I disagree. Michigan routinely denies valedictorians |
Sure, but many others are getting in. If you're a valedictorian at a half decent school, you can get into UMich. DP. |
Most colleges are very easy to get into. |
I would argue making it onto a varsity sports teams or school newspaper, especially in NOVA, is just as hard as winning STEM competitions. Keep in mind less than 20% of high school kids even make it onto a JV team. |
I am 44, and in my European country, high school was a stressful workathon culminating in one heck of a national exam week. I was so stressed out I couldn't eat on the first day of national exams. But that's nowhere near the worst. My cousins come from a country in Asia known for its teen suicide rate due to exam failure. Over there, when school ends for the day, the kids go to afternoon prep schools to cram. I know *elementary school kids* who had tutors to prepare for admission into the most prestigious afternoon prep schools!!! Separate from their regular school! HOW CRAZY IS THAT?!? All to say: don't ever believe the US has it bad. I promise you, even for the kids who take grades seriously... it's still a layabout's paradise. ![]() |
Like it or not, universities are mostly about academics. The US is unreasonable about its love of youth sports, but even American admissions officers know that STEM matters more than athletics. Even as they reserve a number of spots, quite unfairly, for student athletes. I loof forward to the day when sports don't weigh anything at all in admissions. |
So if you don't complete FAFSA/aid to submit with the application, that can be taken into consideration? Does FAFSA come later in the process? Sorry, I have a 10th and we're not there yet |
Why are people surprised that a country with 300 million people and top colleges that take like 2000 students per class has a competitive admissions system? The ivies and Co hardly educate anyone in this nation. |
Yes…many schools give preference to people that don’t need aid. The very top 15 schools are need-blind and don’t care if you need aid but they have massive endowments. |
Go to a top private school. You can get into Yale or another top10 school without the nationally ranked extracurriculars. Just do extremely well in school (top 5-10%) and have ordinary extracurriculars (head of a few clubs, etc). It's extremely hard to be at or near the top of a class of very bright kids but it's a pretty reliable formula. |
Except if you are unlucky to have several Yale legacies in your class (not unusual)…and then you are SOL. Pay attention to your legacies. |
This. There are thousands of schools that most kids can get into. |
So easy. Just be top top top. Thanks. |
You apply Early Decision, and the admit rates are much more favorable if you do that. |
Sure, but they’re schools at risk of closing. No thanks |