How is your top student doing with acceptances?

[Anonymous]

Regarding top students not getting in, I’m not sure colleges want students who have succeeded at everything they’ve ever done. I think they want to see students who’ve fallen and learned how to get back up. It’s definitely not all about scores. The students at my DD’s top LAC who have not been successful were smart enough but got overwhelmed, didn’t attend class, started drinking/drugs, made bad choices, or couldn’t make the adjustment. I think that’s why admission officers look for grit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is my experience with college apps. Kids that are not “top students” are fine. They get in somewhere and they are happy.

Top students don’t do well ... they over estimate reach and likely schools.

Their reaches are “not a snowball’s chance in hell” and likely schools are actually reaches. They get into their safeties. But since “in their head” it’s a “safety” they hate their options feel dejected and “settle for their state school”, or Clemson, or Villanova, because they offer a fun atmosphere.

I think there is a lot of truth to this. And it’s useful to remember when considering, should my kid take AP class #10 and get little sleep or are a few more on level/honors classes okay.

What if they actually like the classes and do well in them? Your post makes no sense.

That is fine if they have something else, but if they are giving up "something else" to do all AP's they are an unbalanced applicant and not interesting from an admissions standpoint.... or

It's fine, because they enjoy their classes and they are not doing it to get into a top school so when they go to their state flagship they won't be disappointed and acting like their life was a waste.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Regarding top students not getting in, I’m not sure colleges want students who have succeeded at everything they’ve ever done. I think they want to see students who’ve fallen and learned how to get back up. It’s definitely not all about scores. The students at my DD’s top LAC who have not been successful were smart enough but got overwhelmed, didn’t attend class, started drinking/drugs, made bad choices, or couldn’t make the adjustment. I think that’s why admission officers look for grit.

Nope, they like A’s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regarding top students not getting in, I’m not sure colleges want students who have succeeded at everything they’ve ever done. I think they want to see students who’ve fallen and learned how to get back up. It’s definitely not all about scores. The students at my DD’s top LAC who have not been successful were smart enough but got overwhelmed, didn’t attend class, started drinking/drugs, made bad choices, or couldn’t make the adjustment. I think that’s why admission officers look for grit.

Nope, they like A’s.

And it takes grit to get all As.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Regarding top students not getting in, I’m not sure colleges want students who have succeeded at everything they’ve ever done. I think they want to see students who’ve fallen and learned how to get back up. It’s definitely not all about scores. The students at my DD’s top LAC who have not been successful were smart enough but got overwhelmed, didn’t attend class, started drinking/drugs, made bad choices, or couldn’t make the adjustment. I think that’s why admission officers look for grit.

This girl has had more setbacks, grit and leadership than anyone i know. Maybe they just don’t want leaders, for some reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regarding top students not getting in, I’m not sure colleges want students who have succeeded at everything they’ve ever done. I think they want to see students who’ve fallen and learned how to get back up. It’s definitely not all about scores. The students at my DD’s top LAC who have not been successful were smart enough but got overwhelmed, didn’t attend class, started drinking/drugs, made bad choices, or couldn’t make the adjustment. I think that’s why admission officers look for grit.

This girl has had more setbacks, grit and leadership than anyone i know. Maybe they just don’t want leaders, for some reason.

To add, all As also. Puzzling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is my experience with college apps. Kids that are not “top students” are fine. They get in somewhere and they are happy.

Top students don’t do well ... they over estimate reach and likely schools.

Their reaches are “not a snowball’s chance in hell” and likely schools are actually reaches. They get into their safeties. But since “in their head” it’s a “safety” they hate their options feel dejected and “settle for their state school”, or Clemson, or Villanova, because they offer a fun atmosphere.

I think there is a lot of truth to this. And it’s useful to remember when considering, should my kid take AP class #10 and get little sleep or are a few more on level/honors classes okay.

What if they actually like the classes and do well in them? Your post makes no sense.

That is fine if they have something else, but if they are giving up "something else" to do all AP's they are an unbalanced applicant and not interesting from an admissions standpoint.... or

It's fine, because they enjoy their classes and they are not doing it to get into a top school so when they go to their state flagship they won't be disappointed and acting like their life was a waste.

So according to you, they should be at the state flagship if they have grit, are leaders, are interestinf, and have all APs and all As. Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is my experience with college apps. Kids that are not “top students” are fine. They get in somewhere and they are happy.

Top students don’t do well ... they over estimate reach and likely schools.

Their reaches are “not a snowball’s chance in hell” and likely schools are actually reaches. They get into their safeties. But since “in their head” it’s a “safety” they hate their options feel dejected and “settle for their state school”, or Clemson, or Villanova, because they offer a fun atmosphere.

I think there is a lot of truth to this. And it’s useful to remember when considering, should my kid take AP class #10 and get little sleep or are a few more on level/honors classes okay.

What if they actually like the classes and do well in them? Your post makes no sense.

That is fine if they have something else, but if they are giving up "something else" to do all AP's they are an unbalanced applicant and not interesting from an admissions standpoint.... or

It's fine, because they enjoy their classes and they are not doing it to get into a top school so when they go to their state flagship they won't be disappointed and acting like their life was a waste.

So according to you, they should be at the state flagship if they have grit, are leaders, are interestinf, and have all APs and all As. Got it.

This is not about you so relax. It’s not according to me, it’s according to admissions at top schools.

If she has grit, she can show that... did she survive cancer while taking 10 APs?
If she is a leader, she can show that... did she lead a nationally recognized movement?
Is she interesting? Was she the janitor at the school she attends from 4-8 every morning before school to support her family?

You are the exact person who has a nervous breakdown during admissions, you check the boxes... you think your child is amazing... you look down on the state flagship and when they get into great schools they have built it up in their heads that those schools are not great and they end up dejected and depressed.

You are setting you kid up to feel like a failure even though they get accepted to a great college.

[Anonymous]

^^^The first two examples of “grit” aren’t exactly practical for lay folks to implement. But sign DC up for the graveyard janitor shift if that’s what it takes to get into a school these days...

[Anonymous]

A real weirdo loose in here today. Yikes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is my experience with college apps. Kids that are not “top students” are fine. They get in somewhere and they are happy.

Top students don’t do well ... they over estimate reach and likely schools.

Their reaches are “not a snowball’s chance in hell” and likely schools are actually reaches. They get into their safeties. But since “in their head” it’s a “safety” they hate their options feel dejected and “settle for their state school”, or Clemson, or Villanova, because they offer a fun atmosphere.

I think there is a lot of truth to this. And it’s useful to remember when considering, should my kid take AP class #10 and get little sleep or are a few more on level/honors classes okay.

What if they actually like the classes and do well in them? Your post makes no sense.

That is fine if they have something else, but if they are giving up "something else" to do all AP's they are an unbalanced applicant and not interesting from an admissions standpoint.... or

It's fine, because they enjoy their classes and they are not doing it to get into a top school so when they go to their state flagship they won't be disappointed and acting like their life was a waste.

So according to you, they should be at the state flagship if they have grit, are leaders, are interestinf, and have all APs and all As. Got it.

This is not about you so relax. It’s not according to me, it’s according to admissions at top schools.

If she has grit, she can show that... did she survive cancer while taking 10 APs?
If she is a leader, she can show that... did she lead a nationally recognized movement?
Is she interesting? Was she the janitor at the school she attends from 4-8 every morning before school to support her family?

You are the exact person who has a nervous breakdown during admissions, you check the boxes... you think your child is amazing... you look down on the state flagship and when they get into great schools they have built it up in their heads that those schools are not great and they end up dejected and depressed.

You are setting you kid up to feel like a failure even though they get accepted to a great college.

so basically lie, but in an unverifiable way, on your essay if you want to go to a top school and are unfortunate enough to be a healthy hard worker who does well

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please answer if you are in the same boat, and if your student is not aiming for ivies, but good/decent/strong schools.

My friend has a top student DC (my kids confirm, they are in the same program and some of the same classes - where everyone basically knows whether a student is at the top or not) and she is getting deferred from some of her target (not reach) schools. In at one safety school, so far. It is discouraging for them, and I don't know how to offer support. She is seeing a few "not as strong" students get into top schools, and it is hard.

I don't want to Google anecdotes or act like I'm jealous (she has many of APs and is a bright, strong student). Anyone BTDT?

Denied at a high match that sibling was admitted to two yrs ago. Deferred at another. Submitted scores at 75th percentile. Accepted to one safety so far.

Wondering if this admission season is some sort of free-for-all. Feeling nauseated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please answer if you are in the same boat, and if your student is not aiming for ivies, but good/decent/strong schools.

My friend has a top student DC (my kids confirm, they are in the same program and some of the same classes - where everyone basically knows whether a student is at the top or not) and she is getting deferred from some of her target (not reach) schools. In at one safety school, so far. It is discouraging for them, and I don't know how to offer support. She is seeing a few "not as strong" students get into top schools, and it is hard.

I don't want to Google anecdotes or act like I'm jealous (she has many of APs and is a bright, strong student). Anyone BTDT?

Denied at a high match that sibling was admitted to two yrs ago. Deferred at another. Submitted scores at 75th percentile. Accepted to one safety so far.

Wondering if this admission season is some sort of free-for-all. Feeling nauseated.

This is happening at our school too. So many deferrals. Do you think all these deferrals will eventually get in RD or even off the WL in June? With applications up 40%+ at most top schools, they are probably being cautious about over enrollment. Once kids start declining offers, I think it should shift. You can only go to one school and many kids on reddit are applying to 20+ schools this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Denied at a high match that sibling was admitted to two yrs ago. Deferred at another. Submitted scores at 75th percentile. Accepted to one safety so far.

Wondering if this admission season is some sort of free-for-all. Feeling nauseated.

This is happening at our school too. So many deferrals. Do you think all these deferrals will eventually get in RD or even off the WL in June? With applications up 40%+ at most top schools, they are probably being cautious about over enrollment. Once kids start declining offers, I think it should shift. You can only go to one school and many kids on reddit are applying to 20+ schools this year.

That's all possible, but it'll be a long wait. Really wish I knew whether the deferral - and the direct denial! - were more along the lines of "we didn't think you really wanted to come badly enough" or whether it's "your grades aren't quite as good as your test-optional competitors, so you lose," two different situations.

When reports on early app numbers started to surface, with their huge increases, I was afraid this might happen. And we're not even talking tippy top schools, more like top 40s-60s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Denied at a high match that sibling was admitted to two yrs ago. Deferred at another. Submitted scores at 75th percentile. Accepted to one safety so far.

Wondering if this admission season is some sort of free-for-all. Feeling nauseated.

This is happening at our school too. So many deferrals. Do you think all these deferrals will eventually get in RD or even off the WL in June? With applications up 40%+ at most top schools, they are probably being cautious about over enrollment. Once kids start declining offers, I think it should shift. You can only go to one school and many kids on reddit are applying to 20+ schools this year.

That's all possible, but it'll be a long wait. Really wish I knew whether the deferral - and the direct denial! - were more along the lines of "we didn't think you really wanted to come badly enough" or whether it's "your grades aren't quite as good as your test-optional competitors, so you lose," two different situations.

When reports on early app numbers started to surface, with their huge increases, I was afraid this might happen. And we're not even talking tippy top schools, more like top 40s-60s.

Yes, this is my DC’s situation too. I do think test optional benefits public school kids with very high GPAs and no test scores. My kid has a high test score and lower GPA from a rigorous private that doesn’t weight grades or offer many APs anymore.