Test optional sucks and Cornell is not elite

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I predict “holistic admissions” will backfire in a few years.

Really? Why? It's been around a long time you know. Seems to be working fine for the colleges that choose it.

test scores were part of it, maybe there were ignored in a case or two, but you weren't getting into an Ivy League school with a 1050 SAT. Now that they're gone, I think you're going to have more kids struggling with the college course load. You can get good grades and do a ton of great volunteer work and still be wholly unprepared for college. The tests gave schools an indication this, but without them, you'll have kids showing up to Ivy League schools needing remedial classes

I am the person the pp was responding too. I agree with this response. I also think grades from half of junior year were pass/fail or inconsistent.
So if you’re not going off test scores and GPAs are not all that comparable, how are you choosing students who will succeed in college classes?

All th eoher parts of the application which have alway been present and considered. And what exactly did you want all the ivies and every other college to do? Just carry on as if we are not in the middle of a pandemic?

Florida colleges didn’t waive tests. Everybody was able to make it happen if they needed to.
This was an easy way to put more emphasis on diversity and first gen students.

Evidence of this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I predict “holistic admissions” will backfire in a few years.

Really? Why? It's been around a long time you know. Seems to be working fine for the colleges that choose it.

test scores were part of it, maybe there were ignored in a case or two, but you weren't getting into an Ivy League school with a 1050 SAT. Now that they're gone, I think you're going to have more kids struggling with the college course load. You can get good grades and do a ton of great volunteer work and still be wholly unprepared for college. The tests gave schools an indication this, but without them, you'll have kids showing up to Ivy League schools needing remedial classes

If that is the case, get your DC ready to transfer in next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid who was a NMS, had 35 ACT, countless APs and extremely high GPA, three sport athlete and involved in leadership activities got rejected by almost every Ivy League (she didn’t apply to one - rejected by the rest).

Very jaded here.

It isn't her. I know you know that but you need to keep repeating it. It isn't her.

We have 4 kids either graduated from or are currently attending Ivies. Each of our kids have told us the same thing: the scandal has caused all sorts of craziness with Ivy admissions. In the past 2 years our kids have seen an incredible downward trend in the quality of admitted students.

Our kids say they and their friends have noticed and commented about the poor caliber of incoming students. One of their friends is a TA as he is pursuing his PhD and he wrote the most scathing closed blog post about the quality of this year's Freshman class. I don't know if the Ivies admissions groups will be able to get back on course or not. It will be interesting to see.

Just keep repeating, PP, it isn't my daughter, it is the bad process. Hugs to your daughter that she loves where she ends up choosing and knowing that they wanted her for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not have a tik tok account but sounds like sour grapes from OP. I assume the rest of her application must have been impressive. Maybe she was sick the day of the SAT and did not bother to retake knowing she did not have to submit them.

We know DCUM hates Cornell though so I am sure you will get lots of support for your gripe. Enjoy.

I'm not the OP, in fact I reported a post last night that made unnecessarily rude comments about Cornell. I don't have any kids applying to college this year (I have 2 kids that are currently in college and also a high school junior that will start applying this fall.)

But I did post above a snarky comment about her seeming to be a classy young lady. I think the flipping off the camera is REALLY a bad look for Cornell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I predict “holistic admissions” will backfire in a few years.

Really? Why? It's been around a long time you know. Seems to be working fine for the colleges that choose it.

test scores were part of it, maybe there were ignored in a case or two, but you weren't getting into an Ivy League school with a 1050 SAT. Now that they're gone, I think you're going to have more kids struggling with the college course load. You can get good grades and do a ton of great volunteer work and still be wholly unprepared for college. The tests gave schools an indication this, but without them, you'll have kids showing up to Ivy League schools needing remedial classes

I am the person the pp was responding too. I agree with this response. I also think grades from half of junior year were pass/fail or inconsistent.
So if you’re not going off test scores and GPAs are not all that comparable, how are you choosing students who will succeed in college classes?

All th eoher parts of the application which have alway been present and considered. And what exactly did you want all the ivies and every other college to do? Just carry on as if we are not in the middle of a pandemic?

Florida colleges didn’t waive tests. Everybody was able to make it happen if they needed to.
This was an easy way to put more emphasis on diversity and first gen students.

Evidence of this?

Harvard was 20% first gen students.
I mean, c’mon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid who was a NMS, had 35 ACT, countless APs and extremely high GPA, three sport athlete and involved in leadership activities got rejected by almost every Ivy League (she didn’t apply to one - rejected by the rest).

Very jaded here.

It isn't her. I know you know that but you need to keep repeating it. It isn't her.

We have 4 kids either graduated from or are currently attending Ivies. Each of our kids have told us the same thing: the scandal has caused all sorts of craziness with Ivy admissions. In the past 2 years our kids have seen an incredible downward trend in the quality of admitted students.

Our kids say they and their friends have noticed and commented about the poor caliber of incoming students. One of their friends is a TA as he is pursuing his PhD and he wrote the most scathing closed blog post about the quality of this year's Freshman class. I don't know if the Ivies admissions groups will be able to get back on course or not. It will be interesting to see.

Just keep repeating, PP, it isn't my daughter, it is the bad process. Hugs to your daughter that she loves where she ends up choosing and knowing that they wanted her for her.

Thanks. I will read her this response. My child seriously could not have worked any harder. It’s so disheartening.

[Anonymous]

As for the original TikTok: I hope this doesn’t maker your heads ‘Spode, but you know that a big part of social media is trolling, right?

If it isn’t trolling —- and I believe it is — it is very likely this person’s acceptance offer will be rescinded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid who was a NMS, had 35 ACT, countless APs and extremely high GPA, three sport athlete and involved in leadership activities got rejected by almost every Ivy League (she didn’t apply to one - rejected by the rest).

Very jaded here.

It isn't her. I know you know that but you need to keep repeating it. It isn't her.

We have 4 kids either graduated from or are currently attending Ivies. Each of our kids have told us the same thing: the scandal has caused all sorts of craziness with Ivy admissions. In the past 2 years our kids have seen an incredible downward trend in the quality of admitted students.

Our kids say they and their friends have noticed and commented about the poor caliber of incoming students. One of their friends is a TA as he is pursuing his PhD and he wrote the most scathing closed blog post about the quality of this year's Freshman class. I don't know if the Ivies admissions groups will be able to get back on course or not. It will be interesting to see.

Just keep repeating, PP, it isn't my daughter, it is the bad process. Hugs to your daughter that she loves where she ends up choosing and knowing that they wanted her for her.

All your anecdotes, while lovely, do not = data. If the data shows a substantive drop of class quality, they will change the policies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I predict “holistic admissions” will backfire in a few years.

Really? Why? It's been around a long time you know. Seems to be working fine for the colleges that choose it.

test scores were part of it, maybe there were ignored in a case or two, but you weren't getting into an Ivy League school with a 1050 SAT. Now that they're gone, I think you're going to have more kids struggling with the college course load. You can get good grades and do a ton of great volunteer work and still be wholly unprepared for college. The tests gave schools an indication this, but without them, you'll have kids showing up to Ivy League schools needing remedial classes

I am the person the pp was responding too. I agree with this response. I also think grades from half of junior year were pass/fail or inconsistent.
So if you’re not going off test scores and GPAs are not all that comparable, how are you choosing students who will succeed in college classes?

All th eoher parts of the application which have alway been present and considered. And what exactly did you want all the ivies and every other college to do? Just carry on as if we are not in the middle of a pandemic?

Florida colleges didn’t waive tests. Everybody was able to make it happen if they needed to.
This was an easy way to put more emphasis on diversity and first gen students.

Evidence of this?

Harvard was 20% first gen students.
I mean, c’mon.

Correlation does not equal causation. You have your conspiracy theory if you want. I believe the TO reason was the one stated: because COVID made it very difficult for some kids and they didn’t want the applicant pool limited.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid who was a NMS, had 35 ACT, countless APs and extremely high GPA, three sport athlete and involved in leadership activities got rejected by almost every Ivy League (she didn’t apply to one - rejected by the rest).

Very jaded here.

It isn't her. I know you know that but you need to keep repeating it. It isn't her.

We have 4 kids either graduated from or are currently attending Ivies. Each of our kids have told us the same thing: the scandal has caused all sorts of craziness with Ivy admissions. In the past 2 years our kids have seen an incredible downward trend in the quality of admitted students.

Our kids say they and their friends have noticed and commented about the poor caliber of incoming students. One of their friends is a TA as he is pursuing his PhD and he wrote the most scathing closed blog post about the quality of this year's Freshman class. I don't know if the Ivies admissions groups will be able to get back on course or not. It will be interesting to see.

Just keep repeating, PP, it isn't my daughter, it is the bad process. Hugs to your daughter that she loves where she ends up choosing and knowing that they wanted her for her.

To first pp, jaded really?

To pp, what utter BS. I’m sure none of these low caliber are wealthy white students. Check your privilege or send them to a state school where all the top kids are going since they can’t get into an ivy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMe57FM2M/
Into Cornell with an 1130.

This is my family's school. Just remember Cornell will sometimes take a chance or someone knowing that they may or may not make it. So, the trick will be to stay in Cornell .

There is a reason why other countries are pulling ahead of us academically—they base admittance to top colleges on actual results. Tests. Performance. That is ridiculous this girl with 1130 SATs (and you can see 1040 PSATs) gets accepted to one of the most elite schools in the world. I know so many kids getting into no top schools with close to perfect test scores. Keeping test optional is bs. Every kid applying for Fall 2022 can take either test they want before Fall applications. There is zero cancelation for SATs coming up. Our country has really gone nuts. No problem with a college discounting a wealthy private school kid’s SAT 50 points but doesn’t this video show we have gone crazy???

+1
I predict “holistic admissions” will backfire in a few years.

My concern is that where will it stop. Test scores are basic math and reading. Will college professors have to start boosting grades? Will colleges have to tutor all these students through? Will the MCAT become test optional because that would be scary.

[Anonymous]

Already there.

Stanford announced back in July that the MCAT would be optional for the 2020-21 admissions cycle.

GRE is already test-optional.

Will the CFA and CPA exams or even construction management certs be next?

[Anonymous]

If this backfires will all schools have their own admissions test?

[Anonymous]

I thought that the UCs were going to do that.
Oxford does it for several subjects, yes. Applicants are also required to submit written, graded work.

[Anonymous]

Proof the tests were utter BS the whole time.