Where does a 3.5 Sidwell kid end up going to college?

[Anonymous]

Sidwell limits applications? Limits the # of Ivies? How?

That's one stop sign I'd run. Sorry, the best interests of my kid wouldn't be dictated by a college counselor at any school.

There's no way to run that stop sign. Sidwell won't send the transcript to more than 9 schools, although it's possible to apply to multiple UCs and have it count as one because the information only has to be sent once. If that doesn't work for you, Sidwell is not a good fit for your family.

[Anonymous]

College counseling is excellent at Sidwell. They know what they are doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole URM business has become such a racket.

Become? It's 40 years in and going strong. Thankfully.

But no dispute that it's a racket.

But somehow legacies are OK? This seems like the biggest racket of all.

- signed proud MIT alum, where there is no legacy preference

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole URM business has become such a racket.

Become? It's 40 years in and going strong. Thankfully.

But no dispute that it's a racket.

But somehow legacies are OK? This seems like the biggest racket of all.

- signed proud MIT alum, where there is no legacy preference

If a kid is a legacy and a (non-Asian) minority, it's like having a winning ticket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges have no choice but to compare kids within schools, because no college can really afford to concentrate away from other comparatives (geographical, gender/ethnic, recruited athletes, legacies with a bias to donors, etc.). Having a kid who was of equal merit to get into any school, who actually did apply to all 8 Ivies and got into 2, we realized that the algorithm is complicated down to the prep level. The reason why he didn't have a chance at Brown or Yale that year? Simple, the per diem for those spots went to a couple kids recruited for sports and a couple more who were donor legacies with a real family hook. We knew that going in, and could accept it in the end. I think at a school like Sidwell the parents should be informed enough to know there will be certain classes where the 8-ball rolls for against the general population of great candidates at certain Ivies on certain years, and you can predict that well in advance.

The college counselors aren't always honest arbiters. What are they supposed to say? Yes, you just spent a quarter mil on a private secondary education but you really should know now that the 2-3 spots at Brown in your son's class are a closed loop because of that soccer player and those two kids with the hooks? The reality is the queue is not a true one, and there are some ways the application folders jump from high piles to the skinny piles and we can all guess how that happens, and we all know how that applies or does not to our family situation. Our son didn't get into 6 Ivies, but is very happy at the one he did pull through at after being wait listed then finally admitted. It works out well for the very qualified kids at a great place. I think that is what matters most, and, of course, in the world today most of the desired professions require a graduate degree and the next rodeo always awaits.

You are spot on and I know quite a bit of inside information.

And then your life is OVER!

Your kid, if he was truly Brown Qualified, will have a 'Brown' Life....without Brown. Cream rises. Relax Mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Sidwell limits applications? Limits the # of Ivies? How?

That's one stop sign I'd run. Sorry, the best interests of my kid wouldn't be dictated by a college counselor at any school.

There's no way to run that stop sign. Sidwell won't send the transcript to more than 9 schools, although it's possible to apply to multiple UCs and have it count as one because the information only has to be sent once. If that doesn't work for you, Sidwell is not a good fit for your family.

And that is exactly what we will do when the time comes as the west coast is a great 'safety' for my laid back, sun loving kid who has no problem attending UCLA or Yale (gotta get in first). That's just the way DC rolls and no problem with that.

As long as you're serious about your major, you're going to get it regardless where you attend. Period.

[Anonymous]

Have any top private 3.5s gotten college results yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have any top private 3.5s gotten college results yet?

ED comes out 12/15. Anyone who's already heard either applied rolling (which tend to be lower tier schools) or is a recruited athlete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have any top private 3.5s gotten college results yet?

ED comes out 12/15. Anyone who's already heard either applied rolling (which tend to be lower tier schools) or is a recruited athlete.

"Lower tier" like the University of Michigan?

[Anonymous]

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes.

Guys, this is not going anywhere good and is just likely to derail the thread. Let's just stipulate that the University of Michigan is a great world class university (it is ranked #17 on the USNWR ranking of Global Universities, with Princeton #13, Yale #14 and Duke #20) but is not in the top 20 in the USNWR Colleges ranking). So, let's say that for those focused on a certain type of undergraduate experience Michigan does not jump to mind in quite the same way as it does when one looks at the broader picture. Different strokes for different folks ....

[Anonymous]

To answer the OP's question: "where does a 3.5 Sidwell grad go to college?" Answer: anywhere they want.

[Anonymous]

University of Michigan is absolutely one of the best schools a kid could go to. At some point, all parents should look at the sponsored research tables for universities. Michigan has huge figures in their medical and engineering graduate schools. Locally, Univ of Maryland is quite strong in the latter.

Over four years of undergrad, who wouldn't want their kid being taught by graduate students who are funded to be doing real cutting edge research? I went to a very selective liberal arts college, and frankly never felt it never translated well for professional life. Unless a kid is committed to a path that fully relies on grad school, I think it is a mistake to dismiss the practical analysis.

[Anonymous]

"Anywhere they want"? Nope. At least not according to our college counselor at a comparable private HS, for a 3.8 kid.

[Anonymous]

One of the reasons that Sidwell has been successful at keeping a heavy lid on grade inflation is the empowered teachers. They don't cave to kids or parents whining about grades. Over the course of many years, that has resulted in keeping grading in control. Of course, there are other issues related to empowered teachers that aren't so great but at Sidwell, teachers are the authority figures - no question there.