Did this kid get screwed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole process sets kids up to feel disappointed when they get into very good schools. We have to teach kids these top schools are a coin flip and to be happy with the results.

I have some perspective on this because I had an older sibling who got extremely disappointed they didn't get into a certain school and got super depressed and almost sabotaged the whole thing. And the school they were going to was a top 15 ranked school anyway.

Yes, but when your child is going through this process, you see that some kids have more of that luck — or perhaps more accurately, their application just sings a different tune.

It resonates with multiple different schools and admissions offices. The kid who is not the very top of the class getting into 4-5+ top 20s. Something in that application is speaking to the admissions offices in a compelling way in RD.

It might be a combo of things, but there is something of a formula.

Or the kid ignored the "formula" so the application stands out.

[Anonymous]

He was only top 20 percent of the class. That isn’t as good as he thinks it is regardless of his SAT. I realize the difference is small. Maybe 2-3 A - grades instead of 6.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He was only top 20 percent of the class. That isn’t as good as he thinks it is regardless of his SAT. I realize the difference is small. Maybe 2-3 A - grades instead of 6.

Class didn't rank....so he said he was "cum laude" which was top 20% but that's all he knew.
If you read it, he executed his strategy poorly:
- listing the Jazz thing, first it should have been 2nd on the EC list).
- Should have REA to princeton given music teacher connection and princeton's exceptional music program.
- needed to show more "impact" in ECs and possibly throughout supp
- shotgunning last minute means piss-poor supp essays and AOs can tell.
- LOR? Not sure how strong they were.

He should have tried to connect the social learning of jazz music through his tutoring/mentoring EC and explained some math activities he does in that program, tying jazz to math (watermelon man math puzzle activities) - bringing his synthesis of math and music to life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He was only top 20 percent of the class. That isn’t as good as he thinks it is regardless of his SAT. I realize the difference is small. Maybe 2-3 A - grades instead of 6.

What was the student's SAT score ?

Thank you in advance for your response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole process sets kids up to feel disappointed when they get into very good schools. We have to teach kids these top schools are a coin flip and to be happy with the results.

I have some perspective on this because I had an older sibling who got extremely disappointed they didn't get into a certain school and got super depressed and almost sabotaged the whole thing. And the school they were going to was a top 15 ranked school anyway.

Yes, but when your child is going through this process, you see that some kids have more of that luck — or perhaps more accurately, their application just sings a different tune.

It resonates with multiple different schools and admissions offices. The kid who is not the very top of the class getting into 4-5+ top 20s. Something in that application is speaking to the admissions offices in a compelling way in RD.

It might be a combo of things, but there is something of a formula.

Or the kid ignored the "formula" so the application stands out.

Is it a formula or just a really good story? Something that stays with the admissions officer? And is tied together really well throughout all parts of the application?

[Anonymous]

So the kids' SAT score was above 1600 ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the kids' SAT score was above 1600 ?

1520+.

After a certain point that is not the reason a kid does or doesn’t get into a selective school. The test score is not dispositive.

[Anonymous]

I also know a math major, 35/1580, valedictorian, private school, national debate awards, student body president, varsity captain and state champion in a sport who shotgunned and was shut out of private T20 in RD. Loads of WL. Something may move?

It may have been the major.
It may have been the lack of a cohesive story. It may have been essays that were not custom enough for each school.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have a screenshot of the reddit post? It has been deleted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also know a math major, 35/1580, valedictorian, private school, national debate awards, student body president, varsity captain and state champion in a sport who shotgunned and was shut out of private T20 in RD. Loads of WL. Something may move?

It may have been the major.
It may have been the lack of a cohesive story. It may have been essays that were not custom enough for each school.

Would love to know more about this student's college admissions results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He was only top 20 percent of the class. That isn’t as good as he thinks it is regardless of his SAT. I realize the difference is small. Maybe 2-3 A - grades instead of 6.

In a private school so keep this in mind. Private school work is impossible and there is no retesting on exams like in public school. This is an issue private schools face now in addition that so many have gotten rid of AP. Some are better navigating this with college counseling that goes above and beyond. I have recently heard more private school parents lament that if they had sent child to public tbe end result would be better. You don’t think about this in K but you realize it when those rejections come rolling in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also know a math major, 35/1580, valedictorian, private school, national debate awards, student body president, varsity captain and state champion in a sport who shotgunned and was shut out of private T20 in RD. Loads of WL. Something may move?

It may have been the major.
It may have been the lack of a cohesive story. It may have been essays that were not custom enough for each school.

Would love to know more about this student's college admissions results.

This profile is common on Reddit. Read r/collegeresults.

If you were planning to throw in an extra 10+ RD T20 applications over winter break, the amount of research and customization required for a truly “compelling” application requires more time/work than one student can do.

It’s why shotgunning doesn’t work. And if your kid is lucky, they get into one T20 school that truly is a good match for major, disposition, and personality - and that comes through in the application.

The schools are looking for certain buzzwords, depending on their mission statements; they are looking to see if you have the characteristics that they look for in their student body, they are looking to see if you really understand the vibe of a university, it’s faculty & its student life.

[Anonymous]

Don't bother applying to a T10 (T25) unless you are top 10% (20%) of your class

unless you are:
A recruited athlete
URM or First Gen
Dean's special priority (celebrity kid, donor's kid, or VIP)

Legacy doesn't matter unless you have the stats and AOs are bored to death with your dorky ECs or ho-hum leadership positions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't bother applying to a T10 (T25) unless you are top 10% (20%) of your class

unless you are:
A recruited athlete
URM or First Gen
Dean's special priority (celebrity kid, donor's kid, or VIP)

Legacy doesn't matter unless you have the stats and AOs are bored to death with your dorky ECs or ho-hum leadership positions.

Private schools don’t rank. If you look at the scattergram, the ones who are accepted are in a range broad enough to cover a lot of students. They also don’t weigh. So two 3.8 are not the same in terms of rigor. Your CCO is the one who can best advise you where to apply.

[Anonymous]

No one is owed admission at these really selective schools, no matter who amazing their profile is. They got into some great schools. They need to focus on the options they have instead of the ones they don't.