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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m flabbergasted that anyone believes there is a committee room with AOs dutifully discussing candidates, carefully pouring over applications, hand selecting those golden nuggets whose stories bring warmth to their hearts. Parents of kids that got in thinking their kids crafted a cohesive story that resonated above all others while parents of kids who didn’t get in bemoan not focusing on a different angle in the essay.

People this is all being done with enrollment management software, consultants, and temporary workers checking off boxes in a rubric while watching White Lotus or YouTube videos of dancing pandas. AI is now being used in some software and I guarantee it will increase fast. Some enrollment management software packages even target admits before they apply grabbing data you didn’t think was part of the equation.

Universities are not transparent about this because they understand how it would be received.

You are responding in the middle of the night - where are you? California? Abroad?

My two cents: Read a bit more about the process directly from selective private top colleges (the public schools absolutely do some of this EM stuff you mention as a gating item). There are a few former T10 AO on Reddit that I follow (I've posted their comments above and elsewhere on this site)....they have described the AO review process in detail. Mind you, it's limited to selective schools. So if you are talking Northeastern or something, then yes, your process is 100% correct.

Interestingly, this past fall, we heard something new from our private CCO - whether or not a human actually reads your kid's application is determined by your high school. If it's a large non-feeder public school, it's an AI/auto filter, much as you describe. We were told all of the applications from our high school will be read by a human (and not a temp reader, but the regional rep who comes to our high school) at T25 and most SLACs..... It's a horrible, unfair part of this process. People don't talk about this enough, but there are differences out of the gate before your application is even reviewed. Maybe someone should do a post on that.

I imagine with more focus on full pay this bifurcation only becomes a more acute divide.

wow, interesting. i've never heard about this.

I have heard about this. Happens all the time in private schools. Parents are clueless unless someone figured it out and posts about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m flabbergasted that anyone believes there is a committee room with AOs dutifully discussing candidates, carefully pouring over applications, hand selecting those golden nuggets whose stories bring warmth to their hearts. Parents of kids that got in thinking their kids crafted a cohesive story that resonated above all others while parents of kids who didn’t get in bemoan not focusing on a different angle in the essay.

People this is all being done with enrollment management software, consultants, and temporary workers checking off boxes in a rubric while watching White Lotus or YouTube videos of dancing pandas. AI is now being used in some software and I guarantee it will increase fast. Some enrollment management software packages even target admits before they apply grabbing data you didn’t think was part of the equation.

Universities are not transparent about this because they understand how it would be received.

You are responding in the middle of the night - where are you? California? Abroad?

My two cents: Read a bit more about the process directly from selective private top colleges (the public schools absolutely do some of this EM stuff you mention as a gating item). There are a few former T10 AO on Reddit that I follow (I've posted their comments above and elsewhere on this site)....they have described the AO review process in detail. Mind you, it's limited to selective schools. So if you are talking Northeastern or something, then yes, your process is 100% correct.

Interestingly, this past fall, we heard something new from our private CCO - whether or not a human actually reads your kid's application is determined by your high school. If it's a large non-feeder public school, it's an AI/auto filter, much as you describe. We were told all of the applications from our high school will be read by a human (and not a temp reader, but the regional rep who comes to our high school) at T25 and most SLACs..... It's a horrible, unfair part of this process. People don't talk about this enough, but there are differences out of the gate before your application is even reviewed. Maybe someone should do a post on that.

I imagine with more focus on full pay this bifurcation only becomes a more acute divide.

wow, interesting. i've never heard about this.

I have heard about this. Happens all the time in private schools. Parents are clueless unless someone figured it out and posts about it.

Look and see who is coming to your HS every fall. Be strategic with apps - those are the schools that want kids from your HS.

The regional reps know the private schools VERY well and often have a #/quota they want to hit (though they'll never admit it).
Look at your high school's admissions results each year as well. Not for # attending, but # admitted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m flabbergasted that anyone believes there is a committee room with AOs dutifully discussing candidates, carefully pouring over applications, hand selecting those golden nuggets whose stories bring warmth to their hearts. Parents of kids that got in thinking their kids crafted a cohesive story that resonated above all others while parents of kids who didn’t get in bemoan not focusing on a different angle in the essay.

People this is all being done with enrollment management software, consultants, and temporary workers checking off boxes in a rubric while watching White Lotus or YouTube videos of dancing pandas. AI is now being used in some software and I guarantee it will increase fast. Some enrollment management software packages even target admits before they apply grabbing data you didn’t think was part of the equation.

Universities are not transparent about this because they understand how it would be received.

You are responding in the middle of the night - where are you? California? Abroad?

My two cents: Read a bit more about the process directly from selective private top colleges (the public schools absolutely do some of this EM stuff you mention as a gating item). There are a few former T10 AO on Reddit that I follow (I've posted their comments above and elsewhere on this site)....they have described the AO review process in detail. Mind you, it's limited to selective schools. So if you are talking Northeastern or something, then yes, your process is 100% correct.

Interestingly, this past fall, we heard something new from our private CCO - whether or not a human actually reads your kid's application is determined by your high school. If it's a large non-feeder public school, it's an AI/auto filter, much as you describe. We were told all of the applications from our high school will be read by a human (and not a temp reader, but the regional rep who comes to our high school) at T25 and most SLACs..... It's a horrible, unfair part of this process. People don't talk about this enough, but there are differences out of the gate before your application is even reviewed. Maybe someone should do a post on that.

I imagine with more focus on full pay this bifurcation only becomes a more acute divide.

wow, interesting. i've never heard about this.

I have heard about this. Happens all the time in private schools. Parents are clueless unless someone figured it out and posts about it.

Look and see who is coming to your HS every fall. Be strategic with apps - those are the schools that want kids from your HS.

The regional reps know the private schools VERY well and often have a #/quota they want to hit (though they'll never admit it).
Look at your high school's admissions results each year as well. Not for # attending, but # admitted.

+1

Spot on.

Parent of private school senior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We know one 1600 SAT kid who actually have good ECs, great grades, etc...but bragged to his classmates that he completed like 7 applications to top 10 schools all in one night just before the deadline.

Guess what...rejected at all. If you speak to the parents, their revisionist history is their kid was aggrieved and "less than" kids at the school were accepted.

The kids know he probably submitted POS applications.

Exactly! And there is no way a kid would actually want to attend 7 T10 schools, as they are all so different.

If you don't put in the effort, you don't have a real chance. And even if you do, go in knowing they are all highly rejective schools, even more so for certain majors (yes, even if not direct admit, if all your kid's EC revolve around Robotics/STEM/etc, they likely are not ending up as an English and art history major and the schools know that). So pick your reaches and spend time with targeted applications, but more importantly, pick excellent Targets and safeties. And pick some targets that are "more likely"---so no 21% acceptance rates and your kid at 40%==Pick a few with 30-40%+ acceptance rates where your kid is 75%+ and then show interest. Know if the schools do interviews, if they do, attempt to sign up for one and that's another 10-15 mins to highlight why you belong there. My high stats kid got into all their Targets and Safeties, and WL at two reaches, first year abroad at NEU and ultimately rejected at a T10 (ED1 Deferred then rejected). So exactly what you would expect to happen.
But since they picked great targets and safeties, they had many schools to choose from, and their top safety was such a great school, they kept it in the final 3 choices April of senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know one 1600 SAT kid who actually have good ECs, great grades, etc...but bragged to his classmates that he completed like 7 applications to top 10 schools all in one night just before the deadline.

Guess what...rejected at all. If you speak to the parents, their revisionist history is their kid was aggrieved and "less than" kids at the school were accepted.

The kids know he probably submitted POS applications.

Exactly! And there is no way a kid would actually want to attend 7 T10 schools, as they are all so different.

If you don't put in the effort, you don't have a real chance. And even if you do, go in knowing they are all highly rejective schools, even more so for certain majors (yes, even if not direct admit, if all your kid's EC revolve around Robotics/STEM/etc, they likely are not ending up as an English and art history major and the schools know that). So pick your reaches and spend time with targeted applications, but more importantly, pick excellent Targets and safeties. And pick some targets that are "more likely"---so no 21% acceptance rates and your kid at 40%==Pick a few with 30-40%+ acceptance rates where your kid is 75%+ and then show interest. Know if the schools do interviews, if they do, attempt to sign up for one and that's another 10-15 mins to highlight why you belong there. My high stats kid got into all their Targets and Safeties, and WL at two reaches, first year abroad at NEU and ultimately rejected at a T10 (ED1 Deferred then rejected). So exactly what you would expect to happen.
But since they picked great targets and safeties, they had many schools to choose from, and their top safety was such a great school, they kept it in the final 3 choices April of senior year.

I'd also say - study the data. Really really well. There is so much more than meets the eye.

Agree on STEM majors - classify down = if you think your 4.0/1600 CS/applied math/engineering major is competitive for REA at Harvard. They aren't. Look at ED at CMU. And ED2 a level down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know one 1600 SAT kid who actually have good ECs, great grades, etc...but bragged to his classmates that he completed like 7 applications to top 10 schools all in one night just before the deadline.

Guess what...rejected at all. If you speak to the parents, their revisionist history is their kid was aggrieved and "less than" kids at the school were accepted.

The kids know he probably submitted POS applications.

Exactly! And there is no way a kid would actually want to attend 7 T10 schools, as they are all so different.

If you don't put in the effort, you don't have a real chance. And even if you do, go in knowing they are all highly rejective schools, even more so for certain majors (yes, even if not direct admit, if all your kid's EC revolve around Robotics/STEM/etc, they likely are not ending up as an English and art history major and the schools know that). So pick your reaches and spend time with targeted applications, but more importantly, pick excellent Targets and safeties. And pick some targets that are "more likely"---so no 21% acceptance rates and your kid at 40%==Pick a few with 30-40%+ acceptance rates where your kid is 75%+ and then show interest. Know if the schools do interviews, if they do, attempt to sign up for one and that's another 10-15 mins to highlight why you belong there. My high stats kid got into all their Targets and Safeties, and WL at two reaches, first year abroad at NEU and ultimately rejected at a T10 (ED1 Deferred then rejected). So exactly what you would expect to happen.
But since they picked great targets and safeties, they had many schools to choose from, and their top safety was such a great school, they kept it in the final 3 choices April of senior year.

+1. Feeling “screwed” may be a knee jerk reaction but it really does come down to picking good targets and safeties (and liking them well enough to seriously consider attending!). My kid had similar results…I sometimes wonder if they should have aimed higher, shotgunned, done ED… but applying to a mix of schools and limiting the number of applications made it a saner, and ultimately happier, process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m flabbergasted that anyone believes there is a committee room with AOs dutifully discussing candidates, carefully pouring over applications, hand selecting those golden nuggets whose stories bring warmth to their hearts. Parents of kids that got in thinking their kids crafted a cohesive story that resonated above all others while parents of kids who didn’t get in bemoan not focusing on a different angle in the essay.

People this is all being done with enrollment management software, consultants, and temporary workers checking off boxes in a rubric while watching White Lotus or YouTube videos of dancing pandas. AI is now being used in some software and I guarantee it will increase fast. Some enrollment management software packages even target admits before they apply grabbing data you didn’t think was part of the equation.

Universities are not transparent about this because they understand how it would be received.

You are responding in the middle of the night - where are you? California? Abroad?

My two cents: Read a bit more about the process directly from selective private top colleges (the public schools absolutely do some of this EM stuff you mention as a gating item). There are a few former T10 AO on Reddit that I follow (I've posted their comments above and elsewhere on this site)....they have described the AO review process in detail. Mind you, it's limited to selective schools. So if you are talking Northeastern or something, then yes, your process is 100% correct.

Interestingly, this past fall, we heard something new from our private CCO - whether or not a human actually reads your kid's application is determined by your high school. If it's a large non-feeder public school, it's an AI/auto filter, much as you describe. We were told all of the applications from our high school will be read by a human (and not a temp reader, but the regional rep who comes to our high school) at T25 and most SLACs..... It's a horrible, unfair part of this process. People don't talk about this enough, but there are differences out of the gate before your application is even reviewed. Maybe someone should do a post on that.

I imagine with more focus on full pay this bifurcation only becomes a more acute divide.

wow, interesting. i've never heard about this.

I have heard about this. Happens all the time in private schools. Parents are clueless unless someone figured it out and posts about it.

Look and see who is coming to your HS every fall. Be strategic with apps - those are the schools that want kids from your HS.

The regional reps know the private schools VERY well and often have a #/quota they want to hit (though they'll never admit it).
Look at your high school's admissions results each year as well. Not for # attending, but # admitted.

+1

Spot on.

Parent of private school senior.

Agree with all of this. Also non-DMV private here. There's a good older thread on here on "levels" and private schools. Has anyone read it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in a lmc family. I went to an Ivy and my brother went to a desirable T50 and we have gone onto great success in our fields. Our sister was not admitted to selective schools (excellent grades and ECs but lower test scores) and didn’t gain the peer group we did, so she has struggled. DH and I understand that our kids already have the peer group I needed a prestigious college to gain. Most of us DCUM parents have given our kids the resources and connections to thrive in life.

This is interesting. How has she struggled?

So, you think your sister's peer group (and earning potential/career potential) was dictated by the college she went to? I tend to agree that peer group matters the most, more than some sort of arbitrary ranking or name.

There are great "peer groups" to be found outside the T25. My kid is at a T40 school. Their peer group includes more than 20+, all of whom were WL/Spring start/Fall Soph start at 1-3+ T25 schools. It's a school filled with kids who had the stats and resume for T25 school, just didn't win the lottery. They are not letting that "hold them back" (sarcasm folks). And none of them took the spring start or soph start options, they just dove into their college experience head on and never looked back.

And my other kid attended a T100, and that school is filled with smart kids as well. Perhaps only 5-10% who were qualified for T25, but 25-40% who were 1350+ Kids and heading to medical schools/Dental schools/PT/OT/PHDs in STEM/etc. Not a "peer group" to be embarrassed to be a part of. One friend is a Rhodes scholar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know one 1600 SAT kid who actually have good ECs, great grades, etc...but bragged to his classmates that he completed like 7 applications to top 10 schools all in one night just before the deadline.

Guess what...rejected at all. If you speak to the parents, their revisionist history is their kid was aggrieved and "less than" kids at the school were accepted.

The kids know he probably submitted POS applications.

Exactly! And there is no way a kid would actually want to attend 7 T10 schools, as they are all so different.

If you don't put in the effort, you don't have a real chance. And even if you do, go in knowing they are all highly rejective schools, even more so for certain majors (yes, even if not direct admit, if all your kid's EC revolve around Robotics/STEM/etc, they likely are not ending up as an English and art history major and the schools know that). So pick your reaches and spend time with targeted applications, but more importantly, pick excellent Targets and safeties. And pick some targets that are "more likely"---so no 21% acceptance rates and your kid at 40%==Pick a few with 30-40%+ acceptance rates where your kid is 75%+ and then show interest. Know if the schools do interviews, if they do, attempt to sign up for one and that's another 10-15 mins to highlight why you belong there. My high stats kid got into all their Targets and Safeties, and WL at two reaches, first year abroad at NEU and ultimately rejected at a T10 (ED1 Deferred then rejected). So exactly what you would expect to happen.
But since they picked great targets and safeties, they had many schools to choose from, and their top safety was such a great school, they kept it in the final 3 choices April of senior year.

Was your kid at a private HS? STEM major?
See I don't think this is a great outcome - UNLESS - your kid is STEM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know one 1600 SAT kid who actually have good ECs, great grades, etc...but bragged to his classmates that he completed like 7 applications to top 10 schools all in one night just before the deadline.

Guess what...rejected at all. If you speak to the parents, their revisionist history is their kid was aggrieved and "less than" kids at the school were accepted.

The kids know he probably submitted POS applications.

Exactly! And there is no way a kid would actually want to attend 7 T10 schools, as they are all so different.

If you don't put in the effort, you don't have a real chance. And even if you do, go in knowing they are all highly rejective schools, even more so for certain majors (yes, even if not direct admit, if all your kid's EC revolve around Robotics/STEM/etc, they likely are not ending up as an English and art history major and the schools know that). So pick your reaches and spend time with targeted applications, but more importantly, pick excellent Targets and safeties. And pick some targets that are "more likely"---so no 21% acceptance rates and your kid at 40%==Pick a few with 30-40%+ acceptance rates where your kid is 75%+ and then show interest. Know if the schools do interviews, if they do, attempt to sign up for one and that's another 10-15 mins to highlight why you belong there. My high stats kid got into all their Targets and Safeties, and WL at two reaches, first year abroad at NEU and ultimately rejected at a T10 (ED1 Deferred then rejected). So exactly what you would expect to happen.
But since they picked great targets and safeties, they had many schools to choose from, and their top safety was such a great school, they kept it in the final 3 choices April of senior year.

I'd also say - study the data. Really really well. There is so much more than meets the eye.

Agree on STEM majors - classify down = if you think your 4.0/1600 CS/applied math/engineering major is competitive for REA at Harvard. They aren't. Look at ED at CMU. And ED2 a level down.

They may not get accepted...but hard to understand how they are not competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know one 1600 SAT kid who actually have good ECs, great grades, etc...but bragged to his classmates that he completed like 7 applications to top 10 schools all in one night just before the deadline.

Guess what...rejected at all. If you speak to the parents, their revisionist history is their kid was aggrieved and "less than" kids at the school were accepted.

The kids know he probably submitted POS applications.

Exactly! And there is no way a kid would actually want to attend 7 T10 schools, as they are all so different.

If you don't put in the effort, you don't have a real chance. And even if you do, go in knowing they are all highly rejective schools, even more so for certain majors (yes, even if not direct admit, if all your kid's EC revolve around Robotics/STEM/etc, they likely are not ending up as an English and art history major and the schools know that). So pick your reaches and spend time with targeted applications, but more importantly, pick excellent Targets and safeties. And pick some targets that are "more likely"---so no 21% acceptance rates and your kid at 40%==Pick a few with 30-40%+ acceptance rates where your kid is 75%+ and then show interest. Know if the schools do interviews, if they do, attempt to sign up for one and that's another 10-15 mins to highlight why you belong there. My high stats kid got into all their Targets and Safeties, and WL at two reaches, first year abroad at NEU and ultimately rejected at a T10 (ED1 Deferred then rejected). So exactly what you would expect to happen.
But since they picked great targets and safeties, they had many schools to choose from, and their top safety was such a great school, they kept it in the final 3 choices April of senior year.

+1. Feeling “screwed” may be a knee jerk reaction but it really does come down to picking good targets and safeties (and liking them well enough to seriously consider attending!). My kid had similar results…I sometimes wonder if they should have aimed higher, shotgunned, done ED… but applying to a mix of schools and limiting the number of applications made it a saner, and ultimately happier, process.

My kid did ED1 to a T10, got deferred then rejected. It was my alma mater, it's a great school. I actually think my kid is much better off where they landed. My kid is really smart, but not a striver. Being in a T40 school where my kid is in the 75%+ and in a collaborative environment has allowed my introverted kid come out of their shell and shine. Still surrounded by lots of smart kids, but doesn't have to struggle in a high pressure environment, as engineering is enough pressure even in a collaborative environment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know one 1600 SAT kid who actually have good ECs, great grades, etc...but bragged to his classmates that he completed like 7 applications to top 10 schools all in one night just before the deadline.

Guess what...rejected at all. If you speak to the parents, their revisionist history is their kid was aggrieved and "less than" kids at the school were accepted.

The kids know he probably submitted POS applications.

Exactly! And there is no way a kid would actually want to attend 7 T10 schools, as they are all so different.

If you don't put in the effort, you don't have a real chance. And even if you do, go in knowing they are all highly rejective schools, even more so for certain majors (yes, even if not direct admit, if all your kid's EC revolve around Robotics/STEM/etc, they likely are not ending up as an English and art history major and the schools know that). So pick your reaches and spend time with targeted applications, but more importantly, pick excellent Targets and safeties. And pick some targets that are "more likely"---so no 21% acceptance rates and your kid at 40%==Pick a few with 30-40%+ acceptance rates where your kid is 75%+ and then show interest. Know if the schools do interviews, if they do, attempt to sign up for one and that's another 10-15 mins to highlight why you belong there. My high stats kid got into all their Targets and Safeties, and WL at two reaches, first year abroad at NEU and ultimately rejected at a T10 (ED1 Deferred then rejected). So exactly what you would expect to happen.
But since they picked great targets and safeties, they had many schools to choose from, and their top safety was such a great school, they kept it in the final 3 choices April of senior year.

I'd also say - study the data. Really really well. There is so much more than meets the eye.

Agree on STEM majors - classify down = if you think your 4.0/1600 CS/applied math/engineering major is competitive for REA at Harvard. They aren't. Look at ED at CMU. And ED2 a level down.

They may not get accepted...but hard to understand how they are not competitive.

They ARE NOT. Bc REA at Harvard takes hooked kids, incl FG/QB if not ALDC. Wasted early app. In regular pool, this kid is a "dime a dozen".
Need something unique, stellar, uncommon with national level reach to be competitive at T10 early in STEM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know one 1600 SAT kid who actually have good ECs, great grades, etc...but bragged to his classmates that he completed like 7 applications to top 10 schools all in one night just before the deadline.

Guess what...rejected at all. If you speak to the parents, their revisionist history is their kid was aggrieved and "less than" kids at the school were accepted.

The kids know he probably submitted POS applications.

Exactly! And there is no way a kid would actually want to attend 7 T10 schools, as they are all so different.

If you don't put in the effort, you don't have a real chance. And even if you do, go in knowing they are all highly rejective schools, even more so for certain majors (yes, even if not direct admit, if all your kid's EC revolve around Robotics/STEM/etc, they likely are not ending up as an English and art history major and the schools know that). So pick your reaches and spend time with targeted applications, but more importantly, pick excellent Targets and safeties. And pick some targets that are "more likely"---so no 21% acceptance rates and your kid at 40%==Pick a few with 30-40%+ acceptance rates where your kid is 75%+ and then show interest. Know if the schools do interviews, if they do, attempt to sign up for one and that's another 10-15 mins to highlight why you belong there. My high stats kid got into all their Targets and Safeties, and WL at two reaches, first year abroad at NEU and ultimately rejected at a T10 (ED1 Deferred then rejected). So exactly what you would expect to happen.
But since they picked great targets and safeties, they had many schools to choose from, and their top safety was such a great school, they kept it in the final 3 choices April of senior year.

+1. Feeling “screwed” may be a knee jerk reaction but it really does come down to picking good targets and safeties (and liking them well enough to seriously consider attending!). My kid had similar results…I sometimes wonder if they should have aimed higher, shotgunned, done ED… but applying to a mix of schools and limiting the number of applications made it a saner, and ultimately happier, process.

I think shotgunning works best for non-STEM majors, if you look at r/collegeresults.
And it worked for my humanities kid who put in 6-9+ months of effort into their essays for 12 T20 reach schools (also applied to 5 safeties and 5 targets). At the end of the day, applied to WAY too many safeties and targets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know one 1600 SAT kid who actually have good ECs, great grades, etc...but bragged to his classmates that he completed like 7 applications to top 10 schools all in one night just before the deadline.

Guess what...rejected at all. If you speak to the parents, their revisionist history is their kid was aggrieved and "less than" kids at the school were accepted.

The kids know he probably submitted POS applications.

Exactly! And there is no way a kid would actually want to attend 7 T10 schools, as they are all so different.

If you don't put in the effort, you don't have a real chance. And even if you do, go in knowing they are all highly rejective schools, even more so for certain majors (yes, even if not direct admit, if all your kid's EC revolve around Robotics/STEM/etc, they likely are not ending up as an English and art history major and the schools know that). So pick your reaches and spend time with targeted applications, but more importantly, pick excellent Targets and safeties. And pick some targets that are "more likely"---so no 21% acceptance rates and your kid at 40%==Pick a few with 30-40%+ acceptance rates where your kid is 75%+ and then show interest. Know if the schools do interviews, if they do, attempt to sign up for one and that's another 10-15 mins to highlight why you belong there. My high stats kid got into all their Targets and Safeties, and WL at two reaches, first year abroad at NEU and ultimately rejected at a T10 (ED1 Deferred then rejected). So exactly what you would expect to happen.
But since they picked great targets and safeties, they had many schools to choose from, and their top safety was such a great school, they kept it in the final 3 choices April of senior year.

Was your kid at a private HS? STEM major?
See I don't think this is a great outcome - UNLESS - your kid is STEM.

Why is this "not a great outcome" unless my kid is STEM?!?!?!

1540/3.98UW/10AP kid with good ECs (very dedicated to one area they love/think 20hours+/week involvement)
How is getting WL at a T30, in at NEU (year abroad but still admitted when admission rates were 5-6% with almost 100K applicants) and in at 4 schools ranked 40-55 and their top saftey in the 60s not a good outcome?
They are public HS and yes female in STEM. Targeting schools mostly withOUT direct admissions (ie you can major in whatever you want besides nursing) but declared their major specifically in the application as they know what they wanted.

That's the issue with most people. Thinking something is wrong if you don't get into schools with single digit acceptance rates.
It's not like my kid was shutout of all T100 schools. They literally got into 7+ from 35to 100, most with excellent merit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know one 1600 SAT kid who actually have good ECs, great grades, etc...but bragged to his classmates that he completed like 7 applications to top 10 schools all in one night just before the deadline.

Guess what...rejected at all. If you speak to the parents, their revisionist history is their kid was aggrieved and "less than" kids at the school were accepted.

The kids know he probably submitted POS applications.

Exactly! And there is no way a kid would actually want to attend 7 T10 schools, as they are all so different.

If you don't put in the effort, you don't have a real chance. And even if you do, go in knowing they are all highly rejective schools, even more so for certain majors (yes, even if not direct admit, if all your kid's EC revolve around Robotics/STEM/etc, they likely are not ending up as an English and art history major and the schools know that). So pick your reaches and spend time with targeted applications, but more importantly, pick excellent Targets and safeties. And pick some targets that are "more likely"---so no 21% acceptance rates and your kid at 40%==Pick a few with 30-40%+ acceptance rates where your kid is 75%+ and then show interest. Know if the schools do interviews, if they do, attempt to sign up for one and that's another 10-15 mins to highlight why you belong there. My high stats kid got into all their Targets and Safeties, and WL at two reaches, first year abroad at NEU and ultimately rejected at a T10 (ED1 Deferred then rejected). So exactly what you would expect to happen.
But since they picked great targets and safeties, they had many schools to choose from, and their top safety was such a great school, they kept it in the final 3 choices April of senior year.

I'd also say - study the data. Really really well. There is so much more than meets the eye.

Agree on STEM majors - classify down = if you think your 4.0/1600 CS/applied math/engineering major is competitive for REA at Harvard. They aren't. Look at ED at CMU. And ED2 a level down.

They may not get accepted...but hard to understand how they are not competitive.

They are competitive, but you must realize that so are 75%+ of the applicants, and 95% of the applicants will be rejected. So logically (simple stats), many highly qualified applicants will be rejected.
And applying to more schools doesn't change it. Each one is an individual event.