What has surprised you - as your kid comes to the end of this process

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:that there is life after just 3 years of a foreign language. as DD heads to a T30-35 school (which ironically has a foreign language proficiency requirement)

Tee hee. Way to rile some folks up!

[Anonymous]

SAT really doesn’t matter so much anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SAT really doesn’t matter so much anymore.

Wrong. More schools going back to test required. Ohio State just announced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How much time you’ll waste trying it understand a process that is largely unknowable as we won’t ever be able to predict institutional priorities.

+100
Just reading the early comments I am see many that show people still didn't learn but many learned a great deal.

Key take aways:

At top schools peak stats only get you onto the playing field. Once you cross the bar they are not a differentiator.

All things being equal a hooked kid has an advantage over an unhooked kid. The hooked kid has crossed the bar for #1 above just like the "higher Stats" kid.

Academic contests are just an EC unless you place well. If you reach the peak they are great but if you don't they matter less than many believe because they don't create "breadth" of excellence.

The story matters. Why your kid is an interesting person to have on campus really matters when there are thousands of similar high performing kids to choose from.

Athletic recruits aren't lesser academics at top schools. Many of them have stats which go toe to toe with anyone though there are some who are given more leeway than a NARP (loved that term) applicant.

Institutional priorities are the greatest determinant and the greatest known unknowable at top schools. They have a huge pool of qualified candidates to choose from and they pick what they want.

Large publics are among the best Engineering/CS schools

Elite SLACs provide the best undergraduate education outside of Engineering/CS

The T10 are believed by many to provide the best of both of the above.

You can get a great education at any school in the T200 so prioritize fit over 'Prestige' unless you are focused on a few specific careers such as IB/MBB.

Some people are far too focused on what they social circle will say if a kid doesn't attend the 'right school'. These people need to get a grip as their kids mental health is more important than what their friends think.

[Anonymous]

That this whole process sucks and I'll be glad to be done with it.

That people are unhealthily obsessed with prestige and their kids certainly aren't better for it

See item #1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hooks matter more than anything else at the top 20 schools, and especially the Ivies. A kid at the top of the class, with perfect grades and scores and impressive, unique ECs, will almost always lose out to a kid without those things who has a hook. I heard this so many times but did not fully absorb it without personal experience.

Is there really a difference between the 4.0 and 3.96? No. The kids getting are also at the top of the class for the most part. They just bring something else as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD, did national debate circuit. Yes that is a huge commitment travel, overnight stays, judging . But most of schools and students she competed against went to T15 schools and she became friends with across the nation. Funny some one mentioned TX, CA, its the sheer volume of schools.

It's beyond that. I know of a Country Day school in the Bay area that has kids competing nationally in middle school. I've seen their 8 graders dismantle teams from elite colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That it's really easy to get into college if you're a good student with pretty good scores but not top scores (in this case a 1400). My ds got in everywhere he applied but one college as a normal kid who picked easier APs and enjoyed his life without stress. I was so worried and thought it would be a lot harder than it was.

What was his gpa?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The humanities kids get in to T25 with lower stats, especially if they have ANY sort of well-regarded honor or award.

Makes you sound like they are undeserving when the truth of the matter is that they should be favored even more than they are, to stem (pardon the pun) the STEM+business+econ trade school tide. I’d go so far as to say they merit a tuition reduction, as they cost almost nothing to teach and get no benefit from a school’s latest science center in the hundreds of millions.

Exactly!

[Anonymous]

DS is now a freshman, but I was really surprised that "holistic" actually seemed to be a thing with the school he ultimately chose.

[Anonymous]

Pleasantly surprised that there are plenty of T50 schools that accept strong, well rounded applicants. DD got in everywhere she applied with a good GPA, solid (but not exceptional) SAT scores, varsity sports, leadership and service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pleasantly surprised that there are plenty of T50 schools that accept strong, well rounded applicants. DD got in everywhere she applied with a good GPA, solid (but not exceptional) SAT scores, varsity sports, leadership and service.

Not trying to be nosy, but we'd love to hear specifics just for data points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD, did national debate circuit. Yes that is a huge commitment travel, overnight stays, judging . But most of schools and students she competed against went to T15 schools and she became friends with across the nation. Funny some one mentioned TX, CA, its the sheer volume of schools.

It's beyond that. I know of a Country Day school in the Bay area that has kids competing nationally in middle school. I've seen their 8 graders dismantle teams from elite colleges.

As a parent of a kid in a well-regarded Bay Area high school where I’ve been underwhelmed by the academics, I’d love to know the school you’re talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The humanities kids get in to T25 with lower stats, especially if they have ANY sort of well-regarded honor or award.

Makes you sound like they are undeserving when the truth of the matter is that they should be favored even more than they are, to stem (pardon the pun) the STEM+business+econ trade school tide. I’d go so far as to say they merit a tuition reduction, as they cost almost nothing to teach and get no benefit from a school’s latest science center in the hundreds of millions.

+1

T25 schools are much more than STEM diploma factories …..

The nation needs more STEM graduates not snowflakes who get luxury degrees in humanities bs.

[Anonymous]

Learned that unless your kid is a recruited athlete, their playing varsity all throughout high school and being named as captain for multiple seasons is not going to make a difference in any way from any other EC.