Another question about sats

[Anonymous]

If your kid has a 4.0 uw or close to it, but is only about 50th percentile for the standardized tests at a particular school and no hooks, should that be considered a match or a reach, as a general rule? My son (junior) thinks he is going to have no problem getting into his top choice with these stats, especially if he applies ED, but it seems to me that without a hook or really special ECs that this school might be a reach for him. His counselor says the GPA counts more than the test scores. We are at a small private so there aren't a lot of data points on Naviance. The school he likes has about a 30% acceptance rate. Does he need to cast a wider net? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Technically it's a "match" but your son (and counselor?) don't seem to get that nothing is certain, especially for a college with 30% acceptance rate. I'd be cautiously optimistic but he must keep up his grades, take a strong senior year course load, visit the college in the spring to show interest; this summer I'd make certain he writes very strong essays for the college app (I'd also like to see another SAT attempt in Sept, but I also have a son who was "one and done" so the battle wasn't worth fighting). Suggest he find one or two more schools but really then you just have to let him be the driver. Worst case is he's denied ED. There's still options at that point to apply RD and fill out another app or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kid has a 4.0 uw or close to it, but is only about 50th percentile for the standardized tests at a particular school and no hooks, should that be considered a match or a reach, as a general rule? My son (junior) thinks he is going to have no problem getting into his top choice with these stats, especially if he applies ED, but it seems to me that without a hook or really special ECs that this school might be a reach for him. His counselor says the GPA counts more than the test scores. We are at a small private so there aren't a lot of data points on Naviance. The school he likes has about a 30% acceptance rate. Does he need to cast a wider net? Thanks.

so what's his top choice? would really help in answering the question.

[Anonymous]

Well, I didn't want to identify him, but he wants to go to WM and is in state. I agree with the PP that we need to choose some other schools, but so far nothing else holds the same appeal for him. Thanks for any other insights/experiences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, I didn't want to identify him, but he wants to go to WM and is in state. I agree with the PP that we need to choose some other schools, but so far nothing else holds the same appeal for him. Thanks for any other insights/experiences.

You might mosey on over to the Private/Independent School forum and take a gander at some of the threads regarding admissions. They might be enlightening.

Btw, I've been watching Bonanza reruns today which explains my cowboy vernacular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I didn't want to identify him, but he wants to go to WM and is in state. I agree with the PP that we need to choose some other schools, but so far nothing else holds the same appeal for him. Thanks for any other insights/experiences.

You might mosey on over to the Private/Independent School forum and take a gander at some of the threads regarding admissions. They might be enlightening.

Btw, I've been watching Bonanza reruns today which explains my cowboy vernacular.

That forum rarely has college info on it. There is a solitary thread on admissions there now, though. It probably should be here. Happy trails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Technically it's a "match" but your son (and counselor?) don't seem to get that nothing is certain, especially for a college with 30% acceptance rate. I'd be cautiously optimistic

True that nothing is certain and it is better to err on the side of pessimism.
Applying to W&M it is better to be male than female.

[Anonymous]

Based on my DS experience the scores are mighty important. With no hooks and from Nova he should be in the top half of WMs range, if not the top quartile.

[Anonymous]

The problem you have with the SAT scoee is that it is outside of the school's range. Given the large number of applicants, it is very likely the student will not make the "first cut" (i..e, the SAT review). With a 30% acceptance rate, the school definitely employs a culling out of applicants...1st cut SAT. Sad but it is true. Even if DC makes first cut, they are definitely going to note a descrepancy between SAT and grades that wide. The next thing they'll review will be the courses taken resulting in that 4.0.

[Anonymous]

How is a 50% score "outside the school's range"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is a 50% score "outside the school's range"?

Obviously it's not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is a 50% score "outside the school's range"?

Obviously it's not.

Thus the question to the 4:23 poster who said so.