Lessons learned: 2025-2026

[Anonymous]

Don't tailor the essays to what you think the school wants. Your student should make sure the essays authentically reflect them, so that the school that is a fit for them will admit them (not the other way around).

The goal is not college entry and fitting into what they want to read, the goal is getting into the right college that fits your student. (not the other way around)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3.75 or above if not weighted.

Agree with PP. GPA overrides all.

It’s really not that complicated and what schools like UVA looks for - hardest courses ( eg Calc B/C , AP Chem, etc) and A’s

But again - this is only true for T20.

After that really it’s VERY easy to get in - As Jeff Sellingo notes in his book - there are plenty of good schools, but people ( parents)
Tend to fall into the trap of prestige, rankings and yield rate..

GPA is so inflated that you cannot afford a lot of B's

The average GPA for Yale is comparable to USC or BU.

High GPA is necessary but not sufficient.

[Anonymous]

Possibly the best thing is to make sure at least one (preferably both) of your kid’s parents is/are a movie star, billionaire, famous Democrat, famous athlete, or royalty.

[Anonymous]

It starts in 4th grade.

[Anonymous]

NP: multiple posters above said don't ED unless a school is your favorite. But doesn't ED provide a much higher odds of acceptance?

Should you ED a school that you like slightly less for a better admission outcome and less stress?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP: multiple posters above said don't ED unless a school is your favorite. But doesn't ED provide a much higher odds of acceptance?

Should you ED a school that you like slightly less for a better admission outcome and less stress?

Only if its a top choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It starts in 4th grade.

Sure, if you want to be behind everybody.

Smart people recommend wearing a Princeton/Stanford/Whatever sweatshirt in the maternity ward. People who allow their kid’s first sight to be a Nike logo or an AC/DC t-shirt are playing with fire. 🔥

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Don't feel pressured to apply anywhere ED1 or ED2. EA, REA and rolling admission are all great options.


Don't apply to 3+ safeties. 2 safeties that your DC would be happy to attend is sufficient.

Too many applications leads to burnout.

Take a trip with your DC that is not college related just to have fun, even if it's only for a long weekend 1:1 and bond and tell them you love them and are proud of them while you are waiting for decisions.

Agree.

Firmly disagree. Once you’ve completed the common app, another safety school costs nothing but the application fee. A deluge of rejections feels miserable. Apply to 1 safety for every reach.

One reason to limit safeties is that a lot of top students have a difficult time finding safeties that they would be happy to attend.

But it shouldn’t be hard. There are many great schools and people need to stop obsessing over 50 schools in the country (including SLACs) as the only “acceptable” schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't feel pressured to apply anywhere ED1 or ED2. EA, REA and rolling admission are all great options.


Don't apply to 3+ safeties. 2 safeties that your DC would be happy to attend is sufficient.

Too many applications leads to burnout.

Take a trip with your DC that is not college related just to have fun, even if it's only for a long weekend 1:1 and bond and tell them you love them and are proud of them while you are waiting for decisions.

Agree.

Firmly disagree. Once you’ve completed the common app, another safety school costs nothing but the application fee. A deluge of rejections feels miserable. Apply to 1 safety for every reach.

One reason to limit safeties is that a lot of top students have a difficult time finding safeties that they would be happy to attend.

But it shouldn’t be hard. There are many great schools and people need to stop obsessing over 50 schools in the country (including SLACs) as the only “acceptable” schools.

There are only 10 acceptable schools, not 50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP: multiple posters above said don't ED unless a school is your favorite. But doesn't ED provide a much higher odds of acceptance?

Should you ED a school that you like slightly less for a better admission outcome and less stress?

ED only provides a boost to unhooked schools if you go below t25. outside Chicago.

dont get suckered into EDing to Emory or Middlebury. those kids have lots of options. maybe with merit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't listen to your private school counselor's advice. That's the biggest lesson I have learned this year. Do your own research.

That sounds like quite a story. 😮

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't feel pressured to apply anywhere ED1 or ED2. EA, REA and rolling admission are all great options.


Don't apply to 3+ safeties. 2 safeties that your DC would be happy to attend is sufficient.

Too many applications leads to burnout.

Take a trip with your DC that is not college related just to have fun, even if it's only for a long weekend 1:1 and bond and tell them you love them and are proud of them while you are waiting for decisions.

Agree.

Firmly disagree. Once you’ve completed the common app, another safety school costs nothing but the application fee. A deluge of rejections feels miserable. Apply to 1 safety for every reach.

One reason to limit safeties is that a lot of top students have a difficult time finding safeties that they would be happy to attend.

But it shouldn’t be hard. There are many great schools and people need to stop obsessing over 50 schools in the country (including SLACs) as the only “acceptable” schools.

There are only 10 acceptable schools, not 50.

You are both stupid and part of the problem.

[Anonymous]

Applying ED often increases the odds quite a bit. Sometimes even doubling them!

But when the RD rate is 6% and the ED rate is 12%, it’s important to keep in mind that those are still not good odds - especially knowing that some of those ED acceptances are reserved for recruited athletes.

Apply ED if it is indeed your DCs first choice, you are not seeking merit money. But don’t for a second confuse “better odds” with “good odds.” If your applying T10, it’s ultimately a lottery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Applying ED often increases the odds quite a bit. Sometimes even doubling them!

But when the RD rate is 6% and the ED rate is 12%, it’s important to keep in mind that those are still not good odds - especially knowing that some of those ED acceptances are reserved for recruited athletes.

Apply ED if it is indeed your DCs first choice, you are not seeking merit money. But don’t for a second confuse “better odds” with “good odds.” If your applying T10, it’s ultimately a lottery.

I agree. Building on that point, I think it's important to consider specific strengths of schools outside of T50 if your DC has a specific major interest. It all depends on the kid and your family's finances.

In creating a balanced list, your DC should select a range of schools where your DC can be happy and their major is a particular strength. So, for example, Pitt is a popular rolling admissions school that is excellent in pre-med sciences and would be on a high-stat pre-med kid's list as a likely admit school. If the pre-med student had the choice between substantial merit at Pitt or an ivy, which would he/she choose? That savings could be hugely helpful to pay for med school, with arguably similar outcomes if med school is the targeted next step.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Possibly the best thing is to make sure at least one (preferably both) of your kid’s parents is/are a movie star, billionaire, famous Democrat, famous athlete, or royalty.

This. It’s all rigged and unfair. I’d encourage my child to look beyond the t whatever.