Help me gauge expectations

[Anonymous]

1590 SAT/4.8 GPA at MCPS Magnet/4 years varsity sport/related internship.

Rejected MIT Brown
W-L CM and Cornell
Attending UMD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1590 SAT/4.8 GPA at MCPS Magnet/4 years varsity sport/related internship.

Rejected MIT Brown
W-L CM and Cornell
Attending UMD

Well, you made a very top heavy list.

Not sure why you chose not to include at least 3 target schools and 3 likely schools. But I guess UMD was appealing to you or your child, because your list made that the most probable outcome (statistically).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are from Wyoming?

If not, then you have it correct.

And then have something unique on top of Wyoming. I know a student in Idaho with 1500+ SAT, top grades and every AP class offered at his small, rural school, + took several APs online, strong ECs in computer science Applied to MIT, CM, several Ivies. Didn't get into any but his classmate with a very similar profile but a boy applying for an English major got into all the Ivies they applied to (both boys applied to the same schools). Both White, not first gen.

A boy English major is more rare than a boy computer science major. And those schools aren't accepting two kids from the same rural school so everytime they picked the more unusual applicant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much. My daughter had 4.6 wgpa, 35 on ACT, amazing ECs leadership and a varsity sport. Essays were on spot.

Best school she got into was UMD.

If the only other schools she applied to were Ivies, Williams and Amherst, this tells us nothing.

+1 And shouldn't we let a kid's personality and needs drive the decision about what is "best" instead of rankings?

My next door neighbor's daughter applied to seven colleges that don't get mentioned here because they aren't "T30." She has six acceptances (waitlisted at one university). It has been a joyful time for them as the decisions came out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1590 SAT/4.8 GPA at MCPS Magnet/4 years varsity sport/related internship.

Rejected MIT Brown
W-L CM and Cornell
Attending UMD

Well, you made a very top heavy list.

Not sure why you chose not to include at least 3 target schools and 3 likely schools. But I guess UMD was appealing to you or your child, because your list made that the most probable outcome (statistically).

I did not list the other applications which were not relevant to OPs question. He did get in to other lower ranked schools but none were worth the extra cost compared to UMD Honors program with merit funds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1590 SAT/4.8 GPA at MCPS Magnet/4 years varsity sport/related internship.

Rejected MIT Brown
W-L CM and Cornell
Attending UMD

It's stuff like this that makes me nervous. DC is 1580/4.69 (although this is essentially the maximum achievable GPA at DC's school) from a top private, 800 on SAT II in math and chem, will be 4 years varsity sport, some ECs but nothing super special there. DC is up and to the right of every person from the school is Naviance. It's really hard to tell, particularly in this new environment, at what point schools shift from being unlikely but possible, to greater than 50% chance, to virtual certainties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are from Wyoming?

If not, then you have it correct.

And then have something unique on top of Wyoming. I know a student in Idaho with 1500+ SAT, top grades and every AP class offered at his small, rural school, + took several APs online, strong ECs in computer science Applied to MIT, CM, several Ivies. Didn't get into any but his classmate with a very similar profile but a boy applying for an English major got into all the Ivies they applied to (both boys applied to the same schools). Both White, not first gen.

A boy English major is more rare than a boy computer science major. And those schools aren't accepting two kids from the same rural school so everytime they picked the more unusual applicant.

Idaho is a poor example. Idaho is where MANY very rich Californians and celebrities now live. These kids’ resumes, ECs, classes are likely as prepped and planned out as kids in the Bay Area, NYC or DMV. Rural North Dakota might be more convincing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1590 SAT/4.8 GPA at MCPS Magnet/4 years varsity sport/related internship.

Rejected MIT Brown
W-L CM and Cornell
Attending UMD

It's stuff like this that makes me nervous. DC is 1580/4.69 (although this is essentially the maximum achievable GPA at DC's school) from a top private, 800 on SAT II in math and chem, will be 4 years varsity sport, some ECs but nothing super special there. DC is up and to the right of every person from the school is Naviance. It's really hard to tell, particularly in this new environment, at what point schools shift from being unlikely but possible, to greater than 50% chance, to virtual certainties.

Top privates don’t weight grades??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1590 SAT/4.8 GPA at MCPS Magnet/4 years varsity sport/related internship.

Rejected MIT Brown
W-L CM and Cornell
Attending UMD

I know several kids with similar stats (including my own) who are thriving at UMD. Your kid will
be in excellent company. Not easy to get 4.8 taking magnet courses. They will do great at UMD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1590 SAT/4.8 GPA at MCPS Magnet/4 years varsity sport/related internship.

Rejected MIT Brown
W-L CM and Cornell
Attending UMD

It's stuff like this that makes me nervous. DC is 1580/4.69 (although this is essentially the maximum achievable GPA at DC's school) from a top private, 800 on SAT II in math and chem, will be 4 years varsity sport, some ECs but nothing super special there. DC is up and to the right of every person from the school is Naviance. It's really hard to tell, particularly in this new environment, at what point schools shift from being unlikely but possible, to greater than 50% chance, to virtual certainties.

I am that poster. Don't be nervous. It is very random at that level so there is not much you can do. We did not use a private counselor but I am not sure I would change that if I could. UMD is a great school for my son. There is an occasional feeling of wanting to be away/start fresh but the reality is that so many top kids end up there is because it is a great option.

[Anonymous]

Come on people! Posters here talk of their kids with cream of the crop stats and are freaked out that their kid won't get into a top school. The "lesser" 95% of students find a college, yours will too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1590 SAT/4.8 GPA at MCPS Magnet/4 years varsity sport/related internship.

Rejected MIT Brown
W-L CM and Cornell
Attending UMD

It's stuff like this that makes me nervous. DC is 1580/4.69 (although this is essentially the maximum achievable GPA at DC's school) from a top private, 800 on SAT II in math and chem, will be 4 years varsity sport, some ECs but nothing super special there. DC is up and to the right of every person from the school is Naviance. It's really hard to tell, particularly in this new environment, at what point schools shift from being unlikely but possible, to greater than 50% chance, to virtual certainties.

Top privates don’t weight grades??

Not sure what your question is. My understanding is some weight and some don't and they may weight in different ways. DC's school weights certain classes, but in an usual way (the school actually calculates GPAs differently entirely, so this is a converted weighted GPA. DC's converted, unweighted is a 4.0.).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1590 SAT/4.8 GPA at MCPS Magnet/4 years varsity sport/related internship.

Rejected MIT Brown
W-L CM and Cornell
Attending UMD

It's stuff like this that makes me nervous. DC is 1580/4.69 (although this is essentially the maximum achievable GPA at DC's school) from a top private, 800 on SAT II in math and chem, will be 4 years varsity sport, some ECs but nothing super special there. DC is up and to the right of every person from the school is Naviance. It's really hard to tell, particularly in this new environment, at what point schools shift from being unlikely but possible, to greater than 50% chance, to virtual certainties.

Top privates don’t weight grades??

Many top private schools have gotten rid of AP classes altogether.

[Anonymous]

Well we're in the midwest and I hear of kids in our area with those stats getting into schools like Tufts or Vandy.

Geographic location helps I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1590 SAT/4.8 GPA at MCPS Magnet/4 years varsity sport/related internship.

Rejected MIT Brown
W-L CM and Cornell
Attending UMD

It's stuff like this that makes me nervous. DC is 1580/4.69 (although this is essentially the maximum achievable GPA at DC's school) from a top private, 800 on SAT II in math and chem, will be 4 years varsity sport, some ECs but nothing super special there. DC is up and to the right of every person from the school is Naviance. It's really hard to tell, particularly in this new environment, at what point schools shift from being unlikely but possible, to greater than 50% chance, to virtual certainties.

What "top private" weighs grades? Sidwell//GDS/STA/NCS don't and getting anywhere near a 4.0 is rare. Are you posting from out of area?