I can’t say this to my kid’s face, of course, but...

[Anonymous]

I almost wonder if he aimed too low in his reach and that some of these weightless and rejections are yield protection

[Anonymous]

Still would like to know what OP’s DC did with respect to EF EA. Some of these schools - Tulane or Emory for example - become exponentially more difficult at RD so they go from being likely to reach.

[Anonymous]

I am sorry OP. We were in the same boat 2 years ago with mostly rejections and deferrals. My DC had 1580 SAT, 15 AP’s, high GPA, good EC’s. What I am worried about for my current HS junior is if the selective schools reject you, and the safeties defer you or waitlist you how the heck are you going to get in anywhere? I mean if you are too good for a safety and for yield protection they don’t accept you but you didn’t make the cut for your targets or reaches then what should you do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is everyone else doing in his school? Is it the school or there’s something wrong with his application that you haven’t noticed.

This is OP. It has been tough at his school but kids have certainly got in places.

I won’t tell you his entire list in case anyone is reading this and can figure out who he is, but here is a partial.

Waitlist: Case, Tulane, VErmont
Rejected: Northeastern, Vandy, Tulane, Emory

What?!?!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am sorry OP. We were in the same boat 2 years ago with mostly rejections and deferrals. My DC had 1580 SAT, 15 AP’s, high GPA, good EC’s. What I am worried about for my current HS junior is if the selective schools reject you, and the safeties defer you or waitlist you how the heck are you going to get in anywhere? I mean if you are too good for a safety and for yield protection they don’t accept you but you didn’t make the cut for your targets or reaches then what should you do?

Just my 2 cents: two of my senior’s safeties considered demonstrated interest. She interviewed at one and attended two virtual info sessions at another. (We we’re glad to hear that she actually liked her safeties, too. She only applied to schools where she could see herself fitting in.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had this situation. My suggestion is to really work the waitlists and consider hiring a college counselor to coach working the waitlist. He may get a spring admit.

How could a college counselor help work the waitlist? If there is a counselor that has connections at a particular school, then maybe I could see how someone might be able to put a thumb on the scale. Otherwise, I'm not sure how that would work.

That happened at my high school. The college counselors knew the Deans of Admission and could call them up and pull for kids.

Ever heard of Operation Varsity Blues? LOL...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He might still get into one or more of his waitlist schools that are matches or low matches (somewhere above safety). He should do whatever he can within reason to express continued interest in whatever is his favorite of those schools. Many schools in recent years are waitlisting high stat kids who likely won't attend. That was my DDs experience last year and it seems more dramatic this year. He should contact the rep assigned to him (by email) or whoever else makes sense and indicate that he WILL attend if he is admitted and that he is truly excited about the school. Visit if you can.

This is excellent advice.

Yes, this. I had a few friends at college that came off the WL and it was always because they visited again/had their high school counselor call, etc. Don’t expect to just get a call out of the blue - work the waitlist.

[Anonymous]

This is OP. Remember I gave you a partial list. He was also rejected by one foundational school and one match.

He did ED1 to one of the one of the schools I listed as rejection but did not do an ED2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Still would like to know what OP’s DC did with respect to EF EA. Some of these schools - Tulane or Emory for example - become exponentially more difficult at RD so they go from being likely to reach.

Emory is not a likely for anyone.

[Anonymous]

Try some foreign school may be? Uni St Andrews accepting applications till May 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still would like to know what OP’s DC did with respect to EF EA. Some of these schools - Tulane or Emory for example - become exponentially more difficult at RD so they go from being likely to reach.

Emory is not a likely for anyone.

Yes it is for some. So is Harvard, MIT, Stanford.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I give up. It’s hard to to stay optimistic. He worked his ass off at his private school, got mid-1500 on his SAT, continued his in person volunteering throughout the pandemic (which I was not excited about, but he wanted to do it). He has had one B+ his entire 4 years of college, the rest As. His teachers speak highly of him and I believe they must have written good letters.

His counselor said his list was solid. He’s been waitlisted or rejected nearly everywhere. He has one acceptance to a “likely” and that’s it. Only one place teaming and it’s a huge reach, esp this year.

It’s hard to stay positive, happy, and upbeat for my kid. He is unexcited about the one place he got in. I know I should try to point out the positives of getting in that one place but it is so hard. I wish he would defer and take a gap year. I brought it up once but he said he isn’t interested.

I’m not thrilled with his college counselor at school. She hasn’t even checked in on his to see how he is doing. I give up on that process too. He is crushed. I am crushed for him.

I’d anyone else having this horrible of a situation? And please don’t say, “my love sucks too, my daughter only got into Emory and not Brown” or some such nonsense. His safety he got in is a safety for everyone.

Hi, sorry for being unclear. There are some other parents I’ve been talking to who say things like, “I feel so bad for my daughter, she only got into Emory and she had her heart set on Brown.” My son didn’t have his heart set on anywhere in particular, but he thought he’d have some options. His safety school is one with a very high percentage acceptance rate. It’s not like he is upset because he didn’t get into his huge reach schools and only his matches.

I don’t know what could be wrong with his application. His counselor approved it. His teachers rave about him in PT conferences. He’s not a perfect kid but he is hard working.

I will suggest he look at some of the rolling admissions schools. I thought their application deadlines would be over by now!

And no please don’t accuse me of trolling, we have enough sadness here already.

This is a bummer for sure, but PPs above have made many good points about working the wait-list, showing demonstrated interest, and using this as a moment to teach resilience. In the meantime, I would also look more into the school that he did get into and try to find things about it that would get him interested in it, maybe visit again, talk to students who go there (and like it), etc., in case that truly is his option. for next year. You don't want him to internalize "I wasn't good enough to get in anywhere," or "I only got into a bad school that everyone gets into."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still would like to know what OP’s DC did with respect to EF EA. Some of these schools - Tulane or Emory for example - become exponentially more difficult at RD so they go from being likely to reach.

Emory is not a likely for anyone.

Yes it is for some. So is Harvard, MIT, Stanford.

Unhooked? Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is everyone else doing in his school? Is it the school or there’s something wrong with his application that you haven’t noticed.

This is OP. It has been tough at his school but kids have certainly got in places.

I won’t tell you his entire list in case anyone is reading this and can figure out who he is, but here is a partial.

Waitlist: Case, Tulane, VErmont
Rejected: Northeastern, Vandy, Tulane, Emory

Damn waitlisted at Vermont with that kind of stats? Is his school newly founded with limited reputation?
In any case, I expect to see him come off WL for some. Also don't lose hope for Ivy day either.

I was wondering that, too. There's no way this kid is coming out of one of the DC area well-known privates with those stats and WLd at Vermon. OP: What private? Something just doesn't add up. My son has pretty low stats from a local private and got into 50-60-ranked universities and strong LACs. It's too late now, but did your son apply to schools like F&M, Rhodes, Connecticut College. They are great schools that like strong private school kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. Remember I gave you a partial list. He was also rejected by one foundational school and one match.

He did ED1 to one of the one of the schools I listed as rejection but did not do an ED2.

What is a foundational school?