ED Bump at Bowdoin or Middlebury

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test optional coming out of an expensive private school is a bad look. Don’t do it.

I agree with this. If you are coming from a top private and are fairly well to do, no SAT/ACT likely means your kid didn't do well. In their eyes there really is another explanation.

Meant NO other explanation

[Anonymous]

If your kid is sport recruit at either, she has good chance if coach willing to give her a slot and she passes the pre read which will require her submitting her transcript and SAT/ACT scores. We visited both schools and liked them both, but Bowdoin more than Midd since we felt Midd was a bit too isolated. Our kid eventually ED'd another NESCAC school

[Anonymous]

How bad are her test scores? Maybe they’re not as low as you think.

[Anonymous]

Could your daughter ED to one of them, and then if she doesn’t get accepted she could ED2 to Colby or Hamilton, where her application has the support of the coach?

[Anonymous]

I know two kids who got accepted to Middlebury via waitlist.

[Anonymous]

That is a great GPA, but you're right she is outside of the competitive zone so needs to use ED wisely. I also would prep like crazy for ACT and get some scores during the fall round of testing. I think it is easier for students to prep for ACT and she has bad precalc so knows the trig portion so will be easier than when she took it in 10th/11th grade. I think Middlebury is marginally easier to get into, so would go that route based on that fact alone. I also would have your daughter express a TON of interest and really specialize her essays as to why Middlebury. This may also give her a boost if deferred to eventually be accepted as a Feb.

Id also give consideration to another college trip and look at Bates, Colby, Hamilton, Colagte as they have somewhat similar vibes to Midd and Bowdoin and are definitely easier (relatively) to get in to, especially if she EDs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I should have clarified that DD may get into Colby and/or Hamilton as she is getting a pre-read at those two schools for her sport. Both coaches there have expressed interest in her already and have forwarded her information to the Admissions office. Middlebury has a higher threshold for her sport and DD doesn't qualify for the team there. She is on target athletically for Bowdoin but has not gotten attention from the coach despite her reaching out several times.

So assuming Colby and Hamilton can be a good possibility for ED2 if her pre-reads come back positive, dilemma is whether to try for Middlebury or Bowdoin for ED1.

Our son is in 11th grade and we may find ourselves in a similar predicament next year. So another question is whether the situation is different for a boy vs. a girl?

For one of the posters who asked about Davidson, I think that would be a great school for DD to attend although she could not play in her sport there. Is Davidson easier to get into than the northeastern counterparts mentioned above?

Sorry for all these questions but the responses have been so helpful.

If sports are a possibility, get her psyched for Hamilton/Colby and apply ED1 if the preread is positive. Sports at these small schools are a great community and shell love either school, maybe more with that support than not doing a sport at Midd/Bowdoin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could your daughter ED to one of them, and then if she doesn’t get accepted she could ED2 to Colby or Hamilton, where her application has the support of the coach?

Coach will expect ED application from a recruit that gets support. If the athlete is not getting one of the coaches few supported spots, then I think ED2 or RD might be possible.

[Anonymous]

Bowdoin parent here.

Unless there’s another hook, I would push Colby and Hamilton as ED1 and ED2. I would only use the ED1 hook if one of the coaches is willing to support her.

What you have to understand is that lots of kids who are in the range will be deferred and rejected. Being in the range doesn’t get you in. In general, at these small Nescac schools, each kid brings something extra to the table: a sport, a development case, the child of a political leader or influential business person, a child from the inner city who is a mathematical genius but hasn’t had opportunities … So your student needs to have a something extra to be supported - and sports are powerful. I would limit her use of ED to schools where there’s coach support.

[Anonymous]

Her GPA is out of range at midd and bowdoin. She should not waste ED on either. This is how stronger kids end up at trinity and conn college and Franklin and Marshall - she should apply to Colby or hamilton Ed with coach support and get in. RD is such a crap shoot it’s likely she is shut out from those two schools even if in range w her gpa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Her GPA is out of range at midd and bowdoin. She should not waste ED on either. This is how stronger kids end up at trinity and conn college and Franklin and Marshall - she should apply to Colby or hamilton Ed with coach support and get in. RD is such a crap shoot it’s likely she is shut out from those two schools even if in range w her gpa.

I’d agree if dc’s daughter was in public hs, but she is coming from a private school and this may be a very competitive and in range gpa for Bowdoin/Midd. These colleges love private hs school applicants and that already is a boost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Her GPA is out of range at midd and bowdoin. She should not waste ED on either. This is how stronger kids end up at trinity and conn college and Franklin and Marshall - she should apply to Colby or hamilton Ed with coach support and get in. RD is such a crap shoot it’s likely she is shut out from those two schools even if in range w her gpa.

I’d agree if dc’s daughter was in public hs, but she is coming from a private school and this may be a very competitive and in range gpa for Bowdoin/Midd. These colleges love private hs school applicants and that already is a boost.

Risky. Hamilton and colby are excellent nescacs and if the coach at one will support this applicant, that is very valuable. Don't know that the experience at bowdoin or midd would be so significantly different as to sacrifice that advantage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Her GPA is out of range at midd and bowdoin. She should not waste ED on either. This is how stronger kids end up at trinity and conn college and Franklin and Marshall - she should apply to Colby or hamilton Ed with coach support and get in. RD is such a crap shoot it’s likely she is shut out from those two schools even if in range w her gpa.

I’d agree if dc’s daughter was in public hs, but she is coming from a private school and this may be a very competitive and in range gpa for Bowdoin/Midd. These colleges love private hs school applicants and that already is a boost.

No, her gpa is out of range even at her private school. She said gpa is 3.68 and previous admits we’re 3.75-3.8. She is assuming that ED will make up for the gpa. I am not convinced that is true. I think ED often gets in kids who are hooked (legacy and sports) and may have slightly lower gpa. But without a hook, ED won’t help you much if you’re out of range. She needs the coach backing to make ED worthwhile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Her GPA is out of range at midd and bowdoin. She should not waste ED on either. This is how stronger kids end up at trinity and conn college and Franklin and Marshall - she should apply to Colby or hamilton Ed with coach support and get in. RD is such a crap shoot it’s likely she is shut out from those two schools even if in range w her gpa.

I’d agree if dc’s daughter was in public hs, but she is coming from a private school and this may be a very competitive and in range gpa for Bowdoin/Midd. These colleges love private hs school applicants and that already is a boost.

I don't know. I think both are trying hard to get away from their reps as full of wealthy private school kids and would prefer public school students

[Anonymous]

+1. Midd has made diversity more of a priority over the last two admission sessions.