williams, amherst, swarthmore, pomona, bowdoin, haverford decisions today

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams is tiny and half the kids there are legacies.

Didn't help my kid, with straight A's in HS and a 4.53 wGPA, a 35 ACT, and good EC's. Second kid who didn't get in to Williams, notwithstanding legacy status. Both kids were easily qualified to get in. I get that there are tons of super qualified kids who are rejected every year, but its really left a sour taste in my mouth. Gonna be a while before I think fondly of Williams again. I'll remember the good education and experience I had there, and I value the friends I made there, but I'm pretty mad at the College right now.

Mine the same but 2 years ago. Straight A’s, 36 ACT, and goo EC’s, coming from a rigorous curriculum at a top HS. So, I completely understand your feelings.

The problem with Williams is that they sponsor just about every sport that NESCAC offers. With 800+ athletes at a college with 2000+ students, almost 40% of the admissions spots are taken before otherwise regular applicants are even considered, i.e. 200 of 500+ In a freshman clas are athletes. It seems that the priorities are screwy when this high a percent of the spots are claimed for those whose achievements are non-academic at what is supposedly top academic school.

But there’s more. 170+ international students are enrolled, or about 40+ per freshman class. With a number of other spots reserved for those with other hooks, it would seem that less than half of the spots of an incoming freshman class go to students based on academic merit. Among NESCAC members, the number of athletes at Williams is 2nd only to Tufts, a school almost triple its size.

All of this is probably true, however those selected with hooks - like athletic ability to fill the numerous roster spots - likely have impressive academic stats too. It's not necessarily an either/or proposition. In the selective numbers game Williams is priorizing smart kids with hooks over smart kids without hooks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams is tiny and half the kids there are legacies.

Didn't help my kid, with straight A's in HS and a 4.53 wGPA, a 35 ACT, and good EC's. Second kid who didn't get in to Williams, notwithstanding legacy status. Both kids were easily qualified to get in. I get that there are tons of super qualified kids who are rejected every year, but its really left a sour taste in my mouth. Gonna be a while before I think fondly of Williams again. I'll remember the good education and experience I had there, and I value the friends I made there, but I'm pretty mad at the College right now.

I'm sorry. Hugs to your kid (& you).

After reading this I’m thinking legacys now have got to be athletes too. Of the three recent legacy’s I know that got I. They were all also athletes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m reading Reddit right now and all these kids who feel their world is over. They worked incredibly hard just to end up in many cases at places as other peers without these insane stats. They are already lamenting how they should have enjoyed high school more. This makes me so sad and nervous about this process in the near future when my kids go through it.

This is the problem of making brand name college the brass ring of HS. The goal of HS should be to get a great education that prepares one for college and life after. Hopefully these kids will mature a little and become grateful that they worked hard in HS and will kick ass at whatever college they end up at. Many of the kids who “enjoyed HS more” won’t do that. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. No one’s life trajectory is determined by what college they go to, unless your end all be all is to get into the local Yale club, which is just a sad goal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1500+ SAT all As at highly regarded private (school doesn’t offer AP classes but DC took 4 and got 4s and 5s). Varsity sport, leadership in ECs. Legacy - rejected. Waitlisted at all others. No acceptances today. Brutal.

Similar to mine. 1560 SAT, 3.98UW, 4.85W, top magnet, 5s on APs, NMF, actor who won awards and has worked professionally, capt of sports team, national award, state orch, multiple regional awards, club pres, decent service. Rejected from Williams.

You guys sound surprised. They rejected 93% of applicants.

Your children sound amazing, they honestly do, but that does not mean all doors will be open to then. Adjust your attitude.

Please try not to be a jerk. Clearly we knew that this was not a given, but her stats are amazing (this is by no means a complete list). Heaven forbid you all just offer a little sympathy.

Everyone's stats are amazing.

Please, these kids are a dime a dozen, which is why they all think they are entitled to top 50 schools.

Something has to give. Otherwise, the colleges may as well use lottery ping pong balls.

Yes, there are many talented kids who may have impressed in different ways as well as those networked w/ legacy and private school connections, but (at least in the past), everyone's stats were not this amazing. This kid has racked up some serious credits (not all mentioned here), definitely not "a dime a dozen." This school actually came up as a hard target for her based on previous years' stats. Also, this year had way more applicants (almost double) than previous years. Don't try to whitewash it w/ "everyone's the same." Also, at no time did she think she was entitled to anything. She works hard for everything and was a great candidate. She has a right to be gutted. Gutted does not equal entitlement. Try listening rather than lecturing and offering a little sympathy for a kid who denied herself so much to be top stats.

Your kid isn't special. There are THOUSANDS of kids with the same stats. They are ALL getting rejected from these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m reading Reddit right now and all these kids who feel their world is over. They worked incredibly hard just to end up in many cases at places as other peers without these insane stats. They are already lamenting how they should have enjoyed high school more. This makes me so sad and nervous about this process in the near future when my kids go through it.

I think a good lesson to take from this is that your kid should have fun in high school and enjoy the experience and not do activities or study just to get into a certain rank of college. Kids need to shift their mindset from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation. Yes, everyone can be disappointed by the results, but that utter devastation might not occur if the student is able to reflect on their four years of HS and know that everything they did was for their own betterment and enjoyment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams is tiny and half the kids there are legacies.

Didn't help my kid, with straight A's in HS and a 4.53 wGPA, a 35 ACT, and good EC's. Second kid who didn't get in to Williams, notwithstanding legacy status. Both kids were easily qualified to get in. I get that there are tons of super qualified kids who are rejected every year, but its really left a sour taste in my mouth. Gonna be a while before I think fondly of Williams again. I'll remember the good education and experience I had there, and I value the friends I made there, but I'm pretty mad at the College right now.

I'm also a Williams alum and I understand your disappointment. I do need to ask, though, whether you and your kids were aware that legacy status will really only be considered in the early round?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m reading Reddit right now and all these kids who feel their world is over. They worked incredibly hard just to end up in many cases at places as other peers without these insane stats. They are already lamenting how they should have enjoyed high school more. This makes me so sad and nervous about this process in the near future when my kids go through it.

This is the problem of making brand name college the brass ring of HS. The goal of HS should be to get a great education that prepares one for college and life after. Hopefully these kids will mature a little and become grateful that they worked hard in HS and will kick ass at whatever college they end up at. Many of the kids who “enjoyed HS more” won’t do that. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. No one’s life trajectory is determined by what college they go to, unless your end all be all is to get into the local Yale club, which is just a sad goal.

I get what you are saying, but I don't think "enjoyed HS more" in this case means----were lazy and didn't apply themselves. There is a happy medium between coasting and taking tons of APs, curating your application with certain ECs, forgoing socializing, etc. I think there are many kids who excel but still have some balance. I think the ones (and I read the subreddit) really disappointed 1) Had very set schools in mind for years, 2) Spent HS checking off all the boxes they were told to check off to get into competitive schools but then ended up being rejected anyway, or/and 3) Feel pressure by parents to get into certain schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m reading Reddit right now and all these kids who feel their world is over. They worked incredibly hard just to end up in many cases at places as other peers without these insane stats. They are already lamenting how they should have enjoyed high school more. This makes me so sad and nervous about this process in the near future when my kids go through it.

What sub?

Applying to College

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Williams is tiny and half the kids there are legacies.

This is silly. Of course half the kids there are NOT legacy. that is just factually completely inaccurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:61.4 % of Pomona's admits are domestic students of color

Just 20% white- that's insane. I don't think any other top private school has gone that low. Seems like they heavily value diversity.

It's great that this college does. Others should emulate.

Yeah since 60 percent of people in US are white. Make sense to admit only 20 percent white.

It balances out the hundreds of colleges with 80% white students. I love the sound of white tears.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m reading Reddit right now and all these kids who feel their world is over. They worked incredibly hard just to end up in many cases at places as other peers without these insane stats. They are already lamenting how they should have enjoyed high school more. This makes me so sad and nervous about this process in the near future when my kids go through it.

I think a good lesson to take from this is that your kid should have fun in high school and enjoy the experience and not do activities or study just to get into a certain rank of college. Kids need to shift their mindset from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation. Yes, everyone can be disappointed by the results, but that utter devastation might not occur if the student is able to reflect on their four years of HS and know that everything they did was for their own betterment and enjoyment.

I think you hit the mail on its head. Kids need to do things for their own satisfaction— not for college. 100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams is tiny and half the kids there are legacies.

Didn't help my kid, with straight A's in HS and a 4.53 wGPA, a 35 ACT, and good EC's. Second kid who didn't get in to Williams, notwithstanding legacy status. Both kids were easily qualified to get in. I get that there are tons of super qualified kids who are rejected every year, but its really left a sour taste in my mouth. Gonna be a while before I think fondly of Williams again. I'll remember the good education and experience I had there, and I value the friends I made there, but I'm pretty mad at the College right now.

Mine the same but 2 years ago. Straight A’s, 36 ACT, and goo EC’s, coming from a rigorous curriculum at a top HS. So, I completely understand your feelings.

The problem with Williams is that they sponsor just about every sport that NESCAC offers. With 800+ athletes at a college with 2000+ students, almost 40% of the admissions spots are taken before otherwise regular applicants are even considered, i.e. 200 of 500+ In a freshman clas are athletes. It seems that the priorities are screwy when this high a percent of the spots are claimed for those whose achievements are non-academic at what is supposedly top academic school.

But there’s more. 170+ international students are enrolled, or about 40+ per freshman class. With a number of other spots reserved for those with other hooks, it would seem that less than half of the spots of an incoming freshman class go to students based on academic merit. Among NESCAC members, the number of athletes at Williams is 2nd only to Tufts, a school almost triple its size.

Thanks for this.

I can’t imagine wanting to go one to one of these tiny schools if you’re not on a team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams is tiny and half the kids there are legacies.

Didn't help my kid, with straight A's in HS and a 4.53 wGPA, a 35 ACT, and good EC's. Second kid who didn't get in to Williams, notwithstanding legacy status. Both kids were easily qualified to get in. I get that there are tons of super qualified kids who are rejected every year, but its really left a sour taste in my mouth. Gonna be a while before I think fondly of Williams again. I'll remember the good education and experience I had there, and I value the friends I made there, but I'm pretty mad at the College right now.

Mine the same but 2 years ago. Straight A’s, 36 ACT, and goo EC’s, coming from a rigorous curriculum at a top HS. So, I completely understand your feelings.

The problem with Williams is that they sponsor just about every sport that NESCAC offers. With 800+ athletes at a college with 2000+ students, almost 40% of the admissions spots are taken before otherwise regular applicants are even considered, i.e. 200 of 500+ In a freshman clas are athletes. It seems that the priorities are screwy when this high a percent of the spots are claimed for those whose achievements are non-academic at what is supposedly top academic school.

But there’s more. 170+ international students are enrolled, or about 40+ per freshman class. With a number of other spots reserved for those with other hooks, it would seem that less than half of the spots of an incoming freshman class go to students based on academic merit. Among NESCAC members, the number of athletes at Williams is 2nd only to Tufts, a school almost triple its size.

Thanks for this.

I can’t imagine wanting to go one to one of these tiny schools if you’re not on a team.

I can. I have one at a larger university that is spending a lot of time and energy to get into small classes. At a slac....that would be automatic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williams is tiny and half the kids there are legacies.

Didn't help my kid, with straight A's in HS and a 4.53 wGPA, a 35 ACT, and good EC's. Second kid who didn't get in to Williams, notwithstanding legacy status. Both kids were easily qualified to get in. I get that there are tons of super qualified kids who are rejected every year, but its really left a sour taste in my mouth. Gonna be a while before I think fondly of Williams again. I'll remember the good education and experience I had there, and I value the friends I made there, but I'm pretty mad at the College right now.

Mine the same but 2 years ago. Straight A’s, 36 ACT, and goo EC’s, coming from a rigorous curriculum at a top HS. So, I completely understand your feelings.

The problem with Williams is that they sponsor just about every sport that NESCAC offers. With 800+ athletes at a college with 2000+ students, almost 40% of the admissions spots are taken before otherwise regular applicants are even considered, i.e. 200 of 500+ In a freshman clas are athletes. It seems that the priorities are screwy when this high a percent of the spots are claimed for those whose achievements are non-academic at what is supposedly top academic school.

But there’s more. 170+ international students are enrolled, or about 40+ per freshman class. With a number of other spots reserved for those with other hooks, it would seem that less than half of the spots of an incoming freshman class go to students based on academic merit. Among NESCAC members, the number of athletes at Williams is 2nd only to Tufts, a school almost triple its size.

Thanks for this.

I can’t imagine wanting to go one to one of these tiny schools if you’re not on a team.

Are you saying that because your only experience of one of these schools was while on a team? It can be hard to imagine someone else's joyful, but different from yours, experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: white dd 1550, 4.0 (private school) national award in EC sport, is sporty (polo) and arty (has a portfolio) and academic

Pomona-denied
Haverford- WL
Scripps-WL
Bowdoin-WL
but ACCEPTED UCLA

and Santa Clara - accepted with $11k + merit for 4 years


It's all become a crapshoot if you are white

Congrats! UCLA is fantastic. Scripps is super small but nestled right there next to Pomona, CMC and Harvey Mudd.