Is any school actually seeking students from the DMV?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One thing is clear from the stats in the "College Bound" article in Bethesda, MD - the schools out west have little to know interest in kids from MoCo public schools. I'm surprised how many of these kids end up at MD, PSU and Indiana.

I didn't read this article. Is it that students aren't applying to those schools? Or that they aren't being accepted?

I was fascinated by the schools that Arlington high school students applied to, as reported in the recent issue of Arlington Magazine. The list of schools applied to interested me far more than the reported acceptances, actually. I think some schools just get to be the "hot" choice, seemingly for no reason.

That said, Indiana U (I assume that's what you mean, in Bloomington?) would be a fabulously fun place to go to college.

Not much danger of IU becoming a "hot" college, though. The I stands for Indiana.

More than 200 kids from 6 MoCo high schools applied to IU. Kinda fascinating, isn't it?

[Anonymous]

OP yes schools aim for geographic diversity. I know someone who was recruited from an Ivy and was told that they'd never had anyone apply to the school from her zip code.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UC Santa Barbara

I looked at the Bethesda mag list of acceptances and was surprised at the number accepted to U of California schools since OOS admission is low. While not a boatload, there is a decent representation from this area. Wonder how many got in from the privates?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG. Just googled "Sushi 12" and am LMFAO.

As a non Jewish family, I don't know what to think/feel/say, if anything, after reading this. DD has at least 5 of these schools on her list.

I'm not Jewish but I'm from Potomac and went to Michigan. I could definitely relate. This was my favorite part:

58. “I went to Penn.” Translation- I went to a really good private school that funnels sushi there”…LEGACY!
59. “I was deciding between Michigan, Emory and Wash U.” Translation- I got rejected early decision from Penn.
60. “I went to Wisconsin because I wanted to have fun.” Translation- I couldn’t get into Michigan, Emory or Wash U.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve sat through more than my share of tours where colleges talk about having students from every state “except North Dakota” or “except Alaska.” It makes me think that there would be a lot more options for DC if we lived in one of these remote areas. It seems that being from this area is not just a neutral factor, but actually at negative factor at some schools that are inundated with applications from this area. Does anyone know of any selective schools that are actively seeking to increase the number of students from the DMV area?

Gives me an idea. What about setting up a boarding high school in Alaska for DC-born snowflakes? Makes them real men and women, gives them unique essay topics, helps fill geographic quotas.

Sarah Palin could be the headmaster?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve sat through more than my share of tours where colleges talk about having students from every state “except North Dakota” or “except Alaska.” It makes me think that there would be a lot more options for DC if we lived in one of these remote areas. It seems that being from this area is not just a neutral factor, but actually at negative factor at some schools that are inundated with applications from this area. Does anyone know of any selective schools that are actively seeking to increase the number of students from the DMV area?

Gives me an idea. What about setting up a boarding high school in Alaska for DC-born snowflakes? Makes them real men and women, gives them unique essay topics, helps fill geographic quotas.

Sarah Palin could be the headmaster?

Please place my child in a dorm room with a view of Russia, please.

[Anonymous]

I’ve sat through more than my share of tours where colleges talk about having students from every state “except North Dakota” or “except Alaska.” It makes me think that there would be a lot more options for DC if we lived in one of these remote areas. It seems that being from this area is not just a neutral factor, but actually at negative factor at some schools that are inundated with applications from this area. Does anyone know of any selective schools that are actively seeking to increase the number of students from the DMV area?

There is some truth to the fact that colleges are looking for geographical diversity, however, I don't think it would be necessarily "easier" to get in from one of those more remote areas. For one thing, most remote, rural schools have really crappy college counciling. DH went to a rural school in a remote area, and basically they told him that he was obviously going to figure out how to go to college, so they didn't give him any advice. No discussion of reaches, or what SAT score was competitive for what college, or really any guidance whatsoever. He went to a nearby state university, applied to the honors program, got a pell grant and a scholarship that was linked to his ACT score. He assumed the ivies were not something he could afford, because there wasn't a lot of good info about financial aid (he probably would have qualified for near a full ride). Along with that, there are generally not as strong schools with as rigorous course offerings, it's near impossible to attract qualified teachers to teach in remote areas, the idea of taking an SAT prep class is unheard of, and it is really difficult to get in a situation where you would have the sort of extracurriculars that make you competitive for highly competitive colleges. You would have to be a pretty exceptional person to take the initiative to figure out financial aid/get out of your community at a young age and to have the sort of record and essays that would make you qualified. The standards are lowered, but it is also much more difficult to reach those lowered standards than it is for kids from wealthy suburban or private prep schools in areas such DC/NYC/Chicago/Boston/SF, etc. And even if you have highly educated parents guiding students in a more remote area offering guidance, there is still the effect of peers and the relative lack of opportunities nearby.