Pls recommend SLAC for 4.0 GPA, 34 ACT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Safeties are harder to figure out.

Not sure why you are not asking about them??

DS has a safety.
Maybe the 4 previous posts were the same person?

Several safeties need to be identified and a few posters have given good suggestions such as Elon. I would add Rhodes as a match.

DS has 2 safeties and 3 targets. He’s looking to compare a couple schools where ED really gives him a shot, much better than if he RD. This is where the new search for a SLAC comes in: where he could decide to use his ED at a great advantage.

Adding another safety wouldn’t hurt.

I agree, especially these days when kids are applying to so many more colleges. 3 safeties, 3 solid targets, 3 reaches is not unreasonable

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. After visiting a handful of schools 9-35k students, he recently expressed interest in SLAC. We all assumed he wanted a math-based major, maybe Econ. But now he wants to widen the search (I realize, not ideal). His GPA is weighted but his school doesn’t offer tons of APs before senior year (he’ll have 6 APs). His schedule is considered “rigorous.” He’s full pay and would like to ED (if he’s decided a school by that time).

Ok. So UW of about a 3.6/3.7? That’s much different. I’d have him look at Lafayette for a math/Econ major. While there look at Lehigh which is not a SLAC but might be a good fit.

Well, these stereotypical male majors will negate a good deal of advantage that otherwise exists for males in SLAC admissions. Definitely apply ED somewhere (ED1 and ED2) if it is a SLAC. Davidson is probably too high for ED1. Trinity sounds about right. Then down a slight notch for ED2, such as a school like Holy Cross. Then down even more for regular decision, obviously.

I obviously have a lot to learn because I’m barely following this response. I can add that per his scattergram, DS has a 100% chance of acceptance at Holy Cross.

You should throw the scattergram out the window. Hate to break it to you, but no way your DC has a 100% chance of acceptance at Holy Cross with 4-5 Bs, 3 of which are in AP classes. It is at best a target school: it just had a 21% acceptance rate. https://hcspire.com/2023/03/24/record-breaking-admissions-for-the-class-of-2027/
Do not treat it as a safety…and don’t assume that admission is even probable at the regular decision round.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. After visiting a handful of schools 9-35k students, he recently expressed interest in SLAC. We all assumed he wanted a math-based major, maybe Econ. But now he wants to widen the search (I realize, not ideal). His GPA is weighted but his school doesn’t offer tons of APs before senior year (he’ll have 6 APs). His schedule is considered “rigorous.” He’s full pay and would like to ED (if he’s decided a school by that time).

Ok. So UW of about a 3.6/3.7? That’s much different. I’d have him look at Lafayette for a math/Econ major. While there look at Lehigh which is not a SLAC but might be a good fit.

Well, these stereotypical male majors will negate a good deal of advantage that otherwise exists for males in SLAC admissions. Definitely apply ED somewhere (ED1 and ED2) if it is a SLAC. Davidson is probably too high for ED1. Trinity sounds about right. Then down a slight notch for ED2, such as a school like Holy Cross. Then down even more for regular decision, obviously.

I obviously have a lot to learn because I’m barely following this response. I can add that per his scattergram, DS has a 100% chance of acceptance at Holy Cross.

You should throw the scattergram out the window. Hate to break it to you, but no way your DC has a 100% chance of acceptance at Holy Cross with 4-5 Bs, 3 of which are in AP classes. It is at best a target school: it just had a 21% acceptance rate. https://hcspire.com/2023/03/24/record-breaking-admissions-for-the-class-of-2027/
Do not treat it as a safety…and don’t assume that admission is even probable at the regular decision round.

+1 Any school that rejects over 50% of applicants is not a safety for anyone, ever. Failing to identify enough true safety schools is one of the biggest mistakes made each year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Safeties are harder to figure out.

Not sure why you are not asking about them??

DS has a safety.
Maybe the 4 previous posts were the same person?

“A” safety is not enough.

Some do yield protection.

Given the fact that the original GPA provided was weighted, some of the suggestions above would be reaches (Bowdoin).

Add Williams, Amherst, probably Davidson, Middlebury, maybe Hamilton and Haverford.

Targets might be Franklin and Marshall.

Am I missing something? Is this a big 3 kid near the top of his class? If not, a Williams or Amherst ED application is a complete waste of time. The other 4 schools mentioned are probably too much of a reach for ED1 as well. Vassar might be OK for ED1 because it’s a male applicant. That’s as high as I would go. But if you insist on a Davidson-Hamilton-Middlebury-Haverford application for ED1, do not make the mistake of picking a similar caliber school for ED2. Admissions at ED2 are tougher than ED1 and you have to go down…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Safeties are harder to figure out.

Not sure why you are not asking about them??

DS has a safety.
Maybe the 4 previous posts were the same person?

“A” safety is not enough.

Some do yield protection.

Given the fact that the original GPA provided was weighted, some of the suggestions above would be reaches (Bowdoin).

Add Williams, Amherst, probably Davidson, Middlebury, maybe Hamilton and Haverford.

Targets might be Franklin and Marshall.

Am I missing something? Is this a big 3 kid near the top of his class? If not, a Williams or Amherst ED application is a complete waste of time. The other 4 schools mentioned are probably too much of a reach for ED1 as well. Vassar might be OK for ED1 because it’s a male applicant. That’s as high as I would go. But if you insist on a Davidson-Hamilton-Middlebury-Haverford application for ED1, do not make the mistake of picking a similar caliber school for ED2. Admissions at ED2 are tougher than ED1 and you have to go down…

Can someone please explain how you know where a kid stands in the class when school not providing class rank, GPA, or any class academic data?

[Anonymous]

This thread is a mess. A couple helpful responses. Then a bunch “you shoulds” along with suggestions ranging from Elon to Williams and a pp really mad about Holy Cross chances. Add in complaints about high school college counselors not doing enough.

[Anonymous]

I haven't read all the responses, but I have a son interested in SLACs who just went through the process. I would check out Denison, Swarthmore, Haverford, Univ of Richmond, Wesleyan, and Connecticut College.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is a mess. A couple helpful responses. Then a bunch “you shoulds” along with suggestions ranging from Elon to Williams and a pp really mad about Holy Cross chances. Add in complaints about high school college counselors not doing enough.

Thanks for your helpful response.

[Anonymous]

Pay close attention to the athletes from your child’s HS. If athletes are using ED and/or are recruited from your kid’s HS, your child’s chances go down dramatically for any one school. For privates in the DMV, NE SLACs will likely only take one to three seniors per school depending on recruited athlete/first gen/legacy kid. And in regular decision for these NE SLACs, stats have to be better than in ED. Because all the super high stats kids that didn’t get in at an Ivy will be in regular pool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pay close attention to the athletes from your child’s HS. If athletes are using ED and/or are recruited from your kid’s HS, your child’s chances go down dramatically for any one school. For privates in the DMV, NE SLACs will likely only take one to three seniors per school depending on recruited athlete/first gen/legacy kid. And in regular decision for these NE SLACs, stats have to be better than in ED. Because all the super high stats kids that didn’t get in at an Ivy will be in regular pool.

DS’s high school doesn’t have enough data to report for most of these SLACs, so no info there.

[Anonymous]

If the high school does not normally send kids to LACs and the gpa is weighted, your son does not have a good chance at the very tip top schools suggested — especially since your son does not appear to be hooked (sports, legacy, no outstanding extracurriculars).

My best suggestion to you is to look at the male-female ratio at LACs. It can really help to be a male applying to LAC outside of the top few. Also, look at schools where being full pay helps. Again, it won’t help at the top schools but may lower on the list.

I think Skidmore is an excellent option. Dickinson is another good option. Reed is another good choice. Trinity, Macalaster , Lewis & Clark.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the high school does not normally send kids to LACs and the gpa is weighted, your son does not have a good chance at the very tip top schools suggested — especially since your son does not appear to be hooked (sports, legacy, no outstanding extracurriculars).

My best suggestion to you is to look at the male-female ratio at LACs. It can really help to be a male applying to LAC outside of the top few. Also, look at schools where being full pay helps. Again, it won’t help at the top schools but may lower on the list.

I think Skidmore is an excellent option. Dickinson is another good option. Reed is another good choice. Trinity, Macalaster , Lewis & Clark.

Thanks for this — very helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the high school does not normally send kids to LACs and the gpa is weighted, your son does not have a good chance at the very tip top schools suggested — especially since your son does not appear to be hooked (sports, legacy, no outstanding extracurriculars).

My best suggestion to you is to look at the male-female ratio at LACs. It can really help to be a male applying to LAC outside of the top few. Also, look at schools where being full pay helps. Again, it won’t help at the top schools but may lower on the list.

I think Skidmore is an excellent option. Dickinson is another good option. Reed is another good choice. Trinity, Macalaster , Lewis & Clark.

How do you find "schools where being full pay helps"? Is the answer the same as schools that rely heavily on ED?

[Anonymous]

Gettysburg College

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the high school does not normally send kids to LACs and the gpa is weighted, your son does not have a good chance at the very tip top schools suggested — especially since your son does not appear to be hooked (sports, legacy, no outstanding extracurriculars).

My best suggestion to you is to look at the male-female ratio at LACs. It can really help to be a male applying to LAC outside of the top few. Also, look at schools where being full pay helps. Again, it won’t help at the top schools but may lower on the list.

I think Skidmore is an excellent option. Dickinson is another good option. Reed is another good choice. Trinity, Macalaster , Lewis & Clark.

How do you find "schools where being full pay helps"? Is the answer the same as schools that rely heavily on ED?

my question too