Our Current Situation - Not thrilled

[Anonymous]

Congratulations, OP! You give us sinners hope that, even with a busted college list, bland ECs and a worrying LOR strategy, our kids too can get into some pretty incredible schools!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - congratulations to you son on his great choices. This whole process is brutal.

Not really. People - especially our children - have been trained nowadays to expect instant results. The world doesn't work that way, and as parents it's our job to model patience for our kids. Everyone just needs to chill - it's no wonder our kids are drowning in anxiety.

[Anonymous]

OP why didn't you apply Cornell? Great CS--transfer there though Purdue is pretty good CS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP Here

Accepted as CS major at:
Rice (so I guess you can have 2 STEM LORs)
GT (after deferral)
Purdue (after deferral)
VCU
GMU
PITT
Boulder (exploratory)

Rejected:
Duke
CMU
UIUC
UWash

WL:
UW Madison

Currently still deciding and leaning towards Purdue

Georgia Tech for CS or Purdue CS appear to be the best options. (Rejections from UTexas-Austin & UWash_Seattle for CS should be the expectation.)

Agreed. UW Seattle is 3%. It is one of the hardest CS schools to actually get into OOS. And it's not really easy instate---accetpance is 27% but that's because many who want it do NOT pick it and just go with engineering---because UW does not let you select CS and Engineering as a choice, it's one or the other.

[Anonymous]

So there were four acceptances when the thread started and now there are seven.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So there were four acceptances when the thread started and now there are seven.

But now they have acceptances from some " elite CS schools"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Facts:
Son UW GPA 4.0. NEVER made below an A (even middle school). WGA 4.5 (only classes that are weighted are AP level) Top 1% class (everyone with a 4.0 gets rank of 1 so % rank based on WGPA)
9 APs total after Senior year including good mix of science (AP Physics 1,2 and C), math (Calc BC), computer science, humanities (history, government)....
1550 SAT one sitting May of junior year (balanced math/verbal score)
Attends specialized engineering courses through CC and Magnet program
Eagle Scout with lots of leadership positions and projects through the scouting program
Lots of EC focused on computer science that he does because he loves them and does totally on his own (has website blog with details of all projects that is very well written)
Community service since 9th grade (even through covid) at same organization - has many hours
Awesome LOR from computer science teacher and AP physics teacher and community leader
Coherent, funny, on topic essays

Deferred Purdue CS
Offered Exploratory Studies CU Boulder
Admitted to Pitt CS and GMU CS with honors
Admitted to VCU CS

Waiting to hear from GT, UT Austin, Wisconsin Madison, U Washington, Rice and not expecting good results based on the deferral and exploratory studies garbage can offer.

If choices end up being Pitt, GMU or VCU so be it but that seems ridiculous. She has so much potential. Pitt seems to be the winner so far

Is building a website showcasing activities you have done on your own a good strategy? I would think that admissions would not have time to look at websites.

Congrats OP on all the acceptances.

[Anonymous]

So what’s the final choice?

[Anonymous]

Bumping..

[Anonymous]

So what’s the final choice?

OP’s kid told his parents he’s realized college isn’t for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Facts:
Son UW GPA 4.0. NEVER made below an A (even middle school). WGA 4.5 (only classes that are weighted are AP level) Top 1% class (everyone with a 4.0 gets rank of 1 so % rank based on WGPA)
9 APs total after Senior year including good mix of science (AP Physics 1,2 and C), math (Calc BC), computer science, humanities (history, government)....
1550 SAT one sitting May of junior year (balanced math/verbal score)
Attends specialized engineering courses through CC and Magnet program
Eagle Scout with lots of leadership positions and projects through the scouting program
Lots of EC focused on computer science that he does because he loves them and does totally on his own (has website blog with details of all projects that is very well written)
Community service since 9th grade (even through covid) at same organization - has many hours
Awesome LOR from computer science teacher and AP physics teacher and community leader
Coherent, funny, on topic essays

Deferred Purdue CS
Offered Exploratory Studies CU Boulder
Admitted to Pitt CS and GMU CS with honors
Admitted to VCU CS

Waiting to hear from GT, UT Austin, Wisconsin Madison, U Washington, Rice and not expecting good results based on the deferral and exploratory studies garbage can offer.

If choices end up being Pitt, GMU or VCU so be it but that seems ridiculous. She has so much potential. Pitt seems to be the winner so far

I notice a lot of these are state universities, where out-of-state students are naturally going to be at a disadvantage. Just Georgetown and Rice for privates, right? I think some more good but not as selective privates would have been helpful to have as options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Facts:
Son UW GPA 4.0. NEVER made below an A (even middle school). WGA 4.5 (only classes that are weighted are AP level) Top 1% class (everyone with a 4.0 gets rank of 1 so % rank based on WGPA)
9 APs total after Senior year including good mix of science (AP Physics 1,2 and C), math (Calc BC), computer science, humanities (history, government)....
1550 SAT one sitting May of junior year (balanced math/verbal score)
Attends specialized engineering courses through CC and Magnet program
Eagle Scout with lots of leadership positions and projects through the scouting program
Lots of EC focused on computer science that he does because he loves them and does totally on his own (has website blog with details of all projects that is very well written)
Community service since 9th grade (even through covid) at same organization - has many hours
Awesome LOR from computer science teacher and AP physics teacher and community leader
Coherent, funny, on topic essays

Deferred Purdue CS
Offered Exploratory Studies CU Boulder
Admitted to Pitt CS and GMU CS with honors
Admitted to VCU CS

Waiting to hear from GT, UT Austin, Wisconsin Madison, U Washington, Rice and not expecting good results based on the deferral and exploratory studies garbage can offer.

If choices end up being Pitt, GMU or VCU so be it but that seems ridiculous. She has so much potential. Pitt seems to be the winner so far

I notice a lot of these are state universities, where out-of-state students are naturally going to be at a disadvantage. Just Georgetown and Rice for privates, right? I think some more good but not as selective privates would have been helpful to have as options.

I see things worked out in the end--that's great, OP!