To those who have kids at T20s

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC just graduated and is going to a top 20 according to the US News rankings. DC applied to four schools in the top 25, and honestly, I didn't think DC would get into any of them. Only got into one, but it was one of the top 20. Full IB Bilingual Diploma, but all humanities at the higher level. 1380 SAT and GPA roughly equivalent to a 3.6 - 3.7 (IB is on a scale of 7). One very strong EC with leadership roles in 11th and 12th, but no state or national prizes or recognition. The one big advantage was probably that we're full pay and checked the "do not need financial aid" box!

I think it's such a random thing - as a pp mentioned earlier - one admissions person may love an essay, while another one thinks its contrived. There's no magic formula here and it's definitely NOT objective.

Wow! Low SAT and got into a US News Ranking T20? Impressed because the stats aren’t great-very average, tbh.

NP. Below avg for a t20, but a 1380 is obviously way above national averages. At some high schools it’s 300-400 points above the average, which is reflected in the school profile and can be a bump for the kid.

Really?! Where? Not at our FCPS HS.

High schools where the avg sat is a 980-1080. AKA most high schools in the United States.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC just graduated and is going to a top 20 according to the US News rankings. DC applied to four schools in the top 25, and honestly, I didn't think DC would get into any of them. Only got into one, but it was one of the top 20. Full IB Bilingual Diploma, but all humanities at the higher level. 1380 SAT and GPA roughly equivalent to a 3.6 - 3.7 (IB is on a scale of 7). One very strong EC with leadership roles in 11th and 12th, but no state or national prizes or recognition. The one big advantage was probably that we're full pay and checked the "do not need financial aid" box!

I think it's such a random thing - as a pp mentioned earlier - one admissions person may love an essay, while another one thinks its contrived. There's no magic formula here and it's definitely NOT objective.

Wow! Low SAT and got into a US News Ranking T20? Impressed because the stats aren’t great-very average, tbh.

NP. Below avg for a t20, but a 1380 is obviously way above national averages. At some high schools it’s 300-400 points above the average, which is reflected in the school profile and can be a bump for the kid.

Really?! Where? Not at our FCPS HS.

https://coveringthecorridor.com/2018/11/2018-sat-scores-fcps/

Ummm, every single high school in FCPS except for TJ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Full IB diploma (HL courses were Bio, Chem, and Latin)
4.2 w gpa
34 ACT, never took the SAT
no sports or arts or job, no significant leadership, spent several years volunteering with two different local organizations
hook: application reads like a quiet intellectual type and she’s not. She shows up for interviews confident and in heels. It took me a minute to catch on, but admissions reps remembered her by name from high school visits to college fairs to interviews. I guess she makes an impression.

WTH

[Anonymous]

35 ACT took once
High scores SAT subject tests - took once
National Merit
Top rank in class
High GPA-
Sports/clubs/job/volunteer- all the usual regular high school stuff- nothing special
No hooks- just naturally smart and well liked by teachers

Remember just to encourage your student to do their best but loving them and just hoping for a happy life is all that is important. Applying to these top schools was something dc able to do because was smart but it was never the goal. The goal is to be happy. Life is such a struggle in so many ways and if you and your family have more happy moments then horrible ones you are lucky. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:35 ACT took once
High scores SAT subject tests - took once
National Merit
Top rank in class
High GPA-
Sports/clubs/job/volunteer- all the usual regular high school stuff- nothing special
No hooks- just naturally smart and well liked by teachers

Remember just to encourage your student to do their best but loving them and just hoping for a happy life is all that is important. Applying to these top schools was something dc able to do because was smart but it was never the goal. The goal is to be happy. Life is such a struggle in so many ways and if you and your family have more happy moments then horrible ones you are lucky. Good luck!

Really agree with this. My dd decided fairly early on in high school that she was going to work hard but that "stats" were never going to be the goal, she was always going to make time for things she loved - activities, friends, nature etc. She threw herself into things she loved and that came through on a daily basis at school and outside, was reflected in essays and LORs etc. Her grades/scores were great though not perfect, but the most elite schools aren't admitting the 4.0/1600 kids who have focused on schoolwork to the exclusion of everything else. It's kind of a bait and switch, IMO, but agree with the pp that letting kids be happy and do what they love is key.