Do you know a kid who was screwed in the college process in last few years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:25% of Asian kids score 1400+ on the SAT.

Only 4% of White and 1% of Hispanic and Black kids do.

Asians are underrepresented at elite schools given their high grades and board scores.

But a lot of them get those scores because they go to cram schools. They're not naturally smarter or anything. And the problem with this framing is your premise is these scores are the primary criterion elite schools value -- or should value. They're not. And shouldn't be.

As it is, Asian kids are WOEFULLY overrepresented and we really should cut back on them.

Asians may be overrepresented relative to their overall percentage in the school going population, but underrepresented relative to their credentials and accomplishments. Both can be true.

This. Exactly.

So, they are using their analytical abilities to look beyond the college name and going for - in-demand hard STEM majors where there is a high barrier to entry, saving their education dollars, building wealth and network, as well as having profession adjacent gigs and startup ideas.

You are basically arguing that computer science skills are more worthy than great writers or great dancers or great linguists and so on. You need to find a place at a school that agrees with that. If you are trying to get a place at a school that also values scientific research skills, then you might get beat out by a science researcher. What the student brings to the table needs to align with what the school wants on the table.

No. I am not arguing that at all. What I am saying and seeing is that these Asian superstars are often times studying a STEM major and a Humanities major. So, really, they are all-rounders. Good communicators, able to see the big picture, good debaters etc. Most of them are polygots- knowing multiple languages. In addition to all of this - they are dancers, painters, singers, photographers, and accompalished musicians too. It is the culture of being all-rounders and excelling in everything. So, it becomes immaterial if Ivies don't take them. They are increasing the profile of the regular state colleges. In schools like UMD, it is extremely hard for average kids to get into the high demand classes or even compete with the cohort.

Ok. So they're not screwed. I thought this thread was about students feeling they were screwed over by getting a spot at UMD. Umd is a very fine institution with competitive admissions and offers significant opportunities to its graduates . I am not of the opinion that anyone is screwed over by going there but that was the topic of this thread.

No. I believe that Asian students have changed the rhetoric now. The tippy-top students are being rejected for being Asians (yes, I understand that colleges want diversity and not merit) and they are going to state flagships instead. So, now, because the influx of these academic superstars, state colleges are doing very well and rising in ranking. The only downside I can see is the average student in-state may find it extremely hard to get into these programs because the academic stats and ECs are so high.

Having super hardworking Asians in this country is a boon for this country and for our educational institutions. It is keeping US competitive. And no, intelligence does not have a racial component. Individuals can be geniuses and every child can be educated to reach their best.

You seem to be myopically focused on what you call academic super stardom. That simply is not enough at some of these top schools. Almost all the students at top colleges are overall academic superstars. So many of the students at these places have an additional very developed specific talent.

Every department at the school is fighting to get students in there that they want in their programs. Nobody is fighting for an overall well-rounded high-level academic student. The math department want s. High-level math majors. The arts department s want accomplished people in their discipline. The diving coach wants an Olympic diver. That coach does not care if the diver is Asian or white or black or green. They want the best diver they can get.

If they're admitting a class of a thousand, you are not competing against every kid that's applying to the school. You are competing against the other students with your specific talent for the most part.

Again, you are using the same old racist trope of Asians being academic superstars but nothing more than that. Most Asian students are multi-faceted kids who excel equally in various ECs, are multi-lingual, have more exposure to different cultures, will give back to the community etc. They are also mentally and emotionally strong, having a solid family support and financial strength behind them.

Anyhow, Asian Americans are smart enough to anticipate the jealousy and hate from Whites (Blacks and Hispanics are too downtrodden to impact Asians in any way but through violence). and take steps to mitigate it. They are determined to not be victims and are forward looking. They elevate any school they go to and do well in their careers.

In any case, the percentage of super achievers among Asian-Americans is high enough that colleges cannot do without them. Even with all the discrimination - Asians will continue to rise.

Blah, blah blah.

You're a troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think any kids get "screwed" in the college application process. What a peculiar way of looking at things.

If you are the #1 kid in your school, aiming for T10/T20, and you end up at the flagship or worse (and not for financial reasons), then yeah, I think you were screwed since kids ranked FAR below you got into the schools you were aiming for?
Maybe it was your application? Your major? Your story?

What a strange sense of entitlement. If that came across in the application process, it might explain the rejection. The bottom line is this mythological "screwed" student is the common denominator here -- there's obviously something defective about them. They don't deserve a T10/T20 because of their stats -- and it's a fallacy to suspect that kids "ranked FAR below you got into schools you were aiming for." It's clear they had something you did not. Deal with it. You (or your kid) isn't nearly as special as you thought and isn't owed anything at all.

DP

I see it every year. Talk to any college cosultant They will tell you... "At least you're not Asian". All things being equal asians get screwed. Being white isn't great either but it's better than being asian.

Really? “Being white isn’t great either?” What would you rather be? Keep in mind though, that you have to “be” the whole package for a lifetime — not just whatever box you check during the milliseconds when you’re checking the box. Pick one. Heck, pick more than one, and describe what “great” looks like. Please. I’d really like to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:25% of Asian kids score 1400+ on the SAT.

Only 4% of White and 1% of Hispanic and Black kids do.

Asians are underrepresented at elite schools given their high grades and board scores.

But a lot of them get those scores because they go to cram schools. They're not naturally smarter or anything. And the problem with this framing is your premise is these scores are the primary criterion elite schools value -- or should value. They're not. And shouldn't be.

As it is, Asian kids are WOEFULLY overrepresented and we really should cut back on them.

Asians may be overrepresented relative to their overall percentage in the school going population, but underrepresented relative to their credentials and accomplishments. Both can be true.

This. Exactly.

So, they are using their analytical abilities to look beyond the college name and going for - in-demand hard STEM majors where there is a high barrier to entry, saving their education dollars, building wealth and network, as well as having profession adjacent gigs and startup ideas.

You are basically arguing that computer science skills are more worthy than great writers or great dancers or great linguists and so on. You need to find a place at a school that agrees with that. If you are trying to get a place at a school that also values scientific research skills, then you might get beat out by a science researcher. What the student brings to the table needs to align with what the school wants on the table.

No. I am not arguing that at all. What I am saying and seeing is that these Asian superstars are often times studying a STEM major and a Humanities major. So, really, they are all-rounders. Good communicators, able to see the big picture, good debaters etc. Most of them are polygots- knowing multiple languages. In addition to all of this - they are dancers, painters, singers, photographers, and accompalished musicians too. It is the culture of being all-rounders and excelling in everything. So, it becomes immaterial if Ivies don't take them. They are increasing the profile of the regular state colleges. In schools like UMD, it is extremely hard for average kids to get into the high demand classes or even compete with the cohort.

Ok. So they're not screwed. I thought this thread was about students feeling they were screwed over by getting a spot at UMD. Umd is a very fine institution with competitive admissions and offers significant opportunities to its graduates . I am not of the opinion that anyone is screwed over by going there but that was the topic of this thread.

No. I believe that Asian students have changed the rhetoric now. The tippy-top students are being rejected for being Asians (yes, I understand that colleges want diversity and not merit) and they are going to state flagships instead. So, now, because the influx of these academic superstars, state colleges are doing very well and rising in ranking. The only downside I can see is the average student in-state may find it extremely hard to get into these programs because the academic stats and ECs are so high.

Having super hardworking Asians in this country is a boon for this country and for our educational institutions. It is keeping US competitive. And no, intelligence does not have a racial component. Individuals can be geniuses and every child can be educated to reach their best.

You seem to be myopically focused on what you call academic super stardom. That simply is not enough at some of these top schools. Almost all the students at top colleges are overall academic superstars. So many of the students at these places have an additional very developed specific talent.

Every department at the school is fighting to get students in there that they want in their programs. Nobody is fighting for an overall well-rounded high-level academic student. The math department want s. High-level math majors. The arts department s want accomplished people in their discipline. The diving coach wants an Olympic diver. That coach does not care if the diver is Asian or white or black or green. They want the best diver they can get.

If they're admitting a class of a thousand, you are not competing against every kid that's applying to the school. You are competing against the other students with your specific talent for the most part.

Again, you are using the same old racist trope of Asians being academic superstars but nothing more than that. Most Asian students are multi-faceted kids who excel equally in various ECs, are multi-lingual, have more exposure to different cultures, will give back to the community etc. They are also mentally and emotionally strong, having a solid family support and financial strength behind them.

Anyhow, Asian Americans are smart enough to anticipate the jealousy and hate from Whites (Blacks and Hispanics are too downtrodden to impact Asians in any way but through violence). and take steps to mitigate it. They are determined to not be victims and are forward looking. They elevate any school they go to and do well in their careers.

In any case, the percentage of super achievers among Asian-Americans is high enough that colleges cannot do without them. Even with all the discrimination - Asians will continue to rise.

Rage bait quota met for the day?

So many racist thoughts whirling around in one tiny brain can’t possibly be healthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:it is bizarre to me that seemingly the same people want a total scores only meritocracy re: admitting black students (and make alot of assumptions about the objective criteria vis a vis the black students) and yet flip out when asians beat whites at the scores and start talking about wholistic factors. If you are going to stress out your kids by teaching them that their value is dependent on what schools they get into at least pick a lane

Because "fair" to these people means "the only thing that matters is that my [overprivileged] white kid gets admitted to prestigious college x"

[Anonymous]

OP here - this kid ended up getting into many T10 off the WLs.

All good.

[Anonymous]

A person only gets screwed if a significantly less qualified kid from the same school gets admitted.

And you didn't get screwed if no one from your school was accepted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A person only gets screwed if a significantly less qualified kid from the same school gets admitted.

And you didn't get screwed if no one from your school was accepted.

How do you define this?

Here's something I saw on Reddit - I think EVERYONE with a high stats kid should read the below (in answer to the question of how high stats/crazy ECs/awards kids still routinely get rejected:
https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/comments/1kl81su/comment/ms29pcm

Former admissions officer here from a top college, short answer: absolutely.

Here’s why:

I’ve seen plenty of high-achieving students get rejected, even with near-perfect GPAs and test scores. The biggest reasons? They didn’t show a genuine interest in our school, skipped optional supplements (which aren’t really optional unless your main app shows a strong alignment with the school’s mission), or came off as immature or unaware in their essays. Some shared stories that raised more concerns than confidence.

Having amazing stats isn’t a free pass to any university. Every school has a unique culture, and you still need to explain why you belong there specifically. Too often, students assume strong stats are enough, but admissions is just as much as about connecting with the adcom as it is about stats. You essays, recs, and activities need to bring out your personality, character, and alignment with the school.

I’ve read common app essays from students that went on and on about their inspiration and passion for engineering, for a school that did not offer an engineering major/track. Making us wonder, why you were even applying to our school. You have to make every school you apply to feel like they’re you’re #1 choice, because universities also care about their conversion rate of students that they admit, who actually commit, they do not want to offer a seat to students that are not enthusiastic about their school because every seat the school offers, may be the equivalent of rejecting 5 other highly qualified students who would say YES!

Think of it like dating. A 4.0 and a 1500+ SAT is similar to being tall, attractive, and fit. Great for many — but lots of other people check those boxes too. And to stand out, especially to a person who is also attractive and has many options (a highly selective university in our case) you need personality and depth that resonates with the person (school). And even then, you still might get rejected because you simply weren’t what they were looking for at that time, it’s not always personal.

I feel like many students and parents fail to understand the purpose of academic stats. We use these numbers as a way to gauge whether or not you can handle the workload and rigors of our classroom. The more rigorous and prestigious the school, the higher that bar is. But once you’re over it, it’s all about character, values, and alignment.

And here’s the twist: top schools do take chances on students with less-than-average stats, IF their story is powerful, inspiring, and shows grit. Because these schools have the academic resources to support them. Every year we see students who applied with perfect SAT scores and 4.0 GPAs with <2.5 First semester GPAs. As schools we accept the fact that students will struggle in our classroom regardless of their stats, and we address this by offering an abundance of academic resources to ensure students don’t flunk out, because that’s actually a poor reflection on us. So we can lean on the fact that students who may have not had the best HS academic performance can still do well in our classrooms if they utilize the resources our campus offers.

What sometimes matters more than stats is that the student has something meaningful to contribute and the potential to thrive with the right support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A person only gets screwed if a significantly less qualified kid from the same school gets admitted.

And you didn't get screwed if no one from your school was accepted.

How do you define this?

Here's something I saw on Reddit - I think EVERYONE with a high stats kid should read the below (in answer to the question of how high stats/crazy ECs/awards kids still routinely get rejected:
https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/comments/1kl81su/comment/ms29pcm

Former admissions officer here from a top college, short answer: absolutely.

Here’s why:

I’ve seen plenty of high-achieving students get rejected, even with near-perfect GPAs and test scores. The biggest reasons? They didn’t show a genuine interest in our school, skipped optional supplements (which aren’t really optional unless your main app shows a strong alignment with the school’s mission), or came off as immature or unaware in their essays. Some shared stories that raised more concerns than confidence.

Having amazing stats isn’t a free pass to any university. Every school has a unique culture, and you still need to explain why you belong there specifically. Too often, students assume strong stats are enough, but admissions is just as much as about connecting with the adcom as it is about stats. You essays, recs, and activities need to bring out your personality, character, and alignment with the school.

I’ve read common app essays from students that went on and on about their inspiration and passion for engineering, for a school that did not offer an engineering major/track. Making us wonder, why you were even applying to our school. You have to make every school you apply to feel like they’re you’re #1 choice, because universities also care about their conversion rate of students that they admit, who actually commit, they do not want to offer a seat to students that are not enthusiastic about their school because every seat the school offers, may be the equivalent of rejecting 5 other highly qualified students who would say YES!

Think of it like dating. A 4.0 and a 1500+ SAT is similar to being tall, attractive, and fit. Great for many — but lots of other people check those boxes too. And to stand out, especially to a person who is also attractive and has many options (a highly selective university in our case) you need personality and depth that resonates with the person (school). And even then, you still might get rejected because you simply weren’t what they were looking for at that time, it’s not always personal.

I feel like many students and parents fail to understand the purpose of academic stats. We use these numbers as a way to gauge whether or not you can handle the workload and rigors of our classroom. The more rigorous and prestigious the school, the higher that bar is. But once you’re over it, it’s all about character, values, and alignment.

And here’s the twist: top schools do take chances on students with less-than-average stats, IF their story is powerful, inspiring, and shows grit. Because these schools have the academic resources to support them. Every year we see students who applied with perfect SAT scores and 4.0 GPAs with <2.5 First semester GPAs. As schools we accept the fact that students will struggle in our classroom regardless of their stats, and we address this by offering an abundance of academic resources to ensure students don’t flunk out, because that’s actually a poor reflection on us. So we can lean on the fact that students who may have not had the best HS academic performance can still do well in our classrooms if they utilize the resources our campus offers.

What sometimes matters more than stats is that the student has something meaningful to contribute and the potential to thrive with the right support.

The powerful, inspiring stories are mostly BS. You know that right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A person only gets screwed if a significantly less qualified kid from the same school gets admitted.

And you didn't get screwed if no one from your school was accepted.

How do you define this?

Here's something I saw on Reddit - I think EVERYONE with a high stats kid should read the below (in answer to the question of how high stats/crazy ECs/awards kids still routinely get rejected:
https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/comments/1kl81su/comment/ms29pcm

Former admissions officer here from a top college, short answer: absolutely.

Here’s why:

I’ve seen plenty of high-achieving students get rejected, even with near-perfect GPAs and test scores. The biggest reasons? They didn’t show a genuine interest in our school, skipped optional supplements (which aren’t really optional unless your main app shows a strong alignment with the school’s mission), or came off as immature or unaware in their essays. Some shared stories that raised more concerns than confidence.

Having amazing stats isn’t a free pass to any university. Every school has a unique culture, and you still need to explain why you belong there specifically. Too often, students assume strong stats are enough, but admissions is just as much as about connecting with the adcom as it is about stats. You essays, recs, and activities need to bring out your personality, character, and alignment with the school.

I’ve read common app essays from students that went on and on about their inspiration and passion for engineering, for a school that did not offer an engineering major/track. Making us wonder, why you were even applying to our school. You have to make every school you apply to feel like they’re you’re #1 choice, because universities also care about their conversion rate of students that they admit, who actually commit, they do not want to offer a seat to students that are not enthusiastic about their school because every seat the school offers, may be the equivalent of rejecting 5 other highly qualified students who would say YES!

Think of it like dating. A 4.0 and a 1500+ SAT is similar to being tall, attractive, and fit. Great for many — but lots of other people check those boxes too. And to stand out, especially to a person who is also attractive and has many options (a highly selective university in our case) you need personality and depth that resonates with the person (school). And even then, you still might get rejected because you simply weren’t what they were looking for at that time, it’s not always personal.

I feel like many students and parents fail to understand the purpose of academic stats. We use these numbers as a way to gauge whether or not you can handle the workload and rigors of our classroom. The more rigorous and prestigious the school, the higher that bar is. But once you’re over it, it’s all about character, values, and alignment.

And here’s the twist: top schools do take chances on students with less-than-average stats, IF their story is powerful, inspiring, and shows grit. Because these schools have the academic resources to support them. Every year we see students who applied with perfect SAT scores and 4.0 GPAs with <2.5 First semester GPAs. As schools we accept the fact that students will struggle in our classroom regardless of their stats, and we address this by offering an abundance of academic resources to ensure students don’t flunk out, because that’s actually a poor reflection on us. So we can lean on the fact that students who may have not had the best HS academic performance can still do well in our classrooms if they utilize the resources our campus offers.

What sometimes matters more than stats is that the student has something meaningful to contribute and the potential to thrive with the right support.

The powerful, inspiring stories are mostly BS. You know that right?

Not in my experience.
I also think those kids are generally more interesting that the top stats kids who shotgun all of the T20, without deep insight and personalization. These kids do a surface job in those supplemental essays - copy, edit in 1 hour, rinse and repeat - and it shows. And they wonder why they were rejected everywhere?

This is a quote further down in that reddit post form the same poster -its important to remember that the AO has to make the case for your kid - you have to give them something compelling to work with - stats don't count:
"Connecting with the adcom in this context means to come across a genuine, full, and relatable person, numbers don’t tell a story, and when we go to committee meetings, we literally have to make a case for the students we want to admit, and convince others and weak essays make that task exceptionally hard. Remember, you’re not just winning over one individual, your task is to win over the hearts of an entire committee of admissions officers, your story matters "

[Anonymous]

Getting rejected is not the same as getting screwed. Getting rejected from a top school is understandable.

I think high stats kids (and their parents) think that the bar should be higher than it actually is. For example, they probably feel that a TO kid or a kid with a 1450 should not be given a chance due to the fact that there are tons of kids applying to the top schools with greater than a 1500.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Getting rejected is not the same as getting screwed. Getting rejected from a top school is understandable.

I think high stats kids (and their parents) think that the bar should be higher than it actually is. For example, they probably feel that a TO kid or a kid with a 1450 should not be given a chance due to the fact that there are tons of kids applying to the top schools with greater than a 1500.

High stats doesn't make you compelling to an AO. That's the truth. Plain & simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A person only gets screwed if a significantly less qualified kid from the same school gets admitted.

And you didn't get screwed if no one from your school was accepted.

How do you define this?

Here's something I saw on Reddit - I think EVERYONE with a high stats kid should read the below (in answer to the question of how high stats/crazy ECs/awards kids still routinely get rejected:
https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/comments/1kl81su/comment/ms29pcm

Former admissions officer here from a top college, short answer: absolutely.

Here’s why:

I’ve seen plenty of high-achieving students get rejected, even with near-perfect GPAs and test scores. The biggest reasons? They didn’t show a genuine interest in our school, skipped optional supplements (which aren’t really optional unless your main app shows a strong alignment with the school’s mission), or came off as immature or unaware in their essays. Some shared stories that raised more concerns than confidence.

Having amazing stats isn’t a free pass to any university. Every school has a unique culture, and you still need to explain why you belong there specifically. Too often, students assume strong stats are enough, but admissions is just as much as about connecting with the adcom as it is about stats. You essays, recs, and activities need to bring out your personality, character, and alignment with the school.

I’ve read common app essays from students that went on and on about their inspiration and passion for engineering, for a school that did not offer an engineering major/track. Making us wonder, why you were even applying to our school. You have to make every school you apply to feel like they’re you’re #1 choice, because universities also care about their conversion rate of students that they admit, who actually commit, they do not want to offer a seat to students that are not enthusiastic about their school because every seat the school offers, may be the equivalent of rejecting 5 other highly qualified students who would say YES!

Think of it like dating. A 4.0 and a 1500+ SAT is similar to being tall, attractive, and fit. Great for many — but lots of other people check those boxes too. And to stand out, especially to a person who is also attractive and has many options (a highly selective university in our case) you need personality and depth that resonates with the person (school). And even then, you still might get rejected because you simply weren’t what they were looking for at that time, it’s not always personal.

I feel like many students and parents fail to understand the purpose of academic stats. We use these numbers as a way to gauge whether or not you can handle the workload and rigors of our classroom. The more rigorous and prestigious the school, the higher that bar is. But once you’re over it, it’s all about character, values, and alignment.

And here’s the twist: top schools do take chances on students with less-than-average stats, IF their story is powerful, inspiring, and shows grit. Because these schools have the academic resources to support them. Every year we see students who applied with perfect SAT scores and 4.0 GPAs with <2.5 First semester GPAs. As schools we accept the fact that students will struggle in our classroom regardless of their stats, and we address this by offering an abundance of academic resources to ensure students don’t flunk out, because that’s actually a poor reflection on us. So we can lean on the fact that students who may have not had the best HS academic performance can still do well in our classrooms if they utilize the resources our campus offers.

What sometimes matters more than stats is that the student has something meaningful to contribute and the potential to thrive with the right support.

The powerful, inspiring stories are mostly BS. You know that right?

The inspiring stories are assessed along with student interviews, teacher recommendations and online searches — you know that, right? If Timmy really started an animal rescue center after Lassie changed his life, it usually shows up somewhere besides the essay. And having “something meaningful to contribute” doesn’t have to be earth shattering by your standards. It could be as simple as plans to use one’s education and skills in the underserved community that a prospective student values and understands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Getting rejected is not the same as getting screwed. Getting rejected from a top school is understandable.

I think high stats kids (and their parents) think that the bar should be higher than it actually is. For example, they probably feel that a TO kid or a kid with a 1450 should not be given a chance due to the fact that there are tons of kids applying to the top schools with greater than a 1500.

High stats doesn't make you compelling to an AO. That's the truth. Plain & simple.

I get that. My point is that I feel that high stat kids think/want the line between consider and no to be a lot higher than it actually is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - this kid ended up getting into many T10 off the WLs.

All good.

That's a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A person only gets screwed if a significantly less qualified kid from the same school gets admitted.

And you didn't get screwed if no one from your school was accepted.

How do you define this?

Here's something I saw on Reddit - I think EVERYONE with a high stats kid should read the below (in answer to the question of how high stats/crazy ECs/awards kids still routinely get rejected:
https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/comments/1kl81su/comment/ms29pcm

Former admissions officer here from a top college, short answer: absolutely.

Here’s why:

I’ve seen plenty of high-achieving students get rejected, even with near-perfect GPAs and test scores. The biggest reasons? They didn’t show a genuine interest in our school, skipped optional supplements (which aren’t really optional unless your main app shows a strong alignment with the school’s mission), or came off as immature or unaware in their essays. Some shared stories that raised more concerns than confidence.

Having amazing stats isn’t a free pass to any university. Every school has a unique culture, and you still need to explain why you belong there specifically. Too often, students assume strong stats are enough, but admissions is just as much as about connecting with the adcom as it is about stats. You essays, recs, and activities need to bring out your personality, character, and alignment with the school.

I’ve read common app essays from students that went on and on about their inspiration and passion for engineering, for a school that did not offer an engineering major/track. Making us wonder, why you were even applying to our school. You have to make every school you apply to feel like they’re you’re #1 choice, because universities also care about their conversion rate of students that they admit, who actually commit, they do not want to offer a seat to students that are not enthusiastic about their school because every seat the school offers, may be the equivalent of rejecting 5 other highly qualified students who would say YES!

Think of it like dating. A 4.0 and a 1500+ SAT is similar to being tall, attractive, and fit. Great for many — but lots of other people check those boxes too. And to stand out, especially to a person who is also attractive and has many options (a highly selective university in our case) you need personality and depth that resonates with the person (school). And even then, you still might get rejected because you simply weren’t what they were looking for at that time, it’s not always personal.

I feel like many students and parents fail to understand the purpose of academic stats. We use these numbers as a way to gauge whether or not you can handle the workload and rigors of our classroom. The more rigorous and prestigious the school, the higher that bar is. But once you’re over it, it’s all about character, values, and alignment.

And here’s the twist: top schools do take chances on students with less-than-average stats, IF their story is powerful, inspiring, and shows grit. Because these schools have the academic resources to support them. Every year we see students who applied with perfect SAT scores and 4.0 GPAs with <2.5 First semester GPAs. As schools we accept the fact that students will struggle in our classroom regardless of their stats, and we address this by offering an abundance of academic resources to ensure students don’t flunk out, because that’s actually a poor reflection on us. So we can lean on the fact that students who may have not had the best HS academic performance can still do well in our classrooms if they utilize the resources our campus offers.

What sometimes matters more than stats is that the student has something meaningful to contribute and the potential to thrive with the right support.

+1000

Showing demonstrated interest in REAL ways is key at every school. High stats kids claim they are "yield protected" when most often it's just they didn't show why they would really attend that school.
But it doesn't happen to everyone.

My 1540, 3.98UW/10AP kid got in CWRU, a school "known for yield protection especially with Higher stats kids". My kid had not even visited, because the Summer before senior year when we did college tours, they didn't want CWRU. However in Sept they realized it was a good target for them and actually met all of their criteria, just that Cleveland itself wasn't where they might want to be. But they had a friend who was just starting as a freshman and who was loving it. So they decided to apply, and began the process of attending online sessions, both general and for engineering and asking specific questions in those sessions as well as contacting admissions with key questions (ones that demonstrate interest and a deeper knowledge than just watching the first welcome video).
My kid was accepted EA for engineering. But they did everything they could to show interest. And it worked.