Rookie mistakes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
8. Review the various grade inputs that kids do. Every college does it different - weighted grades ,classification as honors or AP or Pre-AP, number of AP, semester or yearly classes. It is so easy to make a mistake if you aren't careful here. Admissions will double check these, but will they catch an error before you've been put in a lower bucket because the computer didn't give you credit for a bunch of weighted courses? So please double check.

Question about this from a parent of a HS freshman: Is it up to the college whether they want grades by semester or by year? Or is it up to the HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
8. Review the various grade inputs that kids do. Every college does it different - weighted grades ,classification as honors or AP or Pre-AP, number of AP, semester or yearly classes. It is so easy to make a mistake if you aren't careful here. Admissions will double check these, but will they catch an error before you've been put in a lower bucket because the computer didn't give you credit for a bunch of weighted courses? So please double check.

Question about this from a parent of a HS freshman: Is it up to the college whether they want grades by semester or by year? Or is it up to the HS?

They will probably ask you to input it in the way that your highschool recorded them for GPA purposes. So probably semesters, but then they might also ask you - "how many of these courses got a grade bump at your school? Or "how many of these courses were AP Courses". And then, the correct answer might be "14" if you took 7 courses for 2 semesters. You just have to read it carefully because they all ask it in different ways. It is easy to say I took 7 AP Courses, but maybe the answer is you took 7 AP Courses for 2 semesters = 14. (Numbers are all for example, not that someone is taking 7 AP)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't chase an approved SAT score unless you have a kid who is 100% committed. TO is real option especially if other stats are high.

Fully agree, particularly if you are hooked

I don’t think this is going to be good advice for next cycle. We’ll see another bunch of colleges announcing return to test required this spring, and Cornell and Hopkins already announced test required for 2026 apps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tips after 3 kids:

1. Your kids have to write their own essays. Editing and suggesting changes, especially topic changes, is fine, especially if coming from an advisor with really good common sense about college admissions. The student's voice must come through. If it doesn't, throw it all out.

2. Do these essays in the summer. Even your kid will thank you.

3. It's fine to apply all over the map for the cost of a Score Send and the Application fee. But in the end, those extra 10 schools he really didn't want to go to anyway cost you $700+. Use that on a nice pair of shoes. (jk) But my point is, please don't apply anywhere he really doesn't want to go in the name of safety. Just need one good one.

4. Carefully research which schools require interest. CWRU and Tulane - I'm talking to you. Don't bother if they didn't show any. Waste of the fees.

5. Do take as many APs as possible. They do look at Senior year schedule - load up. Dual credit and AP are not the same - AP looks more prestigious at 9/10 colleges.

6. Get a job. My unofficial research shows that kids who worked in fast food or really anything with a regular pay check do better in admissions.

7. The most rigorous schedule means the most rigorous schedule. If you are in STEM and BC Calc is offered, take it.

8. Review the various grade inputs that kids do. Every college does it different - weighted grades ,classification as honors or AP or Pre-AP, number of AP, semester or yearly classes. It is so easy to make a mistake if you aren't careful here. Admissions will double check these, but will they catch an error before you've been put in a lower bucket because the computer didn't give you credit for a bunch of weighted courses? So please double check.

9. Triple check that all materials have been received. We had a school (with a verified train wreck of a portal) call to say information was not received at the very last minute. Thankfully, had a fabulous counselor who got it in. But don't assume anything. Have your kid send emails to admissions to confirm they are good.

Ignore #1. No, your kid’s true voice need not come out- at all.

Come on, man. If you're going to put forth an obviously unorthodox take, at least offer some explanation. Otherwise, this is just lazy, drive-by trolling.

For the record, PP's 9 points of advice are great. After trudging through so many axe-grinders and bad-advice givers on DCUM, it's heartening when someone takes the time to offer genuine, well-considered advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
8. Review the various grade inputs that kids do. Every college does it different - weighted grades ,classification as honors or AP or Pre-AP, number of AP, semester or yearly classes. It is so easy to make a mistake if you aren't careful here. Admissions will double check these, but will they catch an error before you've been put in a lower bucket because the computer didn't give you credit for a bunch of weighted courses? So please double check.

Question about this from a parent of a HS freshman: Is it up to the college whether they want grades by semester or by year? Or is it up to the HS?

They will probably ask you to input it in the way that your highschool recorded them for GPA purposes. So probably semesters, but then they might also ask you - "how many of these courses got a grade bump at your school? Or "how many of these courses were AP Courses". And then, the correct answer might be "14" if you took 7 courses for 2 semesters. You just have to read it carefully because they all ask it in different ways. It is easy to say I took 7 AP Courses, but maybe the answer is you took 7 AP Courses for 2 semesters = 14. (Numbers are all for example, not that someone is taking 7 AP)

Np here learning. Can you explain what you mean or how to identify "courses that got a grade bump"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
8. Review the various grade inputs that kids do. Every college does it different - weighted grades ,classification as honors or AP or Pre-AP, number of AP, semester or yearly classes. It is so easy to make a mistake if you aren't careful here. Admissions will double check these, but will they catch an error before you've been put in a lower bucket because the computer didn't give you credit for a bunch of weighted courses? So please double check.

Question about this from a parent of a HS freshman: Is it up to the college whether they want grades by semester or by year? Or is it up to the HS?

They will probably ask you to input it in the way that your highschool recorded them for GPA purposes. So probably semesters, but then they might also ask you - "how many of these courses got a grade bump at your school? Or "how many of these courses were AP Courses". And then, the correct answer might be "14" if you took 7 courses for 2 semesters. You just have to read it carefully because they all ask it in different ways. It is easy to say I took 7 AP Courses, but maybe the answer is you took 7 AP Courses for 2 semesters = 14. (Numbers are all for example, not that someone is taking 7 AP)

Np here learning. Can you explain what you mean or how to identify "courses that got a grade bump"?

Not really - not trying to be unhelpful but each high school and college are specific.
What I'm trying to say is that some colleges will give you a grade bump for every AP you enter. Some will give you grade bump for honors, sometimes it is .5 sometimes it is 1.0. Sometimes, they will ask you if you got a grade bump for the course in high school. It goes all over the map with what data colleges want. You just have to read what they are asking for and answer the question carefully.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tips after 3 kids:

1. Your kids have to write their own essays. Editing and suggesting changes, especially topic changes, is fine, especially if coming from an advisor with really good common sense about college admissions. The student's voice must come through. If it doesn't, throw it all out.

2. Do these essays in the summer. Even your kid will thank you.

3. It's fine to apply all over the map for the cost of a Score Send and the Application fee. But in the end, those extra 10 schools he really didn't want to go to anyway cost you $700+. Use that on a nice pair of shoes. (jk) But my point is, please don't apply anywhere he really doesn't want to go in the name of safety. Just need one good one.

4. Carefully research which schools require interest. CWRU and Tulane - I'm talking to you. Don't bother if they didn't show any. Waste of the fees.

5. Do take as many APs as possible. They do look at Senior year schedule - load up. Dual credit and AP are not the same - AP looks more prestigious at 9/10 colleges.

6. Get a job. My unofficial research shows that kids who worked in fast food or really anything with a regular pay check do better in admissions.

7. The most rigorous schedule means the most rigorous schedule. If you are in STEM and BC Calc is offered, take it.

8. Review the various grade inputs that kids do. Every college does it different - weighted grades ,classification as honors or AP or Pre-AP, number of AP, semester or yearly classes. It is so easy to make a mistake if you aren't careful here. Admissions will double check these, but will they catch an error before you've been put in a lower bucket because the computer didn't give you credit for a bunch of weighted courses? So please double check.

9. Triple check that all materials have been received. We had a school (with a verified train wreck of a portal) call to say information was not received at the very last minute. Thankfully, had a fabulous counselor who got it in. But don't assume anything. Have your kid send emails to admissions to confirm they are good.

Ignore #1. No, your kid’s true voice need not come out- at all.

Come on, man. If you're going to put forth an obviously unorthodox take, at least offer some explanation. Otherwise, this is just lazy, drive-by trolling.

For the record, PP's 9 points of advice are great. After trudging through so many axe-grinders and bad-advice givers on DCUM, it's heartening when someone takes the time to offer genuine, well-considered advice.

Thank you. Over the years I've gotten tips here and there that saved me. You never know what will hit home with someone. If not, people are free to keep scrolling!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
8. Review the various grade inputs that kids do. Every college does it different - weighted grades ,classification as honors or AP or Pre-AP, number of AP, semester or yearly classes. It is so easy to make a mistake if you aren't careful here. Admissions will double check these, but will they catch an error before you've been put in a lower bucket because the computer didn't give you credit for a bunch of weighted courses? So please double check.

Question about this from a parent of a HS freshman: Is it up to the college whether they want grades by semester or by year? Or is it up to the HS?

They will probably ask you to input it in the way that your highschool recorded them for GPA purposes. So probably semesters, but then they might also ask you - "how many of these courses got a grade bump at your school? Or "how many of these courses were AP Courses". And then, the correct answer might be "14" if you took 7 courses for 2 semesters. You just have to read it carefully because they all ask it in different ways. It is easy to say I took 7 AP Courses, but maybe the answer is you took 7 AP Courses for 2 semesters = 14. (Numbers are all for example, not that someone is taking 7 AP)

Np here learning. Can you explain what you mean or how to identify "courses that got a grade bump"?

Not really - not trying to be unhelpful but each high school and college are specific.
What I'm trying to say is that some colleges will give you a grade bump for every AP you enter. Some will give you grade bump for honors, sometimes it is .5 sometimes it is 1.0. Sometimes, they will ask you if you got a grade bump for the course in high school. It goes all over the map with what data colleges want. You just have to read what they are asking for and answer the question carefully.

"Grade bump" is confusing. This is referring to weighting. Some high schools weight AP and honors classes more heavily, so an A counts as a 4.5 or 5 in GPA calculations. But in my experience colleges more typically re-calculate the GPA to remove the weighting, not add it.

[Anonymous]

Here’s my regret from my student who was not aiming for top schools. She fell in love with a mid-tier lac and applied ED. She likely would have gotten in EA and we should have pushed for that. Even though she visited several times, it turned out not to be the right fit. She transferred, graduated and has a great first job. But I wish she would have given herself more time to explore other small lac’s that could have been a better fit.

[Anonymous]

Kid 1 had his essay down in August. With kid 2, this will definitely happen.

We knew Kid 1 wasn’t going to do well on the SAT so we only made him take it once. With kid 2, he isn’t a strong test taker either but we will make him take it a few times. The reason is some merit is tied to having a SAT score and kid 2 is likely a STEM kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tips after 3 kids:

1. Your kids have to write their own essays. Editing and suggesting changes, especially topic changes, is fine, especially if coming from an advisor with really good common sense about college admissions. The student's voice must come through. If it doesn't, throw it all out.

2. Do these essays in the summer. Even your kid will thank you.

3. It's fine to apply all over the map for the cost of a Score Send and the Application fee. But in the end, those extra 10 schools he really didn't want to go to anyway cost you $700+. Use that on a nice pair of shoes. (jk) But my point is, please don't apply anywhere he really doesn't want to go in the name of safety. Just need one good one.

4. Carefully research which schools require interest. CWRU and Tulane - I'm talking to you. Don't bother if they didn't show any. Waste of the fees.

5. Do take as many APs as possible. They do look at Senior year schedule - load up. Dual credit and AP are not the same - AP looks more prestigious at 9/10 colleges.

6. Get a job. My unofficial research shows that kids who worked in fast food or really anything with a regular pay check do better in admissions.

7. The most rigorous schedule means the most rigorous schedule. If you are in STEM and BC Calc is offered, take it.

8. Review the various grade inputs that kids do. Every college does it different - weighted grades ,classification as honors or AP or Pre-AP, number of AP, semester or yearly classes. It is so easy to make a mistake if you aren't careful here. Admissions will double check these, but will they catch an error before you've been put in a lower bucket because the computer didn't give you credit for a bunch of weighted courses? So please double check.

9. Triple check that all materials have been received. We had a school (with a verified train wreck of a portal) call to say information was not received at the very last minute. Thankfully, had a fabulous counselor who got it in. But don't assume anything. Have your kid send emails to admissions to confirm they are good.

Ignore #1. No, your kid’s true voice need not come out- at all.

Make sure whoever edits the personal statement also edit the supplementals. So everything is cohesive with the same polish and voice.

Biggest rookie mistake is having an overly edited personal statement and very basic supplementals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sports don’t matter…… Unless you are playing in college or your kid really loves the sport, encourage them to find other interests. There are so many other things for kids to get involved in that highlight how they spend their time outside of the classroom. It doesn’t matter at all what it is….let the pressure to play a sport go.

Agree to disagree.

If your kid doesn't like sports, or isn't interested, or isn't particularly athletic, by all means skip the sports and find something else to do. But sports, and especially team sports, teach kids so much that they aren't learning in the classroom.

Sports have many benefits, and yes they aren't necessary to get into college, but that doesn't mean kids should skip them entirely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sports don’t matter…… Unless you are playing in college or your kid really loves the sport, encourage them to find other interests. There are so many other things for kids to get involved in that highlight how they spend their time outside of the classroom. It doesn’t matter at all what it is….let the pressure to play a sport go.

Another way to say this is that their extra curricular activities don’t have to include a sport for college purposes. We had a lot of angst over not making certain sports teams and it was ultimately irrelevant to college admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sports don’t matter…… Unless you are playing in college or your kid really loves the sport, encourage them to find other interests. There are so many other things for kids to get involved in that highlight how they spend their time outside of the classroom. It doesn’t matter at all what it is….let the pressure to play a sport go.

Another way to say this is that their extra curricular activities don’t have to include a sport for college purposes. We had a lot of angst over not making certain sports teams and it was ultimately irrelevant to college admissions.

Yes…much better put and that was my message. Don’t stress about sports in terms of college admissions……

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tips after 3 kids:

1. Your kids have to write their own essays. Editing and suggesting changes, especially topic changes, is fine, especially if coming from an advisor with really good common sense about college admissions. The student's voice must come through. If it doesn't, throw it all out.

2. Do these essays in the summer. Even your kid will thank you.

3. It's fine to apply all over the map for the cost of a Score Send and the Application fee. But in the end, those extra 10 schools he really didn't want to go to anyway cost you $700+. Use that on a nice pair of shoes. (jk) But my point is, please don't apply anywhere he really doesn't want to go in the name of safety. Just need one good one.

4. Carefully research which schools require interest. CWRU and Tulane - I'm talking to you. Don't bother if they didn't show any. Waste of the fees.

5. Do take as many APs as possible. They do look at Senior year schedule - load up. Dual credit and AP are not the same - AP looks more prestigious at 9/10 colleges.

6. Get a job. My unofficial research shows that kids who worked in fast food or really anything with a regular pay check do better in admissions.

7. The most rigorous schedule means the most rigorous schedule. If you are in STEM and BC Calc is offered, take it.

8. Review the various grade inputs that kids do. Every college does it different - weighted grades ,classification as honors or AP or Pre-AP, number of AP, semester or yearly classes. It is so easy to make a mistake if you aren't careful here. Admissions will double check these, but will they catch an error before you've been put in a lower bucket because the computer didn't give you credit for a bunch of weighted courses? So please double check.

9. Triple check that all materials have been received. We had a school (with a verified train wreck of a portal) call to say information was not received at the very last minute. Thankfully, had a fabulous counselor who got it in. But don't assume anything. Have your kid send emails to admissions to confirm they are good.

Ignore #1. No, your kid’s true voice need not come out- at all.

Make sure whoever edits the personal statement also edit the supplementals. So everything is cohesive with the same polish and voice.

Biggest rookie mistake is having an overly edited personal statement and very basic supplementals.

How do you know this had any impact?