Our Current Situation - Not thrilled

[Anonymous]

Some of you are acting like it's infinitely impossible to get a computer science spot at a top 50 school.
I'm in the private school world in DC (not not even at TJ or Blair) and I personally know 10 kids who managed that last year.
And all of them had flaws on their records and none of them did anything truly remarkable in computer science prior to graduation.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:OP, I did not read the entire thread, but I hope you are staying positive for your kid. He has some excellent admittances and I would not be surprised if he gets offered a spot at Purdue.

UT Austin, Rice, and University of Washington were never going to happen. Georgia Tech is a toss up, but probably also a "no". Wisconsin seems like he should have a good shot.

I went through this with my kid last year. You need to be VERY positive about all of his acceptances and remind him why he likes those schools.

Huh. Why?? (not OP).

The kid has PERFECT stats.

So do thousands of others. (Tens or hundreds of thousands in TO world.)

You seriously think there are "hundreds of thousands" of high school seniors with perfect 4.0 uw GPAs AND who have taken 9 AP courses to include AP Physics, AP Calc BC, etc. AND who are Eagle Scouts AND have the equivalent of OP's kid's other accomplishments? No way.

NP here—hi OP. There may not be hundreds of thousands but there is certainly at least a hundred thousand. Public high schools give out 4.0s like candy. 100,000 would still be less than 1% of graduating seniors. So PP is right that there are hundreds of thousands of stellar students competing for the same spots. And there isn’t just one kind of “perfect.”

Come again?

It’s not less than 1%, but more like 2.5%. There are about 4 million graduating students—and that’s just the US. Point still stands, there are at least 100,000 students as stellar or more so than OP’s kid.

By GPA alone, sure. But you're conveniently ignoring the fact that the student has taken/is taking 9 APs across a range of subjects - to include ones likes AP Physics and AP Calc BC - on top of other achievements (Eagle Scouts, etc.). Are there thousands of equivalent kids? Yeah, probably. But 100,000? Again, no way.

124,335 kids took the Calc BC exam in 2021. 136K took Physics 1, 48K took Physics C: Mechanics, 18K took Physics 2.
Given that most kids (in our school, anyway) who take BC also take at least one AP Physics class, 100K+ is reasonable.


https://www.turito.com/blog/ap/the-most-popular-ap-exams-every-high-school-students-should-consider

OP said her kid took AP Physics C (among other tests). And per your figures, only 48K took Physics C. So no, 100K+ is not reasonable because less than half that amount took AP Physics C. Plus, not all of those 48K had a perfect 4.0 uw GPA in addition to the other accomplishments listed for OP's kid. And this is all ignoring the very high SAT score, which is at least considered - NOT ignored - by test-optional colleges.

OK, you got me. You've completely convinced me that this student is a unique individual, head and shoulders above the rest of the admissions pool everywhere, and should be accepted early to their choice of major at all schools.

Not at all. The OP's kid is not unique and there are thousands of equivalent applicants. But not close to 100,000+.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Facts:
Son UW GPA 4.0. NEVER made below an A (even middle school). WGA 4.5 (only classes that are weighted are AP level) Top 1% class (everyone with a 4.0 gets rank of 1 so % rank based on WGPA)
9 APs total after Senior year including good mix of science (AP Physics 1,2 and C), math (Calc BC), computer science, humanities (history, government)....
1550 SAT one sitting May of junior year (balanced math/verbal score)
Attends specialized engineering courses through CC and Magnet program
Eagle Scout with lots of leadership positions and projects through the scouting program
Lots of EC focused on computer science that he does because he loves them and does totally on his own (has website blog with details of all projects that is very well written)
Community service since 9th grade (even through covid) at same organization - has many hours
Awesome LOR from computer science teacher and AP physics teacher and community leader
Coherent, funny, on topic essays

Deferred Purdue CS
Offered Exploratory Studies CU Boulder
Admitted to Pitt CS and GMU CS with honors
Admitted to VCU CS

Waiting to hear from GT, UT Austin, Wisconsin Madison, U Washington, Rice and not expecting good results based on the deferral and exploratory studies garbage can offer.

If choices end up being Pitt, GMU or VCU so be it but that seems ridiculous. She has so much potential. Pitt seems to be the winner so far

Too many posts to read everything, but there are some potentially glaring application mistakes:

- Most schools want a humanities recommendation and a STEM recommendation...MIT and others specifically require that. It is very possible having 2 STEM recommendations could have been a problem and also possible there were explicit instructions not to do this. A bunch of the schools listed (like GT) only ask for one recommendation, so not an issue there;
- Other question...what year did the applicant take either of those classes? Colleges prefer a recommendation from a Junior year teacher...after that a Senior year teacher...but it is a negative to get a recommendation from Sophomore or Freshman teacher. Too far back;
- Unfortunately, UT Austin and University of Washington (I assume this is Seattle...not Wash U) do not take many OOS kids for CS. Washington only takes 50 kids out of 1200 from OOS for CS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Facts:
Son UW GPA 4.0. NEVER made below an A (even middle school). WGA 4.5 (only classes that are weighted are AP level) Top 1% class (everyone with a 4.0 gets rank of 1 so % rank based on WGPA)
9 APs total after Senior year including good mix of science (AP Physics 1,2 and C), math (Calc BC), computer science, humanities (history, government)....
1550 SAT one sitting May of junior year (balanced math/verbal score)
Attends specialized engineering courses through CC and Magnet program
Eagle Scout with lots of leadership positions and projects through the scouting program
Lots of EC focused on computer science that he does because he loves them and does totally on his own (has website blog with details of all projects that is very well written)
Community service since 9th grade (even through covid) at same organization - has many hours
Awesome LOR from computer science teacher and AP physics teacher and community leader
Coherent, funny, on topic essays

Deferred Purdue CS
Offered Exploratory Studies CU Boulder
Admitted to Pitt CS and GMU CS with honors
Admitted to VCU CS

Waiting to hear from GT, UT Austin, Wisconsin Madison, U Washington, Rice and not expecting good results based on the deferral and exploratory studies garbage can offer.

If choices end up being Pitt, GMU or VCU so be it but that seems ridiculous. She has so much potential. Pitt seems to be the winner so far

Too many posts to read everything, but there are some potentially glaring application mistakes:

- Most schools want a humanities recommendation and a STEM recommendation...MIT and others specifically require that. It is very possible having 2 STEM recommendations could have been a problem and also possible there were explicit instructions not to do this. A bunch of the schools listed (like GT) only ask for one recommendation, so not an issue there;
- Other question...what year did the applicant take either of those classes? Colleges prefer a recommendation from a Junior year teacher...after that a Senior year teacher...but it is a negative to get a recommendation from Sophomore or Freshman teacher. Too far back;
- Unfortunately, UT Austin and University of Washington (I assume this is Seattle...not Wash U) do not take many OOS kids for CS. Washington only takes 50 kids out of 1200 from OOS for CS.

Univ of Washington OOS acceptance rate for CS is 3%. It DOES NOT matter what your stats are----it's still a crap shoot for getting in. 70-80% of the applicants are "qualified", yet most will not get it. It's nothing against your kid, it's just simple data points

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I did not read the entire thread, but I hope you are staying positive for your kid. He has some excellent admittances and I would not be surprised if he gets offered a spot at Purdue.

UT Austin, Rice, and University of Washington were never going to happen. Georgia Tech is a toss up, but probably also a "no". Wisconsin seems like he should have a good shot.

I went through this with my kid last year. You need to be VERY positive about all of his acceptances and remind him why he likes those schools.

Huh. Why?? (not OP).

The kid has PERFECT stats.

I assume you have not had a kid go through the admissions process in the last 2 years. UT Austin, Rice and U of Washington all have very low acceptance rates for CS (single digits). UT Austin is basically impossible to get into from OOS because of the way they do admissions for in-state students. They are looking for truly special kids. Not 4.0/perfect SAT score eagle scouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I did not read the entire thread, but I hope you are staying positive for your kid. He has some excellent admittances and I would not be surprised if he gets offered a spot at Purdue.

UT Austin, Rice, and University of Washington were never going to happen. Georgia Tech is a toss up, but probably also a "no". Wisconsin seems like he should have a good shot.

I went through this with my kid last year. You need to be VERY positive about all of his acceptances and remind him why he likes those schools.

Huh. Why?? (not OP).

The kid has PERFECT stats.

I assume you have not had a kid go through the admissions process in the last 2 years. UT Austin, Rice and U of Washington all have very low acceptance rates for CS (single digits). UT Austin is basically impossible to get into from OOS because of the way they do admissions for in-state students. They are looking for truly special kids. Not 4.0/perfect SAT score eagle scouts.

what does a truly special kid look like?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I did not read the entire thread, but I hope you are staying positive for your kid. He has some excellent admittances and I would not be surprised if he gets offered a spot at Purdue.

UT Austin, Rice, and University of Washington were never going to happen. Georgia Tech is a toss up, but probably also a "no". Wisconsin seems like he should have a good shot.

I went through this with my kid last year. You need to be VERY positive about all of his acceptances and remind him why he likes those schools.

Huh. Why?? (not OP).

The kid has PERFECT stats.

I assume you have not had a kid go through the admissions process in the last 2 years. UT Austin, Rice and U of Washington all have very low acceptance rates for CS (single digits). UT Austin is basically impossible to get into from OOS because of the way they do admissions for in-state students. They are looking for truly special kids. Not 4.0/perfect SAT score eagle scouts.

With all this demand from American kids, why do universities insist on admitting foreigners? The same Chinese and Indian kids are available in the US (born to immigrants) and are more than willing to pay the same full fare. Don't get their pursuit of faux diversity..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You say son and then she later on.

Big difference if girl or boy in that major.

This was my first thought as well.

Trollie McTrollerston

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why did you aim so low? It seems that some of those choices (Colorado, even Purdue) know he won't attend.

Yeah, OP is looking through the tinted lenses of her own (and maybe her husband’s) college application experience and mistakenly applying it here. The stats posted are great, but in 2023, if you’re not an URM or the first in your family to attend college, all they do is buy her kid a single lottery ticket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First of all OP, this is extremely rude. There are so many students who have worked so hard and every bit as capable as your child (boy or girl? Who knows?) who do not have these acceptances. Second of all, what kind of high school are we talking about? GPAs vary so much and the top ranked college programs know that a 4.0 at one school—especially one that calls more than the top 1% the top 1%, that makes no sense—is very different than a more rigorous school. Your kid has great choices. Stop making him or her feel bad.

Why are you and some of the rest such as--holes. OP is allowed to be disappointed. OP is allowed to vent. These kids kill themselves for 4 years in the hopes that they'll get into dream schools. Your kids do it too. All kids do it. When that doesn't happen, some roll with it. Some are upset. And there is nothing bad about that. (And yes, parent feelings are valid. We are the ones watching them kill themselves).

If you don't have something constructive to say. If you can't empathize nicely. Then just shut the EF up. I'm sick of the piling on, nasty, judgmental responses to valid feelings on here.

Sorry, is your name Jeff? If not, zip it and take a seat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You people crapping on the OP are off base IMO. Let’s be honest; this kid had top 1% GPA, top 1% SAT scores and all the rest of the package. Schools like Perdue and CU aren’t swimming in kids like this. It’s completely reasonable to be upset that someone with a resume like this isn’t being immediately accepted into the schools mentioned.

They aren’t going to accept a kid they know won’t accept. They are protecting their yield.

This is College Admissions 101, kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I did not read the entire thread, but I hope you are staying positive for your kid. He has some excellent admittances and I would not be surprised if he gets offered a spot at Purdue.

UT Austin, Rice, and University of Washington were never going to happen. Georgia Tech is a toss up, but probably also a "no". Wisconsin seems like he should have a good shot.

I went through this with my kid last year. You need to be VERY positive about all of his acceptances and remind him why he likes those schools.

Huh. Why?? (not OP).

The kid has PERFECT stats.

I assume you have not had a kid go through the admissions process in the last 2 years. UT Austin, Rice and U of Washington all have very low acceptance rates for CS (single digits). UT Austin is basically impossible to get into from OOS because of the way they do admissions for in-state students. They are looking for truly special kids. Not 4.0/perfect SAT score eagle scouts.

With all this demand from American kids, why do universities insist on admitting foreigners? The same Chinese and Indian kids are available in the US (born to immigrants) and are more than willing to pay the same full fare. Don't get their pursuit of faux diversity..

I agree, many of the admission issues would go away if international students were reduced from 20 percent of a class to 5 percent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you post entitled BS on his/her social media? Some schools check that...

Just stop with the “entitled” lines. Take it to politics. No one wants to read that in this subforum

It is entitled. You don’t like it. Too bad. (not quoted PP)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First of all OP, this is extremely rude. There are so many students who have worked so hard and every bit as capable as your child (boy or girl? Who knows?) who do not have these acceptances. Second of all, what kind of high school are we talking about? GPAs vary so much and the top ranked college programs know that a 4.0 at one school—especially one that calls more than the top 1% the top 1%, that makes no sense—is very different than a more rigorous school. Your kid has great choices. Stop making him or her feel bad.

Why are you and some of the rest such as--holes. OP is allowed to be disappointed. OP is allowed to vent. These kids kill themselves for 4 years in the hopes that they'll get into dream schools. Your kids do it too. All kids do it. When that doesn't happen, some roll with it. Some are upset. And there is nothing bad about that. (And yes, parent feelings are valid. We are the ones watching them kill themselves).

If you don't have something constructive to say. If you can't empathize nicely. Then just shut the EF up. I'm sick of the piling on, nasty, judgmental responses to valid feelings on here.

This is the problem. Kids should not be "killing themselves" for something that rarely works out.
Since this "killing" starts at age 13 in quite a few kids it is at least initially parent driven.
Parents should know better.
It's so warped.

Agree! My kids worked hard but they did not “kill themselves.” Sleep and balance were important to us.

Balance is key. We found that decisions should not be 100% made on "aiming for elite universities/any universities". Don't take AP Eng/AP FL/APUSH/APCalcBC/etc just to check a box---take courses that interest you and won't overwhelm you so you don't get any sleep. Maintain rigor, but that doesn't have to mean 6 AP per year.
My kid skipped APUSH/AP Eng and focused on STEM APs as a future engineer. Only reason they would have taken the APUSH/AP eng was to get out of it in college. Well, turns out their ultimate top 2 choices come April do NOT give AP credit for "core curriculum" classes---you gotta take them at the university. So my kid was extremely happy with the decision to focus on STEM AP (4 each year Jr/Sr) and skip the others and then have time for 20-25 hour/week for their outside school EC. My kid was happier, less stressed and got 5 hours of sleep each night (not 2-3 which would have happened if they added the other APs). Got into 2 T40 schools, got deferred/rejected at T10 and WL at T30. Maybe the extra APs would have gotten them in, but I doubt it---fact is acceptance rates are less than 10%. My kid had a more balanced HS experience because of this and is happy where they landed

Good for your kid. Many people I know say that APUSH is their favorite course in high school. Even if they later go on to STEM or other majors and fields that have nothing to do with history. It is usually taught by a dynamic teacher who is passionate about the subject and doesn’t bound themselves by the curriculum. So it is remembered by the students far longer than other run-of-the-mill AP classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You people crapping on the OP are off base IMO. Let’s be honest; this kid had top 1% GPA, top 1% SAT scores and all the rest of the package. Schools like Perdue and CU aren’t swimming in kids like this. It’s completely reasonable to be upset that someone with a resume like this isn’t being immediately accepted into the schools mentioned.

OP didn't mention any extracurriculars. Maybe her child is a terrible writer and the essays were bad. Maybe her child is not a nice person and the recommendations were terrible. Who knows?

DP here. You (or someone unfortunately similar) keeps posting this, and this statement is often very, very inaccurate. I know it may make you momentarily happy to kick someone when they are down, but you are behaving like a POS. Grow up.

OP, I know the situation you are in, and it is real, especially since covid. It is not too late to keep applying to one or two other schools your DC may be interested in.

They are not “down.” They are ridiculous.