I wouldn't get into my alma mater today - what chance do my kids have?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This gives my kids a chance I think - https://www.bestcolleges.com/news/analysis/looming-enrollment-cliff-poses-serious-threat-to-colleges/

Depends on the type of school:

"But not all colleges will feel the pain equally. Demand for elite institutions — the top 50 colleges and 50 universities, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report — is projected to drop by much less during the 2025 to 2029 period (18 years following the birth dearth). And student demand for elite institutions may be 14 percent higher in 2029 than it was in 2012."

https://hechingerreport.org/college-students-predicted-to-fall-by-more-than-15-after-the-year-2025/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What state do you live in?

FL, might move back to VA in a few years.

FL has decent public universities at affordable prices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would you even want your kids to go to your alma mater? You are not raising mini-mes.

I'm not. But if I wouldn't get into my safety school, what chance do they have at getting into a quality college?

Redefine “quality college.”

[Anonymous]

My concern is they already have interest in a few colleges (Purdue, West Point, GA Tech). All unlikely unless they're straight A students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would you even want your kids to go to your alma mater? You are not raising mini-mes.

I'm not. But if I wouldn't get into my safety school, what chance do they have at getting into a quality college?

This disordered thinking will land your kids in therapy for anxiety.

Your school sucked, so you got in and look how great you are. 👀

They will get into a school that also sucks and turn out fine, just like you.

[Anonymous]

I also doubt I'd get into my alma mater but who knows. Class rank was Top 5 with some APs (for the 80s!) and decent ECs so maybe. Glad First Gen/URM wasn't in play then as I'd have perpetually wondered if that was why I got in. Being female for engineering probably helped although I never gave it a second thought (nor did any of my classmates or professors, at least outspokenly). But only one of ours is interested in a STEMish field and has the wherewithall for it so it's probably a mute question.

Different strokes for different folks. Can't really say I'd want ours at my uni. Just not their scene at all. They'll probably be more than OK with either a similar state flagship or even a second tier as we're firm believers in it's not about where you go but what you do when you get there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not an alum of a super selective school, either. Purdue, class of 1999, engineering, OOS. 4.8 weighted GPA, 3.4 unweighted. 1205 SAT, 33 ACT.

My kids are freshman and 8th grade, so we have time, but the things I've been reading lately are scary - namely, that I would be unlikely to be accepted into the program I graduated from with my unweighted GPA. And that's from back when PE, health class, the arts, and whatever else weren't factored in, so my unweighted GPA would be much lower today! (I got D's in PE and C's in mandatory art/music)

Is there hope anymore for kids with stats like mine? Do I really need to harp on them for straight A's? I can't handle four years of anxiety, so please ease my mind or tell me they'll be fine at a less selective school.

Anybody who knows their high school “stats” to the decimal point decades after graduation has issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To clarify, my heart isn't set on Purdue. But it was my safety, and now it's basically out of reach.

I disagree that it is "out or reach". It is not a school that you need to be "hooked" to get into. Do they care about legacy? If so, have your kid apply ED (or EA if they don't offer ED).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would you even want your kids to go to your alma mater? You are not raising mini-mes.

I'm not. But if I wouldn't get into my safety school, what chance do they have at getting into a quality college?

Redefine “quality college.”

+1 yes, you should encourage them to do well in school, make sure they learn good study habits, get tutoring if struggling in a class. All this to learn to be good students and maximize their options. That does not mean they will be straight A students. When the time comes, find colleges that fit your student. You don't manufacture a student to for a predefined college result.

There is a college option for every student who wants to go.

[Anonymous]

I probably wouldn't, but my kids are WAY better prepared than I was. So fingers crossed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My concern is they already have interest in a few colleges (Purdue, West Point, GA Tech). All unlikely unless they're straight A students.

So tell them that now. They'll either get their GPAs up or know they will be going to other schools. As a kid with a lower GPA (similar to what got me into a top LAC 35 years ago), I can't expect him to go to a top school, but there are a lot of lower-tier choices that will be fine. Many schools that aren't so hard to get into also have business, engineering and science.

[Anonymous]

My son just got into my alma mater and got awesome scholarships too. Your kids have 4000 colleges to pick from. Stop stressing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not an alum of a super selective school, either. Purdue, class of 1999, engineering, OOS. 4.8 weighted GPA, 3.4 unweighted. 1205 SAT, 33 ACT.

My kids are freshman and 8th grade, so we have time, but the things I've been reading lately are scary - namely, that I would be unlikely to be accepted into the program I graduated from with my unweighted GPA. And that's from back when PE, health class, the arts, and whatever else weren't factored in, so my unweighted GPA would be much lower today! (I got D's in PE and C's in mandatory art/music)

Is there hope anymore for kids with stats like mine? Do I really need to harp on them for straight A's? I can't handle four years of anxiety, so please ease my mind or tell me they'll be fine at a less selective school.

Actually the great news is that there are now large numbers of schools that offer the kind of solid education that Purdue offered last century, and with many more capable students going to college, bright kids will find peers at all of them. If your kids end up with 3.4 UW, and 1205 SAT they will have plenty of choices, and their education will be a solid as yours was.

Having said that, getting a D in PE is a sign of being a spoiled brat. And colleges will see that, so while you don't need to harp on them for straight A's, you do need to communicate that that's not acceptable. Because colleges care a lot more about character now than they did then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My concern is they already have interest in a few colleges (Purdue, West Point, GA Tech). All unlikely unless they're straight A students.

They don't need straight A's, a few B's in rigorous classes are okay (especially in 9/10th grade). Look at the CDS reports for those schools. The mean unweighted GPA is not 4.0. Picking the right classes, APs, advanced math classes, etc. are very important. A family member got into GA Tech OOS last year for engineering with a 3.85 uw GPA, +1500 test scores, and strong ECs.

Also, major matters for schools like Purdue and GA Tech. Are they interested in CS? If so, then maintaining a high GPA is essential. But even 4.0 students will be rejected because CS is super competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Having said that, getting a D in PE is a sign of being a spoiled brat. And colleges will see that, so while you don't need to harp on them for straight A's, you do need to communicate that that's not acceptable. Because colleges care a lot more about character now than they did then.

What? I'm not athletic. We were graded on physical ability, and it was horrific. I couldn't run a mile without stopping at the end of that class, hence the D. I'm not a spoiled brat.