3.9 GPA with 1400 or TO - where to apply?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: wow, so much great advice here! DC is taking SAT again in June and wants to visit Wash U as a possible ED2 choice after Chicago. Applied for Chicago summer and is waitlisted. So ED1 it is. It looks like they take a lot TO - 26% of the class of 2028. Michigan also - maybe 30% are TO. DC is at a small private and doesn’t want SLAC. I will try to respond to more individual posts later tonight. But ty for all the advice!

Lots of ECs and awards around classics, it’s a real thing for dc and for yrs. Lots of other ECs as well, in fact the issue is how to limit them to just 10 on the common app. LOCs should be strong. Classics teacher is writing one.

Also - I apologize to those offended by my boo-hoo 1400 - I get it, it’s not a terrible score of course but dc has been hoping and aiming for 1500 - which is what the scores on practice tests have been.

Definitely have him take at least one more time, if not more. My kid this past year had huge fluctuations on the digital SAT, much greater than on written. It wasn’t clear why, but I think this happened to a lot of kids. And score didn’t necessarily correspond to how felt about the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would this student be eligible for women's colleges?

Withdrawn, as the student lacks an interest in LACs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apply early. That’s a requirement.
Vanderbilt; WashU; UChicago

My kid got into one of these from private HS. Similar gpa.

Right now thinking Chicago ED1. This was always one of dc’s top choices.

Also likes Penn, Michigan and Georgetown. Obviously very unlikely now.

Penn would be difficult, but he can try Michigan and Georgetown TO? I know someone with a lower SAT score and GPA at Michigan. No exceptional ECs either.

[Anonymous]

How is 1400 not a good SAT score??

[Anonymous]

have them try and get that score up 50 points this summer. mine did this last year -- took the SAT again early fall-- and had some nice choices in the end

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: wow, so much great advice here! DC is taking SAT again in June and wants to visit Wash U as a possible ED2 choice after Chicago. Applied for Chicago summer and is waitlisted. So ED1 it is. It looks like they take a lot TO - 26% of the class of 2028. Michigan also - maybe 30% are TO. DC is at a small private and doesn’t want SLAC. I will try to respond to more individual posts later tonight. But ty for all the advice!

Lots of ECs and awards around classics, it’s a real thing for dc and for yrs. Lots of other ECs as well, in fact the issue is how to limit them to just 10 on the common app. LOCs should be strong. Classics teacher is writing one.

Also - I apologize to those offended by my boo-hoo 1400 - I get it, it’s not a terrible score of course but dc has been hoping and aiming for 1500 - which is what the scores on practice tests have been.

My senior got into Michigan test optional. Female.
Humanities major.
NonDMV Private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At fairly rigorous/prestigious private school but the SAT isn’t working out. Any suggestions? What schools realistically accept TO kids for RD?

Posts like this make me sad. You have a kid in the top 3% as far as SAT, and you're describing that as "not working out". Your kid will have many choices, wonderful schools that might or might not be in the top 3% (That would be 80 schools) and should be choosing based on what they love, and what they want in life. But instead of describing your wonderful kid, to help us help you and them find what they deserve, you've only described this one thing that you think is a terrible weakness, not being in the top 2%.

You are dramatic. Its not sad.
Parent is trying to optimize outcomes for their high-achieving humanities kid with a lower math score.
I say - Kudos to them. They know that AO will like this kid - and push for this kid - over kids with "higher scores". did you not see that AO post on here a few days ago?

But they aren't trying to "optimize outcomes" because the best outcome for a kid is going to depend on what the kids loves, and where they excel, and where they want to live, and what they want in their life. The fact that OP thinks that 3% of the group of high school seniors who take the SAT is a more important feature of her kid, and more important to finding a college for them, than all those things, is sad.

Start with who your kid is, not with your hang ups over who your kid isn't.

And yes, this kid will have lots of great options.

The vast majority of 17-18 years olds have no idea, and their goals and likes will change many times in the following decade. You go to the highest ranked possible college you can get into you, ideally in the Northeast or CA, which ensures that you will be surrounded by mostly smart peers and lots of opportunities, and then you take it from there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At fairly rigorous/prestigious private school but the SAT isn’t working out. Any suggestions? What schools realistically accept TO kids for RD?

Posts like this make me sad. You have a kid in the top 3% as far as SAT, and you're describing that as "not working out". Your kid will have many choices, wonderful schools that might or might not be in the top 3% (That would be 80 schools) and should be choosing based on what they love, and what they want in life. But instead of describing your wonderful kid, to help us help you and them find what they deserve, you've only described this one thing that you think is a terrible weakness, not being in the top 2%.

You are dramatic. Its not sad.
Parent is trying to optimize outcomes for their high-achieving humanities kid with a lower math score.
I say - Kudos to them. They know that AO will like this kid - and push for this kid - over kids with "higher scores". did you not see that AO post on here a few days ago?

But they aren't trying to "optimize outcomes" because the best outcome for a kid is going to depend on what the kids loves, and where they excel, and where they want to live, and what they want in their life. The fact that OP thinks that 3% of the group of high school seniors who take the SAT is a more important feature of her kid, and more important to finding a college for them, than all those things, is sad.

Start with who your kid is, not with your hang ups over who your kid isn't.

And yes, this kid will have lots of great options.

The vast majority of 17-18 years olds have no idea, and their goals and likes will change many times in the following decade. You go to the highest ranked possible college you can get into you, ideally in the Northeast or CA, which ensures that you will be surrounded by mostly smart peers and lots of opportunities, and then you take it from there.

Kids at Emory, Duke, Rice, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Northwestern, UVA, etc. aren’t surrounded by smart peers and good opportunities??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apply early. That’s a requirement.
Vanderbilt; WashU; UChicago

My kid got into one of these from private HS. Similar gpa.

Right now thinking Chicago ED1. This was always one of dc’s top choices.

Also likes Penn, Michigan and Georgetown. Obviously very unlikely now.

Penn would be difficult, but he can try Michigan and Georgetown TO? I know someone with a lower SAT score and GPA at Michigan. No exceptional ECs either.

Penn is test required now. Georgetown is always test required, so no, don’t apply there.

Michigan is particularly popular this year in our school for test optional kids. Good outcome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apply early. That’s a requirement.
Vanderbilt; WashU; UChicago

My kid got into one of these from private HS. Similar gpa.

Right now thinking Chicago ED1. This was always one of dc’s top choices.

Also likes Penn, Michigan and Georgetown. Obviously very unlikely now.

Penn would be difficult, but he can try Michigan and Georgetown TO? I know someone with a lower SAT score and GPA at Michigan. No exceptional ECs either.

Penn is test required now. Georgetown is always test required, so no, don’t apply there.

Michigan is particularly popular this year in our school for test optional kids. Good outcome.

Vanderbilt is still TO, another excellent option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:have them try and get that score up 50 points this summer. mine did this last year -- took the SAT again early fall-- and had some nice choices in the end

I would really encourage this student to take a shot at the ACT and see how it goes. I get the feeling that people posting here are old East Coast moms with their presumptions from back in the day. But these days, it's almost 50-50 with SAT vs ACT among applicants to selective schools. And there's often a significant difference with how they do on each test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP: wow, so much great advice here! DC is taking SAT again in June and wants to visit Wash U as a possible ED2 choice after Chicago. Applied for Chicago summer and is waitlisted. So ED1 it is. It looks like they take a lot TO - 26% of the class of 2028. Michigan also - maybe 30% are TO. DC is at a small private and doesn’t want SLAC. I will try to respond to more individual posts later tonight. But ty for all the advice!

Lots of ECs and awards around classics, it’s a real thing for dc and for yrs. Lots of other ECs as well, in fact the issue is how to limit them to just 10 on the common app. LOCs should be strong. Classics teacher is writing one.

Also - I apologize to those offended by my boo-hoo 1400 - I get it, it’s not a terrible score of course but dc has been hoping and aiming for 1500 - which is what the scores on practice tests have been.

My senior got into Michigan test optional. Female.
Humanities major.
NonDMV Private.

OP: this is a relief to hear. What is the min score you would have submitted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:have them try and get that score up 50 points this summer. mine did this last year -- took the SAT again early fall-- and had some nice choices in the end

I would really encourage this student to take a shot at the ACT and see how it goes. I get the feeling that people posting here are old East Coast moms with their presumptions from back in the day. But these days, it's almost 50-50 with SAT vs ACT among applicants to selective schools. And there's often a significant difference with how they do on each test.

OP: I think the pace of the ACT is grueling. So many of the kids who take it where we are (NY) do so bc they are very easy with extra time. DC may consider it over the summer if the June SAT doesn’t improve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apply early. That’s a requirement.
Vanderbilt; WashU; UChicago

My kid got into one of these from private HS. Similar gpa.

Right now thinking Chicago ED1. This was always one of dc’s top choices.

Also likes Penn, Michigan and Georgetown. Obviously very unlikely now.

Penn would be difficult, but he can try Michigan and Georgetown TO? I know someone with a lower SAT score and GPA at Michigan. No exceptional ECs either.

OP: Georgetown is test required and they want to see ALL your scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did DC try the ACT?

DC tried it way back in the beginning but switched to SAT bc felt it was easier and less time pressured.