Another post about the ED decision

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree….it feels like 17 is too young to be resigned to settling.

Attending wash u is not settling

[Anonymous]

I’m with you! My DS applied ED to what I would consider a professional school (not heavy in athletics). DS was rejected and went onto a D1 University heavy in Football. DS was heavy in Academics in high school but is thriving. I cannot picture DS at the ED school now that I’ve seen the experience my DS has had this year. It all works out!

[Anonymous]

OP here. To be clear I don't think Wash U is settling in that sense. It's a great school. I just know my child is making a very sensible decision based on perceived probabilities. I would rather have seen exploration of East Coast schools (closer to home) that have a more strongly liberal artsy student body. (Versus skewing more pre-professional). I don't want to start naming names because then I'll be shot down because of the merits and demerits of whichever school I name. In any case, I own that this is my problem. It's not a WashU problem. Just figured at least some parents on this board are feeling a similar pang with the ED choices being completely out of their parental hands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And regardless it is my problem. With an 18 year old, we don't get to decide. It's just hard to watch!

Who is paying tuition, you or the 18 year old?

Parents have a say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. To be clear I don't think Wash U is settling in that sense. It's a great school. I just know my child is making a very sensible decision based on perceived probabilities. I would rather have seen exploration of East Coast schools (closer to home) that have a more strongly liberal artsy student body. (Versus skewing more pre-professional). I don't want to start naming names because then I'll be shot down because of the merits and demerits of whichever school I name. In any case, I own that this is my problem. It's not a WashU problem. Just figured at least some parents on this board are feeling a similar pang with the ED choices being completely out of their parental hands.

The most important aspect, aside from financial, is that your child gets to choose themselves. So assuming you’re fine with the financial commitment, let him choose and cheer him on. We all have our own preferences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. To be clear I don't think Wash U is settling in that sense. It's a great school. I just know my child is making a very sensible decision based on perceived probabilities. I would rather have seen exploration of East Coast schools (closer to home) that have a more strongly liberal artsy student body. (Versus skewing more pre-professional). I don't want to start naming names because then I'll be shot down because of the merits and demerits of whichever school I name. In any case, I own that this is my problem. It's not a WashU problem. Just figured at least some parents on this board are feeling a similar pang with the ED choices being completely out of their parental hands.

The most important aspect, aside from financial, is that your child gets to choose themselves. So assuming you’re fine with the financial commitment, let him choose and cheer him on. We all have our own preferences.

So true!

[Anonymous]

My DS did the same thing: he applied ED to an amazing school that he statistically had a great shot at. Was it his absolute first choice? No. But, he is thriving and loves it. WashU is a wonderful school and your DS will excel if he puts his mind to it.

[Anonymous]

He should have done ED2, WashU likes private school kids and ED2 should have worked out fine. With a 3.8 from a good private, WashU ED is somewhat settling unless it is his absolute #1 choice. However, I can see kids wanting the process to be over. Last year DS wanted to ED2 a school he was not very sure of, just to wrap up the process. We convinced him to wait and he ended up getting something he liked much better in RD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. To be clear I don't think Wash U is settling in that sense. It's a great school. I just know my child is making a very sensible decision based on perceived probabilities. I would rather have seen exploration of East Coast schools (closer to home) that have a more strongly liberal artsy student body. (Versus skewing more pre-professional). I don't want to start naming names because then I'll be shot down because of the merits and demerits of whichever school I name. In any case, I own that this is my problem. It's not a WashU problem. Just figured at least some parents on this board are feeling a similar pang with the ED choices being completely out of their parental hands.

Given how weird and mystifying college acceptances are at the very top schools, I think your daughter is making a very sensible decision. I've seen it many times at our high school. A totally qualified student applies ED to Duke or Penn. Gets rejected in the early round, which is the likely result for everyone. And then is consigned to the mayhem of regular decision and ends up at Tulane. No offense to Tulane.

The important thing is that it's your daughter's decision. She owns it, and therefore she's far more likely to enter college with a positive and enthusiastic attitude. And WashU is a great school. It's a very appealing campus located across from Forest Park. The surrounding neighborhood is totally pleasant. And when we visited, we were struck by how nice the students seemed. Midwestern nice is a thing. It may have a pre-professional vibe - which is not a bad thing - but I'm sure there are lots of very interesting students who made the same decision your daughter did. A lot of smart kids are not even bothering with Harvard and Stanford and the like anymore. And they apply to schools like WashU instead. I'm sure she'll feel totally at home there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. To be clear I don't think Wash U is settling in that sense. It's a great school. I just know my child is making a very sensible decision based on perceived probabilities. I would rather have seen exploration of East Coast schools (closer to home) that have a more strongly liberal artsy student body. (Versus skewing more pre-professional). I don't want to start naming names because then I'll be shot down because of the merits and demerits of whichever school I name. In any case, I own that this is my problem. It's not a WashU problem. Just figured at least some parents on this board are feeling a similar pang with the ED choices being completely out of their parental hands.

Given how weird and mystifying college acceptances are at the very top schools, I think your daughter is making a very sensible decision. I've seen it many times at our high school. A totally qualified student applies ED to Duke or Penn. Gets rejected in the early round, which is the likely result for everyone. And then is consigned to the mayhem of regular decision and ends up at Tulane. No offense to Tulane.

The important thing is that it's your daughter's decision. She owns it, and therefore she's far more likely to enter college with a positive and enthusiastic attitude. And WashU is a great school. It's a very appealing campus located across from Forest Park. The surrounding neighborhood is totally pleasant. And when we visited, we were struck by how nice the students seemed. Midwestern nice is a thing. It may have a pre-professional vibe - which is not a bad thing - but I'm sure there are lots of very interesting students who made the same decision your daughter did. A lot of smart kids are not even bothering with Harvard and Stanford and the like anymore. And they apply to schools like WashU instead. I'm sure she'll feel totally at home there.

Thank you. This helps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you upset because you think your kid is playing the "ED Game" where they would rather attend Wash U than say UMD, but really want to go Northwestern...but realize WashU has a way higher ED acceptance rate than Northwestern...and WashU has a way lower RD acceptance rate?

Or, are you upset because the idea of attending college in St. Louis is not what you envisioned for your kid (because you yourself would not make that choice)?

The former is a huge dilemma...the latter is your own issue to get over.

Is this accurate ? My understanding is that both WUSTL's RD & ED acceptance rates are higher than Northwestern's.

Yes, WUSTL is "easier" to gain admissions than Northwestern. I know many who do ED1 at NU and then move to ED2 at WUSTL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know, I kind of think it’s smart. My DS ED’ed to a school that he really likes and is pretty much a target. I think it’s quite possible he could have aimed “higher” but he doesn’t want to waste the ED shot and it’s a good school. He’s not the type to have too much buyers remorse. Wash U is a really good school. Perfect can be the enemy of the good in this process.

Smart kid!

+1

It's OKAY to really want to attend a target. Kids know which schools they will be happy at, and many times it is NOT the Reaches. My own kid didn't get into their "reaches", all had single digit acceptance rates. They are extremely happy at their top Target (they got into all targets and safeties). In reality, they had considered ED2 at this school and even ED1 but one parent (not me) believe a bit too much in rankings and wanted them to "wait and see about the rest of the reaches"--oh and kid was "deferred" from ED1 so deep down they wanted to wait for RD and see. Ultimately I think they are AT THEIR TOP CHOICE and should have just done ED2 and been done with it. When they visited they just responded differently to this school, why==because it's the perfect fit for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. To be clear I don't think Wash U is settling in that sense. It's a great school. I just know my child is making a very sensible decision based on perceived probabilities. I would rather have seen exploration of East Coast schools (closer to home) that have a more strongly liberal artsy student body. (Versus skewing more pre-professional). I don't want to start naming names because then I'll be shot down because of the merits and demerits of whichever school I name. In any case, I own that this is my problem. It's not a WashU problem. Just figured at least some parents on this board are feeling a similar pang with the ED choices being completely out of their parental hands.

Good you see it's a "you problem". Your kid knows what they want and it appears to not fully align with your wishes. Time to let them fly and make their own choices.

[Anonymous]

The main issue with Wash U is that it is only on 90% of kids’ radar because of the rankings.

Maybe that is also the problem…if the kid doesn’t have a single other school remotely in the Midwest, it is hard to understand why Wash U makes the cut.

[Anonymous]

Wash U is a national university.

It's not a regional one. The cohort will be from kids all over the country and beyond. And grads who move to NY or LA or SF after graduation will know find plenty of their peers in their post-grad city.

Northwestern and U Chicago grads are more likely to stay in Chicago.