How is your top student doing with acceptances?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both of my kids are strong students and neither of them were aiming for Ivies. Both applied ED to SLACs and got in. For both of them the key was to think hard about the characteristics of the school that mattered to them (size, location, curriculum, vibe), figure out where they could be happy (there's not just one place), and then try to aim accurately in terms of grades/scores/other qualities. The advantage conferred by ED does you no good at all if you aim too high.

In the case of my older kid (HS class of 2018) he had a 4.7/3.9 (weighted/unweighted) and a 1450 on his SATs, with good but not amazing ECs, and got into a NE SLAC with an admit rate in the high teens. He was interested in a place with an open (or nearly open) curriculum and a progressive but not wildly left political climate. He wanted the warmth and community of a small school.

My younger kid, who graduates this year, had slightly lower grades and not quite as many APs as her brother. After a zillion cancellations she took the ACT in October and got a 34. Her ECs were ok. She was admitted ED to a NE SLAC with an admit rate of around 30%. She had some of the same priorities as my older kid, but warmth and community were really important to her.

The situation this year is particularly crazy for the tippy top schools because everyone has gone test optional. Tons of kids who would not have applied if they had to submit scores are now in the pool, and the admissions officers are (I think) being much more conservative in who they admit early. I think my daughter in particular was lucky that her ED choice was a school that was already test optional and therefore had more experience in evaluating candidates without scores.

Can you name your older child's college - or at least a few he was interested in. My DC wants a similar vibe although on this board all of the small NE colleges he likes are labelled "SJW" colleges. He is liberal and greatly enjoys politics but is very open to ideas and enjoys discussion so would not want a college where one viewpoint is dominant to the exclusion of all others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Denied at a high match that sibling was admitted to two yrs ago. Deferred at another. Submitted scores at 75th percentile. Accepted to one safety so far.

Wondering if this admission season is some sort of free-for-all. Feeling nauseated.

This is happening at our school too. So many deferrals. Do you think all these deferrals will eventually get in RD or even off the WL in June? With applications up 40%+ at most top schools, they are probably being cautious about over enrollment. Once kids start declining offers, I think it should shift. You can only go to one school and many kids on reddit are applying to 20+ schools this year.

That's all possible, but it'll be a long wait. Really wish I knew whether the deferral - and the direct denial! - were more along the lines of "we didn't think you really wanted to come badly enough" or whether it's "your grades aren't quite as good as your test-optional competitors, so you lose," two different situations.

When reports on early app numbers started to surface, with their huge increases, I was afraid this might happen. And we're not even talking tippy top schools, more like top 40s-60s.

Yes, this is my DC’s situation too. I do think test optional benefits public school kids with very high GPAs and no test scores. My kid has a high test score and lower GPA from a rigorous private that doesn’t weight grades or offer many APs anymore.

The poor's get all the breaks! It ain't right!!

The schools have the profile from your's child's "rigorous private" so they can see the difference in rigor among schools. It's not as big of a dealbreaker as you may think.

People in private schools are blaming grade deflation, but I think schools are just not as interested in private school kids as in the past. I think there is a certain amount of “discounting” that goes on for kids from privileged backgrounds (unless you’re a development case). I understand why people who have sacrificed to send their kids to private school are frustrated by this, but this has been a trend for a while, and it’s just coming to fruition with test-optional admissions.

I am curious about this. What do you mean by “discounting”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is a truly mediocre student but has a high SAT. So far in EA at three targets, two reaches, and one safety. Weirdly, denied or deferred at two additional safeties and one reach. No hooks, no rhyme, no reason.

That is one tell tell sign for high income full pay students.

You mean full pay like the bulk of attending students, and exactly the sort schools must attract? Merit aid, to the extent offered, is a method of attracting more students who *can* pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is a truly mediocre student but has a high SAT. So far in EA at three targets, two reaches, and one safety. Weirdly, denied or deferred at two additional safeties and one reach. No hooks, no rhyme, no reason.

That is one tell tell sign for high income full pay students.

You mean full pay like the bulk of attending students, and exactly the sort schools must attract? Merit aid, to the extent offered, is a method of attracting more students who *can* pay.

Why is there so much bitterness surrounding full pay students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is a truly mediocre student but has a high SAT. So far in EA at three targets, two reaches, and one safety. Weirdly, denied or deferred at two additional safeties and one reach. No hooks, no rhyme, no reason.

That is one tell tell sign for high income full pay students.

You mean full pay like the bulk of attending students, and exactly the sort schools must attract? Merit aid, to the extent offered, is a method of attracting more students who *can* pay.

Why is there so much bitterness surrounding full pay students?

Why do people resent rich kids having yet another leg up? You’re right, that is a mystery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is a truly mediocre student but has a high SAT. So far in EA at three targets, two reaches, and one safety. Weirdly, denied or deferred at two additional safeties and one reach. No hooks, no rhyme, no reason.

That is one tell tell sign for high income full pay students.

You mean full pay like the bulk of attending students, and exactly the sort schools must attract? Merit aid, to the extent offered, is a method of attracting more students who *can* pay.

Why is there so much bitterness surrounding full pay students?

Why do people resent rich kids having yet another leg up? You’re right, that is a mystery.

Why do expect others to pay for your kid to go to college? Send them to your state flagship. They will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is a truly mediocre student but has a high SAT. So far in EA at three targets, two reaches, and one safety. Weirdly, denied or deferred at two additional safeties and one reach. No hooks, no rhyme, no reason.

That is one tell tell sign for high income full pay students.

You mean full pay like the bulk of attending students, and exactly the sort schools must attract? Merit aid, to the extent offered, is a method of attracting more students who *can* pay.

Why is there so much bitterness surrounding full pay students?

Why do people resent rich kids having yet another leg up? You’re right, that is a mystery.

Paying customers have a leg up, no surprise there. Half the posts around here, are people who could pay but have decided *they* shouldn't have to. By all means give it a go, but don't blame everyone else if it doesn't work out.

[Anonymous]

^^ But at least you understand it now. You’re slow but you’re getting there. Let me guess: child of privilege yourself?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is a truly mediocre student but has a high SAT. So far in EA at three targets, two reaches, and one safety. Weirdly, denied or deferred at two additional safeties and one reach. No hooks, no rhyme, no reason.

That is one tell tell sign for high income full pay students.

You mean full pay like the bulk of attending students, and exactly the sort schools must attract? Merit aid, to the extent offered, is a method of attracting more students who *can* pay.

Why is there so much bitterness surrounding full pay students?

Why do people resent rich kids having yet another leg up? You’re right, that is a mystery.

Full pays subsidize others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is a truly mediocre student but has a high SAT. So far in EA at three targets, two reaches, and one safety. Weirdly, denied or deferred at two additional safeties and one reach. No hooks, no rhyme, no reason.

That is one tell tell sign for high income full pay students.

You mean full pay like the bulk of attending students, and exactly the sort schools must attract? Merit aid, to the extent offered, is a method of attracting more students who *can* pay.

Why is there so much bitterness surrounding full pay students?

Why do people resent rich kids having yet another leg up? You’re right, that is a mystery.

Full pays subsidize others.

And in states like Virginia, OOS students subsidize in-state students. The state only pays about $8K per undergraduate per year on average.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is a truly mediocre student but has a high SAT. So far in EA at three targets, two reaches, and one safety. Weirdly, denied or deferred at two additional safeties and one reach. No hooks, no rhyme, no reason.

That is one tell tell sign for high income full pay students.

You mean full pay like the bulk of attending students, and exactly the sort schools must attract? Merit aid, to the extent offered, is a method of attracting more students who *can* pay.

Why is there so much bitterness surrounding full pay students?

Why do people resent rich kids having yet another leg up? You’re right, that is a mystery.

Sorry you don’t make enough money or didn’t save enough. Junior will be fine at UVA or UMD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is a truly mediocre student but has a high SAT. So far in EA at three targets, two reaches, and one safety. Weirdly, denied or deferred at two additional safeties and one reach. No hooks, no rhyme, no reason.

That is one tell tell sign for high income full pay students.

You mean full pay like the bulk of attending students, and exactly the sort schools must attract? Merit aid, to the extent offered, is a method of attracting more students who *can* pay.

Why is there so much bitterness surrounding full pay students?

Why do people resent rich kids having yet another leg up? You’re right, that is a mystery.

Sorry you don’t make enough money or didn’t save enough. Junior will be fine at UVA or UMD.

Just answering the question. My kids are full pay. Feeling that burn yet, or too dumb to understand that too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC is a truly mediocre student but has a high SAT. So far in EA at three targets, two reaches, and one safety. Weirdly, denied or deferred at two additional safeties and one reach. No hooks, no rhyme, no reason.

That is one tell tell sign for high income full pay students.

You mean full pay like the bulk of attending students, and exactly the sort schools must attract? Merit aid, to the extent offered, is a method of attracting more students who *can* pay.

Why is there so much bitterness surrounding full pay students?

Why do people resent rich kids having yet another leg up? You’re right, that is a mystery.

Sorry you don’t make enough money or didn’t save enough. Junior will be fine at UVA or UMD.

Where did you guys read about full pay “bitterness” ?