What is going on - really worried

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Unlikely that those reach decisions go your way unless there was a pivot in the essays from early to RD.

Passion. Drive. Umphhh.
Something different/that stands out.

That’s what they’re looking for. Be honest and re-read those apps. You’ll feel the passion or the gut punch if it’s there. If it’s not, prepare yourself.

💯 this…

I'd advise everyone who feels nervous to do this to prepare themselves. Read objectively (if you can). If you do feel something (powerful) after reading the entire RD app, that's good. Actually great.

Once you read a lot of application essays and even bios, you start to realize how similar they all sound. The goal is to sound different. Be different. Have entirely different interests. If your kid did that, A+

Just to be clear, you don’t mean to be flashy, correct? Different yes, often they are quietly different.

Not flashy at all imo. Just authentically intellectually different. When you see it, you know.

Just be genuine: even a generic topic can touch others when you write what you truly believe.

For someone who is truly creative and independent-minded, this thing comes naturally and easily!

Comes naturally with $1000's on essay coaches and heavy parental involvement.

Believe it or not, there’re still kids who could do this naturally and easily without parental involvement and $$$. They might just get a bit of feedback from teachers at school, if they don’t do it in the last minute. Those are actually the kids the top colleges are looking for. Most kids are trying way too hard to imitate something they don’t naturally have!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:why are there so many pages on this thread???

Rampant anxiety and insecurity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP: Any updates?

They all disappeared. Not a single one came back reporting results.

While there’re mean and plain unhelpful comments, some of us really try to help. I hope the OP can come back and let us know the progress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP: Any updates?

They all disappeared. Not a single one came back reporting results.

OP first posted a week ago. They might not have an update yet. Hopefully come back in a couple of months with good news!

[Anonymous]

For junior parents, life tip: in RD the essays matter ALOT.

Don’t let your kid write AI slop (that’s the reason for a lot of unexpected rejections this cycle… Once you see the AI, you can never unsee it).

Spend time working on essays early in the summer….

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Was OP's GPA a 3.7 or 3.8uw? There is a difference.

3.7uw is generally not competitive for Ivies even with ED. The guide for "private selective/feeder" HS that I've seen thrown around here tends to be mostly true (posted in other threads as well):

There’s a bit of private HS reputational variation, but here’s the general overview:
3.9+ = competitive for T10+
3.8+ = competitive for T11-20/25+
3.7+ = competitive for T25/30+

From our non-national-feeder but great DMV private, 3.7uw has no shot at T25-30, it is barely above average. 3.8uw is borderline for T25/30, have a decent shot if they have taken the most difficult courses in all areas. 3.9uw is in range for T20 yet quite borderline and not likely for T10. T10/ivy unhooked even with ED needs to have top10% GPA minimum which means one or two A-, rest A and A+, or 3.95+uw.
The OP needs to get data from their school. They likely made a poor list.

Your school has massive grade inflation. That is not typical in highly regarded private feeder high schools.

This is more typical than parents like to believe. Parents keep thinking that no one gets close to 4.0 but even in the toughest of schools, a few kids always get more than 3.95 and 3.7 to 3.8 gpa is average.

Agreed. We've been invaded by posters who say that a 3.95 is an impossible GPA at top privates but I don't think they're from the DMV. I know at both NCS and STA that a full 20% of the class is above a 3.9 or 93% (at STA). Maret too as I had a kid there. I don't know about Sidwell or GDS. I currently have an NCS junior with a 3.95 and she doesn't have the impression that her grades are unusual.

It's not impossible to get 3.95 uw at our daughter's competitive private in the SF Bay. They shared that 20% get 3.85-3.95, 20% get 3.7-3.84, and 60% get below 3.7. It's an academic HS as you needed high GPA and standardized test (SSAT) to get in in grade 8. I have no idea of whether the grading is inflationary or deflationary compared to other academic privates. But it is what it is!

+1 In our private school the GPAs are very high. For AP classes, if the kid gets a 5 on AP test, the grade for that class gets a bump often to an A, if the original grade is not an A. I would say half of the class have over 3.9 GPA. School doesn't weight GPA, average SAT is 1500. Kids start taking AP in 8-th grade (some taking Calculus AB). A 3.7 kid probably gets counseled out in 9th grade.

Wow that's so much more generous than our private. Like I said, at our SF Bay private school, less than 20% (not 50%) get over a 3.85, and no one gets their grade bumped up to an A just for getting a 5 on the AP test. I wish they did for college entry purposes! Like I said, 60% of our class gets below a 3.7.

School recognizes there are subjective elements in grades given in the class, emphasizes on the importance of standardized tests. Kids take on average 15 APs.
There is no hooks in the school, mostly immigrants' kids. A few exceptions are faculty's kids. No athletic recruits.

Sounds like Harker. Not surprised if they pulled stunts like the one that you are talking about.

Harker is such an exceptional school and turns out well-read, erudite students. They will succeed regardless of their university.

Harker turns out little STEM grinds to please their immigrant parents. But, it is very good at what it does.

My daughter, from a liberal arts high school, is at a T5 and says the Harker students are some of the few who understand the literary allusions she makes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was OP's GPA a 3.7 or 3.8uw? There is a difference.

3.7uw is generally not competitive for Ivies even with ED. The guide for "private selective/feeder" HS that I've seen thrown around here tends to be mostly true (posted in other threads as well):

There’s a bit of private HS reputational variation, but here’s the general overview:
3.9+ = competitive for T10+
3.8+ = competitive for T11-20/25+
3.7+ = competitive for T25/30+

From our non-national-feeder but great DMV private, 3.7uw has no shot at T25-30, it is barely above average. 3.8uw is borderline for T25/30, have a decent shot if they have taken the most difficult courses in all areas. 3.9uw is in range for T20 yet quite borderline and not likely for T10. T10/ivy unhooked even with ED needs to have top10% GPA minimum which means one or two A-, rest A and A+, or 3.95+uw.
The OP needs to get data from their school. They likely made a poor list.

Your school has massive grade inflation. That is not typical in highly regarded private feeder high schools.

This is more typical than parents like to believe. Parents keep thinking that no one gets close to 4.0 but even in the toughest of schools, a few kids always get more than 3.95 and 3.7 to 3.8 gpa is average.

Agreed. We've been invaded by posters who say that a 3.95 is an impossible GPA at top privates but I don't think they're from the DMV. I know at both NCS and STA that a full 20% of the class is above a 3.9 or 93% (at STA). Maret too as I had a kid there. I don't know about Sidwell or GDS. I currently have an NCS junior with a 3.95 and she doesn't have the impression that her grades are unusual.

It's not impossible to get 3.95 uw at our daughter's competitive private in the SF Bay. They shared that 20% get 3.85-3.95, 20% get 3.7-3.84, and 60% get below 3.7. It's an academic HS as you needed high GPA and standardized test (SSAT) to get in in grade 8. I have no idea of whether the grading is inflationary or deflationary compared to other academic privates. But it is what it is!

+1 In our private school the GPAs are very high. For AP classes, if the kid gets a 5 on AP test, the grade for that class gets a bump often to an A, if the original grade is not an A. I would say half of the class have over 3.9 GPA. School doesn't weight GPA, average SAT is 1500. Kids start taking AP in 8-th grade (some taking Calculus AB). A 3.7 kid probably gets counseled out in 9th grade.

Wow that's so much more generous than our private. Like I said, at our SF Bay private school, less than 20% (not 50%) get over a 3.85, and no one gets their grade bumped up to an A just for getting a 5 on the AP test. I wish they did for college entry purposes! Like I said, 60% of our class gets below a 3.7.

School recognizes there are subjective elements in grades given in the class, emphasizes on the importance of standardized tests. Kids take on average 15 APs.
There is no hooks in the school, mostly immigrants' kids. A few exceptions are faculty's kids. No athletic recruits.

Sounds like Harker. Not surprised if they pulled stunts like the one that you are talking about.

Harker is such an exceptional school and turns out well-read, erudite students. They will succeed regardless of their university.

Harker turns out little STEM grinds to please their immigrant parents. But, it is very good at what it does.

My daughter, from a liberal arts high school, is at a T5 and says the Harker students are some of the few who understand the literary allusions she makes.

No they don’t. Except for Stanford (faculty kids) and MIT Harker only puts one or two per year into each T5 school. Odds of knowing that many Harker students is nil.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kid from a good private - top 30% of class with 1550 SAT and all 5's on APs. Solid EC's with leadership and community service, but no hook other than private school. Applied humanities - rejected ED to Ivy, deferred Santa Clara, USC and UMich. In at Pitt with merit and honors college. Waiting on a bunch more but feeling rather hopeless right now. Essays were excellent. Any thoughts?

Be patient OP, RD should be very successful for your DC!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was OP's GPA a 3.7 or 3.8uw? There is a difference.

3.7uw is generally not competitive for Ivies even with ED. The guide for "private selective/feeder" HS that I've seen thrown around here tends to be mostly true (posted in other threads as well):

There’s a bit of private HS reputational variation, but here’s the general overview:
3.9+ = competitive for T10+
3.8+ = competitive for T11-20/25+
3.7+ = competitive for T25/30+

From our non-national-feeder but great DMV private, 3.7uw has no shot at T25-30, it is barely above average. 3.8uw is borderline for T25/30, have a decent shot if they have taken the most difficult courses in all areas. 3.9uw is in range for T20 yet quite borderline and not likely for T10. T10/ivy unhooked even with ED needs to have top10% GPA minimum which means one or two A-, rest A and A+, or 3.95+uw.
The OP needs to get data from their school. They likely made a poor list.

Your school has massive grade inflation. That is not typical in highly regarded private feeder high schools.

This is more typical than parents like to believe. Parents keep thinking that no one gets close to 4.0 but even in the toughest of schools, a few kids always get more than 3.95 and 3.7 to 3.8 gpa is average.

Agreed. We've been invaded by posters who say that a 3.95 is an impossible GPA at top privates but I don't think they're from the DMV. I know at both NCS and STA that a full 20% of the class is above a 3.9 or 93% (at STA). Maret too as I had a kid there. I don't know about Sidwell or GDS. I currently have an NCS junior with a 3.95 and she doesn't have the impression that her grades are unusual.

It's not impossible to get 3.95 uw at our daughter's competitive private in the SF Bay. They shared that 20% get 3.85-3.95, 20% get 3.7-3.84, and 60% get below 3.7. It's an academic HS as you needed high GPA and standardized test (SSAT) to get in in grade 8. I have no idea of whether the grading is inflationary or deflationary compared to other academic privates. But it is what it is!

+1 In our private school the GPAs are very high. For AP classes, if the kid gets a 5 on AP test, the grade for that class gets a bump often to an A, if the original grade is not an A. I would say half of the class have over 3.9 GPA. School doesn't weight GPA, average SAT is 1500. Kids start taking AP in 8-th grade (some taking Calculus AB). A 3.7 kid probably gets counseled out in 9th grade.

Wow that's so much more generous than our private. Like I said, at our SF Bay private school, less than 20% (not 50%) get over a 3.85, and no one gets their grade bumped up to an A just for getting a 5 on the AP test. I wish they did for college entry purposes! Like I said, 60% of our class gets below a 3.7.

School recognizes there are subjective elements in grades given in the class, emphasizes on the importance of standardized tests. Kids take on average 15 APs.
There is no hooks in the school, mostly immigrants' kids. A few exceptions are faculty's kids. No athletic recruits.

Sounds like Harker. Not surprised if they pulled stunts like the one that you are talking about.

Harker is such an exceptional school and turns out well-read, erudite students. They will succeed regardless of their university.

Harker turns out little STEM grinds to please their immigrant parents. But, it is very good at what it does.

My daughter, from a liberal arts high school, is at a T5 and says the Harker students are some of the few who understand the literary allusions she makes.

It just tells me you guys read the same books, nothing more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid from a good private - top 30% of class with 1550 SAT and all 5's on APs. Solid EC's with leadership and community service, but no hook other than private school. Applied humanities - rejected ED to Ivy, deferred Santa Clara, USC and UMich. In at Pitt with merit and honors college. Waiting on a bunch more but feeling rather hopeless right now. Essays were excellent. Any thoughts?

Be patient OP, RD should be very successful for your DC!

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:why are there so many pages on this thread???

Rampant anxiety and insecurity.

Yes. Calm down. Have faith in YOUR KID.

what is wrong with people. No wonder kids want to go away for college to get away from parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is hilarious to me! And private school parents moan about "public school grade inflation"! My dc had several C+/B- grades for classes where he scored a 5 on the AP. I can't believe private schools go back and change the class grades. That's wild!

I think some Catholics do. the big privates and similar do not. It's quite common to have a B in the course and a 5 on the AP exam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldnt assume a private school kid doenst know value of narrative.

Santa Clara will yield high tests takers. I think it will be fine.

Also, not too late to throw one into St Andrews over this snowy weekend. They're the opposite - love high test scores and will look past GPA.

My kid outright rejected from Santa Clara EA. GPA: 3.7, SAT: 1540. We were shocked.

Why shocked? Many Bay Area kids apply there with similar SAT scores and higher GPAs.

My kid got in Santa Clara with a 1420 and rejected from St Andrews….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was OP's GPA a 3.7 or 3.8uw? There is a difference.

3.7uw is generally not competitive for Ivies even with ED. The guide for "private selective/feeder" HS that I've seen thrown around here tends to be mostly true (posted in other threads as well):

There’s a bit of private HS reputational variation, but here’s the general overview:
3.9+ = competitive for T10+
3.8+ = competitive for T11-20/25+
3.7+ = competitive for T25/30+

From our non-national-feeder but great DMV private, 3.7uw has no shot at T25-30, it is barely above average. 3.8uw is borderline for T25/30, have a decent shot if they have taken the most difficult courses in all areas. 3.9uw is in range for T20 yet quite borderline and not likely for T10. T10/ivy unhooked even with ED needs to have top10% GPA minimum which means one or two A-, rest A and A+, or 3.95+uw.
The OP needs to get data from their school. They likely made a poor list.

Your school has massive grade inflation. That is not typical in highly regarded private feeder high schools.

This is more typical than parents like to believe. Parents keep thinking that no one gets close to 4.0 but even in the toughest of schools, a few kids always get more than 3.95 and 3.7 to 3.8 gpa is average.

Agreed. We've been invaded by posters who say that a 3.95 is an impossible GPA at top privates but I don't think they're from the DMV. I know at both NCS and STA that a full 20% of the class is above a 3.9 or 93% (at STA). Maret too as I had a kid there. I don't know about Sidwell or GDS. I currently have an NCS junior with a 3.95 and she doesn't have the impression that her grades are unusual.

It's not impossible to get 3.95 uw at our daughter's competitive private in the SF Bay. They shared that 20% get 3.85-3.95, 20% get 3.7-3.84, and 60% get below 3.7. It's an academic HS as you needed high GPA and standardized test (SSAT) to get in in grade 8. I have no idea of whether the grading is inflationary or deflationary compared to other academic privates. But it is what it is!

+1 In our private school the GPAs are very high. For AP classes, if the kid gets a 5 on AP test, the grade for that class gets a bump often to an A, if the original grade is not an A. I would say half of the class have over 3.9 GPA. School doesn't weight GPA, average SAT is 1500. Kids start taking AP in 8-th grade (some taking Calculus AB). A 3.7 kid probably gets counseled out in 9th grade.

Wow that's so much more generous than our private. Like I said, at our SF Bay private school, less than 20% (not 50%) get over a 3.85, and no one gets their grade bumped up to an A just for getting a 5 on the AP test. I wish they did for college entry purposes! Like I said, 60% of our class gets below a 3.7.

School recognizes there are subjective elements in grades given in the class, emphasizes on the importance of standardized tests. Kids take on average 15 APs.
There is no hooks in the school, mostly immigrants' kids. A few exceptions are faculty's kids. No athletic recruits.

Sounds like Harker. Not surprised if they pulled stunts like the one that you are talking about.

Harker is such an exceptional school and turns out well-read, erudite students. They will succeed regardless of their university.

Harker turns out little STEM grinds to please their immigrant parents. But, it is very good at what it does.

My daughter, from a liberal arts high school, is at a T5 and says the Harker students are some of the few who understand the literary allusions she makes.

No they don’t. Except for Stanford (faculty kids) and MIT Harker only puts one or two per year into each T5 school. Odds of knowing that many Harker students is nil.

Reread your post. Stanford and MIT are both T5s.

[Anonymous]

OP here. My kid had very good news and got into a top 20 school ED 2. Don't want to name it to maintain privacy but they are thrilled. To all those still waiting, hang in there and it will work out! Thanks for all of the comments and thoughts. Much appreciated.