school for my kid - great grades, mediocre extra-Cs, okay scores

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're giving "extra-Cs" a pass?

Ummm

Extra-curricular

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the poster who seconded Haverford, in part bc I thought, “if this kid were a girl, I’d recommend Bryn Mawr in a heartbeat!” I suspect with straight As and an interesting story, Haverford could be in reach — especially for a boy, and as PP pointed out, scores might well go up.

I do suggest a visit to Northfield, MN, bc both Carleton and St. Olaf could be a fit. Maybe hit Grinnell on the same trip?

OP, is it true that ECs aren’t emphasized in the same way in other countries? If so, colleges will know that and the limited ECs won’t matter as much.

ECs are 100% not emphasized the same in other countries. But the US college race does emphasize them, and OP's student is American.

Thank you!

OP here: this is also my sense. My kid COULD though be doing more extra curriculars and goes to a school where many are (doing more), e.g. there are national team athletes in this small country at her high school, which has almost no Americans but technically uses an American curriculum (APs are offered and kid is taking some). I've actually thought they might have a better shot at highly-ranked schools in Europe and UK (versus the US) for this reason. But we just heard about a child who applied to Cambrige (or Oxford) with almost 1600 SATs and 9, 5 scores on the APs he has taken so far, and the child was denied.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the poster who seconded Haverford, in part bc I thought, “if this kid were a girl, I’d recommend Bryn Mawr in a heartbeat!” I suspect with straight As and an interesting story, Haverford could be in reach — especially for a boy, and as PP pointed out, scores might well go up.

I do suggest a visit to Northfield, MN, bc both Carleton and St. Olaf could be a fit. Maybe hit Grinnell on the same trip?

OP, is it true that ECs aren’t emphasized in the same way in other countries? If so, colleges will know that and the limited ECs won’t matter as much.

ECs are 100% not emphasized the same in other countries. But the US college race does emphasize them, and OP's student is American.

Thank you!

OP here: this is also my sense. My kid COULD though be doing more extra curriculars and goes to a school where many are (doing more), e.g. there are national team athletes in this small country at her high school, which has almost no Americans but technically uses an American curriculum (APs are offered and kid is taking some). I've actually thought they might have a better shot at highly-ranked schools in Europe and UK (versus the US) for this reason. But we just heard about a child who applied to Cambrige (or Oxford) with almost 1600 SATs and 9, 5 scores on the APs he has taken so far, and the child was denied.

This is about the school’s relationship with the college as much as it is pure grades. It works just like US elite privates. You need to inquire with the school or get the most recent school profile from the advisory team. Find out which international uni’s they send multiple kids to each year relative to how many apply.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the poster who seconded Haverford, in part bc I thought, “if this kid were a girl, I’d recommend Bryn Mawr in a heartbeat!” I suspect with straight As and an interesting story, Haverford could be in reach — especially for a boy, and as PP pointed out, scores might well go up.

I do suggest a visit to Northfield, MN, bc both Carleton and St. Olaf could be a fit. Maybe hit Grinnell on the same trip?

OP, is it true that ECs aren’t emphasized in the same way in other countries? If so, colleges will know that and the limited ECs won’t matter as much.

ECs are 100% not emphasized the same in other countries. But the US college race does emphasize them, and OP's student is American.

Thank you!

OP here: this is also my sense. My kid COULD though be doing more extra curriculars and goes to a school where many are (doing more), e.g. there are national team athletes in this small country at her high school, which has almost no Americans but technically uses an American curriculum (APs are offered and kid is taking some). I've actually thought they might have a better shot at highly-ranked schools in Europe and UK (versus the US) for this reason. But we just heard about a child who applied to Cambrige (or Oxford) with almost 1600 SATs and 9, 5 scores on the APs he has taken so far, and the child was denied.

The applications will probably be read by the international team of the admissions office, which will have a sense of the importance of extracurriculars in that country but also potentially at that school. Schools in other countries with American curriculums often emphasize extracurriculars more than, say, schools following the national curriculum.

I wouldn't stress too much about the specific extracurriculars, but I would think about what your kid is doing outside of school hours. If it's productive somehow, or can be spinned as productive, highlight that. E.g. if your kid reads an hour a day, that might go over better than if he games for that same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Colgate University
Haverford College
University of Richmond
Davidson College
William & Mary

Super competitive for all of the these, particularly if TO. Mediocre ECs make them near impossible.

[Anonymous]

I would focus on large universities where there is a little bit of everything. A small school may feel constricting or even homogenous. What is your public flagship? Start there. Not sure if I missed any mention of major or budget, but what about Northeastern, Boston Univ., NYU, Fordham. Some schools in the south offer merit - University of South Carolina comes to mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would focus on large universities where there is a little bit of everything. A small school may feel constricting or even homogenous. What is your public flagship? Start there. Not sure if I missed any mention of major or budget, but what about Northeastern, Boston Univ., NYU, Fordham. Some schools in the south offer merit - University of South Carolina comes to mind.

The OP specifically stated the following: "Kid is Interested in humanities, great writer, quiet kid. i could see them in a smaller (or at least not huge) school. not a big city environment ideally. very mature and independent. NOt a joiner nor an extrovert and a party scene wouldn't be the thing"

Imposing your own biases in response to the question is not helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would focus on large universities where there is a little bit of everything. A small school may feel constricting or even homogenous. What is your public flagship? Start there. Not sure if I missed any mention of major or budget, but what about Northeastern, Boston Univ., NYU, Fordham. Some schools in the south offer merit - University of South Carolina comes to mind.

The OP specifically stated the following: "Kid is Interested in humanities, great writer, quiet kid. i could see them in a smaller (or at least not huge) school. not a big city environment ideally. very mature and independent. NOt a joiner nor an extrovert and a party scene wouldn't be the thing"

Imposing your own biases in response to the question is not helpful.

Oops! Apologies. I didn’t see that. Did not mean to impose my biases lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colgate University
Haverford College
University of Richmond
Davidson College
William & Mary

Super competitive for all of the these, particularly if TO. Mediocre ECs make them near impossible.

How is he super competitive if have mediocre ECs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colgate University
Haverford College
University of Richmond
Davidson College
William & Mary

Super competitive for all of the these, particularly if TO. Mediocre ECs make them near impossible.

How is he super competitive if have mediocre ECs?

I meant that it is super competitive under the best of circumstances for all of the schools listed, particularly if students do not submit test scores. Without excellent ECs, admission to any of them will be near impossible. In other words, I don't think that this particular student should waste his/her time applying to any of the schools listed. Apologies for the lack of clarity.

[Anonymous]

Connecticut College.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid did international high school, and I know a little bit what you mean about maturity and independence, I think he needs a city backdrop maybe not nyc or la but he will die at a school in the boonies. He’s also going to want some international presence in the student body,
These are not tippy top schools, but look at BU and GWU as targets. If he raises his sat, he will have more interesting options.

I was a Foreign Service kid who went to high school in a major European capital and had lived and traveled all over the world and all that, and I went to a top rural SLAC, and all I can say is he needs to just get over himself with this "oh W&M is so provincial" nonsense. He'll quickly find that he's not that special and there are plenty of other kids with similar experiences at any highly ranked school.

I have a kid at a rural SLAC right now and the smartest kid in his major, who is running rings around everyone else, is from Podunk Nowhere and as bright and informed as they come.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid did international high school, and I know a little bit what you mean about maturity and independence, I think he needs a city backdrop maybe not nyc or la but he will die at a school in the boonies. He’s also going to want some international presence in the student body,
These are not tippy top schools, but look at BU and GWU as targets. If he raises his sat, he will have more interesting options.

I was a Foreign Service kid who went to high school in a major European capital and had lived and traveled all over the world and all that, and I went to a top rural SLAC, and all I can say is he needs to just get over himself with this "oh W&M is so provincial" nonsense. He'll quickly find that he's not that special and there are plenty of other kids with similar experiences at any highly ranked school.

I have a kid at a rural SLAC right now and the smartest kid in his major, who is running rings around everyone else, is from Podunk Nowhere and as bright and informed as they come.

Well, to be fair, I felt that way 30 years ago myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid did international high school, and I know a little bit what you mean about maturity and independence, I think he needs a city backdrop maybe not nyc or la but he will die at a school in the boonies. He’s also going to want some international presence in the student body,
These are not tippy top schools, but look at BU and GWU as targets. If he raises his sat, he will have more interesting options.

I was a Foreign Service kid who went to high school in a major European capital and had lived and traveled all over the world and all that, and I went to a top rural SLAC, and all I can say is he needs to just get over himself with this "oh W&M is so provincial" nonsense. He'll quickly find that he's not that special and there are plenty of other kids with similar experiences at any highly ranked school.

I have a kid at a rural SLAC right now and the smartest kid in his major, who is running rings around everyone else, is from Podunk Nowhere and as bright and informed as they come.

Thank you for sharing. But - why are you so triggered? You do realize that the OP's kid is not you right? And he's not your podunk brainiac either? He didn't feel it at W&M and he's entitled to have his own feelings about what experience, what vibe he'd like for college..... You know this right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In China and India EC's don't matter because the only EC is more homework/studying for regular subjects in cram schools. I don't think that's better than ECs.


What is the scene in other countries? Do people just agree to chill out after school, and colleges admissions avoid favoring extra preppers?

The French exchange student we had last year said there wasn’t time for ECs in France. School was literally from 8am to 6pm every day with no sports or other “fluff” subjects. Just academics, that’s all.