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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We have a 9th grader and starting to think about college (in the “what should she be doing to be well-positioned” way, not in the “let’s go on college visits” way). We don’t know what her stats will be, though she’s on track to finish first semester with all As and one B (in an AP class). Obviously no test scores yet. In thinking about the types of school she should be targeting, should we be looking at acceptance rate or ranking? For example, I see Tulane mentioned here a lot and I think she’d be interested. Tulane has a low acceptance rate (11%), but it’s ranked 73 by USNWR. Not sure what to make of these different stats. [/quote]

Why do you think your daughter would be interested in Tulane?  That is a much better question to explore than statistics questions.

For example, you could identify a few interest patterns your daughter has, and then make a list of schools that might work.  Then ask parents here whether the courses and ECs your daughter already has or plans to have will support her making a case for admission.  Their qualitative feedback may give you insights you can use now.

I don't think ranking is very important as a college selection criteria.  It's obvious that HYPSM is going to provide very high salaries.  But below the very top, there are good schools in every region of the country and statistically the ranking differences just aren't all that meaningful from the standpoint of the student's lived experience.

Also, you could help your daughter buttress her math and math test taking skills now.  In my state, the state has mandated the PSAT and then SAT, every year from 8th grade to 11th.  So there is already age-appropriate standardized testing out there.  Address areas of weakness now to permit better choices later.  Even free resources from Khan Academy/College Board could be helpful.

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I think she’d be interested in Tulane based on the kids I know who go there/she’s active in a Jewish youth group/etc., but I was using Tulane mostly as an example. It seems like every school is hard to get into now and she’s a good student who is involved in different activities but not on track to win any national awards![/quote]

Do not worry.  There are the same proportion of normal kids as there used to be.  DMV and this board has a high concentration of kids with 1500+ SATs and parents who have strong opinions about where these students should go to school. Actually, I haven't read a ton about nationally significant/ranked talents on here...maybe their parents don't have to worry so don't post.

In the face of fears about college apps, I recommend being genuine.  There is an active thread now about the special skill/talent college essay.  Read that and reflect on how your child will write something like that in three years.

I also recommend spending more time figuring out "fit" issues.  One thing that worked best with my child was watching Youtube videos (reviews) by enrolled students.  My kid wasn't interested in websites and paperback books.

Finally, don't place much weight on rankings that differ by 10-20 places...your kid needs to be in a comfortable geography and to find people with aligned interests.  You can't really get a sense of school culture from a magazine article or a book.  Instead, talk to parents, graduates, current students, etc.  Poor fit with school culture can provoke mental health issues, lead to transferring, etc.  Much of what is taught at colleges is also fairly similar from school to school.  Professor quality, facilities, class size, and peer quality are the things that are more differentiating.

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OP here. I appreciate this post. I made the mistake of reading the thread about ECs and it seemed like everyone posting had a kid who won some sort of regional or national STEM competition or had started a business or something. [/quote]

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