Do you know a kid who was screwed in the college process in last few years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid! Waitlisted at UVA and NEU. 3.98/4.5, 1560. 9 APs/2 DE. CS major. He did NOT take AP lang/lit. I'm sure that was the killer. Really hoping that 760V and A's in honors would have helped. Oh well. Kid is happy
Direct admit to UMD with Honors placement and merit.

I have come to learn that being a CS major is 100x more difficult to get into a good college than any other major.

There are just too many high scoring domestic Asians, whites, and millions of international students competing for a spot at these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid! Waitlisted at UVA and NEU. 3.98/4.5, 1560. 9 APs/2 DE. CS major. He did NOT take AP lang/lit. I'm sure that was the killer. Really hoping that 760V and A's in honors would have helped. Oh well. Kid is happy
Direct admit to UMD with Honors placement and merit.

Nope, it wasn't. Merit has nothing to do with who gets in where. My kid had a nearly flawless record. It made me realize that there was nothing on his academic record that could have been better. He had very impressive ECs as well.

My kid went from MCPS STEM Magnet to UMD. 4.0/4.8, 1590, 12 APS(all 5s), NMS. Did not get into MIT. But, this kid was pretty much decided on either MIT or UMD. He is actually quite a money motivated and ethical gen z kid. He thought that MIT name recognition and experience would be worth the full pay and knew that we would make it happen somehow, if he got in.

I think, there is immense satisfaction in being able to do very well in college (because you have the academic chops and discipline) and also the validation of the hardwork in K-12, which made your college education free and gave you money to invest. This has been a major leg-up in life to get such a great education, opportunities, network, home support, great mental health, and also see your financial investments grow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid! Waitlisted at UVA and NEU. 3.98/4.5, 1560. 9 APs/2 DE. CS major. He did NOT take AP lang/lit. I'm sure that was the killer. Really hoping that 760V and A's in honors would have helped. Oh well. Kid is happy
Direct admit to UMD with Honors placement and merit.

I have come to learn that being a CS major is 100x more difficult to get into a good college than any other major.

There are just too many high scoring domestic Asians, whites, and millions of international students competing for a spot at these schools.

Agree.
Seeing that many internationals and Asians are pivoting to math this year, and seeing similar results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:25% of Asian kids score 1400+ on the SAT.

Only 4% of White and 1% of Hispanic and Black kids do.

Asians are underrepresented at elite schools given their high grades and board scores.

But a lot of them get those scores because they go to cram schools. They're not naturally smarter or anything. And the problem with this framing is your premise is these scores are the primary criterion elite schools value -- or should value. They're not. And shouldn't be.

As it is, Asian kids are WOEFULLY overrepresented and we really should cut back on them.

asians may be overrepresented relative to their overall percentage in the school going population, but underrepresented relative to their credentials and accomplishments. Both can be true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thinking valedictorian (or similar) / 35-36 or 1550+/ top awards or ECs?
If so, what happened?
Where did the kid end up? Did the kid transfer?

Screwed?

Grievance will get you nowhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking valedictorian (or similar) / 35-36 or 1550+/ top awards or ECs?
If so, what happened?
Where did the kid end up? Did the kid transfer?

Screwed?

Grievance will get you nowhere.

Agree. The college admissions game is tough. Each school is only going to take so many ballet champions and so many computer science champions and so many high jump champs. The other ballet stars will find a spot somewhere, but they are not guaranteed admission into any school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking valedictorian (or similar) / 35-36 or 1550+/ top awards or ECs?
If so, what happened?
Where did the kid end up? Did the kid transfer?

Screwed?

Grievance will get you nowhere.

Agree. The college admissions game is tough. Each school is only going to take so many ballet champions and so many computer science champions and so many high jump champs. The other ballet stars will find a spot somewhere, but they are not guaranteed admission into any school.

Doubt the male CS kid going to UMD or overseas was a ballet star.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is all relative. A kid can is screwed if someone with lower stats gets accepted and you don't. But is has be significantly lower stats.

Agree. That is what I think of as "screwed". But how often does this actually happen?

It doesn't happen often, with it being anecdotal at best and totally unproven at worst.

Parents with sour grapes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Immediately after Floyd’s murder many schools increased their diversity efforts. That combined with the sudden test optional/blind practices (mostly due to Covid but also partly because of diversity pushes) created some new obstacles for the unhooked but academically strong. That period contributed to the anti DEI sentiment of today.

With many things, when the pendulum swings too far one way, it often overcorrects in the other.

Admissions were particularly brutal for the HS class of ‘21, since there were fewer slots following many deferred admissions from the year before, due to Covid.

Rephrasing: after George Floyd's murder, white people suddenly realized the continuing disadvantages of racism. Some institutions made attempts to make things more fair by removing some of the advantages white students had received for generations.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking valedictorian (or similar) / 35-36 or 1550+/ top awards or ECs?
If so, what happened?
Where did the kid end up? Did the kid transfer?

Screwed?

Grievance will get you nowhere.

Agree. The college admissions game is tough. Each school is only going to take so many ballet champions and so many computer science champions and so many high jump champs. The other ballet stars will find a spot somewhere, but they are not guaranteed admission into any school.

Doubt the male CS kid going to UMD or overseas was a ballet star.

Can you read? That's just one of the categories that is fighting for acceptance into these schools. Obviously there are computer science star spots as well and not all the computer science stars are going to gain admission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Immediately after Floyd’s murder many schools increased their diversity efforts. That combined with the sudden test optional/blind practices (mostly due to Covid but also partly because of diversity pushes) created some new obstacles for the unhooked but academically strong. That period contributed to the anti DEI sentiment of today.

With many things, when the pendulum swings too far one way, it often overcorrects in the other.

Admissions were particularly brutal for the HS class of ‘21, since there were fewer slots following many deferred admissions from the year before, due to Covid.

Rephrasing: after George Floyd's murder, white people suddenly realized the continuing disadvantages of racism. Some institutions made attempts to make things more fair by removing some of the advantages white students had received for generations.

Vastly stupid and wrong in every way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:25% of Asian kids score 1400+ on the SAT.

Only 4% of White and 1% of Hispanic and Black kids do.

Asians are underrepresented at elite schools given their high grades and board scores.

But a lot of them get those scores because they go to cram schools. They're not naturally smarter or anything. And the problem with this framing is your premise is these scores are the primary criterion elite schools value -- or should value. They're not. And shouldn't be.

As it is, Asian kids are WOEFULLY overrepresented and we really should cut back on them.

Asians may be overrepresented relative to their overall percentage in the school going population, but underrepresented relative to their credentials and accomplishments. Both can be true.

This. Exactly.

So, they are using their analytical abilities to look beyond the college name and going for - in-demand hard STEM majors where there is a high barrier to entry, saving their education dollars, building wealth and network, as well as having profession adjacent gigs and startup ideas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Immediately after Floyd’s murder many schools increased their diversity efforts. That combined with the sudden test optional/blind practices (mostly due to Covid but also partly because of diversity pushes) created some new obstacles for the unhooked but academically strong. That period contributed to the anti DEI sentiment of today.

With many things, when the pendulum swings too far one way, it often overcorrects in the other.

Admissions were particularly brutal for the HS class of ‘21, since there were fewer slots following many deferred admissions from the year before, due to Covid.

Rephrasing: after George Floyd's murder, white people suddenly realized the continuing disadvantages of racism. Some institutions made attempts to make things more fair by removing some of the advantages white students had received for generations.

Advantages like studying for standardized tests and doing well on them?

Our small private placed 2 black girls at Yale test optional in 2022. No advanced classes. These girls are so disadvantaged they have never set foot in a public school in their lives.

In pure numbers, more UMC whites get accepted TO. But, but 2 black girls...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:25% of Asian kids score 1400+ on the SAT.

Only 4% of White and 1% of Hispanic and Black kids do.

Asians are underrepresented at elite schools given their high grades and board scores.

But a lot of them get those scores because they go to cram schools. They're not naturally smarter or anything. And the problem with this framing is your premise is these scores are the primary criterion elite schools value -- or should value. They're not. And shouldn't be.

As it is, Asian kids are WOEFULLY overrepresented and we really should cut back on them.

Asians may be overrepresented relative to their overall percentage in the school going population, but underrepresented relative to their credentials and accomplishments. Both can be true.

This. Exactly.

So, they are using their analytical abilities to look beyond the college name and going for - in-demand hard STEM majors where there is a high barrier to entry, saving their education dollars, building wealth and network, as well as having profession adjacent gigs and startup ideas.

You are basically arguing that computer science skills are more worthy than great writers or great dancers or great linguists and so on. You need to find a place at a school that agrees with that. If you are trying to get a place at a school that also values scientific research skills, then you might get beat out by a science researcher. What the student brings to the table needs to align with what the school wants on the table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid! Waitlisted at UVA and NEU. 3.98/4.5, 1560. 9 APs/2 DE. CS major. He did NOT take AP lang/lit. I'm sure that was the killer. Really hoping that 760V and A's in honors would have helped. Oh well. Kid is happy
Direct admit to UMD with Honors placement and merit.

Nope, it wasn't. Merit has nothing to do with who gets in where. My kid had a nearly flawless record. It made me realize that there was nothing on his academic record that could have been better. He had very impressive ECs as well.

My kid went from MCPS STEM Magnet to UMD. 4.0/4.8, 1590, 12 APS(all 5s), NMS. Did not get into MIT. But, this kid was pretty much decided on either MIT or UMD. He is actually quite a money motivated and ethical gen z kid. He thought that MIT name recognition and experience would be worth the full pay and knew that we would make it happen somehow, if he got in.

I think, there is immense satisfaction in being able to do very well in college (because you have the academic chops and discipline) and also the validation of the hardwork in K-12, which made your college education free and gave you money to invest. This has been a major leg-up in life to get such a great education, opportunities, network, home support, great mental health, and also see your financial investments grow.

Ok Gordon Gekko.