My child is super intelligent and won't get into any good schools? What?!

[Anonymous]

My kid is like this and just didn’t feel like stressing and aiming for schools that are reaches and unlikely for everyone barring a major hook. He chose a great top 50 school that he really liked to ED to. We knew he’d be very likely to get in RD but he just wanted to find out in December and be done.

He got in with great merit, loves the school and has found a great group of friends, all without a lot of stress. Highly recommend although it only worked because that’s what he wanted to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid (11th grade) is smart. Like, super smart. Not genius level, but he has maintained his 4.0 with ease and sails through AP and DE classes. His IQ is somewhere around 140. He hasn't taken the SAT yet, but I'm sure he'll do super well.

Despite all this, he keeps telling me he has "no shot" at good colleges (not Ivies, but schools like UC Davis, Georgia Tech, etc). I really don't understand how college admissions have become so competitive that a child in the 99th percentile will have trouble being admitted to schools without insanely low acceptance rates.

Is he exaggerating, or is this true?

No it’s not true

Unless he’s at a religious private then yes could be.

If he’s in a public magnet might not get his first choice but will get in
Same with any other public

Georgia tech is very competitive however have him apply

Why does attending a religious private change the answer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's true. They would rather take foreigners at 3x the price than your kid. He should apply anyway. The rejections will help him to build resilience for the job market which is this but worse.

Please ignore this xenophobic piece of disinformation. I'm a foreigner, I know other foreigners, and it's just as hard if not harder for our kids to get in. Thank you.

This!!!!!

Our universities should serve our population. Just like our government should serve our citizens. Don't call people with this view xenophobic - that's ridiculous.
Sorry about the stupid racist above. Foreign students are a net benefit for our universities.

They are not a net benefit to American students though. And American universities should serve American students first and foremost, rather than existing to milk rich foreigners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's true. They would rather take foreigners at 3x the price than your kid. He should apply anyway. The rejections will help him to build resilience for the job market which is this but worse.

Please ignore this xenophobic piece of disinformation. I'm a foreigner, I know other foreigners, and it's just as hard if not harder for our kids to get in. Thank you.

absolutely! international students raise the game for all students: they are so incredibly talented at my kid's elite school--they have enjoyed having them as friends and class peers.

They cheat to get in and then cheat to stay in

+1
And degrade the culture of integrity adding a win at all costs element

[Anonymous]

OP, if your kid applies to a range of schools they will be fine. Spend at least as much time researching “safeties” and targets as reaches. Plan to apply to about 1/3 from each category. Your school’s guidance counselor is your best bet for defining each category. Assuming stats are in their ranges, some consider reaches to be any school with an admit rate under 20%. Drawing the line between safeties and targets is more up in the air.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, if your kid applies to a range of schools they will be fine. Spend at least as much time researching “safeties” and targets as reaches. Plan to apply to about 1/3 from each category. Your school’s guidance counselor is your best bet for defining each category. Assuming stats are in their ranges, some consider reaches to be any school with an admit rate under 20%. Drawing the line between safeties and targets is more up in the air.

And stop telling people your kid’s IQ, it’s a bad look.

[Anonymous]

They are not a net benefit to American students though. And American universities should serve American students first and foremost, rather than existing to milk rich foreigners.

I agree completely when discussing public colleges. I wish Virginia state schools were required to take more in-state students.

[Anonymous]

Focus on the quality of the education and not so much on the rankings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kid has the brains to succeed no matter what. But personality beats brains every time. Way too many geniuses undermine themselves because their end goal is being recognized for their ability rather than their accomplishment.

While you still have your kid at home make sure they understand that!

This is true.

My DC was like this in HS - super high achieving kid who doesn't have the go getter personality, and lowish EQ, and took way too much pride in the high stats rather than their accomplishments.

DC is at a great flagship for their major (T20 depending on what list you look at), and now realizes how important accomplishments are than just good grades. To that end, they've been working on projects outside of school now. I mentioned how they should be doing this when they were in HS, but they were convinced that their super high stats alone was good enough.

OP's DC knows. Mine didn't even though I kept telling them since 9th grade.

Having stated that, OP's DC will get into a good college, and probably with merit with those stats if they choose wisely, but maybe not T20.

[Anonymous]

4.0 with ease and sails through AP and DE classes. His IQ is somewhere around 140. He hasn't taken the SAT yet, but I'm sure he'll do super well.

Despite all this, he keeps telling me he has "no shot" at good colleges (not Ivies, but schools like UC Davis, Georgia Tech, etc).

A 4.0 is a solid but not extraordinary GPA, if you are referring to weighted. He has a possibility of being admitted to Georgia Tech, but they admit 10 percent of applicants, for non-residents. It's not certain. I am sure he will get into many great schools and find one that he enjoys attending, and have a successful life.

[Anonymous]

Of course they will get into GOOD schools, just maybe not the schools you believe they shoudl go to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

They are not a net benefit to American students though. And American universities should serve American students first and foremost, rather than existing to milk rich foreigners.

I agree completely when discussing public colleges. I wish Virginia state schools were required to take more in-state students.

I think if a university takes state funds they need to prioritize state students. Period. It's not xenophobic or racist to expect something in return for tax dollars. I hate that people are so quick to call out xenophobia or racism to something that just plain is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

They are not a net benefit to American students though. And American universities should serve American students first and foremost, rather than existing to milk rich foreigners.

I agree completely when discussing public colleges. I wish Virginia state schools were required to take more in-state students.

I think if a university takes state funds they need to prioritize state students. Period. It's not xenophobic or racist to expect something in return for tax dollars. I hate that people are so quick to call out xenophobia or racism to something that just plain is not.

UVA takes 2/3 from VA - that's a lot. They get much less funding from the state than a generation ago.

[Anonymous]

He’ll be fine and have plenty of options if you do your homework and are realistic and strategic about a wide range of applications. Also, please take some deep breaths…

[Anonymous]

I guess no ECs since he is avoiding the question.