Did anyone else underestimate their DC this application cycle?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless people identify specific schools, this thread is completely meaningless.

Not really. It can be reassuring to hear that many students had better admissions outcomes than their parents expected. Maybe we don’t need to buy into all the hype and should realize there are great options out there for our kids. Reframe the narrative around college admissions. Be realistic but optimistic. It may even turn out better than anticipated!

How would one know what these “great options” are if posters are not willing to mention them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, things absolutely turned out better than I thought they could.

DC’s first choice was a reach - we thought
His GPA wasn’t high enough
His SAT wasn’t high enough
Even if he got in, they won’t offer enough aid to make it affordable for us

Wrong on 3 counts. He did ED, was accepted, and received an aid package far better than expected.

High enough based on his school's naviance/SCOIR?

Correct.

[Anonymous]

The college counselor underestimated my kid. She was continually surprised when he got into reaches and high reaches. I had considered many of the CCO reaches to be targets, and I think I was right. This is my 4th time, so I am pretty good at this game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The college counselor underestimated my kid. She was continually surprised when he got into reaches and high reaches. I had considered many of the CCO reaches to be targets, and I think I was right. This is my 4th time, so I am pretty good at this game.

Can you give us examples of where your DS got into vs where CC thought would be his reaches (your targets?). From your experience, do you think the better results have something to do with him being a male and his intended major?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We suggested a safety with a 70-80% acceptance rate because we doubted our DC would get into their first choice, to which they were admitted. However, they ended up loving the safety, and that is where they are going.

Same here!!!! Haha! I couldn’t convince DC to pick the more selective school. Safety is it!!

Yep! It’s funny how it worked out. I am the PP. My kid’s original first choice was in-state, and a bunch of their friends will go there. They visited the high acceptance school (out of state - about four states away!) and loved it. The program is amazing, and it offers all the rah rah stuff they want. The distance, though, will be a pain!

Same again. The more selective admit is in-state (UVA), but DC choose the OOS safety for better fits.

[Anonymous]

Our private high school had more kids than usual get into T30s and fewer get into T10s

So the insta page looks great with Notre Dame and Northwestern and UChicago, but you dont know how those kids were all hoping for HYPSM etc. Where our HS usually sends a couple to each each year.

[Anonymous]

I was super nervous about UVA b/c DC had a 1440 and a 4.3 from a competitive high school with a ton of applicants but DC was admitted. Maybe I've spent too much time here on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The college counselor underestimated my kid. She was continually surprised when he got into reaches and high reaches. I had considered many of the CCO reaches to be targets, and I think I was right. This is my 4th time, so I am pretty good at this game.

Can you give us examples of where your DS got into vs where CC thought would be his reaches (your targets?). From your experience, do you think the better results have something to do with him being a male and his intended major?

Major was business/economics. CCO designated reaches accepted to: Boston College, Georgetown, UVA, UNC, Florida, UGA, Tulane, & UCLA. I thought Tulane, BC, UGA, and Florida were targets.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The college counselor underestimated my kid. She was continually surprised when he got into reaches and high reaches. I had considered many of the CCO reaches to be targets, and I think I was right. This is my 4th time, so I am pretty good at this game. [/quote]

Can you give us examples of where your DS got into vs where CC thought would be his reaches (your targets?). From your experience, do you think the better results have something to do with him being a male and his intended major? [/quote]

Major was business/economics. CCO designated reaches accepted to: Boston College, Georgetown, UVA, UNC, Florida, UGA, Tulane, & UCLA. I thought Tulane, BC, UGA, and Florida were targets. [/quote]

Getting in doesn’t make them targets. Congrats to your son on his success!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our private high school had more kids than usual get into T30s and fewer get into T10s

So the insta page looks great with Notre Dame and Northwestern and UChicago, but you dont know how those kids were all hoping for HYPSM etc. Where our HS usually sends a couple to each each year.

Northwestern and UChicago are T10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The college counselor underestimated my kid. She was continually surprised when he got into reaches and high reaches. I had considered many of the CCO reaches to be targets, and I think I was right. This is my 4th time, so I am pretty good at this game.

Can you give us examples of where your DS got into vs where CC thought would be his reaches (your targets?). From your experience, do you think the better results have something to do with him being a male and his intended major?

Major was business/economics. CCO designated reaches accepted to: Boston College, Georgetown, UVA, UNC, Florida, UGA, Tulane, & UCLA. I thought Tulane, BC, UGA, and Florida were targets.

Did they customize the UVA application to talk about major/economics? Or was that covered in personal essay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our private high school had more kids than usual get into T30s and fewer get into T10s

So the insta page looks great with Notre Dame and Northwestern and UChicago, but you dont know how those kids were all hoping for HYPSM etc. Where our HS usually sends a couple to each each year.

Northwestern and UChicago are T10.

Not to the public, only to usnews

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the tide has turned a bit too. Lots of school have results that look more like a decade ago, than the past 8 or so years, especially beter than 2021-2025.

I wonder how much to keep stressing about the SAT. It's in range for top 20 for pre-2019 (based on that historic data) but there is still a sense of 1500+ or bust. When to just say "this is a great score and you've earned the right to apply anywhere."

It’s up to your kid to decide this, not you. When they are done with testing, they are done. You don’t need to be “stressing” all.

Drop the leash, mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was super nervous about UVA b/c DC had a 1440 and a 4.3 from a competitive high school with a ton of applicants but DC was admitted. Maybe I've spent too much time here on DCUM.

ED, EA, or RD?

[Anonymous]

A little. He applied to 6 reach schools and got into one (one of the most selective LACs). That one specific admission was a suprise, but given that he applied to 6, it wasn't that suprising.