and hasn't helped so far except at state school