Watching this forum

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It feels a little strange as the parent of a senior finishing up HS in a month to watch this board shift from our cohort to the next without missing a beat. And I can see all of the same questions coming up again like clockwork. I really want rising senior parents to see how much the landscape has changed from what they likely think they understand about the process to ensure their kids have great options at this time next year. So, jr. parents, take a deep dive into this forum (read back starting from this time last year and check out posts that seem relevant) and happy learning. Best wishes!

+1 (also parent of a senior). I agree.

And maybe one of the worse parts of the entire process was explaining to my baby boomer parents how the landscape has changed and how little Larlo, with his mostly As and Bs, isn't getting into Harvard, despite his part time job and recreational sports. Meanwhile, my kid is happy and so am I.

What happens in five years when they kids who are behind from covid closures hit application age? Will they have ironed out the learning loss? How will this affect admissions? I'm so curious what will happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It feels a little strange as the parent of a senior finishing up HS in a month to watch this board shift from our cohort to the next without missing a beat. And I can see all of the same questions coming up again like clockwork. I really want rising senior parents to see how much the landscape has changed from what they likely think they understand about the process to ensure their kids have great options at this time next year. So, jr. parents, take a deep dive into this forum (read back starting from this time last year and check out posts that seem relevant) and happy learning. Best wishes!

+1 (also parent of a senior). I agree.

And maybe one of the worse parts of the entire process was explaining to my baby boomer parents how the landscape has changed and how little Larlo, with his mostly As and Bs, isn't getting into Harvard, despite his part time job and recreational sports. Meanwhile, my kid is happy and so am I.

I’m a baby boomer parent. It never occurred to me that my own kids, who had better records than you have described, were ever getting into Harvard-level colleges. Sounds like your beef is with your own parents, not a whole generation. Stop being ageist.

+1

I’m not even a boomer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you have a few actual safeties like VCU, CNU, etc. Be aware many schools that were safeties a few years ago are not anymore.

Please, please, please make sure the safeties for your kid are places they actually want to go. Seems like folks treat safeties kind of like public school...if you don't get into target A, well then you are just going to have to go to the local public college.

Maybe they love VCU or CNU...that's great...problem solved. However, seems like there are lots of kids and parents that put zero thought into their safeties, and then they are completely unsatisfied with their college acceptances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you have a few actual safeties like VCU, CNU, etc. Be aware many schools that were safeties a few years ago are not anymore.

Please, please, please make sure the safeties for your kid are places they actually want to go. Seems like folks treat safeties kind of like public school...if you don't get into target A, well then you are just going to have to go to the local public college.

Maybe they love VCU or CNU...that's great...problem solved. However, seems like there are lots of kids and parents that put zero thought into their safeties, and then they are completely unsatisfied with their college acceptances.

+1 The biggest focus of the research should be the safeties. People who think any school with a >50% acceptance rate must be crap need to open their eyes.

For a good deep dive to understand the process, I recommend listening to the Your College Bound Kid podcast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you have a few actual safeties like VCU, CNU, etc. Be aware many schools that were safeties a few years ago are not anymore.

Please, please, please make sure the safeties for your kid are places they actually want to go. Seems like folks treat safeties kind of like public school...if you don't get into target A, well then you are just going to have to go to the local public college.

Maybe they love VCU or CNU...that's great...problem solved. However, seems like there are lots of kids and parents that put zero thought into their safeties, and then they are completely unsatisfied with their college acceptances.

+1000

It's not a true safety if your kid does not actually want to attend. You can either put in the effort during junior year/summer before senior year to find those true safeties or you can be stressed and disappointed come April senior year. But it is not that hard to find safeties your kid will like. Just open your mind, ignore the rankings and really look at the schools and the honors programs at these schools (your kid will likely get into them if they have the stats for T25 schools).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you have a few actual safeties like VCU, CNU, etc. Be aware many schools that were safeties a few years ago are not anymore.

Please, please, please make sure the safeties for your kid are places they actually want to go. Seems like folks treat safeties kind of like public school...if you don't get into target A, well then you are just going to have to go to the local public college.

Maybe they love VCU or CNU...that's great...problem solved. However, seems like there are lots of kids and parents that put zero thought into their safeties, and then they are completely unsatisfied with their college acceptances.

+1000

It's not a true safety if your kid does not actually want to attend. You can either put in the effort during junior year/summer before senior year to find those true safeties or you can be stressed and disappointed come April senior year. But it is not that hard to find safeties your kid will like. Just open your mind, ignore the rankings and really look at the schools and the honors programs at these schools (your kid will likely get into them if they have the stats for T25 schools).

So true. I posted on this earlier in the thread. Take you kid to visit safeties, not all the Ivies that there is a 95% chance they are not getting in to!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It feels a little strange as the parent of a senior finishing up HS in a month to watch this board shift from our cohort to the next without missing a beat. And I can see all of the same questions coming up again like clockwork. I really want rising senior parents to see how much the landscape has changed from what they likely think they understand about the process to ensure their kids have great options at this time next year. So, jr. parents, take a deep dive into this forum (read back starting from this time last year and check out posts that seem relevant) and happy learning. Best wishes!

+1 (also parent of a senior). I agree.

And maybe one of the worse parts of the entire process was explaining to my baby boomer parents how the landscape has changed and how little Larlo, with his mostly As and Bs, isn't getting into Harvard, despite his part time job and recreational sports. Meanwhile, my kid is happy and so am I.

I’m a baby boomer parent. It never occurred to me that my own kids, who had better records than you have described, were ever getting into Harvard-level colleges. Sounds like your beef is with your own parents, not a whole generation. Stop being ageist.

Stop being judgmental. Your two kids fo not make you a great kid a college admissions. . What the experienced PPs are trying to say is that due to a host of reasons, competition for top slot has become fierce. Harvard will announce after Monday that something like 2.5% of all applicants got in last year. The same is true for all other top universities, top SLACs and top publics (did you know last year’s entering class at UVA had at the 75th percentile a 4.63, meaning 25z% had higher? And a 35 ACT? And 56,000 applications to fill 4500 seats?). The whole game of college admissions is played on a different field tgs. Whe. You or I applied. Explaining that to parents and grandparents is part of the course. Also explaining to the. That most quality internships (if you are fortunate to get one) are unpaid. My MIL still doesn’t get that it why there were no jobs for high schoolers or college aged kids during COViD. And the d Penske (get your parents and grandparents on your side to help )! My own slac is now $82k a year. Using my own fees and adding clarion, it should be around $28,000.

Either you typed this on your phone and didn't care to spell/grammar/common sense check or you wasted money at your SLAC.

I did type it on my phone while being a passenger in a moving car. Why are you so judgmental and nasty?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you have a few actual safeties like VCU, CNU, etc. Be aware many schools that were safeties a few years ago are not anymore.

Please, please, please make sure the safeties for your kid are places they actually want to go. Seems like folks treat safeties kind of like public school...if you don't get into target A, well then you are just going to have to go to the local public college.

Maybe they love VCU or CNU...that's great...problem solved. However, seems like there are lots of kids and parents that put zero thought into their safeties, and then they are completely unsatisfied with their college acceptances.

+1000

It's not a true safety if your kid does not actually want to attend. You can either put in the effort during junior year/summer before senior year to find those true safeties or you can be stressed and disappointed come April senior year. But it is not that hard to find safeties your kid will like. Just open your mind, ignore the rankings and really look at the schools and the honors programs at these schools (your kid will likely get into them if they have the stats for T25 schools).

So true. I posted on this earlier in the thread. Take you kid to visit safeties, not all the Ivies that there is a 95% chance they are not getting in to!

Yes! knew so many families whose junior spring break trip was all highly selective schools. Sure, visit a few if you are actually competitive and need to figure out an ED option but really you need to tour safeties to find ones that can excite you and, if the school considers interest, show that you are interested.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It feels a little strange as the parent of a senior finishing up HS in a month to watch this board shift from our cohort to the next without missing a beat. And I can see all of the same questions coming up again like clockwork. I really want rising senior parents to see how much the landscape has changed from what they likely think they understand about the process to ensure their kids have great options at this time next year. So, jr. parents, take a deep dive into this forum (read back starting from this time last year and check out posts that seem relevant) and happy learning. Best wishes!

+1 (also parent of a senior). I agree.

And maybe one of the worse parts of the entire process was explaining to my baby boomer parents how the landscape has changed and how little Larlo, with his mostly As and Bs, isn't getting into Harvard, despite his part time job and recreational sports. Meanwhile, my kid is happy and so am I.

This sort of minimizes the current landscape - so for you new parents - kids with all As are not necessarily getting into a T25 either. AND ED for most T25 are far less likely to be your leg-up pathway. ED result was defer for so many full pay with no hook. So make a very thoughtful, broad list and BE PREPARED FOR THE LONG HAUL.

Minimizes? How about aptly captures? This is not the first person I've heard/read say that they have had to explain to their boomer parents that college admissions has gradually transformed from when they attended, and rapidly so over the last three years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It feels a little strange as the parent of a senior finishing up HS in a month to watch this board shift from our cohort to the next without missing a beat. And I can see all of the same questions coming up again like clockwork. I really want rising senior parents to see how much the landscape has changed from what they likely think they understand about the process to ensure their kids have great options at this time next year. So, jr. parents, take a deep dive into this forum (read back starting from this time last year and check out posts that seem relevant) and happy learning. Best wishes!

+1 (also parent of a senior). I agree.

And maybe one of the worse parts of the entire process was explaining to my baby boomer parents how the landscape has changed and how little Larlo, with his mostly As and Bs, isn't getting into Harvard, despite his part time job and recreational sports. Meanwhile, my kid is happy and so am I.

I’m a baby boomer parent. It never occurred to me that my own kids, who had better records than you have described, were ever getting into Harvard-level colleges. Sounds like your beef is with your own parents, not a whole generation. Stop being ageist.

It's not ageist. It's a fact. There are even younger parents on here who have not yet learned - maybe accepted - that their children's college admissions journey will probably bear little resemblance to their own.