Sidwell 2023 College outcomes?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My high stats DC was WL to several Top 15-30 schools that in the recent past (2021, 2022) they were strongly located in the 100% zone on SCOIR for Sidwell.

Not that we ever expected 100%, but striking out on so many of those was a clear change from the past - they were not alone in this sort of outcome.

In this same T15-30 in 100% SCOIR zone:
- one regular acceptance
- one acceptance via an alternative entry pathway (for example - late start/early start/abroad/satellite ).

Rejected in all Top 10 and Top SLAC applications.

Accepted to some safeties T40-T60 and a low SLAC.

DC was grateful to have some options. This year was a shift for sure.

When you say Top SLAC can you be more specific ?

Think along the lines of ....Williams, Amherst, Pomona, Swarthmore

Pomona too? It isn't as sought after locally, so I'd expect better luck. Outside of USNWR, it is rarely mentioned with the other 3 outside the west. What about Wellesley and Smith for the girls. Any luck there?

Pomona is absurdly hard to get in

Far fewer applicants from the DMV though. It and CMC should get more interest here. USNWR throwing them an occasional #3 might help though. However, it has also been #7 3 times in the 2000s and does still have a more regional name.

As PP said - Pomona is insanely hard and they have plenty of strong DMV applicants to choose from. The entire school is only 1800 kids.

Even smaller than that, 1700. Their first year class alone has 43 states and 51 nationalities represented among just 413 students. Their focus on diversity means there isn't room to enroll more than a handful of DMV kids. https://www.pomona.edu/news/2022/09/26-class-2026-new-sagehens-number

This is a helpful exercise for those with kids applying in the future (or wondering why their kids didn't get in.) Pomona offered spots to 15 (or fewer) students from Maryland this year. 23% are first gen, so on average that leaves 12 spots for students who aren't first gen. 62.5% are students of color, leaving 6 spots for white students, or 3 white men and 3 white women who aren't first gen. (https://www.pomona.edu/news/2023/03/17-introducing-pomona-college-class-2027)

I should note that the low numbers for Maryland aren't due to lack of applicants. Someone mentioned the Bethesda Magazine reporting of stats. Last year, 55 students applied from the 8 MCPS high schools they studied, and 4 got in. (https://moco360.media/2022/09/13/here-are-the-colleges-where-bethesda-area-high-school-grads-applied-got-accepted-and-enrolled/)

[Anonymous]

Interestingly, that's right on par with their admit rate that cycle- 7%.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My high stats DC was WL to several Top 15-30 schools that in the recent past (2021, 2022) they were strongly located in the 100% zone on SCOIR for Sidwell.

Not that we ever expected 100%, but striking out on so many of those was a clear change from the past - they were not alone in this sort of outcome.

In this same T15-30 in 100% SCOIR zone:
- one regular acceptance
- one acceptance via an alternative entry pathway (for example - late start/early start/abroad/satellite ).

Rejected in all Top 10 and Top SLAC applications.

Accepted to some safeties T40-T60 and a low SLAC.

DC was grateful to have some options. This year was a shift for sure.

When you say Top SLAC can you be more specific ?

Think along the lines of ....Williams, Amherst, Pomona, Swarthmore

Pomona too? It isn't as sought after locally, so I'd expect better luck. Outside of USNWR, it is rarely mentioned with the other 3 outside the west. What about Wellesley and Smith for the girls. Any luck there?

Pomona is absurdly hard to get in

Far fewer applicants from the DMV though. It and CMC should get more interest here. USNWR throwing them an occasional #3 might help though. However, it has also been #7 3 times in the 2000s and does still have a more regional name.

As PP said - Pomona is insanely hard and they have plenty of strong DMV applicants to choose from. The entire school is only 1800 kids.

Even smaller than that, 1700. Their first year class alone has 43 states and 51 nationalities represented among just 413 students. Their focus on diversity means there isn't room to enroll more than a handful of DMV kids. https://www.pomona.edu/news/2022/09/26-class-2026-new-sagehens-number

This is a helpful exercise for those with kids applying in the future (or wondering why their kids didn't get in.) Pomona offered spots to 15 (or fewer) students from Maryland this year. 23% are first gen, so on average that leaves 12 spots for students who aren't first gen. 62.5% are students of color, leaving 6 spots for white students, or 3 white men and 3 white women who aren't first gen. (https://www.pomona.edu/news/2023/03/17-introducing-pomona-college-class-2027)

Folks who are current freshman or sophomores should do this for every "top" school. I remember an article that broke down the Princeton slots like this from like 2018 or so, and it came down to like 30 unhooked males and females in each applicant pool. When presented like that, an applicant has to ask "what makes me stand out to be one of those applicants" - people really need to be realistic about their chances at these schools and find targets and safeties they would be thrilled to attend.

I completely disagree with you. Having safeties is imperative. But micro analyzing the stats on every school would send my kid straight to the looney bin from stress. As long as we have safeties, we do not need to know how impossibly hard the reaches are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My high stats DC was WL to several Top 15-30 schools that in the recent past (2021, 2022) they were strongly located in the 100% zone on SCOIR for Sidwell.

Not that we ever expected 100%, but striking out on so many of those was a clear change from the past - they were not alone in this sort of outcome.

In this same T15-30 in 100% SCOIR zone:
- one regular acceptance
- one acceptance via an alternative entry pathway (for example - late start/early start/abroad/satellite ).

Rejected in all Top 10 and Top SLAC applications.

Accepted to some safeties T40-T60 and a low SLAC.

DC was grateful to have some options. This year was a shift for sure.

When you say Top SLAC can you be more specific ?

Think along the lines of ....Williams, Amherst, Pomona, Swarthmore

Pomona too? It isn't as sought after locally, so I'd expect better luck. Outside of USNWR, it is rarely mentioned with the other 3 outside the west. What about Wellesley and Smith for the girls. Any luck there?

Pomona is absurdly hard to get in

Far fewer applicants from the DMV though. It and CMC should get more interest here. USNWR throwing them an occasional #3 might help though. However, it has also been #7 3 times in the 2000s and does still have a more regional name.

As PP said - Pomona is insanely hard and they have plenty of strong DMV applicants to choose from. The entire school is only 1800 kids.

Even smaller than that, 1700. Their first year class alone has 43 states and 51 nationalities represented among just 413 students. Their focus on diversity means there isn't room to enroll more than a handful of DMV kids. https://www.pomona.edu/news/2022/09/26-class-2026-new-sagehens-number

This is a helpful exercise for those with kids applying in the future (or wondering why their kids didn't get in.) Pomona offered spots to 15 (or fewer) students from Maryland this year. 23% are first gen, so on average that leaves 12 spots for students who aren't first gen. 62.5% are students of color, leaving 6 spots for white students, or 3 white men and 3 white women who aren't first gen. (https://www.pomona.edu/news/2023/03/17-introducing-pomona-college-class-2027)

Wow. The math is brutal!

"Over five percent do not identify on the binary gender spectrum." That seems pretty high to me. Have other schools been reporting on this stat?

Interesting indeed. And I have the kind of kid (rising senior) who would check a box like this just for the hell of it, to see if it would increase his chances.

If the school's letter nor none of the recommendations mention it, then it would be pretty evident that the box was being checked for that reason and not because it was factual. That may not end well for you kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My high stats DC was WL to several Top 15-30 schools that in the recent past (2021, 2022) they were strongly located in the 100% zone on SCOIR for Sidwell.

Not that we ever expected 100%, but striking out on so many of those was a clear change from the past - they were not alone in this sort of outcome.

In this same T15-30 in 100% SCOIR zone:
- one regular acceptance
- one acceptance via an alternative entry pathway (for example - late start/early start/abroad/satellite ).

Rejected in all Top 10 and Top SLAC applications.

Accepted to some safeties T40-T60 and a low SLAC.

DC was grateful to have some options. This year was a shift for sure.

When you say Top SLAC can you be more specific ?

Think along the lines of ....Williams, Amherst, Pomona, Swarthmore

Pomona too? It isn't as sought after locally, so I'd expect better luck. Outside of USNWR, it is rarely mentioned with the other 3 outside the west. What about Wellesley and Smith for the girls. Any luck there?

Pomona is absurdly hard to get in

Far fewer applicants from the DMV though. It and CMC should get more interest here. USNWR throwing them an occasional #3 might help though. However, it has also been #7 3 times in the 2000s and does still have a more regional name.

As PP said - Pomona is insanely hard and they have plenty of strong DMV applicants to choose from. The entire school is only 1800 kids.

Even smaller than that, 1700. Their first year class alone has 43 states and 51 nationalities represented among just 413 students. Their focus on diversity means there isn't room to enroll more than a handful of DMV kids. https://www.pomona.edu/news/2022/09/26-class-2026-new-sagehens-number

This is a helpful exercise for those with kids applying in the future (or wondering why their kids didn't get in.) Pomona offered spots to 15 (or fewer) students from Maryland this year. 23% are first gen, so on average that leaves 12 spots for students who aren't first gen. 62.5% are students of color, leaving 6 spots for white students, or 3 white men and 3 white women who aren't first gen. (https://www.pomona.edu/news/2023/03/17-introducing-pomona-college-class-2027)

Folks who are current freshman or sophomores should do this for every "top" school. I remember an article that broke down the Princeton slots like this from like 2018 or so, and it came down to like 30 unhooked males and females in each applicant pool. When presented like that, an applicant has to ask "what makes me stand out to be one of those applicants" - people really need to be realistic about their chances at these schools and find targets and safeties they would be thrilled to attend.

I completely disagree with you. Having safeties is imperative. But micro analyzing the stats on every school would send my kid straight to the looney bin from stress. As long as we have safeties, we do not need to know how impossibly hard the reaches are.

Fair. I think my point was, the kids should understand and not "fall in love" with a "dream" school and try to keep an even keel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My high stats DC was WL to several Top 15-30 schools that in the recent past (2021, 2022) they were strongly located in the 100% zone on SCOIR for Sidwell.

Not that we ever expected 100%, but striking out on so many of those was a clear change from the past - they were not alone in this sort of outcome.

In this same T15-30 in 100% SCOIR zone:
- one regular acceptance
- one acceptance via an alternative entry pathway (for example - late start/early start/abroad/satellite ).

Rejected in all Top 10 and Top SLAC applications.

Accepted to some safeties T40-T60 and a low SLAC.

DC was grateful to have some options. This year was a shift for sure.

When you say Top SLAC can you be more specific ?

Think along the lines of ....Williams, Amherst, Pomona, Swarthmore

Pomona too? It isn't as sought after locally, so I'd expect better luck. Outside of USNWR, it is rarely mentioned with the other 3 outside the west. What about Wellesley and Smith for the girls. Any luck there?

Pomona is absurdly hard to get in

Far fewer applicants from the DMV though. It and CMC should get more interest here. USNWR throwing them an occasional #3 might help though. However, it has also been #7 3 times in the 2000s and does still have a more regional name.

Pomona accepts very very few kids from this area and is likely not particularly familiar with the schools in the same way that east coast schools are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My high stats DC was WL to several Top 15-30 schools that in the recent past (2021, 2022) they were strongly located in the 100% zone on SCOIR for Sidwell.

Not that we ever expected 100%, but striking out on so many of those was a clear change from the past - they were not alone in this sort of outcome.

In this same T15-30 in 100% SCOIR zone:
- one regular acceptance
- one acceptance via an alternative entry pathway (for example - late start/early start/abroad/satellite ).

Rejected in all Top 10 and Top SLAC applications.

Accepted to some safeties T40-T60 and a low SLAC.

DC was grateful to have some options. This year was a shift for sure.

When you say Top SLAC can you be more specific ?

Think along the lines of ....Williams, Amherst, Pomona, Swarthmore

Pomona too? It isn't as sought after locally, so I'd expect better luck. Outside of USNWR, it is rarely mentioned with the other 3 outside the west. What about Wellesley and Smith for the girls. Any luck there?

Pomona is absurdly hard to get in

Far fewer applicants from the DMV though. It and CMC should get more interest here. USNWR throwing them an occasional #3 might help though. However, it has also been #7 3 times in the 2000s and does still have a more regional name.

As PP said - Pomona is insanely hard and they have plenty of strong DMV applicants to choose from. The entire school is only 1800 kids.

Even smaller than that, 1700. Their first year class alone has 43 states and 51 nationalities represented among just 413 students. Their focus on diversity means there isn't room to enroll more than a handful of DMV kids. https://www.pomona.edu/news/2022/09/26-class-2026-new-sagehens-number

This is a helpful exercise for those with kids applying in the future (or wondering why their kids didn't get in.) Pomona offered spots to 15 (or fewer) students from Maryland this year. 23% are first gen, so on average that leaves 12 spots for students who aren't first gen. 62.5% are students of color, leaving 6 spots for white students, or 3 white men and 3 white women who aren't first gen. (https://www.pomona.edu/news/2023/03/17-introducing-pomona-college-class-2027)

Folks who are current freshman or sophomores should do this for every "top" school. I remember an article that broke down the Princeton slots like this from like 2018 or so, and it came down to like 30 unhooked males and females in each applicant pool. When presented like that, an applicant has to ask "what makes me stand out to be one of those applicants" - people really need to be realistic about their chances at these schools and find targets and safeties they would be thrilled to attend.

I completely disagree with you. Having safeties is imperative. But micro analyzing the stats on every school would send my kid straight to the looney bin from stress. As long as we have safeties, we do not need to know how impossibly hard the reaches are.

+1

Much better to focus efforts on finding safeties that your kid loves/really likes. Same for finding true Targets. Focus your efforts on the part that your kid is most likely to end up at. Doing so will ensure you kid actually likes their targets and safeties and will be happy come April next year. Then it's just a bonus if you get into the reaches, which we all know are a crap shoot unless you are highly hooked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My high stats DC was WL to several Top 15-30 schools that in the recent past (2021, 2022) they were strongly located in the 100% zone on SCOIR for Sidwell.

Not that we ever expected 100%, but striking out on so many of those was a clear change from the past - they were not alone in this sort of outcome.

In this same T15-30 in 100% SCOIR zone:
- one regular acceptance
- one acceptance via an alternative entry pathway (for example - late start/early start/abroad/satellite ).

Rejected in all Top 10 and Top SLAC applications.

Accepted to some safeties T40-T60 and a low SLAC.

DC was grateful to have some options. This year was a shift for sure.

When you say Top SLAC can you be more specific ?

Think along the lines of ....Williams, Amherst, Pomona, Swarthmore

Pomona too? It isn't as sought after locally, so I'd expect better luck. Outside of USNWR, it is rarely mentioned with the other 3 outside the west. What about Wellesley and Smith for the girls. Any luck there?

Pomona is absurdly hard to get in

Far fewer applicants from the DMV though. It and CMC should get more interest here. USNWR throwing them an occasional #3 might help though. However, it has also been #7 3 times in the 2000s and does still have a more regional name.

As PP said - Pomona is insanely hard and they have plenty of strong DMV applicants to choose from. The entire school is only 1800 kids.

Even smaller than that, 1700. Their first year class alone has 43 states and 51 nationalities represented among just 413 students. Their focus on diversity means there isn't room to enroll more than a handful of DMV kids. https://www.pomona.edu/news/2022/09/26-class-2026-new-sagehens-number

This is a helpful exercise for those with kids applying in the future (or wondering why their kids didn't get in.) Pomona offered spots to 15 (or fewer) students from Maryland this year. 23% are first gen, so on average that leaves 12 spots for students who aren't first gen. 62.5% are students of color, leaving 6 spots for white students, or 3 white men and 3 white women who aren't first gen. (https://www.pomona.edu/news/2023/03/17-introducing-pomona-college-class-2027)

Folks who are current freshman or sophomores should do this for every "top" school. I remember an article that broke down the Princeton slots like this from like 2018 or so, and it came down to like 30 unhooked males and females in each applicant pool. When presented like that, an applicant has to ask "what makes me stand out to be one of those applicants" - people really need to be realistic about their chances at these schools and find targets and safeties they would be thrilled to attend.

I completely disagree with you. Having safeties is imperative. But micro analyzing the stats on every school would send my kid straight to the looney bin from stress. As long as we have safeties, we do not need to know how impossibly hard the reaches are.

+1

Much better to focus efforts on finding safeties that your kid loves/really likes. Same for finding true Targets. Focus your efforts on the part that your kid is most likely to end up at. Doing so will ensure you kid actually likes their targets and safeties and will be happy come April next year. Then it's just a bonus if you get into the reaches, which we all know are a crap shoot unless you are highly hooked.

It is not always easy to find safeties that you are excited about. My kid liked several schools but they ranged from highly competitive to mid-level competitive.

[Anonymous]

It is not always easy to find safeties that you are excited about. My kid liked several schools but they ranged from highly competitive to mid-level competitive.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My high stats DC was WL to several Top 15-30 schools that in the recent past (2021, 2022) they were strongly located in the 100% zone on SCOIR for Sidwell.

Not that we ever expected 100%, but striking out on so many of those was a clear change from the past - they were not alone in this sort of outcome.

In this same T15-30 in 100% SCOIR zone:
- one regular acceptance
- one acceptance via an alternative entry pathway (for example - late start/early start/abroad/satellite ).

Rejected in all Top 10 and Top SLAC applications.

Accepted to some safeties T40-T60 and a low SLAC.

DC was grateful to have some options. This year was a shift for sure.

When you say Top SLAC can you be more specific ?

Think along the lines of ....Williams, Amherst, Pomona, Swarthmore

Pomona too? It isn't as sought after locally, so I'd expect better luck. Outside of USNWR, it is rarely mentioned with the other 3 outside the west. What about Wellesley and Smith for the girls. Any luck there?

Pomona is absurdly hard to get in

Far fewer applicants from the DMV though. It and CMC should get more interest here. USNWR throwing them an occasional #3 might help though. However, it has also been #7 3 times in the 2000s and does still have a more regional name.

As PP said - Pomona is insanely hard and they have plenty of strong DMV applicants to choose from. The entire school is only 1800 kids.

Even smaller than that, 1700. Their first year class alone has 43 states and 51 nationalities represented among just 413 students. Their focus on diversity means there isn't room to enroll more than a handful of DMV kids. https://www.pomona.edu/news/2022/09/26-class-2026-new-sagehens-number

This is a helpful exercise for those with kids applying in the future (or wondering why their kids didn't get in.) Pomona offered spots to 15 (or fewer) students from Maryland this year. 23% are first gen, so on average that leaves 12 spots for students who aren't first gen. 62.5% are students of color, leaving 6 spots for white students, or 3 white men and 3 white women who aren't first gen. (https://www.pomona.edu/news/2023/03/17-introducing-pomona-college-class-2027)

Folks who are current freshman or sophomores should do this for every "top" school. I remember an article that broke down the Princeton slots like this from like 2018 or so, and it came down to like 30 unhooked males and females in each applicant pool. When presented like that, an applicant has to ask "what makes me stand out to be one of those applicants" - people really need to be realistic about their chances at these schools and find targets and safeties they would be thrilled to attend.

I completely disagree with you. Having safeties is imperative. But micro analyzing the stats on every school would send my kid straight to the looney bin from stress. As long as we have safeties, we do not need to know how impossibly hard the reaches are.

+1

Much better to focus efforts on finding safeties that your kid loves/really likes. Same for finding true Targets. Focus your efforts on the part that your kid is most likely to end up at. Doing so will ensure you kid actually likes their targets and safeties and will be happy come April next year. Then it's just a bonus if you get into the reaches, which we all know are a crap shoot unless you are highly hooked.

It is not always easy to find safeties that you are excited about. My kid liked several schools but they ranged from highly competitive to mid-level competitive.

True, but that's the reality.

[Anonymous]

Most results are in. Top outcomes have been exclusively URM/Heavy-Duty legacy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My high stats DC was WL to several Top 15-30 schools that in the recent past (2021, 2022) they were strongly located in the 100% zone on SCOIR for Sidwell.

Not that we ever expected 100%, but striking out on so many of those was a clear change from the past - they were not alone in this sort of outcome.

In this same T15-30 in 100% SCOIR zone:
- one regular acceptance
- one acceptance via an alternative entry pathway (for example - late start/early start/abroad/satellite ).

Rejected in all Top 10 and Top SLAC applications.

Accepted to some safeties T40-T60 and a low SLAC.

DC was grateful to have some options. This year was a shift for sure.

When you say Top SLAC can you be more specific ?

Think along the lines of ....Williams, Amherst, Pomona, Swarthmore

Pomona too? It isn't as sought after locally, so I'd expect better luck. Outside of USNWR, it is rarely mentioned with the other 3 outside the west. What about Wellesley and Smith for the girls. Any luck there?

Pomona is absurdly hard to get in

Far fewer applicants from the DMV though. It and CMC should get more interest here. USNWR throwing them an occasional #3 might help though. However, it has also been #7 3 times in the 2000s and does still have a more regional name.

As PP said - Pomona is insanely hard and they have plenty of strong DMV applicants to choose from. The entire school is only 1800 kids.

Even smaller than that, 1700. Their first year class alone has 43 states and 51 nationalities represented among just 413 students. Their focus on diversity means there isn't room to enroll more than a handful of DMV kids. https://www.pomona.edu/news/2022/09/26-class-2026-new-sagehens-number

This is a helpful exercise for those with kids applying in the future (or wondering why their kids didn't get in.) Pomona offered spots to 15 (or fewer) students from Maryland this year. 23% are first gen, so on average that leaves 12 spots for students who aren't first gen. 62.5% are students of color, leaving 6 spots for white students, or 3 white men and 3 white women who aren't first gen. (https://www.pomona.edu/news/2023/03/17-introducing-pomona-college-class-2027)

I did similar math on Colby a few weeks ago. Likely less than 100 acceptances for coastal kids, non-legacy, non-first gen white kids.

There just aren’t spots any more.

Same story for 3 or 4 families at GDS. High stats white kids mostly rejected top 40. Picking from 40-80 or OUS choices. Many more than ever headed OUS this year (Canada, UK, etc).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most results are in. Top outcomes have been exclusively URM/Heavy-Duty legacy.

Same at GDS. There are approx two high stats, entirely unhooked kids who got a top 15 school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most results are in. Top outcomes have been exclusively URM/Heavy-Duty legacy.

Same at GDS. There are approx two high stats, entirely unhooked kids who got a top 15 school.

Are these two top 15 schools ivies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My high stats DC was WL to several Top 15-30 schools that in the recent past (2021, 2022) they were strongly located in the 100% zone on SCOIR for Sidwell.

Not that we ever expected 100%, but striking out on so many of those was a clear change from the past - they were not alone in this sort of outcome.

In this same T15-30 in 100% SCOIR zone:
- one regular acceptance
- one acceptance via an alternative entry pathway (for example - late start/early start/abroad/satellite ).

Rejected in all Top 10 and Top SLAC applications.

Accepted to some safeties T40-T60 and a low SLAC.

DC was grateful to have some options. This year was a shift for sure.

When you say Top SLAC can you be more specific ?

Think along the lines of ....Williams, Amherst, Pomona, Swarthmore

Pomona too? It isn't as sought after locally, so I'd expect better luck. Outside of USNWR, it is rarely mentioned with the other 3 outside the west. What about Wellesley and Smith for the girls. Any luck there?

Pomona is absurdly hard to get in

Far fewer applicants from the DMV though. It and CMC should get more interest here. USNWR throwing them an occasional #3 might help though. However, it has also been #7 3 times in the 2000s and does still have a more regional name.

As PP said - Pomona is insanely hard and they have plenty of strong DMV applicants to choose from. The entire school is only 1800 kids.

Even smaller than that, 1700. Their first year class alone has 43 states and 51 nationalities represented among just 413 students. Their focus on diversity means there isn't room to enroll more than a handful of DMV kids. https://www.pomona.edu/news/2022/09/26-class-2026-new-sagehens-number

This is a helpful exercise for those with kids applying in the future (or wondering why their kids didn't get in.) Pomona offered spots to 15 (or fewer) students from Maryland this year. 23% are first gen, so on average that leaves 12 spots for students who aren't first gen. 62.5% are students of color, leaving 6 spots for white students, or 3 white men and 3 white women who aren't first gen. (https://www.pomona.edu/news/2023/03/17-introducing-pomona-college-class-2027)

Folks who are current freshman or sophomores should do this for every "top" school. I remember an article that broke down the Princeton slots like this from like 2018 or so, and it came down to like 30 unhooked males and females in each applicant pool. When presented like that, an applicant has to ask "what makes me stand out to be one of those applicants" - people really need to be realistic about their chances at these schools and find targets and safeties they would be thrilled to attend.

I completely disagree with you. Having safeties is imperative. But micro analyzing the stats on every school would send my kid straight to the looney bin from stress. As long as we have safeties, we do not need to know how impossibly hard the reaches are.

Each kid is different. Mine would have relished a frank discussion of odds. Especially because his school limits applications to 10. So why waste an application on Pomona (for example) when it’s basically a wasted shot. Without that 10 school cap, let’er rip, but our big 3 makes the game even tougher.