Where is your kid applying ?

[Anonymous]

Ps - my niece went to Pitt for undergrad and law school. She’s doing amazingly well. Two coworkers and a friend have kids at Pitt and they all rave about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why meh, DC has similar list with SAT 1570, we can’t afford expensive private colleges and makes too much for FA
So we will have same targets as safeties

With that high of SAT, and a great GPA you can get plenty of merit aid. Especially at out of state publics.

But with strong in-state options in MD and VA, you probably won't get a better deal at a better school. That's if the big state school is what you want. Definitely lots of options at liberal arts colleges that aren't in the top tier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Emory would be easier to get into than UNC OOS. If your kid likes the south, then Davison, Vanderbilt, and U-Miami in Florida.

Thanks for your reply. We’ll see if there is merit aid offered. We have budgeted for in state in VA, anything outside of has to be comparable to what we will pay here otherwise in state it is! Good luck to all!

U-Miami has some merit opportunities but no way the others meet the VA price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People are really pessimistic on this board. It’s not supported by Scattergrams.

I think the pessimism comes from experience with the competition in the DC area. If OP lives in Wyoming, the answers might be different.

[Anonymous]

Pessimissm comes from the class of 2021 experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why meh, DC has similar list with SAT 1570, we can’t afford expensive private colleges and makes too much for FA
So we will have same targets as safeties

OP here- ‘meh’ because they think anyone can get into these schools as they are not selective. Indicating that there is no sense of accomplishment since it’s easy to get into these schools

[Anonymous]

WPI, Rochester, and Case Western have merit aid for STEM students. Nephew's tuition was cheaper at WPI than in-state UCs.

[Anonymous]

Interesting choice to leave CA in favor of the East Coast. UCs need to address the impacted majors issue.

[Anonymous]

MCPS must have a much different grading system than FCPS. Kids with those stats at my kid's FCPS school could get into a much wider variety of schools other than Ivies (according to Naviance).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why meh, DC has similar list with SAT 1570, we can’t afford expensive private colleges and makes too much for FA
So we will have same targets as safeties

OP here- ‘meh’ because they think anyone can get into these schools as they are not selective. Indicating that there is no sense of accomplishment since it’s easy to get into these schools

Thinking about college applications as an accomplishment is not a good way to think about the process. Finding a school where you will be happy, have academic peers, and can afford it is the goal. Not racking up trophies. Sounds like your kid is in a good place.

And no, not everyone can get into those schools. Especially VT. My son goes there and last year most of his friends applied, probably not putting in much effort because they thought it was a safety. Only DS and one other boy in his group got in.

Nobody knows how this year will shake out. I recall last Fall chatting about schools with a friend and mentioned a not-highly-ranked college I know has a strong program for her son's interest. She got a bit snooty about it, that it really wasn't something they'd consider. Guess where her son is going? And now she thinks it's a great school (which it is for his program)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why meh, DC has similar list with SAT 1570, we can’t afford expensive private colleges and makes too much for FA
So we will have same targets as safeties

OP here- ‘meh’ because they think anyone can get into these schools as they are not selective. Indicating that there is no sense of accomplishment since it’s easy to get into these schools

Thinking about college applications as an accomplishment is not a good way to think about the process. Finding a school where you will be happy, have academic peers, and can afford it is the goal. Not racking up trophies. Sounds like your kid is in a good place.

And no, not everyone can get into those schools. Especially VT. My son goes there and last year most of his friends applied, probably not putting in much effort because they thought it was a safety. Only DS and one other boy in his group got in.

Nobody knows how this year will shake out. I recall last Fall chatting about schools with a friend and mentioned a not-highly-ranked college I know has a strong program for her son's interest. She got a bit snooty about it, that it really wasn't something they'd consider. Guess where her son is going? And now she thinks it's a great school (which it is for his program)

OP here- thanks for the above post PP. Completely agree with you! But many parents and students make this process into a competition and a way to show off how ‘accomplished’ their student is cause they are applying to so many selective schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SAT 1520, WGPA 4.4, 8 APs (mostly 5’s one 4) applying to UVA, W&M, GMU, OSU, UNC (now wondering if this is realistic) U of Richmond, interested in Gov and Int Relations, Statistics

My DS with sort of similar stats (lower SAT but higher GPA, 9 APs) is at UVA studying the same major. Also on his list last year was American and GWU because of their very high ranking in this field. He got in ED so didn't have to apply anywhere else but his list was W&M, Davidson, American, GWU, Middlebury, Boston College, College of Wooster, U of Richmond, VA Tech (who actually does have a program in this area which is pretty cool)

[Anonymous]

Davidson, WUSTL, ND, W&M, UMW, VCU, and Indiana.
DC would be happy at any of these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why meh, DC has similar list with SAT 1570, we can’t afford expensive private colleges and makes too much for FA
So we will have same targets as safeties

OP here- ‘meh’ because they think anyone can get into these schools as they are not selective. Indicating that there is no sense of accomplishment since it’s easy to get into these schools

Thinking about college applications as an accomplishment is not a good way to think about the process. Finding a school where you will be happy, have academic peers, and can afford it is the goal. Not racking up trophies. Sounds like your kid is in a good place.

And no, not everyone can get into those schools. Especially VT. My son goes there and last year most of his friends applied, probably not putting in much effort because they thought it was a safety. Only DS and one other boy in his group got in.

Nobody knows how this year will shake out. I recall last Fall chatting about schools with a friend and mentioned a not-highly-ranked college I know has a strong program for her son's interest. She got a bit snooty about it, that it really wasn't something they'd consider. Guess where her son is going? And now she thinks it's a great school (which it is for his program)

OP here- thanks for the above post PP. Completely agree with you! But many parents and students make this process into a competition and a way to show off how ‘accomplished’ their student is cause they are applying to so many selective schools

OP, agree with this PP 100% and you and your kid have a great approach to this. Not just last year, but every, single. year... it's competitive.Every late spring, there is a flood of parents on this forum wailing about their kid not getting into UMD or VT. I think your list looks good, for what you've said your kid wants. I'm sure there are some SLACs with cache that your kid could get into, but they don't want that, so no reason to apply! Just ignore the people making this into a contest. You and your kid will have a much more pleasant senior year, and you are going to be pleased with results, which will not be the case with many others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS must have a much different grading system than FCPS. Kids with those stats at my kid's FCPS school could get into a much wider variety of schools other than Ivies (according to Naviance).

Yes. MCPS weights honors classes the same as APs. There are some required classes that do not have an honors option (like PE, Tech, and usually fine arts). Language doesn’t offer honors until level 3. It is possible (but rare) to get a 4.8. Common (over 25%) to have over a 4.51, depending on the high school. I am not sure what 10% is (and it varies) but I imagine at our school it’s around 4.6/4.7.

I don’t know how to compare the grades but my MCPS child is applying to a couple of VA schools and I would love to know what the top 10% gpa in FCPS is.