sidwell college results--does everyone have top grades or are they getting in kids into strong schools imperfect grades?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:which college do you prefer to be an alum of (and pass along legacy status)?

Within each school, not all "legacy status" is created equal. I'm quite sure that the kids of my fellow HYP alums who donate tons of money are much more likely to benefit in needle-moving ways for college admissions than someone like me donating five figures total over the past two decades. Anyone taking out loans to pay for HYP usually won't be in the financial state to donate meaningful amounts of money later on.

I’d much rather take my chances having my child apply as an Ivy legacy (I’m fine with any Ivy) over a legacy to UVA or UNC. As a matter of fact, I don’t think UVA can consider legacy status now. That will probably be the case at many state universities with popular flagship campuses.

Ivies and private colleges recognize they’re businesses and voluntarily doing away with legacy admissions is a bad business move (MIT and JHU have highly specialized programs so perhaps that’s why they don’t care).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d much rather take my chances having my child apply as an Ivy legacy (I’m fine with any Ivy) over a legacy to UVA or UNC.

Just to have marginally enhanced (and possibly no higher) admissions odds to one out of ten to twenty colleges where your child will be applying?

[Anonymous]

I grew up in the area and went to a local private school at a time when that seemed to confer an advantage for getting into a “Top 20” college. The landscape has changed, of course, and sending your child to one of these schools for this specific purpose (or with this specific expectation) doesn’t seem based in reality anymore.

For current Sidwell parents: how is the admissions office doing when it comes to explaining to parents how much more competitive the entire landscape is now vs. when they applied? Is the new reality understood by the parent community, broadly?

[Anonymous]

In my view, it comes down to whether there's a difference between outcomes for a kid with a 3.5 GPA at Sidwell vs. a 3.5 GPA at an MCPS school (both unweighted), all else being equal. Nothing to do with admissions to T20 type schools, because I know that's a crapshoot coming from anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d much rather take my chances having my child apply as an Ivy legacy (I’m fine with any Ivy) over a legacy to UVA or UNC.

Just to have marginally enhanced (and possibly no higher) admissions odds to one out of ten to twenty colleges where your child will be applying?

Yes, that plus the:
1. Peers/classmates with a higher overall academic floor;
2. World-class professors;
3. Enhanced internship, job and career opportunities because of the college’s name;
4. Alumni/Ivy League network; and
5. ROI (Google the Bloomberg article)

[Anonymous]

I see you left out happiness and life satisfaction!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see you left out happiness and life satisfaction!

Yes, that too. The benefits are endless!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:which college do you prefer to be an alum of (and pass along legacy status)?

Within each school, not all "legacy status" is created equal. I'm quite sure that the kids of my fellow HYP alums who donate tons of money are much more likely to benefit in needle-moving ways for college admissions than someone like me donating five figures total over the past two decades. Anyone taking out loans to pay for HYP usually won't be in the financial state to donate meaningful amounts of money later on.

I’d much rather take my chances having my child apply as an Ivy legacy (I’m fine with any Ivy) over a legacy to UVA or UNC. As a matter of fact, I don’t think UVA can consider legacy status now. That will probably be the case at many state universities with popular flagship campuses.

Ivies and private colleges recognize they’re businesses and voluntarily doing away with legacy admissions is a bad business move (MIT and JHU have highly specialized programs so perhaps that’s why they don’t care).

Amherst and Wesleyan did away with legacy admissions…very loyal alums. I think it’s the way the wind is blowing. I hope my kids can use legacy status in admissions (selfishly) but it’s not something anyone should count on.

[Anonymous]

There's a TikTok going around that shows even better SFS results than the insta page. GPA is not determinative at Sidwell. The GPAs cannot compare with public school GPAs but the kids score off the charts on their tests and everyone knows they are well prepared to do the work. Legacy factors as it does everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my view, it comes down to whether there's a difference between outcomes for a kid with a 3.5 GPA at Sidwell vs. a 3.5 GPA at an MCPS school (both unweighted), all else being equal. Nothing to do with admissions to T20 type schools, because I know that's a crapshoot coming from anywhere.

A 3.5 GPA at Sidwell shows much better than a 3.5 GPA at MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A 3.5 GPA at Sidwell shows much better than a 3.5 GPA at MCPS.

Why is it that, in the grade inflation/deflation threads, there are many who insist most colleges are too overwhelmed with applications to draw any such distinctions during initial screening?

[Anonymous]

Colleges have local reps that know the grading at the schools in their territories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All kinds of reasons. We have Ivy admits at NCS who chose other schools. Not everyone pics the Ivy.

Sure, not everyone picks the Ivy. However, based on conversations I’ve had, my sense is that most Sidwell students are picking the Ivy.

Meh, plenty of folks choosing Stanford over multiple Ivies.

I only know of one Sidwell student going to Stanford this year. Are there any others?
This thread is about Sidwell.

2 were accepted this year. 1 going, the other choosing an HYP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a TikTok going around that shows even better SFS results than the insta page. GPA is not determinative at Sidwell. The GPAs cannot compare with public school GPAs but the kids score off the charts on their tests and everyone knows they are well prepared to do the work. Legacy factors as it does everywhere.

link?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Colleges have local reps that know the grading at the schools in their territories.

And the common response that I see to this, is that only some colleges do and they often don't come into play until much later in the process.