| Why the 3.9? What classes did she struggle with? Science, math, English, history, foreign language? |
Our private would steer an unhooked white girl far away from ED to Brown. . . |
| I think people are assuming you’re at a well known feeder private high school. If that’s not the case, these are extremely optimistic possibilities. |
3.9 is top of the class, no more than five people usually. Are you serious? Struggle? |
| Just a Swat anecdote. My high-stats DD was deferred after applying ED but then accepted RD . . . apparently that was a pretty common experience among her friends who aren't recruited athletes. Unless it's your DD's #1 choice, I wouldn't consider it a a strategic move. There are other SLACs where ED gives more of an advantage. |
Struggle? My kid goes to Horace Mann, and perhaps 5 of the 150 or so students in a class get a 4.0. I wouldn't characterize the rest as "struggling." |
| What is the rigor and how many courses per year is this student taking. I know some kids who take bare minimum of 5 classes of low rigor with a 3.9 and some who are taking 7 classes with high rigor with 3.9. I would think rigor would count for a lot. |
| The lack of strong extracurriculars would make much of the T20 unlikely , especially for a girl and especially for the sciences. Her best shoot likely is ED at somewhere like Chicago or Wash U. |
+1 Focus instead on helping her find an EC that interests her that she could begin this school year and then build into something special during junior summer. Ideal if it is somehow connected to her academic interests/ intended major but not the usual school clubs. Find something not school-related and truly different than what other private school kids are doing. Finally, as for figuring out where to ED, it’s way too early to decide this! Talk with your DD’s school counselor to identify schools to research and visit this spring, when school is in session. You really want to visit Junior spring and Senior fall - seeing schools in the summer isn’t as helpful. Finally, I’ll emphasize the point above: talk with the college counselor or advisor at your DD’s private school! They will know which college tend to accept kids from your private school with DD’s profile. Also, this type of bespoke advice is very much what you’re paying for!!! Use the resources you’ve purchased. |
| Bowdoin? It’s a great school. |
Not from a top private. It doesn't matter what your extracurriculars are. if you are one of 5 kids with a 3.9+ that will be enough. I wish people who don't know what they're talking about from direct experience would not opine. no, this kid doesn't need to stoop to Chicago. no, they don't need a million extracurriculars. If you are top 5 at Sidwell or STA or NCS that will be enough. The grades are what set you apart because almost no one gets them. |
Totally agree with you. |
+1 |
| at our non-DMV (feeder) private, this girl got into Stanford in RD. |
Your opinion just got devalued, my friend. |