Which level kid goes to which schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having had a girl and a boy go through the college admissions process at a private school, I will tell you the girls know a lot more about everyone’s scores, stats, and special hooks. Boys are just not as in the weeds on this stuff and frankly don’t care as much.

So if you are a girl mom and have good Intel, that counts for a lot

++yes indeed they made rank lists and kept track of each others' GPAs plus they edit each other's common app essays in AP LIT in 11th grade after the AP, and go over how to enter GPA, scores, courses into common app. They know everything about each other including ECs. My son knows nothing and his friends do not talk but the girls are starting to pepper him with questions after teachers called him out as high scorer on a few things. I am the one who showed him naviance, where his sister was and how he is definitely near the very top for gpa. He is nonchalant and clueless, probably better that way.

My senior DD and her friends had REA/ED Google sheets /lists for everyone in their privates class - girls updated as info came out with a column for hooks.

It was sooo detailed. With a few hours they know results of who got in where. Feel like it’s so organized! I bet the CCO doesn’t have spreadsheets that up to date.

That’s not healthy.

How awful. I’m glad I don’t live in the DMV. My kid is only at the Emory/Wash U/Tufts level and I’m very proud of what they achieved to get there and I hope they feel good about their imperfect self as well. I’m glad they’re somewhere where they’re not looked at as “less than” for not being at your HYP level.

Tufts is below Emory and WashU. Trying to sneak Tufts in is kind of comical. Nice try.

Don't be obtuse.

Pp is right. They aren't.

[Anonymous]

Would folks be willing to name their private school and region?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is a shockingly vivid reminder of how corrupt the entire college admissions process is. Top 10% of a private-school graduating class go to top 5 schools, next 10% go to the next 5... so the top *half* all go to T50 schools?

At my kid's public school, no one goes to any T50 school, not even the top 1% of a graduating class -- kids with perfect grades, 1580-1600 SATs, and course rigor generated in part by dual-enrolling at a local research university and out-performing the actual college students there.

I don't think your kids are smarter or working harder, but *half* of the kids at your kid's school are going to schools that *none* of the kids at my kid's school can even dream of attending. Good work buying your kid's success at the expense, in part, of my kid's success!

Of course, I already knew this was true, but seeing it exemplified so vividly in this discussion is nonetheless shocking.

That’s why it’s important to see your school’s data. It doesn’t matter how good your kid is. They were never going to get to begin with because the schools aren’t looking for kids from that high school.

My kids attend one of these “feeder” privates not in the DMV.
Top 50% generally gets into T25/30. But it’s important to not aim too high if you are close to 35-50%. A WashU/Emory ED strategy is best there.
Whole class absolutely gets into T50.

Agree what previous posters note on ranking. Nothing in counselor report indicates rank which is how these full pay kids get in “below” top 10%. That’s just a silly gimmick anyway.

A good private college counselor with a national presence who has served as an admissions officer can figure a lot of this out for you too with your school’s historic data.

Your high school's data is the ONLY real thing that matters. All of the questions and rules on this site (top 5% vs. top 10%) are irrelevant because it's not based on your HS data.
It's clear AOs evaluate private schools very differently based on the #s and percentages of the class admitted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having had a girl and a boy go through the college admissions process at a private school, I will tell you the girls know a lot more about everyone’s scores, stats, and special hooks. Boys are just not as in the weeds on this stuff and frankly don’t care as much.

So if you are a girl mom and have good Intel, that counts for a lot

++yes indeed they made rank lists and kept track of each others' GPAs plus they edit each other's common app essays in AP LIT in 11th grade after the AP, and go over how to enter GPA, scores, courses into common app. They know everything about each other including ECs. My son knows nothing and his friends do not talk but the girls are starting to pepper him with questions after teachers called him out as high scorer on a few things. I am the one who showed him naviance, where his sister was and how he is definitely near the very top for gpa. He is nonchalant and clueless, probably better that way.

My senior DD and her friends had REA/ED Google sheets /lists for everyone in their privates class - girls updated as info came out with a column for hooks.

It was sooo detailed. With a few hours they know results of who got in where. Feel like it’s so organized! I bet the CCO doesn’t have spreadsheets that up to date.

That’s not healthy.

How awful. I’m glad I don’t live in the DMV. My kid is only at the Emory/Wash U/Tufts level and I’m very proud of what they achieved to get there and I hope they feel good about their imperfect self as well. I’m glad they’re somewhere where they’re not looked at as “less than” for not being at your HYP level.

Listen to yourself. only at a top 30 level? Perspective is needed nowadays.

Tufts isn't T30. Why are yall adding it.

[Anonymous]

Bump for “garden variety smart kid” post.

This might help you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IMO this is a very interesting post.

Shows that your high school's relationship with certain colleges is likely a very underrated part of the process.

And also, which goes hand in hand, that the kid's peers' perception of certain colleges matters as well.

So important and people here are oblivious to this important and determining factor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bump for “garden variety smart kid” post.

This might help you?

It is, thanks again

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is a shockingly vivid reminder of how corrupt the entire college admissions process is. Top 10% of a private-school graduating class go to top 5 schools, next 10% go to the next 5... so the top *half* all go to T50 schools?

At my kid's public school, no one goes to any T50 school, not even the top 1% of a graduating class -- kids with perfect grades, 1580-1600 SATs, and course rigor generated in part by dual-enrolling at a local research university and out-performing the actual college students there.

I don't think your kids are smarter or working harder, but *half* of the kids at your kid's school are going to schools that *none* of the kids at my kid's school can even dream of attending. Good work buying your kid's success at the expense, in part, of my kid's success!

Of course, I already knew this was true, but seeing it exemplified so vividly in this discussion is nonetheless shocking.

That’s why it’s important to see your school’s data. It doesn’t matter how good your kid is. They were never going to get to begin with because the schools aren’t looking for kids from that high school.

My kids attend one of these “feeder” privates not in the DMV.
Top 50% generally gets into T25/30. But it’s important to not aim too high if you are close to 35-50%. A WashU/Emory ED strategy is best there.
Whole class absolutely gets into T50.

Agree what previous posters note on ranking. Nothing in counselor report indicates rank which is how these full pay kids get in “below” top 10%. That’s just a silly gimmick anyway.

A good private college counselor with a national presence who has served as an admissions officer can figure a lot of this out for you too with your school’s historic data.

Your high school's data is the ONLY real thing that matters. All of the questions and rules on this site (top 5% vs. top 10%) are irrelevant because it's not based on your HS data.
It's clear AOs evaluate private schools very differently based on the #s and percentages of the class admitted.

+1

Our private is very different from PP in that only around top half go to T50 unhooked, top 1/4 for T25 unhooked. RD for the uber competitive HYPSM and VIPER /M&T programs at Penn are only for the val/sal super smarties and half the years none get any ivy without ED. Contrast to a boston top
Private that has 4-6 kids get in every year unhooked to the top tier in RD

[Anonymous]

^^
Many of the private schools with the best college admissions tend to be humanities/whole student focused or progressive schools with most students applying to undersubscribed majors.

There was a whole post on this strategy a while back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is a shockingly vivid reminder of how corrupt the entire college admissions process is. Top 10% of a private-school graduating class go to top 5 schools, next 10% go to the next 5... so the top *half* all go to T50 schools?

At my kid's public school, no one goes to any T50 school, not even the top 1% of a graduating class -- kids with perfect grades, 1580-1600 SATs, and course rigor generated in part by dual-enrolling at a local research university and out-performing the actual college students there.

I don't think your kids are smarter or working harder, but *half* of the kids at your kid's school are going to schools that *none* of the kids at my kid's school can even dream of attending. Good work buying your kid's success at the expense, in part, of my kid's success!

Of course, I already knew this was true, but seeing it exemplified so vividly in this discussion is nonetheless shocking.

I don't know if its corrupt. Its just very region and school-dependent. Not every kid and every HS is treated the same.
It would be helpful for T25 colleges to print a list of their "feeder" high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is a shockingly vivid reminder of how corrupt the entire college admissions process is. Top 10% of a private-school graduating class go to top 5 schools, next 10% go to the next 5... so the top *half* all go to T50 schools?

At my kid's public school, no one goes to any T50 school, not even the top 1% of a graduating class -- kids with perfect grades, 1580-1600 SATs, and course rigor generated in part by dual-enrolling at a local research university and out-performing the actual college students there.

I don't think your kids are smarter or working harder, but *half* of the kids at your kid's school are going to schools that *none* of the kids at my kid's school can even dream of attending. Good work buying your kid's success at the expense, in part, of my kid's success!

Of course, I already knew this was true, but seeing it exemplified so vividly in this discussion is nonetheless shocking.

That’s why it’s important to see your school’s data. It doesn’t matter how good your kid is. They were never going to get to begin with because the schools aren’t looking for kids from that high school.

My kids attend one of these “feeder” privates not in the DMV.
Top 50% generally gets into T25/30. But it’s important to not aim too high if you are close to 35-50%. A WashU/Emory ED strategy is best there.
Whole class absolutely gets into T50.

Agree what previous posters note on ranking. Nothing in counselor report indicates rank which is how these full pay kids get in “below” top 10%. That’s just a silly gimmick anyway.

A good private college counselor with a national presence who has served as an admissions officer can figure a lot of this out for you too with your school’s historic data.

Your high school's data is the ONLY real thing that matters. All of the questions and rules on this site (top 5% vs. top 10%) are irrelevant because it's not based on your HS data.
It's clear AOs evaluate private schools very differently based on the #s and percentages of the class admitted.

every person asking for advice going forward should have to review this entire thread to understand variation of outcomes and why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is a shockingly vivid reminder of how corrupt the entire college admissions process is. Top 10% of a private-school graduating class go to top 5 schools, next 10% go to the next 5... so the top *half* all go to T50 schools?

At my kid's public school, no one goes to any T50 school, not even the top 1% of a graduating class -- kids with perfect grades, 1580-1600 SATs, and course rigor generated in part by dual-enrolling at a local research university and out-performing the actual college students there.

I don't think your kids are smarter or working harder, but *half* of the kids at your kid's school are going to schools that *none* of the kids at my kid's school can even dream of attending. Good work buying your kid's success at the expense, in part, of my kid's success!

Of course, I already knew this was true, but seeing it exemplified so vividly in this discussion is nonetheless shocking.

That’s why it’s important to see your school’s data. It doesn’t matter how good your kid is. They were never going to get to begin with because the schools aren’t looking for kids from that high school.

My kids attend one of these “feeder” privates not in the DMV.
Top 50% generally gets into T25/30. But it’s important to not aim too high if you are close to 35-50%. A WashU/Emory ED strategy is best there.
Whole class absolutely gets into T50.

Agree what previous posters note on ranking. Nothing in counselor report indicates rank which is how these full pay kids get in “below” top 10%. That’s just a silly gimmick anyway.

A good private college counselor with a national presence who has served as an admissions officer can figure a lot of this out for you too with your school’s historic data.

Your high school's data is the ONLY real thing that matters. All of the questions and rules on this site (top 5% vs. top 10%) are irrelevant because it's not based on your HS data.
It's clear AOs evaluate private schools very differently based on the #s and percentages of the class admitted.

every person asking for advice going forward should have to review this entire thread to understand variation of outcomes and why.

+1. I will also add that I have no proof that it tipped the scales but when my kid was asked by their college counselor what was their top schools of the ones they applied to EA, there was zero hesitation about their #1 choice and it’s a school that wants you to want them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is a shockingly vivid reminder of how corrupt the entire college admissions process is. Top 10% of a private-school graduating class go to top 5 schools, next 10% go to the next 5... so the top *half* all go to T50 schools?

At my kid's public school, no one goes to any T50 school, not even the top 1% of a graduating class -- kids with perfect grades, 1580-1600 SATs, and course rigor generated in part by dual-enrolling at a local research university and out-performing the actual college students there.

I don't think your kids are smarter or working harder, but *half* of the kids at your kid's school are going to schools that *none* of the kids at my kid's school can even dream of attending. Good work buying your kid's success at the expense, in part, of my kid's success!

Of course, I already knew this was true, but seeing it exemplified so vividly in this discussion is nonetheless shocking.

Average SAT at our school is 1500. So, I get that the top of the pool does better at our school, but it's a different pool. It was hard to get into it in the first place.

I have a kid who is 50% at our school - with a 1520 SAT - and it pretty much sucks for college stuff. Otherwise, it's been an excellent high school experience.

Exactly. it can be a double edged sword at these feeder privates: hard to stand out when half the school has 1500
+ and are competing against each other in the highest rigor classes.

And a majority of the class are legacies or double legacies at Ivies.

Speaking deciles means nothing without accounting for legacies, development, URM, etc. Our school sends many kids every year to Harvard and Stanford, for ex, but the vast majority of these are hooked. Are many of them in the top "decile"? Yes, but not at all. But I can assure you the very top kids in the class who are unhooked are passed over for the most part in favor of the hooked kids. It's especially bad at Harvard and Stanford, but this logic filters down through the other Ivies.

It's now illegal to look at URM status.

+1

Parents still hold on to this for scapegoating purposes.

[Anonymous]

What an obsession!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IMO this is a very interesting post.

Shows that your high school's relationship with certain colleges is likely a very underrated part of the process.

And also, which goes hand in hand, that the kid's peers' perception of certain colleges matters as well.

especially true for private high schools. and why its so hard to answer questions that people post here, bc we don't know your HS history with a certain school.