Brutal Admissions Year!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, if it's any consolation, it's also been a brutal year for all those poor and minority students. I work for an org that helps low-income students attend college-most of our students are black or latino. We've been hearing from various admissions offices that there is a huge pool this year, and while many of our students would have been likely admits if they could pay, schools don't want to spend a huge amount of aid on one student with a $0 EFC when they could spread that money around and give several students a decent amount of aid. It's tough out there.

Yes, I've heard that as well. I'm just not a believer in affirmative action. I think it is unconstitutional.

Please explain where in the Constitution it says that a private school must make admissions decisions based solely on SATs and grades.

Of course if we move to such admissions policies you will be bitching that the Asian kids all cheated and prepped to get in and so on.

What does SATs and grades have to do with racism re: any kid? Take a look at the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment please. If you don't like that one, how about the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, if we are talking about federal financial aid?

In the UT at Austin case, kids are evaluated based, in part, on a personal achievement index award. That included factoring in the socioeconomic status of the student and/or the student's school, as well as single parent status, race, and language barriers of any kind. This means that kids who were raised in traditional families who's parents worked hard, and where both parents spoke English in the home, got their 'personal achievement index award' lowered. I don't see how that is constitutional.

Regarding your comments about Asian kids, I read their tests scores are penalized simply because they are Asian. I think THAT'S BS. If the kid was prepped, studied, etc, and performed well, they deserve that score AS IT STANDS.

Universities want diverse student bodies, not just kids with high scores. Diversity means: rural/urban, white/color, single family households/both parents, sports/theatre, rich/poor. It adds to the richness of the experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

you don't need all that volunteer bs, the key is to get recruited for a sport.

pick a sport and rock out in it.

I was in the 02 cycle and was a typical candidate i.e. "70th percentile" but unhooked, and got frozen out of top schools. my younger siblings ('08,'11,'14) candidates all got into top schools as recruited athletes because I figured out the secret after my experience.

As long as you have the grades, this is pretty much true. My DD does have some unique volunteer experience, awesome grades, and ok sat scores. She is recruited athlete and got in to her top choice, highly selective school. I doubt she would have gotten in otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, if it's any consolation, it's also been a brutal year for all those poor and minority students. I work for an org that helps low-income students attend college-most of our students are black or latino. We've been hearing from various admissions offices that there is a huge pool this year, and while many of our students would have been likely admits if they could pay, schools don't want to spend a huge amount of aid on one student with a $0 EFC when they could spread that money around and give several students a decent amount of aid. It's tough out there.

Yes, I've heard that as well. I'm just not a believer in affirmative action. I think it is unconstitutional.

Please explain where in the Constitution it says that a private school must make admissions decisions based solely on SATs and grades.

Of course if we move to such admissions policies you will be bitching that the Asian kids all cheated and prepped to get in and so on.

What does SATs and grades have to do with racism re: any kid? Take a look at the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment please. If you don't like that one, how about the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, if we are talking about federal financial aid?

In the UT at Austin case, kids are evaluated based, in part, on a personal achievement index award. That included factoring in the socioeconomic status of the student and/or the student's school, as well as single parent status, race, and language barriers of any kind. This means that kids who were raised in traditional families who's parents worked hard, and where both parents spoke English in the home, got their 'personal achievement index award' lowered. I don't see how that is constitutional.

Regarding your comments about Asian kids, I read their tests scores are penalized simply because they are Asian. I think THAT'S BS. If the kid was prepped, studied, etc, and performed well, they deserve that score AS IT STANDS.

Do you really believe EVERYTHING you read...? Seriously, if you're going to try and debate about something then avoid anecdotal stories that are not based on any fact. To suggest that the scoring is somehow rigged against Asians (or anyone else for that matter) is simply ridiculous!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, if it's any consolation, it's also been a brutal year for all those poor and minority students. I work for an org that helps low-income students attend college-most of our students are black or latino. We've been hearing from various admissions offices that there is a huge pool this year, and while many of our students would have been likely admits if they could pay, schools don't want to spend a huge amount of aid on one student with a $0 EFC when they could spread that money around and give several students a decent amount of aid. It's tough out there.

Yes, I've heard that as well. I'm just not a believer in affirmative action. I think it is unconstitutional.

Please explain where in the Constitution it says that a private school must make admissions decisions based solely on SATs and grades.

Of course if we move to such admissions policies you will be bitching that the Asian kids all cheated and prepped to get in and so on.

What does SATs and grades have to do with racism re: any kid? Take a look at the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment please. If you don't like that one, how about the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, if we are talking about federal financial aid?

In the UT at Austin case, kids are evaluated based, in part, on a personal achievement index award. That included factoring in the socioeconomic status of the student and/or the student's school, as well as single parent status, race, and language barriers of any kind. This means that kids who were raised in traditional families who's parents worked hard, and where both parents spoke English in the home, got their 'personal achievement index award' lowered. I don't see how that is constitutional.

Regarding your comments about Asian kids, I read their tests scores are penalized simply because they are Asian. I think THAT'S BS. If the kid was prepped, studied, etc, and performed well, they deserve that score AS IT STANDS.

They are penalized but it is what it is. Schools call it holistic admission process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is these threads working people up. Anecdotal stories, most often the negative ones, does not mean that it has been a brutal year, or that things are necessarily getting worse. I have heard of many good results this year.

Same. And last year when my son was applying, many parents were shocked by the same type of rejections. Another PP nailed it, too many kids, too similar, all wanting the same thing, college, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, are you at public or private school? My impression is that the private schools are doing better as their counselors cultivate relationships with admissions offices.

We are in public and were happy with all the school did. We are happy with the process. Naviance provided excellent information and helped set expectations. Which is what I think is important- managing expectations and aiming for schools that are the best fit and not necessarily the flashy ones (although they they may be).

OP- you said that your child got in to 3 great schools. I don't see how that is brutal. That is great, he has choices.

NP here, agree. College applications aren't a test where you're shooting for 100 %. You're trying to find the best fit for your interests and personality out of the places that want you. Kind of like dating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you don't need all that volunteer bs, the key is to get recruited for a sport.

pick a sport and rock out in it.

I was in the 02 cycle and was a typical candidate i.e. "70th percentile" but unhooked, and got frozen out of top schools. my younger siblings ('08,'11,'14) candidates all got into top schools as recruited athletes because I figured out the secret after my experience.

OP here. My kid is active in sports, however wasn't interested in that as a hook.

But you've emphasized, again, how ridiculous the whole process is.

To clarify, I got into t25 schools but not top10 schools.

My siblings all got into top10 schools and it was clear they wouldn't have without the recruiting hook. Plus they enjoyed their college experience way more than me and did better academically due to the structure of playing said sport and the built in friendships via teammates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, are you at public or private school? My impression is that the private schools are doing better as their counselors cultivate relationships with admissions offices.

Private, and they did a wonderful job. It's just hard to compete in an environment where you have to achieve well beyond your years in order to be looked at seriously.

I wonder what kind of schooling/experiences the admissions officers have that are doing the choosing? I also wonder where there biases lie. I know colleges will check social media on the kids, but I also found out from a very reliable inside source, that colleges will also go onto the social media of the parents and red flag the kids' files if they see things they don't agree with, such as political affiliation, etc.

Are you for real? Who has admissions officers with time to check parent politics? Money for donations, maybe, but I've heard from advancement officers that the advancement office gets a limited # of put-forwards per year. Barring major royality, etc. I cant believe places other than a few Highly religious schools have time for this. You just sound like you're trying to assign blame in a process that's slready a crapshoot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you don't need all that volunteer bs, the key is to get recruited for a sport.

pick a sport and rock out in it.

I was in the 02 cycle and was a typical candidate i.e. "70th percentile" but unhooked, and got frozen out of top schools. my younger siblings ('08,'11,'14) candidates all got into top schools as recruited athletes because I figured out the secret after my experience.

OP here. My kid is active in sports, however wasn't interested in that as a hook.

But you've emphasized, again, how ridiculous the whole process is.

To clarify, I got into t25 schools but not top10 schools.

My siblings all got into top10 schools and it was clear they wouldn't have without the recruiting hook. Plus they enjoyed their college experience way more than me and did better academically due to the structure of playing said sport and the built in friendships via teammates.

which sports? the Ivy-league type? lacrosse, crew, water polo, etc.?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC applied to only two universities, one is arguably the best private university in the country, and the other is arguably the best public university in the country. DC was admitted to both.

Your DC is a moron and that could have ended very badly.

[Anonymous]

I didn't bother reading most of the thread but anecdotal I've seen the opposite. DS and most of his friends are in at their top choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC applied to only two universities, one is arguably the best private university in the country, and the other is arguably the best public university in the country. DC was admitted to both.

Yeah, sure. I don't believe you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC applied to only two universities, one is arguably the best private university in the country, and the other is arguably the best public university in the country. DC was admitted to both.

Your DC is a moron and that could have ended very badly.

To the contrary, DC was well organized and intelligent about the process.

The two applications (private was early, public was was regular - but with a very, very early deadline) were due the same month. DC applied to the private early and first, but still had a few weeks until the admissions decision, at the time the public application was due. DC also had six other applications prepared and ready to go for the regular admissions deadlines, but did not submit those applications once the first-choice private university admitted DC early.

You are welcome. My "moron" is not one of those students who continues to submit multiple applications at the regular deadline solely in an attempt to collect multiple acceptances. And that, PP, benefits other applicants who most want to attend those schools. The public application was not pulled so that DC can compare which, if any, merit scholarship is available.

[Anonymous]

Original poster, I agree with the Previous Poster who said that the college admissions process is not a test on which you are trying to attain a score of 100%.

Your student was admitted to three universities, and one of those colleges is sufficiently competitive that they rejected the class valedictorian.

Please do not complain that there are some rejects in the mix, as it potentially and unnecessarily diminishes your child's accomplishment in your eyes and theirs. It also can make you sound a bit entitled and petulant (which I am certain you are not).

Rejoice! Because your DC will attend a great university next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC applied to only two universities, one is arguably the best private university in the country, and the other is arguably the best public university in the country. DC was admitted to both.

Your DC is a moron and that could have ended very badly.

Not if one was EA.