What has surprised you - as your kid comes to the end of this process

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That it's really easy to get into college if you're a good student with pretty good scores but not top scores (in this case a 1400). My ds got in everywhere he applied but one college as a normal kid who picked easier APs and enjoyed his life without stress. I was so worried and thought it would be a lot harder than it was.

Honestly this is only true if he went to a not very competitive public high school or a private school that universities like.

I think it is more about the college list than where you are applying from. I have a very similar kid, thinks of himself as "average" or even below average at competitive FCPS high school who has gotten into 10 of 12 with 2 waitlists. Also 1400, hard APs but only a few of them. But he didn't apply to any very reach-y schools. The couple we called Reaches were probably high targets and he got into both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Learned that unless your kid is a recruited athlete, their playing varsity all throughout high school and being named as captain for multiple seasons is not going to make a difference in any way from any other EC.

I don't think this is true at all. Dc got into a T10 that many of his friends w better stats got rejected from. I do think that it was his Varsity sports (as well as coaching kids sports) that gave him an edge over other academic/non sports peers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Learned that unless your kid is a recruited athlete, their playing varsity all throughout high school and being named as captain for multiple seasons is not going to make a difference in any way from any other EC.

I don't think this is true at all. Dc got into a T10 that many of his friends w better stats got rejected from. I do think that it was his Varsity sports (as well as coaching kids sports) that gave him an edge over other academic/non sports peers.

We have seen the same happen for athletes, especially 3-sport athletes, from our high school. Colleges seem to like that they like being part of a team, can show leadership, and balance what is a pretty huge time commitment with everything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised how mean and judgmental people can be about other people’s kids. Adult snark is one thing, mocking teenagers quite another. Regardless of the anonymous nature of this forum, I don’t understand why anyone feels the need to belittle a high schooler’s character, intellect, or choice of ECs, college, major, etc.

I admit anonymously to being overly harsh about a few kids who appear to have waltzed into tippy top schools to play sports but have not done anything close to the academic work my kid and friends have done (many of whom are still waiting for decisions).

I also know a kid who had to forego wanting to go premed at an Ivy because the obligations as an athlete was too demanding. They got recruited as an athlete, they will keep their end of the promise and sacrifice sleep and at times goals to meet the demands. People who complain about athletes having it easy are exactly the same parents complaining the URM kids are taking their snowflake's spots

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised how mean and judgmental people can be about other people’s kids. Adult snark is one thing, mocking teenagers quite another. Regardless of the anonymous nature of this forum, I don’t understand why anyone feels the need to belittle a high schooler’s character, intellect, or choice of ECs, college, major, etc.

I admit anonymously to being overly harsh about a few kids who appear to have waltzed into tippy top schools to play sports but have not done anything close to the academic work my kid and friends have done (many of whom are still waiting for decisions).

I also know a kid who had to forego wanting to go premed at an Ivy because the obligations as an athlete was too demanding. They got recruited as an athlete, they will keep their end of the promise and sacrifice sleep and at times goals to meet the demands. People who complain about athletes having it easy are exactly the same parents complaining the URM kids are taking their snowflake's spots

Your hyperbole aside, this kid should have done D-3, still gone to a Williams or like school, and kept the pre-med. Since this is a “what we learned” thread, this should be the takeaway for future applicants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised that, for high stats (i.e., 1550+ with perfect GPA and top rigor the school offers), there really are no target schools.

All T20s are reaches, and in the next tier down, almost every school yield protects (even state schools for OOS applicants).

As a result, kids need to apply to a v large number of schools, which is time consuming, emotionally draining, and $$$.

So much uncertainty . . . .

People on this site always say 'have a safety DC loves!'. But which school that accepts more than 50% of students is likely to be a great fit for a kid with perfect GPA and scores?

“My kid is too special and smart to actually go to a school that will admit them no questions asked.”

Like they aren’t going to die if they go to SUNY Binghamton or UMass Amherst.

No, they aren't going to die. But if they are going to end up at Binghamton, do they have to spend hours and hours and close to $2K on the way there?

Trying their best and achieving and growing should be an end in itself.

I feel like a substantial numbers of posters here would be perfect fine with DC learning absolutely nothing at colleges as long as they went somewhere that could boost them into a job they approve of based solely on the prestige of the degree.

[Anonymous]

My kid got into a lot more schools than we expected. Felt like his chances were 50/50 but get got into most. He’s got lots of options now. We are happy for him. Relieved that part is over. Onto the next part …….

[Anonymous]

My kid got into every school they applied to and really good merit aid at most. Great grades and EC had to do test optional because the score was not what we expected. Having to say no to most of them though because of the changed economy. I think what surprised me is that one school that we visited that was far away and I thought would really be interested in them wasn’t. Got in but not much engagement or merit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised that, for high stats (i.e., 1550+ with perfect GPA and top rigor the school offers), there really are no target schools.

All T20s are reaches, and in the next tier down, almost every school yield protects (even state schools for OOS applicants).

As a result, kids need to apply to a v large number of schools, which is time consuming, emotionally draining, and $$$.

So much uncertainty . . . .

People on this site always say 'have a safety DC loves!'. But which school that accepts more than 50% of students is likely to be a great fit for a kid with perfect GPA and scores?

“My kid is too special and smart to actually go to a school that will admit them no questions asked.”

Like they aren’t going to die if they go to SUNY Binghamton or UMass Amherst.

No, they aren't going to die. But if they are going to end up at Binghamton, do they have to spend hours and hours and close to $2K on the way there?

Trying their best and achieving and growing should be an end in itself.

I feel like a substantial numbers of posters here would be perfect fine with DC learning absolutely nothing at colleges as long as they went somewhere that could boost them into a job they approve of based solely on the prestige of the degree.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised that, for high stats (i.e., 1550+ with perfect GPA and top rigor the school offers), there really are no target schools.

All T20s are reaches, and in the next tier down, almost every school yield protects (even state schools for OOS applicants).

As a result, kids need to apply to a v large number of schools, which is time consuming, emotionally draining, and $$$.

So much uncertainty . . . .

People on this site always say 'have a safety DC loves!'. But which school that accepts more than 50% of students is likely to be a great fit for a kid with perfect GPA and scores?

+100

+1000

This is the toughest part. Kid has decent chance at HYPSM but true safety is not going to be a great academic fit.

We lucked out with a HYPSM admit but it could easily have been zero T40 admits.

But would it have mattered? I’m the community college poster above. Call me an optimist, but I believe true HYPSM-caliber kids will succeed in life regardless of which college they attend.

i think it matters for confidence, outlook, peer group, demeanor and college experience. Yes.

I respect your perspective. My kid may be a weird outlier, as I fully would’ve expected them to be the cockiest mf-er at their community college.

Sounds like your kid really knows how to make friends and influence people. . . .

I have a friend who teaches at a well-regarded community college. She reports that she has to deal with discipline issues in class. For my DC, who gets annoyed when classmates at her top private don't pay attention in class, doesn't seem like it would be a great learning opportunity or social fit.

No, not cocky towards others but very confident in themself! I mentioned earlier that they’re quite humble - they would never consider community college or their classmates beneath them.

You say this but I bet you have never attended classes at a community college. I have. It is a very humbling experience. If you are well educated and have ambition and used to being around a similar cohort, it will be a mental adjustment to accept attending community college for 2 years. Especially when your academic peers that you grew up with are living their best lives at 4 year colleges. Community college certainly serves a purpose but I think parents on this board who toss this out for their high-achieving kids are deluding themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised that, for high stats (i.e., 1550+ with perfect GPA and top rigor the school offers), there really are no target schools.

All T20s are reaches, and in the next tier down, almost every school yield protects (even state schools for OOS applicants).

As a result, kids need to apply to a v large number of schools, which is time consuming, emotionally draining, and $$$.

So much uncertainty . . . .

People on this site always say 'have a safety DC loves!'. But which school that accepts more than 50% of students is likely to be a great fit for a kid with perfect GPA and scores?

“My kid is too special and smart to actually go to a school that will admit them no questions asked.”

Like they aren’t going to die if they go to SUNY Binghamton or UMass Amherst.

No, they aren't going to die. But if they are going to end up at Binghamton, do they have to spend hours and hours and close to $2K on the way there?

Trying their best and achieving and growing should be an end in itself.

I feel like a substantial numbers of posters here would be perfect fine with DC learning absolutely nothing at colleges as long as they went somewhere that could boost them into a job they approve of based solely on the prestige of the degree.

+1

+2

So much emphasis on prestige on DCUM.

So much pressure for prestige at the W schools. It’s all about where their kid gets in and bragging rights. It’s kinda sad because after being in the workplace for decades now and a hiring manager, where you graduated is the last thing I look at.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised that, for high stats (i.e., 1550+ with perfect GPA and top rigor the school offers), there really are no target schools.

All T20s are reaches, and in the next tier down, almost every school yield protects (even state schools for OOS applicants).

As a result, kids need to apply to a v large number of schools, which is time consuming, emotionally draining, and $$$.

So much uncertainty . . . .

People on this site always say 'have a safety DC loves!'. But which school that accepts more than 50% of students is likely to be a great fit for a kid with perfect GPA and scores?

+100

+1000

This is the toughest part. Kid has decent chance at HYPSM but true safety is not going to be a great academic fit.

We lucked out with a HYPSM admit but it could easily have been zero T40 admits.

But would it have mattered? I’m the community college poster above. Call me an optimist, but I believe true HYPSM-caliber kids will succeed in life regardless of which college they attend.

i think it matters for confidence, outlook, peer group, demeanor and college experience. Yes.

I respect your perspective. My kid may be a weird outlier, as I fully would’ve expected them to be the cockiest mf-er at their community college.

Sounds like your kid really knows how to make friends and influence people. . . .

I have a friend who teaches at a well-regarded community college. She reports that she has to deal with discipline issues in class. For my DC, who gets annoyed when classmates at her top private don't pay attention in class, doesn't seem like it would be a great learning opportunity or social fit.

No, not cocky towards others but very confident in themself! I mentioned earlier that they’re quite humble - they would never consider community college or their classmates beneath them.

I’ve met kids from top schools taking summer classes at MC and they’ve been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the professors (many are retired government officials) and by the classes.

[Anonymous]

Kids can be very kind to one another about college admissions. I had been anticipating/dreading the social gossip/meanness amongst the kids about colleges. What I saw instead was kids offering advice on applications, lifting up a disappointed friend, and celebrating their friends’ good news.

[Anonymous]

I've been surprised about the amount of FA offered by different schools. NYU in particular offered 60,000 less than top 20 schools.

[Anonymous]

The ability to articulate your story helped so much in the process.