Safeties for a strong student

[Anonymous]

when a top 1% of standardized test score plus 4.0 GPA does not get you into all but top 25 schools..then something is very very wrong

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of the college discussions are f--king joke.
every parent is saying there kid is in the top 1% of standardized testers..1500 SAT, 35 ACT..it is not possible for that to be..unless the College Board distribution of test scores is fraudulently inaccurate.

Have you considered that this discussion board is not a random sample?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of the college discussions are f--king joke.
every parent is saying there kid is in the top 1% of standardized testers..1500 SAT, 35 ACT..it is not possible for that to be..unless the College Board distribution of test scores is fraudulently inaccurate.

Have you considered that this discussion board is not a random sample?

+1 Also, the OP doesn’t seem to understand what the College board is reporting. The reported score distributions are for a specific cohort from one sitting during a specific testing period. Posts on this board include superscores of 1500+ or 35+. Yes, this board is self selected and represents a high achieving demographic area so a higher concentration of top 1% is likely just like other highly educated metro areas. However, the College Board/ACT are not reporting superscores which significantly increases the number of kids that apply to colleges with top 1% scores from multiple sittings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:when a top 1% of standardized test score plus 4.0 GPA does not get you into all but top 25 schools..then something is very very wrong

Yes, because most American universities are now about social engineering not merit applications. So URM, first-generation, and all the other subcategories accounted for by USNWR get in.

[Anonymous]

I have high level math skills..of course I understand who is on this site..and very aware that "super scoring" is the most absurd part of this..almost no other "test" let's an applicant do such a thing..in addition, if a kid wants to take this test multiple times, every test should have to be sent in..and then force the college to only report the AVERAGE of all tests..the world is mostly pass/fail..not a world where you get unlimited number of chances. I did read the reactions to my original post..however even if every one of these kids are the creme de la creme in yours/others eyes..math would tell you that there is still something wrong when ALL OF YOUR KIDS ARE IN THE TOP 1% (plus I failed to mention the grade inflation where I would guess ten percent in my kids high school got 4.0s...that should be investigated..or possibly the 1%, i.e. Ivy kids have only spent their days in the room studying rather than having normal childhoods..

BTW..my kid did get 1480 and 1500 on two sittings..and a 3.8 UW 4.7 W..which could not possibly get one into one of the few schools worth attending..fortunately my kid could care less..and the research shows it don't matter anyhow!!!!

[Anonymous]

Couple of good lists here. One for big schools, one for LACs. The criteria used is pretty solid: 50%+ acceptance rate, high grad rate, high retention rate, high ranking, etc.

https://collegejaguar.com/good-safety-schools-for-ivy-applicants/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid's safety, according to college vine or wise (can't remember) for CS is U of Chicago - Urbana, GA Tech, UMD.

Hard target is CMU and U of Michigan.

Reach: Cal, UCLA, MIT

800 on SAT
Taking MVC right now
5 on AP Calc test

Several 5s on other AP tests.

It is an optimistic list

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have high level math skills..of course I understand who is on this site..and very aware that "super scoring" is the most absurd part of this..almost no other "test" let's an applicant do such a thing..in addition, if a kid wants to take this test multiple times, every test should have to be sent in..and then force the college to only report the AVERAGE of all tests..the world is mostly pass/fail..not a world where you get unlimited number of chances. I did read the reactions to my original post..however even if every one of these kids are the creme de la creme in yours/others eyes..math would tell you that there is still something wrong when ALL OF YOUR KIDS ARE IN THE TOP 1% (plus I failed to mention the grade inflation where I would guess ten percent in my kids high school got 4.0s...that should be investigated..or possibly the 1%, i.e. Ivy kids have only spent their days in the room studying rather than having normal childhoods..

BTW..my kid did get 1480 and 1500 on two sittings..and a 3.8 UW 4.7 W..which could not possibly get one into one of the few schools worth attending..fortunately my kid could care less..and the research shows it don't matter anyhow!!!!

If you understand the math and what is going on then what is your point? What do you see as the problem? Your original post implied people are lying or the College Board is manipulating the data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Couple of good lists here. One for big schools, one for LACs. The criteria used is pretty solid: 50%+ acceptance rate, high grad rate, high retention rate, high ranking, etc.

https://collegejaguar.com/good-safety-schools-for-ivy-applicants/

The acceptance rate doesn't give you the full picture of the stats of students who are applying.

You'd have to break up the rate based on the student stats. Otherwise, the acceptance rate seems meaningless to me.

More than likely, high stat students have a much higher acceptance rate compared to low/mid stat students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Couple of good lists here. One for big schools, one for LACs. The criteria used is pretty solid: 50%+ acceptance rate, high grad rate, high retention rate, high ranking, etc.

https://collegejaguar.com/good-safety-schools-for-ivy-applicants/

The acceptance rate doesn't give you the full picture of the stats of students who are applying.

You'd have to break up the rate based on the student stats. Otherwise, the acceptance rate seems meaningless to me.

More than likely, high stat students have a much higher acceptance rate compared to low/mid stat students.

Wasn't the OP asking about safeties for a student with a 4.0+ and 1500+? Any school with an acceptance rate above 50% is going to be pretty safe for a student like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have high level math skills..of course I understand who is on this site..and very aware that "super scoring" is the most absurd part of this..almost no other "test" let's an applicant do such a thing..in addition, if a kid wants to take this test multiple times, every test should have to be sent in..and then force the college to only report the AVERAGE of all tests..the world is mostly pass/fail..not a world where you get unlimited number of chances. I did read the reactions to my original post..however even if every one of these kids are the creme de la creme in yours/others eyes..math would tell you that there is still something wrong when ALL OF YOUR KIDS ARE IN THE TOP 1% (plus I failed to mention the grade inflation where I would guess ten percent in my kids high school got 4.0s...that should be investigated..or possibly the 1%, i.e. Ivy kids have only spent their days in the room studying rather than having normal childhoods..

BTW..my kid did get 1480 and 1500 on two sittings..and a 3.8 UW 4.7 W..which could not possibly get one into one of the few schools worth attending..fortunately my kid could care less..and the research shows it don't matter anyhow!!!!

Oh, so only a few universities in the US are "worth attending."

Got it.

(How long have you been a snob?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:when a top 1% of standardized test score plus 4.0 GPA does not get you into all but top 25 schools..then something is very very wrong

Yes, because most American universities are now about social engineering not merit applications. So URM, first-generation, and all the other subcategories accounted for by USNWR get in.

Or they don't view merit in the same way. There's artistic, scientific, athletic achievements that make someone who is in the the top 5% of GPA and scores much more desirable than someone who is in the top 1% in these categories. People who go all in for getting every last point in grades and SATs aren't necessarily always the most meritorious. Sometimes they've done that at the expense of building meaningful other skills and experiences. Sometimes the 4.0 GPA is taken in courses that are easier than others.

Achieving top 5-10% despite barriers (first gen) might be more indicative of merit than achieving 1% with support (college educated parents). That's not social engineering--that's recognizing achievement and potential.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:when a top 1% of standardized test score plus 4.0 GPA does not get you into all but top 25 schools..then something is very very wrong

Well...many students have even more than that, so it is what it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having just gone through this last year, thinking any school is a safety is foolish. Some of the safe schools won't pick your kid because they know he/she will not go there. Those stats are great, but it's a crazy world now. I hope your child has some way of differentiating themselves other than with numbers. That does not cut it anymore.

U Mich is one such example. They know DC-area kids use it as a safety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your kid is 4.0+, 1500+ student, what are their safeties?

I told my kids they need to have true safeties. One kid said Boston University and other kid said USC. I told them they should have a few true safeties. I was thinking Penn State.

IMO, top stats kids should think about applying to safeties in RD, if they have made a horrible mistake in identifying target schools during early action. This board gets all up in arms when top stats kids are rejected from their safeties because the schools know there is no way that kid isn't getting in somewhere else higher ranked. It's better time spent correctly identifying target schools (where DC's stats are above median, but acceptances are 20-50%), doing a good job on essays/questions that show understanding and fit with the school, and applying early action to these. These schools should include the in-state flagship(s), which every top stat kid should be applying to at least for the base of comparison (cost, honors college, etc.)

Save the fretting about safeties for January, because top stat kids who are realistic about the process should have a couple of solid acceptances at target and reach schools by then.

Aren't most apps due Jan 1?

Yes, for many. But applying earlier can help with Merit awards. It also demonstrates a bit of interest to the school. Those who apply after Dec 15 (ie ED day), really shows the student did not get into their ED choice. My own kid had all but 3 schools done by Nov 1. And the rest done before thanksgiving. Do it that way, you should have some EA/RD responses by xmas and you can enjoy Dec/holiday season with lower stress levels