Where do the kids who used to feed into the Ivy League go now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What schools are accepting a high percentage of the population that used to feed the Ivy League back in the 90s? UMC, private prep-school or top suburban public, high SAT/ACT scores

So much has changed over the past 30 years. But what hasn't been mentioned much is what students want to major in these days. In the 90s, there were tons of bright kids majoring in subjects like English, History, and Political Science who went on to have successful careers.

That's not the case anymore. The smart kids today tend to want to study biology, engineering, computer science, economics, IT and other more difficult majors. 30 years ago they may have applied to Ivies, but these days schools like Rice, Harvey Mudd, Georgia Tech, CMU, Michigan, and Berkeley - not to mention MIT, Stanford, and CalTech - are getting the best and brightest. For students that are not quite as STEM focused, schools such as Vanderbilt, Duke, UCLA, Northwestern, and Georgetown are all getting very smart kids.

Also, given the cost of college these days, there are many really smart students in the honors programs at their state flagship schools. Many of those public schools are better than the Ivies anyway in the STEM majors.

It's a completely different landscape out there. As for the SLACs, I'm sure Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin, Pomona and a few others will continue to attract smart kids. But given the demographics of the US - the number of 18 year olds will steadily decline in the years ahead - and given the STEMy inclination of students today, I suspect SLACs below the top ten will soon have a hard time attracting bright kids.

Gatech, Mich, Berkeley, and UCLA are not getting the smartest kids. You can look at the test scores to clearly see that.

How are average test scores telling you where the smartest kids end up? They do not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Overseas

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Case Western
GA Tech
Vassar
Oberlin
Northwestern
Spelman
Howard
Purdue
Carnegie Mellon

No one is going to Oberlin. No one. And Howard is not even close to VA Tech. No one would trade down just for HB

You clearly do not know anyone who is Black. Anyone.

DP: pls drop the casual racism, and discuss the topic if you can.

We should all be reporting insulting comments like this. All of us who let belittling comments like this stay up have some responsibility for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think Williams & Amherst belong in the “where Ivy rejects go category.” They have always been considered on par with even the best Ivies.

Not anymore they aren't.

From your perspective.

Plenty of bright students are eager to go there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What schools are accepting a high percentage of the population that used to feed the Ivy League back in the 90s? UMC, private prep-school or top suburban public, high SAT/ACT scores

So much has changed over the past 30 years. But what hasn't been mentioned much is what students want to major in these days. In the 90s, there were tons of bright kids majoring in subjects like English, History, and Political Science who went on to have successful careers.

That's not the case anymore. The smart kids today tend to want to study biology, engineering, computer science, economics, IT and other more difficult majors. 30 years ago they may have applied to Ivies, but these days schools like Rice, Harvey Mudd, Georgia Tech, CMU, Michigan, and Berkeley - not to mention MIT, Stanford, and CalTech - are getting the best and brightest. For students that are not quite as STEM focused, schools such as Vanderbilt, Duke, UCLA, Northwestern, and Georgetown are all getting very smart kids.

Also, given the cost of college these days, there are many really smart students in the honors programs at their state flagship schools. Many of those public schools are better than the Ivies anyway in the STEM majors.

It's a completely different landscape out there. As for the SLACs, I'm sure Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin, Pomona and a few others will continue to attract smart kids. But given the demographics of the US - the number of 18 year olds will steadily decline in the years ahead - and given the STEMy inclination of students today, I suspect SLACs below the top ten will soon have a hard time attracting bright kids.

Gatech, Mich, Berkeley, and UCLA are not getting the smartest kids. You can look at the test scores to clearly see that.

What test scores do you speak of in terms of Berkeley and UCLA since standardized tests are no longer required. The same goes for Caltech for the past few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That might be dumbest thing I have ever heard re Williams/Amherst - 3rd tier schools.

HYP grad

I know that there are really great, bright kids at HYPSM, but the DCUM users who are into HYPSM don’t fill me with good feelings about HYPSM.

- A humble Northwestern grad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What schools are accepting a high percentage of the population that used to feed the Ivy League back in the 90s? UMC, private prep-school or top suburban public, high SAT/ACT scores

So much has changed over the past 30 years. But what hasn't been mentioned much is what students want to major in these days. In the 90s, there were tons of bright kids majoring in subjects like English, History, and Political Science who went on to have successful careers.

That's not the case anymore. The smart kids today tend to want to study biology, engineering, computer science, economics, IT and other more difficult majors. 30 years ago they may have applied to Ivies, but these days schools like Rice, Harvey Mudd, Georgia Tech, CMU, Michigan, and Berkeley - not to mention MIT, Stanford, and CalTech - are getting the best and brightest. For students that are not quite as STEM focused, schools such as Vanderbilt, Duke, UCLA, Northwestern, and Georgetown are all getting very smart kids.

Also, given the cost of college these days, there are many really smart students in the honors programs at their state flagship schools. Many of those public schools are better than the Ivies anyway in the STEM majors.

It's a completely different landscape out there. As for the SLACs, I'm sure Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin, Pomona and a few others will continue to attract smart kids. But given the demographics of the US - the number of 18 year olds will steadily decline in the years ahead - and given the STEMy inclination of students today, I suspect SLACs below the top ten will soon have a hard time attracting bright kids.

Gatech, Mich, Berkeley, and UCLA are not getting the smartest kids. You can look at the test scores to clearly see that.

What test scores do you speak of in terms of Berkeley and UCLA since standardized tests are no longer required. The same goes for Caltech for the past few years.

I'm sure the test scores from 2019 for UCLA and Gatech wouldn't be that different than today. Don't be facetious. UCLAs 25th percentile was 1260 just a few years ago. Hardly the smartest students. And yes test scores tell you who.the smartest kids are.GPA surely doesn't .

[Anonymous]

Just because you study STEM doesn't mean you're smart, and doesn't mean you're smarter than those whom study humanities.

[Anonymous]

NYU, Northeastern, Boston College, CMU, USC

[Anonymous]

Michigan scores 25/75 SAT 1340-1530

25% of the class averages above a 1530. With an entering freshman class of a proud 7,000, that’s approximately 1750 very high scoring students. They might not the highest average of “smartest” students, but they seem to have more of them than most of the elites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What schools are accepting a high percentage of the population that used to feed the Ivy League back in the 90s? UMC, private prep-school or top suburban public, high SAT/ACT scores

So much has changed over the past 30 years. But what hasn't been mentioned much is what students want to major in these days. In the 90s, there were tons of bright kids majoring in subjects like English, History, and Political Science who went on to have successful careers.

That's not the case anymore. The smart kids today tend to want to study biology, engineering, computer science, economics, IT and other more difficult majors. 30 years ago they may have applied to Ivies, but these days schools like Rice, Harvey Mudd, Georgia Tech, CMU, Michigan, and Berkeley - not to mention MIT, Stanford, and CalTech - are getting the best and brightest. For students that are not quite as STEM focused, schools such as Vanderbilt, Duke, UCLA, Northwestern, and Georgetown are all getting very smart kids.

Also, given the cost of college these days, there are many really smart students in the honors programs at their state flagship schools. Many of those public schools are better than the Ivies anyway in the STEM majors.

It's a completely different landscape out there. As for the SLACs, I'm sure Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin, Pomona and a few others will continue to attract smart kids. But given the demographics of the US - the number of 18 year olds will steadily decline in the years ahead - and given the STEMy inclination of students today, I suspect SLACs below the top ten will soon have a hard time attracting bright kids.

Gatech, Mich, Berkeley, and UCLA are not getting the smartest kids. You can look at the test scores to clearly see that.

What test scores do you speak of in terms of Berkeley and UCLA since standardized tests are no longer required. The same goes for Caltech for the past few years.

I'm sure the test scores from 2019 for UCLA and Gatech wouldn't be that different than today. Don't be facetious. UCLAs 25th percentile was 1260 just a few years ago. Hardly the smartest students. And yes test scores tell you who.the smartest kids are.GPA surely doesn't .

But you said the smartest kids. The smartest students are calculated at the 75th percentile at all schools. In sheer numbers, the top publics will have as many, if not more, than most elite privates. Furthermore, SAT scores like the one you quoted from 2019, are at least 3 years out of date. Scores are up at most of the top schools on that time.

[Anonymous]

Ha Funny met a couple who were both Ivy, their kid went to James Madison but is in law school now (top 40-50ish law school)--won't name to protect identity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What schools are accepting a high percentage of the population that used to feed the Ivy League back in the 90s? UMC, private prep-school or top suburban public, high SAT/ACT scores

So much has changed over the past 30 years. But what hasn't been mentioned much is what students want to major in these days. In the 90s, there were tons of bright kids majoring in subjects like English, History, and Political Science who went on to have successful careers.

That's not the case anymore. The smart kids today tend to want to study biology, engineering, computer science, economics, IT and other more difficult majors. 30 years ago they may have applied to Ivies, but these days schools like Rice, Harvey Mudd, Georgia Tech, CMU, Michigan, and Berkeley - not to mention MIT, Stanford, and CalTech - are getting the best and brightest. For students that are not quite as STEM focused, schools such as Vanderbilt, Duke, UCLA, Northwestern, and Georgetown are all getting very smart kids.

Also, given the cost of college these days, there are many really smart students in the honors programs at their state flagship schools. Many of those public schools are better than the Ivies anyway in the STEM majors.

It's a completely different landscape out there. As for the SLACs, I'm sure Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin, Pomona and a few others will continue to attract smart kids. But given the demographics of the US - the number of 18 year olds will steadily decline in the years ahead - and given the STEMy inclination of students today, I suspect SLACs below the top ten will soon have a hard time attracting bright kids.

Gatech, Mich, Berkeley, and UCLA are not getting the smartest kids. You can look at the test scores to clearly see that.

What test scores do you speak of in terms of Berkeley and UCLA since standardized tests are no longer required. The same goes for Caltech for the past few years.

Well if they don’t use test scores those kids are obviously unqualified

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think Williams & Amherst belong in the “where Ivy rejects go category.” They have always been considered on par with even the best Ivies.

Not anymore they aren't.

Agree with the opinion that Williams & Amherst are no longer considered Ivy equivalents regarding prestige. Excellent academics, but the first impression often is that the student is highly intelligent but, for some reason, didn't get any offer from an Ivy League school. Silly, but that seems to be a common reaction today.

Wildly inaccurate. Same kids who apply to Dartmouth also apply to Williams. People are not applying to Penn and also Bowdoin.

I realize there are kids - mostly immigrant or first gen - who apply to all the ivies because the only thing they know or care about is saying “my kid got into an Ivy”.

But vast majority of people have a more educated view and care about where they’ll thrive and not that your mom’s great aunt who’s never heard of Pomona thinks.

+1

-1 legacies are just as invested in getting their kid into ivies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think Williams & Amherst belong in the “where Ivy rejects go category.” They have always been considered on par with even the best Ivies.

Not anymore they aren't.

Agree with the opinion that Williams & Amherst are no longer considered Ivy equivalents regarding prestige. Excellent academics, but the first impression often is that the student is highly intelligent but, for some reason, didn't get any offer from an Ivy League school. Silly, but that seems to be a common reaction today.

Wildly inaccurate. Same kids who apply to Dartmouth also apply to Williams. People are not applying to Penn and also Bowdoin.

I realize there are kids - mostly immigrant or first gen - who apply to all the ivies because the only thing they know or care about is saying “my kid got into an Ivy”.

But vast majority of people have a more educated view and care about where they’ll thrive and not that your mom’s great aunt who’s never heard of Pomona thinks.

oh please. Are all the legacies applying to ivies because their parents can say, "my kid got in an Ivy"?

Legacy kids aren’t as likely to shotgun ALL ivies. Way more likely to try their legacy school and then play the odds (ed2 at chicago feels tailor made for this group)

well, no duh. First gen or immigrants don't have that connection so they apply to multiple legacies.

Point is, that ^^PP seems to think only first gen or immigrants apply to ivies because " the only thing they know or care about is saying “my kid got into an Ivy”. "

I suppose all those private school kids applying to ivies are doing so for a different reason.

BTW, I know many non first gen immigrant, non legacies applying to ivies, too. These are super high achieving kids for UMC families.