All these rejections and deferrals reported on DCUM and CC are shocking and discouraging

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 2020, 2021 and 2023 grad. Honestly, each year seems a bit worse than the last. Lots of deferrals, lots of WL that don’t move and it becomes harder and harder to predict results because the application numbers rise so much each year. 2023 feels the worst to me, but 2021 was hard because my DC couldn’t visit and tour schools.

This raises an important point: unpredictability. The increase in uncertainty leads to an increase in apps which leads to yet lower acceptance rates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's the test-optional mess, OP. The gap year was only for 2021. Test-optional has meant many more applicants to all schools that have the Common or Coalition App and as a result some high stats kids are deferred/rejected. They get lost in the shuffle, essentially. TO is not an advantage for selective schools unless the profile is highly unusual and the score would only detract from that, so it's not that going TO is better, quite the contrary. It's that there are too many applicants applying "just to see" and it's hard to admissions officers to triage. This is a self-perpetuating cycle as high-achieving kids then start to apply to more and more schools (shotgunning) to be sure of admission to at least one - which from their perspective is entirely understandable.

This is a very confusing approach. It's a net positive for the schools. I realize it upends your paradigm that high GPAs and test scores should just be rewarded with offers of admission, but even the most elite universities have never approached forming their incoming cohorts that way.

[Anonymous]

Half the posters on CC are parents whose kids graduated hs 15-20 years ago. I’m not joking. Just take any advice they offer with a grain of salt.

[Anonymous]

My average student has done quite well. I could be wrong but maybe it’s effecting the high stat kids more. Just look outside the same 50 schools everyone is applying to and apply broadly and your student will get into some. It’s a numbers game. But don’t despair it’s not as bad as people on DCUM/CC make it out to be.

[Anonymous]

My biggest advice is to try as best you can to ensure your student does not fall in love with one particular school. If they remain open, trust me, they’ll have options.

[Anonymous]

RD isn’t even out yet.

[Anonymous]

The VT thread is exactly what got me down his rabbit hole.

This! And please don't say DC can just go OOS somewhere else. Some of the most equivalent/appealing options are pretty far away because NC, FL, GA prioritize in state apps. And... now my family gets to pay OOS tuition plus the additional costs associated with those logistics because my very solid student is being shut out of VT for OOS apps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:RD isn’t even out yet.

But it will likely be a bloodbath since so many students are getting deferred to RD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My average student has done quite well. I could be wrong but maybe it’s effecting the high stat kids more. Just look outside the same 50 schools everyone is applying to and apply broadly and your student will get into some. It’s a numbers game. But don’t despair it’s not as bad as people on DCUM/CC make it out to be.

My 4.00+ DC has gotten into some safeties, but not any targets or reaches. They are still awaiting the results of RD, but I think it will be a crapshoot. The good news is that at least one OOS safety school gave them decent merit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My average student has done quite well. I could be wrong but maybe it’s effecting the high stat kids more. Just look outside the same 50 schools everyone is applying to and apply broadly and your student will get into some. It’s a numbers game. But don’t despair it’s not as bad as people on DCUM/CC make it out to be.

Same with my kid with a GPA of 3.3. Or maybe I’m just more realistic about which schools he should apply to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The VT thread is exactly what got me down his rabbit hole.

This! And please don't say DC can just go OOS somewhere else. Some of the most equivalent/appealing options are pretty far away because NC, FL, GA prioritize in state apps. And... now my family gets to pay OOS tuition plus the additional costs associated with those logistics because my very solid student is being shut out of VT for OOS apps.

Your kid doesn't have to go OOS as there are a number of other in-state options in Virginia. Maybe not as "appealing" as VT, but good schools nonetheless, including schools with engineering programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just feel like when high achieving parents find out their kid won't be attending a school with the brand name that they thought their household income/private school tuition/zip code entitled them to...they cry "unfair!"

A more healthy/mature response would be to assure their children that they believe they will thrive regardless of where they go to school, because of who they are.

THIS, 100%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think anyone knows.
Test optional policies have increased the pool of qualified applicants to the top schools by many fold.

Also, the class applying this year had Covid-era grading for 2 years of the 3 that are considered for applications. In DCPS (for instance) the lowest grade a kid could get was a B if he/she did any work. MCPS bumped all final grades up by one letter grade. Lots of stuff like this happened all around the country in giant school districts (so hundreds of thousands of students impacted).

The class of 2025 will be the first that will have all 4 years back in a classroom with normal grading scales.

Qualified by the NEW standards. That is key. Many have test scores abysmally low for the schools and never would have applied if they actually had to submit their scores. Now you have people with a 26-27 ACT and 1050 SAT applying to Ivies and Hopkins.

DP. I'm curious how you could possibly know what their scores are if they apply TO? Often, kids who are just below the 50% threshold, choose to go TO because they think their score will disadvantage them. We're talking 1200/1300, etc. These are not "abysmally low," by any definition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The VT thread is exactly what got me down his rabbit hole.

This! And please don't say DC can just go OOS somewhere else. Some of the most equivalent/appealing options are pretty far away because NC, FL, GA prioritize in state apps. And... now my family gets to pay OOS tuition plus the additional costs associated with those logistics because my very solid student is being shut out of VT for OOS apps.

Your kid doesn't have to go OOS as there are a number of other in-state options in Virginia. Maybe not as "appealing" as VT, but good schools nonetheless, including schools with engineering programs.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My average student has done quite well. I could be wrong but maybe it’s effecting the high stat kids more. Just look outside the same 50 schools everyone is applying to and apply broadly and your student will get into some. It’s a numbers game. But don’t despair it’s not as bad as people on DCUM/CC make it out to be.

Same with my kid with a GPA of 3.3. Or maybe I’m just more realistic about which schools he should apply to.

Where is your kid applying?