General advice for a hardworking, smart kid but without an academic passion?

[Anonymous]

Not rolling, but JMU & Delaware.

Just imho, my kids are not going to college to play sports. That is not how our family chooses a college. I would be very very sure about wanting a SLAC, and sure you could afford it -- without the sports team angle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are his ECs? Favorite subjects?

EC: Top player on high school sports team & outside sport as well, volunteers with the special olympics and officer at the best buddies club at school. Works as a coach and referee. Favorite subjects are the social sciences (AP Gov, history classes). Favorite subjects tend to be very teacher-dependent. One year it might be math and another year it's history.

My kids sounds very similar, although he's not not very good at math. Special Olympics is one of his very favorite things. He's decided he wants to be an occupational therapist, although if he was better at math, I think he'd have chosen Physical Therapist.

He decided to apply to dual degree programs where he can continue on to the OTD, and complete both degrees in one year less. Those degrees tend to be offered at regional universities, so his list of acceptances isn't one that DCUM would love, but he's thrilled with here he got in, and excited to go. He plans to major in Psychology.

Where is he going? Psych is oversubscribed at top schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of the great things about Pitt is their rolling admissions. If he applies in August, he should have an answer sometime in September or early October. It takes a lot of the pressure off to have a solid option in hand.

OP - yes this is our plan!

We can afford to be full pay anywhere but he's very practical and thinks he should definitely go to UVA or W&M if he gets in. I don't feel quite as strongly about that.

ED1UVA and ED2 W&M

OP here. See, I am worried UVA will not provide the teaching and advising my kid needs. The vibe I get there is kids should feel lucky to be there and they oughta figure it out for themselves...so I'd prefer he apply EA instead of ED to give him some time to consider other options, go to admitted students days, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not rolling, but JMU & Delaware.

Just imho, my kids are not going to college to play sports. That is not how our family chooses a college. I would be very very sure about wanting a SLAC, and sure you could afford it -- without the sports team angle.

We can afford anything. Do you think JMU and Delaware give a kid enough guidance and help figuring this stuff out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are his ECs? Favorite subjects?

EC: Top player on high school sports team & outside sport as well, volunteers with the special olympics and officer at the best buddies club at school. Works as a coach and referee. Favorite subjects are the social sciences (AP Gov, history classes). Favorite subjects tend to be very teacher-dependent. One year it might be math and another year it's history.

ECs are weak -- sports don't help much if not an athletic recruit. Try to get him a substantive summer experience, perhaps by volunteering in area of interest (i.e. working on a political campaign). Also needs some leadership. Is he a member of any clubs where he can run for a senior position or student government?

[Anonymous]

Elon has great advising for this type of student. It could be a good safety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of the great things about Pitt is their rolling admissions. If he applies in August, he should have an answer sometime in September or early October. It takes a lot of the pressure off to have a solid option in hand.

OP - yes this is our plan!

We can afford to be full pay anywhere but he's very practical and thinks he should definitely go to UVA or W&M if he gets in. I don't feel quite as strongly about that.

ED1UVA and ED2 W&M

OP here. See, I am worried UVA will not provide the teaching and advising my kid needs. The vibe I get there is kids should feel lucky to be there and they oughta figure it out for themselves...so I'd prefer he apply EA instead of ED to give him some time to consider other options, go to admitted students days, etc.

In state? How high are stats?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not rolling, but JMU & Delaware.

Just imho, my kids are not going to college to play sports. That is not how our family chooses a college. I would be very very sure about wanting a SLAC, and sure you could afford it -- without the sports team angle.

We can afford anything. Do you think JMU and Delaware give a kid enough guidance and help figuring this stuff out?

Definitely not. You need to go private for the really good guidance and advisors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of the great things about Pitt is their rolling admissions. If he applies in August, he should have an answer sometime in September or early October. It takes a lot of the pressure off to have a solid option in hand.

OP - yes this is our plan!

We can afford to be full pay anywhere but he's very practical and thinks he should definitely go to UVA or W&M if he gets in. I don't feel quite as strongly about that.

ED1UVA and ED2 W&M

OP here. See, I am worried UVA will not provide the teaching and advising my kid needs. The vibe I get there is kids should feel lucky to be there and they oughta figure it out for themselves...so I'd prefer he apply EA instead of ED to give him some time to consider other options, go to admitted students days, etc.

In state? How high are stats?

Yes, in state, and our school's stats would say he's got about a 50/50 shot of getting into UVA and 60/40 shot of getting into W&M.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of the great things about Pitt is their rolling admissions. If he applies in August, he should have an answer sometime in September or early October. It takes a lot of the pressure off to have a solid option in hand.

OP - yes this is our plan!

We can afford to be full pay anywhere but he's very practical and thinks he should definitely go to UVA or W&M if he gets in. I don't feel quite as strongly about that.

ED1UVA and ED2 W&M

OP here. See, I am worried UVA will not provide the teaching and advising my kid needs. The vibe I get there is kids should feel lucky to be there and they oughta figure it out for themselves...so I'd prefer he apply EA instead of ED to give him some time to consider other options, go to admitted students days, etc.

In state? How high are stats?

Yes, in state, and our school's stats would say he's got about a 50/50 shot of getting into UVA and 60/40 shot of getting into W&M.

Acceptance rate at UVA shrunk this year. It may be another blood bath next year if UVA doesn't add back the supplemental. EA tends to be the most competitive pool so I would strongly consider ED if its his first choice and his odds are mixed.

[Anonymous]

Wake's RD acceptance rate is less than 10 percent. Totally understand if he wants to apply ED1 UVA and ED2 WM if want in state tuition, but if Wake is at the top of his list, I'd recommend using an ED slot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wake's RD acceptance rate is less than 10 percent. Totally understand if he wants to apply ED1 UVA and ED2 WM if want in state tuition, but if Wake is at the top of his list, I'd recommend using an ED slot.

ED0 at Wake!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are his ECs? Favorite subjects?

EC: Top player on high school sports team & outside sport as well, volunteers with the special olympics and officer at the best buddies club at school. Works as a coach and referee. Favorite subjects are the social sciences (AP Gov, history classes). Favorite subjects tend to be very teacher-dependent. One year it might be math and another year it's history.

ECs are weak -- sports don't help much if not an athletic recruit. Try to get him a substantive summer experience, perhaps by volunteering in area of interest (i.e. working on a political campaign). Also needs some leadership. Is he a member of any clubs where he can run for a senior position or student government?

I’ve seen kids with these ECs and 3.7/3.8uw and 32/33 get into Wake / Tulane/ uMiami and SMU - using an ED option and listing humanities major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are his ECs? Favorite subjects?

EC: Top player on high school sports team & outside sport as well, volunteers with the special olympics and officer at the best buddies club at school. Works as a coach and referee. Favorite subjects are the social sciences (AP Gov, history classes). Favorite subjects tend to be very teacher-dependent. One year it might be math and another year it's history.

ECs are weak -- sports don't help much if not an athletic recruit. Try to get him a substantive summer experience, perhaps by volunteering in area of interest (i.e. working on a political campaign). Also needs some leadership. Is he a member of any clubs where he can run for a senior position or student government?

I’ve seen kids with these ECs and 3.7/3.8uw and 32/33 get into Wake / Tulane/ uMiami and SMU - using an ED option and listing humanities major.

Other than for engineering, which is its only direct admit major, Waks doesn’t consider major. As for all schools, Naviance/scoir is typically the best for school specific admission stats.

[Anonymous]

Following this for my similar DD.