Where Can A 91 GPA Student From St. Alban's Go?

[Anonymous]

As an STA parent, I can tell some of this info isn’t from people with direct experience at STA and I would ignore it. Also, college office is helpful, so rely on them once they start working with kids as second semester juniors.

My hunch is there has been some grade inflation due to COVID - not that the top grade is much higher but rather more guys are above a 90. My guess is 91 isn’t top 20% anymore. I think a boy would need closer to 93/94 to be competitive at Ivies, and then probably not HYPSM without something else. It also matters what classes he takes. STA doesn’t weight for AP or honors but most of the academic guys take them anyway. I would think you would need at least AP BC Calc, AP Physics C, and four years of language to be considered rigorous.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like your number one criteria is high USNWR rank.

Another post from a status slave.

You have not said whether your kid wants urban or rural, small or large, STEM or humanities...or does he simply not have any choice in the matter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As an STA parent, I can tell some of this info isn’t from people with direct experience at STA and I would ignore it. Also, college office is helpful, so rely on them once they start working with kids as second semester juniors.

My hunch is there has been some grade inflation due to COVID - not that the top grade is much higher but rather more guys are above a 90. My guess is 91 isn’t top 20% anymore. I think a boy would need closer to 93/94 to be competitive at Ivies, and then probably not HYPSM without something else. It also matters what classes he takes. STA doesn’t weight for AP or honors but most of the academic guys take them anyway. I would think you would need at least AP BC Calc, AP Physics C, and four years of language to be considered rigorous.

No, I don't agree with these.... Depends on the major that you are seeking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Times have changed. Ivies are unlikely without a hook. A 91 is not a 4.0, that starts at 93. A 91 is around a 3.7 or 3.8 on 4.0 scale. Kids are competing against all the public school kids with 4.0s.

You are right kids are competing against public school kids with 4's, but colleges are aware (at least the T20/Ivies) that Saint Albans's curriculum is more rigorous than the vast majority of those. The school CCO does an excellent job in ensuring that universities where the boys are typically enrolling understand this.

OP, based on past years, your son has a chance at the Ivies and other top. It is not going to be a slam dunk because there are boys who will have higher grades and higher scores AND have legacy AND possibly be athletes AND have some strange and crazy ECs (like starting a business or saving the whales). But he sounds like a great candidate who will have decent odds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Times have changed. Ivies are unlikely without a hook. A 91 is not a 4.0, that starts at 93. A 91 is around a 3.7 or 3.8 on 4.0 scale. Kids are competing against all the public school kids with 4.0s.

You are right kids are competing against public school kids with 4's, but colleges are aware (at least the T20/Ivies) that Saint Albans's curriculum is more rigorous than the vast majority of those. The school CCO does an excellent job in ensuring that universities where the boys are typically enrolling understand this.

OP, based on past years, your son has a chance at the Ivies and other top. It is not going to be a slam dunk because there are boys who will have higher grades and higher scores AND have legacy AND possibly be athletes AND have some strange and crazy ECs (like starting a business or saving the whales). But he sounds like a great candidate who will have decent odds.

another one of these comments - people, the top 10% at just about any public is comparable to most privates at the same rank. The drop off and disconnect occurs below that - sorry your massive tuition bill alone doesn’t make you a better candidate, especially vs the strong AP/IB public candidate

[Anonymous]

but the college will expect the St Albans kid is full pay, which never hurts

[Anonymous]

As an STA parent, I can tell some of this info isn’t from people with direct experience at STA and I would ignore it. Also, college office is helpful, so rely on them once they start working with kids as second semester juniors.

My hunch is there has been some grade inflation due to COVID - not that the top grade is much higher but rather more guys are above a 90. My guess is 91 isn’t top 20% anymore. I think a boy would need closer to 93/94 to be competitive at Ivies, and then probably not HYPSM without something else. It also matters what classes he takes. STA doesn’t weight for AP or honors but most of the academic guys take them anyway. I would think you would need at least AP BC Calc, AP Physics C, and four years of language to be considered rigorous.


No, I don't agree with these.... Depends on the major that you are seeking.

Actually, what PP said regarding the most rigorous classes is consistent with advice provided by the college counseling office regardless of major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, my son has a 91 GPA at St. Alban's with a 1540 SAT score. Are Ivies or other top 20 schools realistic for him to aim for?

In your experience, where do kids with these grades from St. Alban's end up?

Only legacies that gpa is low for ivies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Few years ago my son with slightly higher GPA 93 and lower SAT 1520, got into Dartmouth ED
No Hooks
College counselors are very capable of helping you to the process.

Only Dartmouth legacies got accepted this year despite have above stats.

[Anonymous]

Some kids got into ivy’s by end of March with multiple options not on the Ed round

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As an STA parent, I can tell some of this info isn’t from people with direct experience at STA and I would ignore it. Also, college office is helpful, so rely on them once they start working with kids as second semester juniors.

My hunch is there has been some grade inflation due to COVID - not that the top grade is much higher but rather more guys are above a 90. My guess is 91 isn’t top 20% anymore. I think a boy would need closer to 93/94 to be competitive at Ivies, and then probably not HYPSM without something else. It also matters what classes he takes. STA doesn’t weight for AP or honors but most of the academic guys take them anyway. I would think you would need at least AP BC Calc, AP Physics C, and four years of language to be considered rigorous.

AB Calculus isn’t enough? Since when?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Villanova, Richmond, Georgetown, Northeastern, Case Western level school

This is not the best advice. Georgetown admissions if fairly complex regarding the evaluation process. Villanova & N'eastern can surprise one.

Agree regarding U Richmond & Case Western Reserve.

OP: Whether or not one with these numbers applies ED can make a difference as well as the rest of the application beyond numbers.

Carleton College in Minnesota is a highly ranked LAC that should be very receptive to your student's application. But, it doesn't matter if your student doesn't see & feel a fit there.

ED to WFU (Wake Forest University). If interested in business and feels comfortable in an environment of students from wealthy families, then SMU should be considered.

University of Virginia. University of Georgia. Emory University. ED to Tufts University.

If the son lives outside VA UVA is a stretch…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an STA parent, I can tell some of this info isn’t from people with direct experience at STA and I would ignore it. Also, college office is helpful, so rely on them once they start working with kids as second semester juniors.

My hunch is there has been some grade inflation due to COVID - not that the top grade is much higher but rather more guys are above a 90. My guess is 91 isn’t top 20% anymore. I think a boy would need closer to 93/94 to be competitive at Ivies, and then probably not HYPSM without something else. It also matters what classes he takes. STA doesn’t weight for AP or honors but most of the academic guys take them anyway. I would think you would need at least AP BC Calc, AP Physics C, and four years of language to be considered rigorous.

AB Calculus isn’t enough? Since when?

We are talking about STA specifically (different answers for different schools) which offers math several years beyond AB Calc. There are a lot of boys in BC Calc and multivariable. BUT I also think AP AB Calc can be enough if not a STEM major and taking other rigorous classes in other subjects/area of interest. At STA, honors/AParw not weighted so boys have to be genuinely interested in subject matter bc no GPA boost for much more intense class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Times have changed. Ivies are unlikely without a hook. A 91 is not a 4.0, that starts at 93. A 91 is around a 3.7 or 3.8 on 4.0 scale. Kids are competing against all the public school kids with 4.0s.

You are right kids are competing against public school kids with 4's, but colleges are aware (at least the T20/Ivies) that Saint Albans's curriculum is more rigorous than the vast majority of those. The school CCO does an excellent job in ensuring that universities where the boys are typically enrolling understand this.

OP, based on past years, your son has a chance at the Ivies and other top. It is not going to be a slam dunk because there are boys who will have higher grades and higher scores AND have legacy AND possibly be athletes AND have some strange and crazy ECs (like starting a business or saving the whales). But he sounds like a great candidate who will have decent odds.

another one of these comments - people, the top 10% at just about any public is comparable to most privates at the same rank. The drop off and disconnect occurs below that - sorry your massive tuition bill alone doesn’t make you a better candidate, especially vs the strong AP/IB public candidate

Yes, top 10-15% at the publics are comparable to the privates. And those public school kids rightly get admitted to the T10.

However, MANY more privates at average and median level make it to higher-ranked T15-T40 than public school kids who are average or median. So, top performers everywhere have about an equal shot, but average to high-average performers at the privates are doing much better than those who are doing an average performance at the publics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Times have changed. Ivies are unlikely without a hook. A 91 is not a 4.0, that starts at 93. A 91 is around a 3.7 or 3.8 on 4.0 scale. Kids are competing against all the public school kids with 4.0s.

You are right kids are competing against public school kids with 4's, but colleges are aware (at least the T20/Ivies) that Saint Albans's curriculum is more rigorous than the vast majority of those. The school CCO does an excellent job in ensuring that universities where the boys are typically enrolling understand this.

OP, based on past years, your son has a chance at the Ivies and other top. It is not going to be a slam dunk because there are boys who will have higher grades and higher scores AND have legacy AND possibly be athletes AND have some strange and crazy ECs (like starting a business or saving the whales). But he sounds like a great candidate who will have decent odds.

another one of these comments - people, the top 10% at just about any public is comparable to most privates at the same rank. The drop off and disconnect occurs below that - sorry your massive tuition bill alone doesn’t make you a better candidate, especially vs the strong AP/IB public candidate

Yes, top 10-15% at the publics are comparable to the privates. And those public school kids rightly get admitted to the T10.

However, MANY more privates at average and median level make it to higher-ranked T15-T40 than public school kids who are average or median. So, top performers everywhere have about an equal shot, but average to high-average performers at the privates are doing much better than those who are doing an average performance at the publics.

Some of that is full pay. More of the 15-40 are need aware. And with a few high income school exceptions there will be far more public school students who need aid, and more interest in in-state public schools. Even at Whitman some of my DCs classmates chose UMD over higher ranked private and OOS schools they had been accepted to. At my other DCs private school that was much rarer.