Question about Test Optional

[Anonymous]

Number of students taking the SAT or ACT dropped from 4 million before the pandemic to 3 million this past year.

It will be interesting to see how places like Brown and Dartmouth do with requiring it again as so many students are opting out of testing altogether.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were just at Swarthmore and they flat out said don’t submit unless in their printed 25-75% range. To a room of white prep school kids on spring break.

A nice way of saying don't bother to apply unless you are in the 25-75% range.

Wish more schools would speak as plainly. All this guessing and gaming the admissions people have created belies their supposed concern for kids’ emotional and mental well-being. Such bs.

Colleges don’t care about students’ emotional well being. They care about perceived prestige. Have you ever met a staff member of one? It’s all theater.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- she's definitely excited (and most likely going to commit to the one low reach she has been admitted to). However, just a little frustrated because like all of us, we want our kids to try their best (even if they get denied). Also, she is not URM. I know that it's too late - but because I didn't learn about it until this morning, it's just on top of my mind.

But it's done. Dwelling on it and second guessing won't do anything but cause you and your child heartache. Move on.

I will move on - I need today to dwell on it and my kid does not know how I am feeling. I just noticed today when I went into her portal. But of course I am not going to make my kid feel bad about it or anything.

HOLD UP! Cannot let this slide by unchecked:
WHAT ARE YOU DOING LOGGING INTO YOUR KID’S COLLEGE PORTALS?

Land the helicopter and get a life. And I say this as a mom of a senior who has been very, very involved in DD’s college application process. Logging into your kid’s portals is not a good look.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rice AO went on record to say they will not infer a low test score if applying TO and coming from a private high school. They just ignore that data point.

WashU said they don’t assume a low score were one is not submitted.

I think most schools take rhis approach unless they say " test recommended." It's typically just 1 less data point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- she's definitely excited (and most likely going to commit to the one low reach she has been admitted to). However, just a little frustrated because like all of us, we want our kids to try their best (even if they get denied). Also, she is not URM. I know that it's too late - but because I didn't learn about it until this morning, it's just on top of my mind.

But it's done. Dwelling on it and second guessing won't do anything but cause you and your child heartache. Move on.

I will move on - I need today to dwell on it and my kid does not know how I am feeling. I just noticed today when I went into her portal. But of course I am not going to make my kid feel bad about it or anything.

HOLD UP! Cannot let this slide by unchecked:
WHAT ARE YOU DOING LOGGING INTO YOUR KID’S COLLEGE PORTALS?

Land the helicopter and get a life. And I say this as a mom of a senior who has been very, very involved in DD’s college application process. Logging into your kid’s portals is not a good look.

I logged on to her portal because she gave me the log in and asked me to do so (as she never checks). It started when I asked her to check her portals for any financial documents that might be missing. In the end, she didn't want to be bothered with it, so she asked me to take care of it and she said it was fine if I monitor it. I know that it's a little strange as I thought she would be more eager to find out decisions results herself, but she never does. Having said that, I never look at her decisions first - but if she does have a decision, I will let her know that it's in her portal. She's great with instagram and snap chat, but terrible with looking at her portal and even her emails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- she's definitely excited (and most likely going to commit to the one low reach she has been admitted to). However, just a little frustrated because like all of us, we want our kids to try their best (even if they get denied). Also, she is not URM. I know that it's too late - but because I didn't learn about it until this morning, it's just on top of my mind.

But it's done. Dwelling on it and second guessing won't do anything but cause you and your child heartache. Move on.

I will move on - I need today to dwell on it and my kid does not know how I am feeling. I just noticed today when I went into her portal. But of course I am not going to make my kid feel bad about it or anything.

HOLD UP! Cannot let this slide by unchecked:
WHAT ARE YOU DOING LOGGING INTO YOUR KID’S COLLEGE PORTALS?

Land the helicopter and get a life. And I say this as a mom of a senior who has been very, very involved in DD’s college application process. Logging into your kid’s portals is not a good look.

I logged on to her portal because she gave me the log in and asked me to do so (as she never checks). It started when I asked her to check her portals for any financial documents that might be missing. In the end, she didn't want to be bothered with it, so she asked me to take care of it and she said it was fine if I monitor it. I know that it's a little strange as I thought she would be more eager to find out decisions results herself, but she never does. Having said that, I never look at her decisions first - but if she does have a decision, I will let her know that it's in her portal. She's great with instagram and snap chat, but terrible with looking at her portal and even her emails.

Come on OP. This still isn’t a good look or practice. Your kid doesn’t want to take 30 seconds to log in and check on something related to HER potential college? Are you planning to go to school with her to do her laundry and cut her food? It’s beyond time to step back and make her responsible for these basic tasks. 🤦🏻‍♀️

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- she's definitely excited (and most likely going to commit to the one low reach she has been admitted to). However, just a little frustrated because like all of us, we want our kids to try their best (even if they get denied). Also, she is not URM. I know that it's too late - but because I didn't learn about it until this morning, it's just on top of my mind.

But it's done. Dwelling on it and second guessing won't do anything but cause you and your child heartache. Move on.

I will move on - I need today to dwell on it and my kid does not know how I am feeling. I just noticed today when I went into her portal. But of course I am not going to make my kid feel bad about it or anything.

I get it. It’s hard not to dwell on it as we wait for these last few, especially the reaches. My kid submitted and I think her composite was right around the 25th for the reaches but I know we went back and forth. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- she's definitely excited (and most likely going to commit to the one low reach she has been admitted to). However, just a little frustrated because like all of us, we want our kids to try their best (even if they get denied). Also, she is not URM. I know that it's too late - but because I didn't learn about it until this morning, it's just on top of my mind.

But it's done. Dwelling on it and second guessing won't do anything but cause you and your child heartache. Move on.

I will move on - I need today to dwell on it and my kid does not know how I am feeling. I just noticed today when I went into her portal. But of course I am not going to make my kid feel bad about it or anything.

HOLD UP! Cannot let this slide by unchecked:
WHAT ARE YOU DOING LOGGING INTO YOUR KID’S COLLEGE PORTALS?

Land the helicopter and get a life. And I say this as a mom of a senior who has been very, very involved in DD’s college application process. Logging into your kid’s portals is not a good look.

I logged on to her portal because she gave me the log in and asked me to do so (as she never checks). It started when I asked her to check her portals for any financial documents that might be missing. In the end, she didn't want to be bothered with it, so she asked me to take care of it and she said it was fine if I monitor it. I know that it's a little strange as I thought she would be more eager to find out decisions results herself, but she never does. Having said that, I never look at her decisions first - but if she does have a decision, I will let her know that it's in her portal. She's great with instagram and snap chat, but terrible with looking at her portal and even her emails.

Come on OP. This still isn’t a good look or practice. Your kid doesn’t want to take 30 seconds to log in and check on something related to HER potential college? Are you planning to go to school with her to do her laundry and cut her food? It’s beyond time to step back and make her responsible for these basic tasks. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Every kid is different. Leave OP alone. If she got a bunch of acceptances already, she is doing something right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- she's definitely excited (and most likely going to commit to the one low reach she has been admitted to). However, just a little frustrated because like all of us, we want our kids to try their best (even if they get denied). Also, she is not URM. I know that it's too late - but because I didn't learn about it until this morning, it's just on top of my mind.

But it's done. Dwelling on it and second guessing won't do anything but cause you and your child heartache. Move on.

I will move on - I need today to dwell on it and my kid does not know how I am feeling. I just noticed today when I went into her portal. But of course I am not going to make my kid feel bad about it or anything.

HOLD UP! Cannot let this slide by unchecked:
WHAT ARE YOU DOING LOGGING INTO YOUR KID’S COLLEGE PORTALS?

Land the helicopter and get a life. And I say this as a mom of a senior who has been very, very involved in DD’s college application process. Logging into your kid’s portals is not a good look.

Why the F do people think they have the right to tell others what to do? Get a life!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- she's definitely excited (and most likely going to commit to the one low reach she has been admitted to). However, just a little frustrated because like all of us, we want our kids to try their best (even if they get denied). Also, she is not URM. I know that it's too late - but because I didn't learn about it until this morning, it's just on top of my mind.

But it's done. Dwelling on it and second guessing won't do anything but cause you and your child heartache. Move on.

I will move on - I need today to dwell on it and my kid does not know how I am feeling. I just noticed today when I went into her portal. But of course I am not going to make my kid feel bad about it or anything.

HOLD UP! Cannot let this slide by unchecked:
WHAT ARE YOU DOING LOGGING INTO YOUR KID’S COLLEGE PORTALS?

Land the helicopter and get a life. And I say this as a mom of a senior who has been very, very involved in DD’s college application process. Logging into your kid’s portals is not a good look.

Why the F do people think they have the right to tell others what to do? Get a life!

Seriously! 100%!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our college counselor told my DC to submit their test score everywhere, even when the score was at or right below the 25%. They believed TO is not test optional if you are a high achieving kid in DC. Score was a 1470.

Your college counselor gave some bad advice. A score at or below 25th percentile isn't going to help. Only hurt. The low scores drag down the school average.

Worst thing that could happen with TO is an AO might guess the applicant is in the bottom fourth. Why would you want to confirm?

Def don’t submit below 25%

But At 25% - kids who didn’t submit 33 last year were penalized and those who did submit at 25% in ED this year are faring much better.

I think you could go either way.

[Anonymous]

Also, it depends on your major. For example, at Carnegie Mellon, you probably need to be at the 75% or higher range as a CS major, but fine art majors average scores that are around the 25% mark.

[Anonymous]

it's a jump ball and your daughter was the one who made the call, correctly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- she's definitely excited (and most likely going to commit to the one low reach she has been admitted to). However, just a little frustrated because like all of us, we want our kids to try their best (even if they get denied). Also, she is not URM. I know that it's too late - but because I didn't learn about it until this morning, it's just on top of my mind.

But it's done. Dwelling on it and second guessing won't do anything but cause you and your child heartache. Move on.

I will move on - I need today to dwell on it and my kid does not know how I am feeling. I just noticed today when I went into her portal. But of course I am not going to make my kid feel bad about it or anything.

HOLD UP! Cannot let this slide by unchecked:
WHAT ARE YOU DOING LOGGING INTO YOUR KID’S COLLEGE PORTALS?

Land the helicopter and get a life. And I say this as a mom of a senior who has been very, very involved in DD’s college application process. Logging into your kid’s portals is not a good look.

I logged on to her portal because she gave me the log in and asked me to do so (as she never checks). It started when I asked her to check her portals for any financial documents that might be missing. In the end, she didn't want to be bothered with it, so she asked me to take care of it and she said it was fine if I monitor it. I know that it's a little strange as I thought she would be more eager to find out decisions results herself, but she never does. Having said that, I never look at her decisions first - but if she does have a decision, I will let her know that it's in her portal. She's great with instagram and snap chat, but terrible with looking at her portal and even her emails.

Come on OP. This still isn’t a good look or practice. Your kid doesn’t want to take 30 seconds to log in and check on something related to HER potential college? Are you planning to go to school with her to do her laundry and cut her food? It’s beyond time to step back and make her responsible for these basic tasks. 🤦🏻‍♀️

You are ridiculous and judgmental. You are the one who needs to get a life.

I have a kid in college and a HS senior. My college kid goes to school halfway across the country. He needed a lot of hand holding during admissions. He found it all overwhelming and stressful and we did make sure he was checking his portals and email. And yet, he is completely thriving in a challenging environment. Handles all of his studies, self-care, etc. like most college kids. Keeps up with official emails etc.

You don't know the OP or her kid. I really can't stand parents like you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s too late to dwell on this. Get excited about the options on the table and if one of the reaches comes in then consider it manna from heaven.

Yep... water under the bridge