Looking forward to the process with my B+ student

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't relate. I have A students who are not ivy level and it actually seems really hard to find a college that is both a good fit and affordable.

Im guessing OP has enough money to pay 80k per year for a good but mid ranked SLAC and thus does not need to stress about her kid getting into the state flagship or an elite private that gives grants instead of loans to the middle class

[Anonymous]

I had an all A (across all 4 years) student with highest of rigor …apply to 4 Ivies. Didnt get into one.

Let that sink in.

It’s not just grades or rigor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had an all A (across all 4 years) student with highest of rigor …apply to 4 Ivies. Didnt get into one.

Let that sink in.

It’s not just grades or rigor.

Huh? We all know it’s not just those things. That’s the entire point of this thread!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IN our area, the kids who are the most bitter are FCPS excellent students, in a sea of excellent students. Their parents have said "instate only." They can't get into UVA/WM. The number of APs has been ridiculous and they are bitter. Did not enjoy high school very much.

I'd of been pissed too if I'd gone through the FCPS AP grind only to end up at JMU. Who are these parents, and why won't they consider OOS or private options that might be the same price as or lower than a VA school?

This is a really unfortunate attitude. As someone who once went through the FCPS AP grind and ended up at UVA, my friends who went to JMU are all happy, gainfully employed adults (make more than me!) who had a really fun time in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved going through the process with my B+ student. Everything was a happy surprise. “Hey, this lesser-known school is pretty great!”
“Hey, they want me!” “Hey, that’s a nice merit offer!” Just much more relaxed and fun. Also more thinking about what they want vs. who wanted them. It was really nice.

The process for my shooting-for-prestige A student was different. Much more stressful, more rejections, including both ED1 and ED2, far more stress about what peers thought, and also whether or not they were “wanted.”

I dunno. In retrospect I don’t really think the angst about higher prestige contributed more than it cost. Looking back it feels like a pretty big waste of energy.

I agree but then what is the messaging to these kids who want to try? Don't bother? That feels wrong. It's a total waste of energy though.

PP. I don’t know what the better messaging would have been. In retrospect maybe it would have been worth shifting the balance of our visits and conversations to focus much more on likelies, and/or schools whose locations offer very different kinds of experiences — like New School in NYC or CU Boulder — so the more competitive applications felt like “why not try?” rather than the point of it all. Would that have felt like a lack of faith in DC though? Not sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My B+ student applied to two colleges: JMU and GMU and got into both. GMU was a lock, but we weren't sure about JMU. Luckily they got in early action. Picked JMU and is loving it. My other child is a much stronger student with almost all As, but because they want to major in CS, there is a chance they will be choosing between the same two colleges. UVA, VT, and W&M are all possible, but none are guaranteed. The stronger student will definitely be disappointed if they have the same options as their B+ sibling.

Well, I have an A-/1500+ FCPS kid with lots of APs. They are not getting into UVA and if they get shut out of WM/VT we are going OOS. Our guidance counselor tried to sell us on JMU, but I am sorry, like hell. My kid has worked to hard to end up there with their classmates who goofed off most of high school.

FWIW, my IB diploma student with a 4.6w GPA and 33 ACT did get shut out of UVA but was admitted to VT honors college, which looked amazing. They ended up going OOS for slightly less to a major flagship, but wanted you to know yours has a good shot. (Mine didn’t want to apply to W&M).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My B+ student applied to two colleges: JMU and GMU and got into both. GMU was a lock, but we weren't sure about JMU. Luckily they got in early action. Picked JMU and is loving it. My other child is a much stronger student with almost all As, but because they want to major in CS, there is a chance they will be choosing between the same two colleges. UVA, VT, and W&M are all possible, but none are guaranteed. The stronger student will definitely be disappointed if they have the same options as their B+ sibling.

Well, I have an A-/1500+ FCPS kid with lots of APs. They are not getting into UVA and if they get shut out of WM/VT we are going OOS. Our guidance counselor tried to sell us on JMU, but I am sorry, like hell. My kid has worked to hard to end up there with their classmates who goofed off most of high school.

FWIW, my IB diploma student with a 4.6w GPA and 33 ACT did get shut out of UVA but was admitted to VT honors college, which looked amazing. They ended up going OOS for slightly less to a major flagship, but wanted you to know yours has a good shot. (Mine didn’t want to apply to W&M).

Thanks, they are actually much more interested in VT than UVA for their major, FWIW.

[Anonymous]

I hear you, OP. My eldest had his heart set on a single school, and the end of junior year into the first semester of senior year was a nightmare. Unfortunately, my middle is shaping up to the same way, but my youngest is SO CHILL academically, and I can't wait to get to the process with him. I think it'll actually be a lot of fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My B+ student applied to two colleges: JMU and GMU and got into both. GMU was a lock, but we weren't sure about JMU. Luckily they got in early action. Picked JMU and is loving it. My other child is a much stronger student with almost all As, but because they want to major in CS, there is a chance they will be choosing between the same two colleges. UVA, VT, and W&M are all possible, but none are guaranteed. The stronger student will definitely be disappointed if they have the same options as their B+ sibling.

Well, I have an A-/1500+ FCPS kid with lots of APs. They are not getting into UVA and if they get shut out of WM/VT we are going OOS. Our guidance counselor tried to sell us on JMU, but I am sorry, like hell. My kid has worked to hard to end up there with their classmates who goofed off most of high school.

Not all that much difference in the stats between VT and JMU. Agree on WM and UVA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My B+ student applied to two colleges: JMU and GMU and got into both. GMU was a lock, but we weren't sure about JMU. Luckily they got in early action. Picked JMU and is loving it. My other child is a much stronger student with almost all As, but because they want to major in CS, there is a chance they will be choosing between the same two colleges. UVA, VT, and W&M are all possible, but none are guaranteed. The stronger student will definitely be disappointed if they have the same options as their B+ sibling.

Then they search for other choices. Search OOS privates with great CS/Eng programs that give good merit. And apply. There are many where the costs will only be $40-50K, if you can swing that.

[Anonymous]

Totally agree. Just had a very high stats kid go through the process and for all of their effort, I really hoped they'd get into a top college. For the A-/B+ kid, I feel less stress. Still hope they get admitted to a college they like, but am just not as worried about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally agree. Just had a very high stats kid go through the process and for all of their effort, I really hoped they'd get into a top college. For the A-/B+ kid, I feel less stress. Still hope they get admitted to a college they like, but am just not as worried about it.

Agree. My high rigor, 1500+ kid didn’t get into reaches (CS/engineering pool). At UVA. Hoping for less stress the next round - obviously we know way more than we did this time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't relate. I have A students who are not ivy level and it actually seems really hard to find a college that is both a good fit and affordable.

They should get great merit aid at liberal arts schools. E en my B student got good merit aid at them.

I have a similar situation as OP with my 2 kids. However we are limited to schools that are either in-state or equivalent to in-state cost. I believe my older kid will have more options because his stats will get him more merit at schools that my younger kid my get into but probably less or no merit.

That’s the thing. If one of your criteria is “affordable,” a high stats kid will have lots more choices than a lower stats kid because of merit aid. My high stats kid wasn’t interested in the Ivy League, and he got into 6 schools that ranged from almost free to private schools that cost slightly more than instate after merit aid was taken into account.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My older kid is a very high stats kid, competitive, really wants an Ivy (and won't get it). And the process sucks. I look forward to going through it with my younger kid, who gets B+'s, is relaxed, has very specific interests, and won't be aiming for top schools. I feel like there will be tons of great options for him, which is ironic since my super hard-working kid should theoretically have many more.

Agreed. Perspective and expectations can be everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IN our area, the kids who are the most bitter are FCPS excellent students, in a sea of excellent students. Their parents have said "instate only." They can't get into UVA/WM. The number of APs has been ridiculous and they are bitter. Did not enjoy high school very much.

I'd of been pissed too if I'd gone through the FCPS AP grind only to end up at JMU. Who are these parents, and why won't they consider OOS or private options that might be the same price as or lower than a VA school?

This is a really unfortunate attitude. As someone who once went through the FCPS AP grind and ended up at UVA, my friends who went to JMU are all happy, gainfully employed adults (make more than me!) who had a really fun time in college.

Shhh. Don’t encourage them. PP should stay far away from JMU.