Getting shut out of selective/competitive private schools

[Anonymous]

Congrats!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Any more stories like this from last cycle?
Or lessons learned?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS with 3.82 (high rigor); 33 ACT and non-Stem /business /Econ major (true humanities major) with strong pointy related ECs.
Private selective non-DMV high school.

He’s finished with his RD apps.
Deferred from both NU (ED) and Tulane (EA).

He’s got a bunch of decisions from large flagships coming in next month. Concerned he falls into that middle space and may get dinged everywhere else.

Thoughts on chances for these reaches:

Colgate
Bucknell
Middlebury
Wesleyan
Williams
Wake
Emory
Vanderbilt
Wash U
Rice
Brown

Thoughts on chancing him?

In reading through this whole thread, I'm struck by a few things.
1. Kid had success and I'd bet that 33 might have lower math scores (which makes it more "excusable" given humanities major).
2. Was the major classics? philosophy? religion?
3. Selective private HS, where 3.82 is likely top 15-20% at least, if not higher?

So, this kid's success with Brown and Rice might not be that surprising given it's a private HS, male, humanities major with niche ECs.
Males at Brown in non-stem fields do have an advantage. I'd assume same for Rice.

Curious if you used a college counselor bc these results hint at a very strategic college list based on major, gender, private HS, stats and chances. If so, can you pass on the name? Because it was well targeted and not throwing a dart at a board.

[Anonymous]

Unicorn humanities mom - this might be a list of colleges to think about?

Middlebury
Wesleyan
Colgate
Brown
Rice
Wake

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP your private is not getting your kid into those schools what a waste of money you spent


Fix the list

Your private is not competitive at all and those stats coming from a small private lol no

Not only that your kid will struggle because you failed to get them properly educated before applying

Yep this is on your poor decision making of putting your kid in a small private

What the actual heck?! My kid attend a small private in NYC. Every year it sends 40-45% of the class to Ivies + MIT and Stanford,
another 40-45% to Top 25 + top 10 LACs and the bottom 10% go to schools like St. Andrews and the likes. Top, rigorous small privates tend to have amazing exmissions.

FYI to PP - you were wrong. Congrats OP! Your kid sounded great even when they had no admissions and I'm happy they found multiple great options to choose from.

[Anonymous]

Where did he end up, OP? Hard to turn down Brown, so I am guessing that is where he is headed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS with 3.82 (high rigor); 33 ACT and non-Stem /business /Econ major (true humanities major) with strong pointy related ECs.
Private selective non-DMV high school.

He’s finished with his RD apps.
Deferred from both NU (ED) and Tulane (EA).

He’s got a bunch of decisions from large flagships coming in next month. Concerned he falls into that middle space and may get dinged everywhere else.

Thoughts on chances for these reaches:

Colgate
Bucknell
Middlebury
Wesleyan
Williams
Wake
Emory
Vanderbilt
Wash U
Rice
Brown

Thoughts on chancing him?

No way he is getting into Wake or Brown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS with 3.82 (high rigor); 33 ACT and non-Stem /business /Econ major (true humanities major) with strong pointy related ECs.
Private selective non-DMV high school.

He’s finished with his RD apps.
Deferred from both NU (ED) and Tulane (EA).

He’s got a bunch of decisions from large flagships coming in next month. Concerned he falls into that middle space and may get dinged everywhere else.

Thoughts on chances for these reaches:

Colgate
Bucknell
Middlebury
Wesleyan
Williams
Wake
Emory
Vanderbilt
Wash U
Rice
Brown

Thoughts on chancing him?

No way he is getting into Wake or Brown.

Did you read the results??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS with 3.82 (high rigor); 33 ACT and non-Stem /business /Econ major (true humanities major) with strong pointy related ECs.
Private selective non-DMV high school.

He’s finished with his RD apps.
Deferred from both NU (ED) and Tulane (EA).

He’s got a bunch of decisions from large flagships coming in next month. Concerned he falls into that middle space and may get dinged everywhere else.

Thoughts on chances for these reaches:

Colgate
Bucknell
Middlebury
Wesleyan
Williams
Wake
Emory
Vanderbilt
Wash U
Rice
Brown

Thoughts on chancing him?

No way he is getting into Wake or Brown.

Did you read the results??

Lol. The "no way" is the typical response of DCUMers who are convinced the unhooked shouldn't even bother with selective schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS with 3.82 (high rigor); 33 ACT and non-Stem /business /Econ major (true humanities major) with strong pointy related ECs.
Private selective non-DMV high school.

He’s finished with his RD apps.
Deferred from both NU (ED) and Tulane (EA).

He’s got a bunch of decisions from large flagships coming in next month. Concerned he falls into that middle space and may get dinged everywhere else.

Thoughts on chances for these reaches:

Colgate
Bucknell
Middlebury
Wesleyan
Williams
Wake
Emory
Vanderbilt
Wash U
Rice
Brown

Thoughts on chancing him?

OP Update:

Colgate - admitted
Bucknell - admitted
Middlebury - WL
Wesleyan - admitted
Williams - rejected
Wake - WL
Emory - admitted
Vanderbilt - rejected
Wash U - rejected
Rice - admitted !!
Brown - admitted !!
Northwestern - rejected
Tulane - WL

Crazy!
- Good highly tailored essays/ applications make a big difference (I don’t think he reused any of the essays other than PS and spent weeks customizing and finalizing. I did help with editing).
- very niche non-Stem major and unique long duration ECs that are atypical of HS student
- Getting extra letters of recommendations where schools will allow a third (and fourth)recommendation also may have made a difference.
- Adding more detailed information into the “additional information” section of the common app to really showcase interests and Personality
- unique videos

- Kid is going to 2 more admitted students events this month.

Thank you everyone for all of the advice.
Think the private school counseling office really helped here.
Non-DMV private.

Results for the “no way” crowd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS with 3.82 (high rigor); 33 ACT and non-Stem /business /Econ major (true humanities major) with strong pointy related ECs.
Private selective non-DMV high school.

He’s finished with his RD apps.
Deferred from both NU (ED) and Tulane (EA).

He’s got a bunch of decisions from large flagships coming in next month. Concerned he falls into that middle space and may get dinged everywhere else.

Thoughts on chances for these reaches:

Colgate
Bucknell
Middlebury
Wesleyan
Williams
Wake
Emory
Vanderbilt
Wash U
Rice
Brown

Thoughts on chancing him?

No way he is getting into Wake or Brown.

He got into Emory, Rice, Brown, Wesleyan

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS with 3.82 (high rigor); 33 ACT and non-Stem /business /Econ major (true humanities major) with strong pointy related ECs.
Private selective non-DMV high school.

He’s finished with his RD apps.
Deferred from both NU (ED) and Tulane (EA).

He’s got a bunch of decisions from large flagships coming in next month. Concerned he falls into that middle space and may get dinged everywhere else.

Thoughts on chances for these reaches:

Colgate
Bucknell
Middlebury
Wesleyan
Williams
Wake
Emory
Vanderbilt
Wash U
Rice
Brown

Thoughts on chancing him?

No way he is getting into Wake or Brown.

Wake is his best chance. Your DC must be going there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS with 3.82 (high rigor); 33 ACT and non-Stem /business /Econ major (true humanities major) with strong pointy related ECs.
Private selective non-DMV high school.

He’s finished with his RD apps.
Deferred from both NU (ED) and Tulane (EA).

He’s got a bunch of decisions from large flagships coming in next month. Concerned he falls into that middle space and may get dinged everywhere else.

Thoughts on chances for these reaches:

Colgate
Bucknell
Middlebury
Wesleyan
Williams
Wake
Emory
Vanderbilt
Wash U
Rice
Brown

Thoughts on chancing him?

In reading through this whole thread, I'm struck by a few things.
1. Kid had success and I'd bet that 33 might have lower math scores (which makes it more "excusable" given humanities major).
2. Was the major classics? philosophy? religion?
3. Selective private HS, where 3.82 is likely top 15-20% at least, if not higher?

So, this kid's success with Brown and Rice might not be that surprising given it's a private HS, male, humanities major with niche ECs.
Males at Brown in non-stem fields do have an advantage. I'd assume same for Rice.

Curious if you used a college counselor bc these results hint at a very strategic college list based on major, gender, private HS, stats and chances. If so, can you pass on the name? Because it was well targeted and not throwing a dart at a board.

Good analysis here. I tend to agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS with 3.82 (high rigor); 33 ACT and non-Stem /business /Econ major (true humanities major) with strong pointy related ECs.
Private selective non-DMV high school.

He’s finished with his RD apps.
Deferred from both NU (ED) and Tulane (EA).

He’s got a bunch of decisions from large flagships coming in next month. Concerned he falls into that middle space and may get dinged everywhere else.

Thoughts on chances for these reaches:

Colgate
Bucknell
Middlebury
Wesleyan
Williams
Wake
Emory
Vanderbilt
Wash U
Rice
Brown

Thoughts on chancing him?

OP Update:

Colgate - admitted
Bucknell - admitted
Middlebury - WL
Wesleyan - admitted
Williams - rejected
Wake - WL
Emory - admitted
Vanderbilt - rejected
Wash U - rejected
Rice - admitted !!
Brown - admitted !!
Northwestern - rejected
Tulane - WL

Crazy!
- Good highly tailored essays/ applications make a big difference (I don’t think he reused any of the essays other than PS and spent weeks customizing and finalizing. I did help with editing).
- very niche non-Stem major and unique long duration ECs that are atypical of HS student
- Getting extra letters of recommendations where schools will allow a third (and fourth)recommendation also may have made a difference.
- Adding more detailed information into the “additional information” section of the common app to really showcase interests and Personality
- unique videos

- Kid is going to 2 more admitted students events this month.

Thank you everyone for all of the advice.
Think the private school counseling office really helped here.
Non-DMV private.

In defense of reach schools/shotgunning

[Anonymous]

Excellent results OP. I hope he chooses Brown.