Do great students sometimes get shut out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It absolutely happens. One of my son’s friends was shut out. He attended JC for a year and is now a sophomore at USC in CA. It’s often a lot easier to transfer in.

It happened because the kid didn't apply to several true safeties. Also, every spring a number of colleges publicly advertise that they still have open slots -- they are happy to accept anyone with halfway decent stats.

That's good to know! Where do you look for this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You build the list from the bottom up. Include at least 1 rolling admission school and get the application IN in Aug/Sept. Any rejection from EA means even more schools get added to RD. There is also the Space Available Survey that gets published in May/June.

Imo, likely arrogance and unwilling to "settle" would be reasons a high stat students ends up with reaches and targets only, and could possibly (unlikely) get shut out.

Or optimism.

They're kids. Some UMC kids haven't experienced significant setbacks yet

[Anonymous]

Family friend's DC. She applied to too many reaches (encouraged by parents too interested in status- this I know)- was waitlisted at all and never moved off the list. She ended up a school that did not reflect her grades/test scores-- the good news is that she got nearly a full ride and the school has a tremendous alumni network. She's doing amazing, tons of opportunities, and will likely land career-wise as well or better than if she had gotten into a higher ranked college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Family friend's DC. She applied to too many reaches (encouraged by parents too interested in status- this I know)- was waitlisted at all and never moved off the list. She ended up a school that did not reflect her grades/test scores-- the good news is that she got nearly a full ride and the school has a tremendous alumni network. She's doing amazing, tons of opportunities, and will likely land career-wise as well or better than if she had gotten into a higher ranked college.

Please share the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, but students do get rejected from safeties who rejected 90%+.

If a school rejects 90%, they aren't a safety for anyone.

Typo! I meant accepted, obviously.

A university with a 90% acceptance rate is not going to reject someone with higher than average stats - those schools have zero reason to yield protect.

Sure. I guess I'm thinking more of falling through the cracks.

Admissions offices look at all the applications. They're going to notice a 4+ GPA. If they reject, it's because they're yield protecting (and schools with that reputation should not be considered a safety).

My kid with a 3.98/4.89 and 33 ACT, full IB diploma, was applying to a handful of true safety schools that are extremely strong in the unusual niche major they’re aiming for. Got into all of them, with honors colleges and top merit.

If there’s a clear, demonstrable reason for a student choosing that school, and they’re clear about it in their essays, they’ll be fine. If it looks like they’re just looking for an easy admit, and it’s clear their interests lie elsewhere, maybe not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It absolutely happens. One of my son’s friends was shut out. He attended JC for a year and is now a sophomore at USC in CA. It’s often a lot easier to transfer in.

It happened because the kid didn't apply to several true safeties. Also, every spring a number of colleges publicly advertise that they still have open slots -- they are happy to accept anyone with halfway decent stats.

That's good to know! Where do you look for this?

Somebody usually links to one here, at least.

[Anonymous]

This is my ds (1390 sat, great grades) and we were worried about it, but all four safeties gave him tons of merit and he got into targets (one with generous merit). Still waiting on just one reach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It absolutely happens. One of my son’s friends was shut out. He attended JC for a year and is now a sophomore at USC in CA. It’s often a lot easier to transfer in.

It happened because the kid didn't apply to several true safeties. Also, every spring a number of colleges publicly advertise that they still have open slots -- they are happy to accept anyone with halfway decent stats.

That's good to know! Where do you look for this?

In late April/early May, the NACAC list https://www.nacacnet.org/college-openings-update/

[Anonymous]

It's unlikely too unless you really screw up your decisionmaking or have some irrational level of confidence because you'd have a bunch of rejections in this situation while some schools are still accepting applications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Family friend's DC. She applied to too many reaches (encouraged by parents too interested in status- this I know)- was waitlisted at all and never moved off the list. She ended up a school that did not reflect her grades/test scores-- the good news is that she got nearly a full ride and the school has a tremendous alumni network. She's doing amazing, tons of opportunities, and will likely land career-wise as well or better than if she had gotten into a higher ranked college.

Please share the school.

No-I don't want to give too much identifying information. I will say this- she is an exceptional young woman and would have been an asset at any school she attended. I'm happy she's landing on her feet, but never doubted it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It absolutely happens. One of my son’s friends was shut out. He attended JC for a year and is now a sophomore at USC in CA. It’s often a lot easier to transfer in.

It happened because the kid didn't apply to several true safeties. Also, every spring a number of colleges publicly advertise that they still have open slots -- they are happy to accept anyone with halfway decent stats.

That's good to know! Where do you look for this?

In late April/early May, the NACAC list https://www.nacacnet.org/college-openings-update/

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

This is another great post for all you junior parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS has an EA acceptance to his top choice in hand, so this is pretty much anxiety and idle curiosity speaking. Since admissions can be holistic and somewhat capricious, what happens when a solid student (say, 4+ GPA and 1400+ SAT with great EC's) is shut out from everywhere they applied, even targets and safeties? I'm guessing this happens with a lot of safeties that have more of an 80% admit rate than higher. Do you know anyone this has happened to?

To be honest, a solid student is not really a "great student". Solid students are students who can become great students if they have been taught to work hard and in a strategic manner right from middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Family friend's DC. She applied to too many reaches (encouraged by parents too interested in status- this I know)- was waitlisted at all and never moved off the list. She ended up a school that did not reflect her grades/test scores-- the good news is that she got nearly a full ride and the school has a tremendous alumni network. She's doing amazing, tons of opportunities, and will likely land career-wise as well or better than if she had gotten into a higher ranked college.

Please share the school.

No-I don't want to give too much identifying information. I will say this- she is an exceptional young woman and would have been an asset at any school she attended. I'm happy she's landing on her feet, but never doubted it.

NP, no personal knowledge, but could describe Dickinson in Carlisle PA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS has an EA acceptance to his top choice in hand, so this is pretty much anxiety and idle curiosity speaking. Since admissions can be holistic and somewhat capricious, what happens when a solid student (say, 4+ GPA and 1400+ SAT with great EC's) is shut out from everywhere they applied, even targets and safeties? I'm guessing this happens with a lot of safeties that have more of an 80% admit rate than higher. Do you know anyone this has happened to?

To be honest, a solid student is not really a "great student". Solid students are students who can become great students if they have been taught to work hard and in a strategic manner right from middle school.

Even students who are “great students” can get shut out if they don’t have a balanced, realistic list of colleges. Very important to keep expectations in check.