If your kid’s reach school is a top 10, what is their safety?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow!! These are great stats. With these stats you only need to apply ED in your dream school to show that you are a safe bet.

What do you mean "safe bet"? Because even the best stats don't make acceptance a sure bet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Middlebury is not a target and UMD is not a safety.

Why is UMD not a safety for kids with 1550+ SAT

Would it be a safety school for a kid in CA who was applying for FA?

UMD probably doesn't give any need-based aid to nonresidents.

Exactly why I asked. So it won’t be a safety for many OOS kids regardless of how high their scores are.

OP here. We won’t be applying for FA.

But why would your DC want to go to MD? (Not a rhetorical question — might be related to major.). UMD isn’t any better or more prestigious than the “lesser” UCs and it'd be more expensive and harder for a CA resident to get into than one of them.

OP here. She doesn’t want to go to UMD! Someone listed it as a safety.

Yes and I thought that was weird (in the absence of info re major and for a Californian who has lots of cheaper/well-respected in-state options).

The thing about safeties is it’s all contextual (money, interests, alternatives shape the list as well as credentials and admission rates/demographics).

And a thing about DCUM is that every thread is a jumping-off point to more general conversation(s) about the topic rather than exclusively focussed on the. OP’s specific question/circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wisconsin for my high-stats full-pay kid.

Got into t10 early & accepted, but looked back wistfully on Madison. Don’t know what would have happened if DC had had offers from both simultaneously (and/or had waited til Spring to decide rather than wanted to be done with the whole process before Xmas.)

University of Wisconsin is a great idea, OP!

NP-- Could you please say more about this? What makes Madison a good school for kids with high stats? Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to visit the mid-west at all.

That posters are pushing Maryland and Wisconsin as safeties for a California high stats applicants confirms how useless this forum is for a California parent.

Wisconsin, by the way, is one of the whitest and least diverse major universities in the US. That DCUM loves it so much speaks volumes about its readership.

Enlighten me/us re why Madison is not a safety for high-stats Californian applicants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wisconsin for my high-stats full-pay kid.

Got into t10 early & accepted, but looked back wistfully on Madison. Don’t know what would have happened if DC had had offers from both simultaneously (and/or had waited til Spring to decide rather than wanted to be done with the whole process before Xmas.)

University of Wisconsin is a great idea, OP!

NP-- Could you please say more about this? What makes Madison a good school for kids with high stats? Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to visit the mid-west at all.

You can do a search in this forum, but I can give a relatively short answer. First, it is one of the great college and "outdoor" towns in the US, built on 4 lakes with an arboredum and other wooded areas great for running and walking right on campus. Second, the academics are great. They are not Michigan/UCLA/Cal great, but on the next tier and probably at the top of that next tier. Academically, the school is sink or swim, but high stats kids who are well prepared will do well there. They have a great engineering school and are building a new data science/Comp Sci facility - they understand academic trends and are responding to real world demands. Third, the school spirit if off the charts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow!! These are great stats. With these stats you only need to apply ED in your dream school to show that you are a safe bet.

What do you mean "safe bet"? Because even the best stats don't make acceptance a sure bet.

PP means that the university can feel confident that the student is a safe bet and will thrive at the university.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow!! These are great stats. With these stats you only need to apply ED in your dream school to show that you are a safe bet.

What do you mean "safe bet"? Because even the best stats don't make acceptance a sure bet.

PP means that the university can feel confident that the student is a safe bet and will thrive at the university.

Sorry, also meant to say--- a safe bet in terms of, that student will come here and keep our yield high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wisconsin for my high-stats full-pay kid.

Got into t10 early & accepted, but looked back wistfully on Madison. Don’t know what would have happened if DC had had offers from both simultaneously (and/or had waited til Spring to decide rather than wanted to be done with the whole process before Xmas.)

University of Wisconsin is a great idea, OP!

NP-- Could you please say more about this? What makes Madison a good school for kids with high stats? Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to visit the mid-west at all.

You can do a search in this forum, but I can give a relatively short answer. First, it is one of the great college and "outdoor" towns in the US, built on 4 lakes with an arboredum and other wooded areas great for running and walking right on campus. Second, the academics are great. They are not Michigan/UCLA/Cal great, but on the next tier and probably at the top of that next tier. Academically, the school is sink or swim, but high stats kids who are well prepared will do well there. They have a great engineering school and are building a new data science/Comp Sci facility - they understand academic trends and are responding to real world demands. Third, the school spirit if off the charts.

Thanks for the feedback!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wisconsin for my high-stats full-pay kid.

Got into t10 early & accepted, but looked back wistfully on Madison. Don’t know what would have happened if DC had had offers from both simultaneously (and/or had waited til Spring to decide rather than wanted to be done with the whole process before Xmas.)

University of Wisconsin is a great idea, OP!

NP-- Could you please say more about this? What makes Madison a good school for kids with high stats? Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to visit the mid-west at all.

You can do a search in this forum, but I can give a relatively short answer. First, it is one of the great college and "outdoor" towns in the US, built on 4 lakes with an arboredum and other wooded areas great for running and walking right on campus. Second, the academics are great. They are not Michigan/UCLA/Cal great, but on the next tier and probably at the top of that next tier. Academically, the school is sink or swim, but high stats kids who are well prepared will do well there. They have a great engineering school and are building a new data science/Comp Sci facility - they understand academic trends and are responding to real world demands. Third, the school spirit if off the charts.

I was the one with the kid who was wistful re Madison and yes, these were some of the reasons. Also DC is a biologist (now in a PhD program and anticipating that even then) and found the bio program’s pitch — between hunger, disease, energy shortages, and environmental problems we’re gonna need all the biologists we can get and they need to focus on urgent real world problems — very appealing, especially compared to the “be all you can be/here are our famous alumns” spiels we heard elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reach schools: some Ivies, Williams, Northwestern, U Mich (audition based theatre program)
Targets: Middlebury (high target), Vassar, Wesleyan
Safeties: UMD, Wheaton (IL), Muhlenberg

Your student likes both Wesleyan and Wheaton?

Yup! Wheaton could use more Christian Left, and I'm sure there are some Christians at Wesleyan. And, we are in Takoma Park now, so.... Even though DC is passionate about faith, I think Wheaton would take some adjustment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Middlebury is not a target and UMD is not a safety.

PP who posted that they were. They line up as that for my kid. High stats in very competitive magnet with solid ECs, leadership, talent supplement and some national awards. Will qualify Middlebury as a "hard target." Does that make you happy?

[Anonymous]

I would say University of Maryland and Pitt.

[Anonymous]

Is your DC strong enough (or on an upward trajectory) in track or cross country to reach out to Div. III coaches? ---Williams, Amherst, Tufts, UChicago, etc....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wisconsin for my high-stats full-pay kid.

Got into t10 early & accepted, but looked back wistfully on Madison. Don’t know what would have happened if DC had had offers from both simultaneously (and/or had waited til Spring to decide rather than wanted to be done with the whole process before Xmas.)

University of Wisconsin is a great idea, OP!

NP-- Could you please say more about this? What makes Madison a good school for kids with high stats? Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to visit the mid-west at all.

You can do a search in this forum, but I can give a relatively short answer. First, it is one of the great college and "outdoor" towns in the US, built on 4 lakes with an arboredum and other wooded areas great for running and walking right on campus. Second, the academics are great. They are not Michigan/UCLA/Cal great, but on the next tier and probably at the top of that next tier. Academically, the school is sink or swim, but high stats kids who are well prepared will do well there. They have a great engineering school and are building a new data science/Comp Sci facility - they understand academic trends and are responding to real world demands. Third, the school spirit if off the charts.

I was the one with the kid who was wistful re Madison and yes, these were some of the reasons. Also DC is a biologist (now in a PhD program and anticipating that even then) and found the bio program’s pitch — between hunger, disease, energy shortages, and environmental problems we’re gonna need all the biologists we can get and they need to focus on urgent real world problems — very appealing, especially compared to the “be all you can be/here are our famous alumns” spiels we heard elsewhere.

Hmm...that seems to be the pitch we hear everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wisconsin for my high-stats full-pay kid.

Got into t10 early & accepted, but looked back wistfully on Madison. Don’t know what would have happened if DC had had offers from both simultaneously (and/or had waited til Spring to decide rather than wanted to be done with the whole process before Xmas.)

University of Wisconsin is a great idea, OP!

NP-- Could you please say more about this? What makes Madison a good school for kids with high stats? Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to visit the mid-west at all.

You can do a search in this forum, but I can give a relatively short answer. First, it is one of the great college and "outdoor" towns in the US, built on 4 lakes with an arboredum and other wooded areas great for running and walking right on campus. Second, the academics are great. They are not Michigan/UCLA/Cal great, but on the next tier and probably at the top of that next tier. Academically, the school is sink or swim, but high stats kids who are well prepared will do well there. They have a great engineering school and are building a new data science/Comp Sci facility - they understand academic trends and are responding to real world demands. Third, the school spirit if off the charts.

I was the one with the kid who was wistful re Madison and yes, these were some of the reasons. Also DC is a biologist (now in a PhD program and anticipating that even then) and found the bio program’s pitch — between hunger, disease, energy shortages, and environmental problems we’re gonna need all the biologists we can get and they need to focus on urgent real world problems — very appealing, especially compared to the “be all you can be/here are our famous alumns” spiels we heard elsewhere.

Hmm...that seems to be the pitch we hear everywhere.

It wasn’t 5 years ago (when DC did college tours).