Getting into St. Albans

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post college placement stats for 2012?

Haven't been circulated yet (usually the student newspaper comes up with a list). Kid grapevine says something like 22 kids (out of 76) going to Ivies/Stanford -- this was a very accomplished senior class. These things change a LOT from year to year and really depend on what the kids themselves bring to the table, so although you can infer that St. Albans generally has a strong academic cohort, read these things sort of like the warnings on mutual fund advertisements: "past results do not guarantee future performance."

It's an interesting, warm, quirky sort of school, in a boisterous all-boys/blazers and ties/stained glass windows kind of way. Kids generally think they'd like it or know they want something really different (girls! no dress code! no chapel!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Son entered STA from public school in Montgomery County. Academics were no problem, and he also did very time-intensive sport. However, make sure that you look into the math placement. They are basically tracking the boys, and unless you have been at STA, they won't put you in the advanced math track. Son was in highest math sequence (magnet in MS). STA gave him a placement test, which had some geometry that he hadn't had yet and some unusual notation, so he didn't do that well. However, it would have taken 15 minutes to learn the notation. As a result, he basically did the same math for two years, which meant that as a science major in college, he was behind (just regular AP Calculus AB). Ask to see a practice placement test from STA if accelerated math is an issue.

So are you saying that unless a boy entering 9th grade was on the advanced math track in lower school, he won't be placed in the advanced math sequence?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:If your child has no "hooks" at an Ivy, is he sunk at STA if he has a few Bs? Are Ivies only looking at near straight-A kids from STA if they aren't legacies, athletes, etc?

I think your child will still stand out if he can score perfect (or near perfect) on the SAT and taking the most challenging classes available.

This is our strategy.

And by the way, being an AA applicant coming out of STA isn't a hook. Near perfect grades, test scores, recs, ecs are just as crucial. The only students with true hooks are: legacies, and athletes (National and/or All-Met recognition).

AA out of STA is a hook. Why would applicants from STA not be considered URM?

In Ivy admissions AA is not a hook. You do not know the definition of hook. A hook is not just an advantage, as URM is. A hook something that takes an applicant out of the regular applicant pool. Legacy and athletic recruit are the only hooks the admissions offices know. Development case may be a hook, but not always, and therefore is not by definition a hook.


Simply being an AA with average grades (3.3 and lower) and test scores (1800 or lower SATs and/or APs under 4) applying out of either NCS/STA will not open any Ivy league doors unless you're legacy or an elite athlete.

AA out of STA is not a hook (because AA is not in itself a hook); however, AA is always URM at Harvard and other Ivies. Believe it: it's true.

Of course, URM status at Harvard or any of the other Ivies is an hook.

AA applicants from STA with average/below gpas & test scores are in for a rude awakening if they think that the Ivies will be interested in them. Unless they're legacy, recruited athletes, or have parents with connections to governing boards, the Ivies are out of reach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your child has no "hooks" at an Ivy, is he sunk at STA if he has a few Bs? Are Ivies only looking at near straight-A kids from STA if they aren't legacies, athletes, etc?

I think your child will still stand out if he can score perfect (or near perfect) on the SAT and taking the most challenging classes available.

This is our strategy.

And by the way, being an AA applicant coming out of STA isn't a hook. Near perfect grades, test scores, recs, ecs are just as crucial. The only students with true hooks are: legacies, and athletes (National and/or All-Met recognition).

AA out of STA is a hook. Why would applicants from STA not be considered URM?

Simply being an AA with average grades (3.3 and lower) and test scores (1800 or lower SATs and/or APs under 4) applying out of either NCS/STA will not open any Ivy league doors unless you're legacy or an elite athlete.

AA out of STA is not a hook (because AA is not in itself a hook); however, AA is always URM at Harvard and other Ivies. Believe it: it's true.

Of course, URM status at Harvard or any of the other Ivies is an hook.

AA applicants from STA with average/below gpas & test scores are in for a rude awakening if they think that the Ivies will be interested in them. Unless they're legacy, recruited athletes, or have parents with connections to governing boards, the Ivies are out of reach.

Sorry, I posted in the wrong sequence just now.

Here's what I posted before:

In Ivy admissions AA is not a hook. You do not know the definition of hook. A hook is not just an advantage, as URM is. A hook something that takes an applicant out of the regular applicant pool. Legacy and athletic recruit are the only hooks the admissions offices know. Development case may be a hook, but not always, and therefore is not by definition a hook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


Simply being an AA with average grades (3.3 and lower) and test scores (1800 or lower SATs and/or APs under 4) applying out of either NCS/STA will not open any Ivy league doors unless you're legacy or an elite athlete.

AA out of STA is not a hook (because AA is not in itself a hook); however, AA is always URM at Harvard and other Ivies. Believe it: it's true.

Of course, URM status at Harvard or any of the other Ivies is an hook.

AA applicants from STA with average/below gpas & test scores are in for a rude awakening if they think that the Ivies will be interested in them. Unless they're legacy, recruited athletes, or have parents with connections to governing boards, the Ivies are out of reach.

These are conflicting, but I don't know which is correct. Ivies are generally looking for 2200 SATs or above, for unhooked, non-URM kids. Even 2200+ SATs is no guarantee, by any means. So if the first poster says all you need is 1800+ SATs and URM, then that's an advantage, whatever else you call it. The 2nd poster says even the URMs need great (i.e. 2200+) SATs.

Anybody know who is right?

[Anonymous]

Sorry, What does URM mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, What does URM mean?

Under represented minority. It's a polite way of saying Black/Hispanic vs. Asian, which is an over represented minority.

[Anonymous]

URMs, which include African-Americans/Blacks and Hispanics, are considered with the general applicant pool, not separately as are legacies and athletic recruits. That is why URM is not a hook. Not everything that gives one an advantage in college admissions is a "hook."

[Anonymous]

splitting hairs, no?

[Anonymous]

Applying as an URM with great grades, test scores, and proven leadership ability will provide a slight boost/advantage in the (ivy league/college) admissions process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:splitting hairs, no?

No, it's not splitting hairs to explain why something is not the hook that people think it is. People misunderstand the meaning of "hook" in college admissions and therefore misuse the term.

[Anonymous]

right. splitting hairs, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:If your child has no "hooks" at an Ivy, is he sunk at STA if he has a few Bs? Are Ivies only looking at near straight-A kids from STA if they aren't legacies, athletes, etc?

I think your child will still stand out if he can score perfect (or near perfect) on the SAT and taking the most challenging classes available.

This is our strategy.

And by the way, being an AA applicant coming out of STA isn't a hook. Near perfect grades, test scores, recs, ecs are just as crucial. The only students with true hooks are: legacies, and athletes (National and/or All-Met recognition).

AA out of STA is a hook. Why would applicants from STA not be considered URM?

Simply being an AA with average grades (3.3 and lower) and test scores (1800 or lower SATs and/or APs under 4) applying out of either NCS/STA will not open any Ivy league doors unless you're legacy or an elite athlete.

AA out of STA is not a hook (because AA is not in itself a hook); however, AA is always URM at Harvard and other Ivies. Believe it: it's true.

Of course, URM status at Harvard or any of the other Ivies is an hook.

AA applicants from STA with average/below gpas & test scores are in for a rude awakening if they think that the Ivies will be interested in them. Unless they're legacy, recruited athletes, or have parents with connections to governing boards, the Ivies are out of reach.

Sorry, I posted in the wrong sequence just now.

Here's what I posted before:

In Ivy admissions AA is not a hook. You do not know the definition of hook. A hook is not just an advantage, as URM is. A hook something that takes an applicant out of the regular applicant pool. Legacy and athletic recruit are the only hooks the admissions offices know. Development case may be a hook, but not always, and therefore is not by definition a hook.

So you're saying that applying with an URM classification is an advantage yet being a legacy or athletic recruit is an hook and not an advantage. WTF? Additionally, you say that the admissions office doesn't notice when an URM submits an application. This makes a lot of sense given that there are boxes/fields on the common app that inquire about one's race. Funny that acceptance percentages for certain races tend not to shift very much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your child has no "hooks" at an Ivy, is he sunk at STA if he has a few Bs? Are Ivies only looking at near straight-A kids from STA if they aren't legacies, athletes, etc?

I think your child will still stand out if he can score perfect (or near perfect) on the SAT and taking the most challenging classes available.

This is our strategy.

And by the way, being an AA applicant coming out of STA isn't a hook. Near perfect grades, test scores, recs, ecs are just as crucial. The only students with true hooks are: legacies, and athletes (National and/or All-Met recognition).

AA out of STA is a hook. Why would applicants from STA not be considered URM?

Simply being an AA with average grades (3.3 and lower) and test scores (1800 or lower SATs and/or APs under 4) applying out of either NCS/STA will not open any Ivy league doors unless you're legacy or an elite athlete.

AA out of STA is not a hook (because AA is not in itself a hook); however, AA is always URM at Harvard and other Ivies. Believe it: it's true.

Of course, URM status at Harvard or any of the other Ivies is an hook.

AA applicants from STA with average/below gpas & test scores are in for a rude awakening if they think that the Ivies will be interested in them. Unless they're legacy, recruited athletes, or have parents with connections to governing boards, the Ivies are out of reach.

Sorry, I posted in the wrong sequence just now.

Here's what I posted before:

In Ivy admissions AA is not a hook. You do not know the definition of hook. A hook is not just an advantage, as URM is. A hook something that takes an applicant out of the regular applicant pool. Legacy and athletic recruit are the only hooks the admissions offices know. Development case may be a hook, but not always, and therefore is not by definition a hook.

So you're saying that applying with an URM classification is an advantage yet being a legacy or athletic recruit is an hook and not an advantage. WTF? Additionally, you say that the admissions office doesn't notice when an URM submits an application. This makes a lot of sense given that there are boxes/fields on the common app that inquire about one's race. Funny that acceptance percentages for certain races tend not to shift very much.

I didn't say that a hook is not an advantage. I said that a hook is not *just* an advantage; it is more. The rest of your post addresses arguments that someone else made upthread, not I.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:splitting hairs, no?

No, it's not splitting hairs to explain why something is not the hook that people think it is. People misunderstand the meaning of "hook" in college admissions and therefore misuse the term.

This outside source includes race/ethnicity in the list of common "hooks."

http://www.petersons.com/college-search/hooks-influence-college-acceptance.aspx