Are college admissions harder for DC kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYC, suburban NY/NJ, Bay Area all worse. North shore of chicago, DCUM area (some esp), LA, Dallas, Boston all competitive. gets easier from there

I’ve lived in several competitive metro areas and attended an SLAC and T-10 for professional school. So glad my kid got to grow up in a smaller city outside the Northeast/mid-Atlantic region. Public schools aren’t as good overall (some exceptions), but the college admissions process was a lot less stressful. Most people here did not attend Ivies or SLAC’s or the top publics, and are doing just fine as doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc. It helps when kids can see that.

Similar background here and feel the same about my kids’ experience in smaller, non-coastal city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't live near DC but I love this site and this discussion board in particular, much as it stresses me out. I'm wondering if you feel that kids from your area face tougher acceptance rates because the competition is so steep where you are, with so many high achieving kids and elite private (and even public) schools. We live in a rural area where if kids are going to college, the vast majority attend local schools with high (80%+) acceptance rates. Reading about the rejections of superstar-sounding students here makes college admissions just feels so hopeless to me if you want to attend a great school, which my DC does. I'm just wondering if odds are better if you live in a less competitive area. Or maybe not - I'm sure our education isn't as strong as where you are.

The standards are lower for rural/underprivileged applicants since they are judged in context. Whether that makes it easier for them or just equalizes things is a matter of perspective.

[Anonymous]

Yes it is harder for kids here in DC, and NYC is even harder as others have written.

[Anonymous]

My family moved from flyover country to NoVa area and stayed for the high quality high schools and colleges. Flyover states have in general very low standards for students, few extracurricular activities, and sports programs that don't prepare students for early decision admittance. It is easier do local college research and do unusual niche activities in rural areas.

Yes it's harder to stand out in NoVA but I feel like my kids are better prepared.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My family moved from flyover country to NoVa area and stayed for the high quality high schools and colleges. Flyover states have in general very low standards for students, few extracurricular activities, and sports programs that don't prepare students for early decision admittance. It is easier do local college research and do unusual niche activities in rural areas.

Yes it's harder to stand out in NoVA but I feel like my kids are better prepared.

Different experience for us. While classes not as rigorous as top DC schools, ECs are abundant and accessible, offering great opportunities for state and national awards.

Moreover, top students REALLY stand out, leading to exceptional LORs.

On your own for AP and SAT prep, but those are manageable.

Not sure one experience is better than the other—each has advantages and disadvantages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes it is harder for kids here in DC, and NYC is even harder as others have written.

It's probably hardest for Bay Area/Silicon Valley kids- much higher numbers of competitive applicants and frankly less diversity

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are harder for high stats kids from major metropolitan areas in general, especially the northeast..

Bay area is probably the hardest for kids looking at STEM. The Northeast is might be harder for non-STEM kids. For the top SLACs the east coast is harder than the West Coast though there are many CA kids at top SLACs and the number seems to be rising.

Northeast white woman top LAC applications may be the toughest for admission along with Bay Area STEM

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are harder for high stats kids from major metropolitan areas in general, especially the northeast..

Bay area is probably the hardest for kids looking at STEM. The Northeast is might be harder for non-STEM kids. For the top SLACs the east coast is harder than the West Coast though there are many CA kids at top SLACs and the number seems to be rising.

Northeast white woman top LAC applications may be the toughest for admission along with Bay Area STEM

True- very hard to stand out in those categories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes it is harder for kids here in DC, and NYC is even harder as others have written.

Yes, and yes. Same for the wealthy Boston suburbs. Midwest is easier in comparison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes it is harder for kids here in DC, and NYC is even harder as others have written.

Yes, and yes. Same for the wealthy Boston suburbs. Midwest is easier in comparison.

I've heard it's terrible in Texas, especially Dallas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes it is harder for kids here in DC, and NYC is even harder as others have written.

It's probably hardest for Bay Area/Silicon Valley kids- much higher numbers of competitive applicants and frankly less diversity

It’s so much harder for Bay Area kids. I see posts complaining about the difficulty of UVA admissions when from my perspective it’s far more transparent and clear cut compared to admissions at comparable UCs (Berkeley, LA).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes it is harder for kids here in DC, and NYC is even harder as others have written.

It's probably hardest for Bay Area/Silicon Valley kids- much higher numbers of competitive applicants and frankly less diversity

It’s so much harder for Bay Area kids. I see posts complaining about the difficulty of UVA admissions when from my perspective it’s far more transparent and clear cut compared to admissions at comparable UCs (Berkeley, LA).

UCs are pretty obvious at a majority of California schools. It is a very systematic process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes it is harder for kids here in DC, and NYC is even harder as others have written.

It's probably hardest for Bay Area/Silicon Valley kids- much higher numbers of competitive applicants and frankly less diversity

It’s so much harder for Bay Area kids. I see posts complaining about the difficulty of UVA admissions when from my perspective it’s far more transparent and clear cut compared to admissions at comparable UCs (Berkeley, LA).

UCs are pretty obvious at a majority of California schools. It is a very systematic process.

In theory yes, but the outcomes can be quite unpredictable. Like top stats student rejected from UC Davis and Irvine but accepted at Stanford (yes, this actually happens). Whereas I haven’t heard of UVA rejects admitted at Yale, for example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes it is harder for kids here in DC, and NYC is even harder as others have written.

It's probably hardest for Bay Area/Silicon Valley kids- much higher numbers of competitive applicants and frankly less diversity

It’s so much harder for Bay Area kids. I see posts complaining about the difficulty of UVA admissions when from my perspective it’s far more transparent and clear cut compared to admissions at comparable UCs (Berkeley, LA).

UCs are pretty obvious at a majority of California schools. It is a very systematic process.

In theory yes, but the outcomes can be quite unpredictable. Like top stats student rejected from UC Davis and Irvine but accepted at Stanford (yes, this actually happens). Whereas I haven’t heard of UVA rejects admitted at Yale, for example.

If you're at the top, you should be applying Berkeley/UCLA/UCSD. The system is made for you to apply in the range appropriate for your academic level. There are schools that place 40+ kids into Berkeley every year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes it is harder for kids here in DC, and NYC is even harder as others have written.

It's probably hardest for Bay Area/Silicon Valley kids- much higher numbers of competitive applicants and frankly less diversity

It’s so much harder for Bay Area kids. I see posts complaining about the difficulty of UVA admissions when from my perspective it’s far more transparent and clear cut compared to admissions at comparable UCs (Berkeley, LA).

UCs are pretty obvious at a majority of California schools. It is a very systematic process.

In theory yes, but the outcomes can be quite unpredictable. Like top stats student rejected from UC Davis and Irvine but accepted at Stanford (yes, this actually happens). Whereas I haven’t heard of UVA rejects admitted at Yale, for example.

If you're at the top, you should be applying Berkeley/UCLA/UCSD. The system is made for you to apply in the range appropriate for your academic level. There are schools that place 40+ kids into Berkeley every year.

Sure but most kids in California don’t only apply to the top 3 UCs, which aren’t really predictable. Every year there are surprises who gets in or not - it’s not as simple as 4.4+ from a certain high school is pretty much assured UVA as has been commented here.