Compared Against Peers - T20 Admissions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am confused as to why this is more of an issue at private schools. At public schools, dozens of kids apply to the same competitive schools and the chips fall where they may. There isn’t the same level of ownership over the process. Everyone knows they have zero control and they have a “might as well try” attitude.

Another public school parent. I wish there were more of a mix here. So tired of wvery thread being dominated by a private school subset.

My guess is entitlement. There is a sense among some (not all of course) that the private school investment entitles their kid to a certain tier of college.

I don’t perceive entitlement among private school parents as much as I sense greater anxiety. Class anxiety, status anxiety. I have put one through each system, both with a terrific result that was really right for that child. The anxiety levels of the private parents is outsized, even if so many try to conceal it. I think that is why they get so aggressive here about insisting private is superior. It must be such a relief to get it off their chest anonymously.

Child number three is in private now. I have to actively remind myself not to absorb the energy from my peer parents on the topic of college. People whom I like very much in other conversations are just not my cup of tea regarding admissions and planning it out over four years. I work hard at creating an invisible wall. Why? I don’t want to do my child what I see some inadvertently doing to theirs.

Parents. We are a big part of the problem. I know I shouldn’t even be here on this thread. I’m going to have to work a little harder.

As for the public/private debate, focus on your child and what is best for them. No need to be unkind.

No one upthread was unkind. It's fair to sense an entitlement from private parents. And, your needing to put up an invisible wall with these people is probably the most "unkind" sentiment. But, frankly, I agree what you sense is something worth walling off from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They definitely compare kids from one school. I was looking through the SCIOR data for my kid's school and I think it's best for everyone when the academic outliers ED successfully.

In several recent years an academic superstar (4.0 or a hair below) has run the table during regular decision and basically shut everyone else out. The schools don't have quotas per say but an exceptionally strong kid can seemingly hurt the chances of the 3.8s or low 3.9s.

this is absolutely hysterical- go to a public then. Primary reason most “kiddos” are
going to big 3 is to have that bright shiny transcript impressing AOs. Tough to shed a tear when the is backfires because one high stat clown blankets applications across entire T15 - boo hoo

Especially true if non-White and non-Asian…

yep. One top 3.98 kid can literally take every top spot in RD. From all the Ivies to Duke and Rice and Hopkins. All in one fell swoop. And they can shut out the entire rest of the class with their lower 3.9s in the process.
Ask me how I know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They definitely compare kids from one school. I was looking through the SCIOR data for my kid's school and I think it's best for everyone when the academic outliers ED successfully.

In several recent years an academic superstar (4.0 or a hair below) has run the table during regular decision and basically shut everyone else out. The schools don't have quotas per say but an exceptionally strong kid can seemingly hurt the chances of the 3.8s or low 3.9s.

Especially true if non-White and non-Asian…

yep. One top 3.98 kid can literally take every top spot in RD. From all the Ivies to Duke and Rice and Hopkins. All in one fell swoop. And they can shut out the entire rest of the class with their lower 3.9s in the process.
Ask me how I know.

this is absolutely hysterical- go to a public then. Primary reason most “kiddos” are
going to big 3 is to have that bright shiny transcript impressing AOs. Tough to shed a tear when the is backfires because one high stat clown blankets applications across entire T15 - boo hoo

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They definitely compare kids from one school. I was looking through the SCIOR data for my kid's school and I think it's best for everyone when the academic outliers ED successfully.

In several recent years an academic superstar (4.0 or a hair below) has run the table during regular decision and basically shut everyone else out. The schools don't have quotas per say but an exceptionally strong kid can seemingly hurt the chances of the 3.8s or low 3.9s.

Especially true if non-White and non-Asian…

yep. One top 3.98 kid can literally take every top spot in RD. From all the Ivies to Duke and Rice and Hopkins. All in one fell swoop. And they can shut out the entire rest of the class with their lower 3.9s in the process.
Ask me how I know.

this is absolutely hysterical- go to a public then. Primary reason most “kiddos” are
going to big 3 is to have that bright shiny transcript impressing AOs. Tough to shed a tear when the is backfires because one high stat clown blankets applications across entire T15 - boo hoo

You sound jealous and unhappy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:does anyone have any more guidance on this situation from the last cycle?

You have to hope that the top 5 kids in the class get their ED. Otherwise they can shut out the rest of the class from all top20 schools in regular decision. This happened at our private this past year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They definitely compare kids from one school. I was looking through the SCIOR data for my kid's school and I think it's best for everyone when the academic outliers ED successfully.

In several recent years an academic superstar (4.0 or a hair below) has run the table during regular decision and basically shut everyone else out. The schools don't have quotas per say but an exceptionally strong kid can seemingly hurt the chances of the 3.8s or low 3.9s.

Especially true if non-White and non-Asian…

yep. One top 3.98 kid can literally take every top spot in RD. From all the Ivies to Duke and Rice and Hopkins. All in one fell swoop. And they can shut out the entire rest of the class with their lower 3.9s in the process.
Ask me how I know.

this is absolutely hysterical- go to a public then. Primary reason most “kiddos” are
going to big 3 is to have that bright shiny transcript impressing AOs. Tough to shed a tear when the is backfires because one high stat clown blankets applications across entire T15 - boo hoo

You sound jealous and unhappy.

yeah that’s what my spouse and kids say too lol. But nothing like the jealousy and hostility felt by the dcum elites after spending over a quarter million on hs and having the valedictorian shut out the entire class cause they want to see how many T15s they’ll get in. So I prefer to think that I like to shoot truth darts at hidden targets - and this target is shrouded in privilege and secrecy imo. Btw my kids went to a T10 university and T10 SLAC, both from a public school in the area. And had no competition from any classmates -

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:does anyone have any more guidance on this situation from the last cycle?

You have to hope that the top 5 kids in the class get their ED. Otherwise they can shut out the rest of the class from all top20 schools in regular decision. This happened at our private this past year.

Agreed that this can and does happen. At DC's private two students were the only ones who got into Brown and both students had EA acceptances at HYP already so it was sort of ridiculous that they applied RD to Brown (and no, they were not FA candidates - they just wanted to collect acceptance letters from 10+ schools after already getting their first choice school). I think they were just clueless and sort of self-centered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:does anyone have any more guidance on this situation from the last cycle?

You have to hope that the top 5 kids in the class get their ED. Otherwise they can shut out the rest of the class from all top20 schools in regular decision. This happened at our private this past year.

this 100%
or find schools that have different AOs by college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:does anyone have any more guidance on this situation from the last cycle?

You have to hope that the top 5 kids in the class get their ED. Otherwise they can shut out the rest of the class from all top20 schools in regular decision. This happened at our private this past year.

Agreed that this can and does happen. At DC's private two students were the only ones who got into Brown and both students had EA acceptances at HYP already so it was sort of ridiculous that they applied RD to Brown (and no, they were not FA candidates - they just wanted to collect acceptance letters from 10+ schools after already getting their first choice school). I think they were just clueless and sort of self-centered.

NY private?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They definitely compare kids from one school. I was looking through the SCIOR data for my kid's school and I think it's best for everyone when the academic outliers ED successfully.

In several recent years an academic superstar (4.0 or a hair below) has run the table during regular decision and basically shut everyone else out. The schools don't have quotas per say but an exceptionally strong kid can seemingly hurt the chances of the 3.8s or low 3.9s.

Especially true if non-White and non-Asian…

yep. One top 3.98 kid can literally take every top spot in RD. From all the Ivies to Duke and Rice and Hopkins. All in one fell swoop. And they can shut out the entire rest of the class with their lower 3.9s in the process.
Ask me how I know.

this is absolutely hysterical- go to a public then. Primary reason most “kiddos” are
going to big 3 is to have that bright shiny transcript impressing AOs. Tough to shed a tear when the is backfires because one high stat clown blankets applications across entire T15 - boo hoo

You sound jealous and unhappy.

yeah that’s what my spouse and kids say too lol. But nothing like the jealousy and hostility felt by the dcum elites after spending over a quarter million on hs and having the valedictorian shut out the entire class cause they want to see how many T15s they’ll get in. So I prefer to think that I like to shoot truth darts at hidden targets - and this target is shrouded in privilege and secrecy imo. Btw my kids went to a T10 university and T10 SLAC, both from a public school in the area. And had no competition from any classmates -

which is why too many folks think the private school diploma contains fairy dust - it doesn’t - often more beneficial going to public, especially in a lower income area

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:does anyone have any more guidance on this situation from the last cycle?

You have to hope that the top 5 kids in the class get their ED. Otherwise they can shut out the rest of the class from all top20 schools in regular decision. This happened at our private this past year.

Agreed that this can and does happen. At DC's private two students were the only ones who got into Brown and both students had EA acceptances at HYP already so it was sort of ridiculous that they applied RD to Brown (and no, they were not FA candidates - they just wanted to collect acceptance letters from 10+ schools after already getting their first choice school). I think they were just clueless and sort of self-centered.

yep and unfortunately there are a ton of low character kids in these privates who would behave like this - deplorable

[Anonymous]

At our Big3 last year there were no Ivy or similar admissions in RD outside of the top5 kids. These kids (namely the top kid and another in the top 3) applied to pretty much the all top 20 schools (each submitted 20+ applications) in RD. they ran the tables. Shut the rest out.

[Anonymous]

at one of area privates, there was an award ceremony last spring where a student was introduced as having received early decision admission to a specific T20 - then the GC announcer said she also obtained admittance from these 5 schools - I just looked at my hubby and rolled my eyes. Felt like calling out the guidance department because they obviously knew and didn’t care..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our Big3 last year there were no Ivy or similar admissions in RD outside of the top5 kids. These kids (namely the top kid and another in the top 3) applied to pretty much the all top 20 schools (each submitted 20+ applications) in RD. they ran the tables. Shut the rest out.

I'm getting a Tanya Harding vibe here...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our Big3 last year there were no Ivy or similar admissions in RD outside of the top5 kids. These kids (namely the top kid and another in the top 3) applied to pretty much the all top 20 schools (each submitted 20+ applications) in RD. they ran the tables. Shut the rest out.

This is why GDS limits the number of applications.