How much does valedictorian matter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is at a single sex school outside DMV. School is considered “best” in city, one of “best” in state, and usually makes the lists of 100 best private schools (I put little stock in these rankings - just trying to provide some context). While school does not officially rank, special awards are given to kids who are 1st and 2nd in class at end of junior year. DC is 1st (happy surprise) based on weighted gpa. Has highest rigor.
Will likely be NMSF. Cannot get sat above 1500. Normal ECs- 2 varsity sports, an “academic” club with local awards, student council position.

How much does 1st in class help? Or is it irrelevant? Does it offset ECs and 1490? Are Brown, Northwestern, Chicago possible ED?

Thanks so much.

NO. The best-in-area private near us is better than the single sex ones as far as unhooked placement, but has the same thing in common with those single sex ones: Valedictorian only helps IF the student took the hardest courses in all the core areas and is a great kid to have in the classroom, the type that gets nominated by teachers for awards and opportunities. Many years the Val or Sal is "shut out" and someone with a GPA a 1-5 spots down gets into T10/ivy because they took harder classes and made time for impactful ECs. All else being equal (white or asian, female vs female, not low income, no hooks, apply to manyoverlapping ivy/t15).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Niece is valedictorian but did not get into her T50 ranked state flagship. So i guess not that much. She did apply to a more difficult major, though

Interesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Valedictorian is determined at the end of senior year, so it doesn’t help with college applications. If your school officially doesn’t rank, you could include a description of the junior year prize for top student in the activities and awards section, but the school itself will not provide your daughter’s rank to colleges.

The head counselor at the private will write in the letter of support if the student is number 1 and more importantly will comment on rigor. They may or may not tell the student the details but usually the top ones know they are in the mix of the most competitive ones at the top, even if not told precisely. In general as long as rigor is highest, being in the number 1 spot is a small boost

[Anonymous]

School in the south. The last 4 Valedictorians all went to Harvard at my kid’s school….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks all. Wants to study neuroscience and minor in creative writing. Working at BME lab at nearby hospital this summer.
The SAT score has been a major source of frustration. Hasn’t taken a class but maybe some tutoring this summer would help.
Really liked Wash U (esp the “ampersand” program), and was considering doing ED1 or 2 there, depending on Oct visits to northwestern, chicago, brown in the fall (saw these 3 when schools were not in session).

use the Erica meltzer books and 1600.io orange book and the jwmathtutoring desmos YouTube playlist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Valedictorian is determined at the end of senior year, so it doesn’t help with college applications. If your school officially doesn’t rank, you could include a description of the junior year prize for top student in the activities and awards section, but the school itself will not provide your daughter’s rank to colleges.

If the school profile includes the highest GPA for the senior class (as of whatever date the profile was created), and if the kid applying to college has that GPA on her transcript, then the college will assume the kid was at the top of the class.

DC’s private HS does not include the highest GPA in the senior class, so that doesn’t work. I would imagine we didn’t find ourselves in the only school in the area that doesn’t include that info, so I don’t think anyone can rely on this option.

[Anonymous]

So many schools are eliminating valedictorians. The top five students might have such slight differences that they are virtually all the same.

[Anonymous]

Your kid has never had SAT tutoring or a class and you are frustrated their score hasn’t improved? You are at a private school, so surely cost isn’t a barrier. Pay $300 an hour for a great private tutor this summer and have your DC take the August and September SAT. The score will go up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Valedictorian is determined at the end of senior year, so it doesn’t help with college applications. If your school officially doesn’t rank, you could include a description of the junior year prize for top student in the activities and awards section, but the school itself will not provide your daughter’s rank to colleges.

If the school profile includes the highest GPA for the senior class (as of whatever date the profile was created), and if the kid applying to college has that GPA on her transcript, then the college will assume the kid was at the top of the class.

DC’s private HS does not include the highest GPA in the senior class, so that doesn’t work. I would imagine we didn’t find ourselves in the only school in the area that doesn’t include that info, so I don’t think anyone can rely on this option.

That’s why I said “if” as my first word.

[Anonymous]

What the heck, OP? Why are you saying she cannot get her SAT score and then updating and saying she hasn’t even taken an SAT class yet??

She needs to take an SAT class this summer. A proper one. And work hard at it. And retake the SAT. You need to look at the dates and make sure the score will be back if she’s going to early decision.

It is absurd to handicap for chances due to her test score when she hasn’t even taken an SAT class yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks all. Wants to study neuroscience and minor in creative writing. Working at BME lab at nearby hospital this summer.
The SAT score has been a major source of frustration. Hasn’t taken a class but maybe some tutoring this summer would help.
Really liked Wash U (esp the “ampersand” program), and was considering doing ED1 or 2 there, depending on Oct visits to northwestern, chicago, brown in the fall (saw these 3 when schools were not in session).

use the Erica meltzer books and 1600.io orange book and the jwmathtutoring desmos YouTube playlist

What are these tools?

[Anonymous]

I’m OP. She hasn’t wanted to take a class - her blue book practice tests have all been 1550+.
However, message received. Will start weekly math tutoring for Aug test. (She is capable of testing well 1490 on psat and should be NMSF.).
Thank you. I needed to hear this.

[Anonymous]

How many times has she taken the SAT? I think she probably could improve it with some studying because there are prediction tools online and a 1490 PSAT correlates with a mid-1500s SAT.

[Anonymous]

Taken 3x - once right before psat -1470, then oct -1490, then this past June. Bo score yet but she doesn’t think her math score will be higher than 720.

[Anonymous]

This matters a lot for G’Town.