What has surprised you - as your kid comes to the end of this process

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How accurate our school’s Naviance has been in terms of matches (in at all) and reaches (denied or waitlisted). Not a pointy applicant; it seems like extracurriculars, essays, and letters didn’t have an effect.

Interesting, while I would agree that Naviance as not been incorrect, even at our giant public most of the colleges do not have enough data points from which to reach a good conclusion - results seem a little random.

Naviance doesn't work very well for large public high schools.

More accurate for private schools.

PP who originally mentioned Naviance accuracy. My student is at a large, public high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How accurate our school’s Naviance has been in terms of matches (in at all) and reaches (denied or waitlisted). Not a pointy applicant; it seems like extracurriculars, essays, and letters didn’t have an effect.

Interesting, while I would agree that Naviance as not been incorrect, even at our giant public most of the colleges do not have enough data points from which to reach a good conclusion - results seem a little random.

Naviance doesn't work very well for large public high schools.

More accurate for private schools.

PP who originally mentioned Naviance accuracy. My student is at a large, public high school.

I'm one of the other PPs from a big public. Naviance is great when there are hundreds of applications each year - then you can really see the patterns. That's just not most of the colleges in the US

[Anonymous]

I think Naviance is pretty good at our large, public high school. It was less useful for schools like UVA and VT that had over 200 applicants a year b/c the sea of red/blue/green was too populated to show clear lines. If there were fewer than 5 kids accepted (at USC, for example), they there wouldn't be a year bar graph visual, but the counselor could provide that info if asked. It was very good for identifying targets and safeties and getting realistic about reaches.

[Anonymous]

Our CCO said naviance is better for public and Scoir or Maia is better for private - due to sample size analysis?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Asian and white kids are doing exceptionally well this year. Particularly boys.

My boy is doing okay so far. We'll see what the next few weeks bring. Will be happy when it's all over and a decision made.

What has surprised me? How long this process drags out from the REA/EAs of November 1 until March 27 to May 1. The acceptances and FA packages come out in drips and drabs.

Oh god--yes! I have a 2024 year grad and I thought 'whew' once the applications were all finally turned in by Jan 1. I could not have fathomed how looooonnnnngggg the process was going to drag out. We didn't apply for FA--but his RD acceptances were from mid-March up until March 30th...and then 1/2 were WL (at the T10/20s). Then after he paid the deposit May 1---the WL acceptances started rolling in. There was so much agony and uncertainty of him trying to choose a school. Roller coaster. It wasn't until HS graduation early June that he decided where he was going.

I hope my 2026 is more clear cut on his choice. Right now--he has no favorite or remote clear runner. Kind of all over the map like older sib.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Asian and white kids are doing exceptionally well this year. Particularly boys.

My boy is doing okay so far. We'll see what the next few weeks bring. Will be happy when it's all over and a decision made.

What has surprised me? How long this process drags out from the REA/EAs of November 1 until March 27 to May 1. The acceptances and FA packages come out in drips and drabs.

Oh god--yes! I have a 2024 year grad and I thought 'whew' once the applications were all finally turned in by Jan 1. I could not have fathomed how looooonnnnngggg the process was going to drag out. We didn't apply for FA--but his RD acceptances were from mid-March up until March 30th...and then 1/2 were WL (at the T10/20s). Then after he paid the deposit May 1---the WL acceptances started rolling in. There was so much agony and uncertainty of him trying to choose a school. Roller coaster. It wasn't until HS graduation early June that he decided where he was going.

I hope my 2026 is more clear cut on his choice. Right now--he has no favorite or remote clear runner. Kind of all over the map like older sib.

^ oh and now I am surprised at how lightning fast the first year of college has gone by. He will be done May 10th. It feels like we were just doing the Senior HS year stuff-went much faster than any single HS year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The amount of parental work and research everything takes, including navigating portals, housing. It’s insanity. I have an undecided child and in several
Facebook school forums and I am not the only lost and overwhelmed one. It’s stupidly convoluted even after admission.

You need to think twice if you are driving the train like this. Are you sure your kid is prepared to live independently and get themself through a degree program? Some profs call kids like this "hot house flowers" - they wilt when taken out of the green house (Mom's house).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Asian and white kids are doing exceptionally well this year. Particularly boys.

+1 at DC's school also Asian girls.

[Anonymous]

How envious I would feel of the families whose kid got into their ED school in mid December and they don’t have to deal with deferrals, rejections and waitlists. And how they can enjoy senior year with significantly less stress and not be wishing away time until the next decision or now until after May 1 to see what waitlist movement there is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How accurate our school’s Naviance has been in terms of matches (in at all) and reaches (denied or waitlisted). Not a pointy applicant; it seems like extracurriculars, essays, and letters didn’t have an effect.

The ECs, essays, and LOR don't matter unless you meet the "cusp" of the threshold.
The other big thing - how does your kid compare to the other kids applying from the same school/class. So many people overlook this - its so important. Is your kid weak compared to the rest of the applicant school from your HS?

This.

The first thing they do is compare your kid to the other kids in the class applying. How does your kid stand out?

Didn’t realize that this is ultimately the entire point of the application. Standing out against your peers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How envious I would feel of the families whose kid got into their ED school in mid December and they don’t have to deal with deferrals, rejections and waitlists. And how they can enjoy senior year with significantly less stress and not be wishing away time until the next decision or now until after May 1 to see what waitlist movement there is.

agree it's nice, but there's a nagging sense in a lot of people's minds that they undershot, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:URM is still a major hook and harder than ever to "view" in application. Dont be fooled - colleges want a diverse campus

Are you white or Asian?

Are you not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How envious I would feel of the families whose kid got into their ED school in mid December and they don’t have to deal with deferrals, rejections and waitlists. And how they can enjoy senior year with significantly less stress and not be wishing away time until the next decision or now until after May 1 to see what waitlist movement there is.

agree it's nice, but there's a nagging sense in a lot of people's minds that they undershot, etc.

Not here. With so many classmates gunning for Ivies at DC's magnet we went the WASP route. Thrilled with ED admission, and also very happy for classmates getting into Ivies EA or next week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How envious I would feel of the families whose kid got into their ED school in mid December and they don’t have to deal with deferrals, rejections and waitlists. And how they can enjoy senior year with significantly less stress and not be wishing away time until the next decision or now until after May 1 to see what waitlist movement there is.

agree it's nice, but there's a nagging sense in a lot of people's minds that they undershot, etc.

For ED, yes, but not for those lucky enough to score early admits to T5 schools which are non-binding

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How envious I would feel of the families whose kid got into their ED school in mid December and they don’t have to deal with deferrals, rejections and waitlists. And how they can enjoy senior year with significantly less stress and not be wishing away time until the next decision or now until after May 1 to see what waitlist movement there is.

agree it's nice, but there's a nagging sense in a lot of people's minds that they undershot, etc.

For ED, yes, but not for those lucky enough to score early admits to T5 schools which are non-binding

Sorry, meant to type “For ED, perhaps” not “yes”