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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Following a variety of college admissions pages and reading this thread helped us a lot. Could not afford private counselor. Kids attended a NOVA low ranked HS.

Kid 1: accepted to UVA. Loves it there!
Kid 2: accepted to 6 out of 8 colleges. Commited to least prestigious because it is a great fit, tuition is doable, and excellent program for their major. Happy with their choice!

Meanwhile, one of their friends, who is off the charts smart, 4 year varsity athlete, volunteers, is getting shut out of their top choices. Parents are grads of of top 20 school, but are not on social media, and as far as I know, did not hire a private counselor. I don’t think the kid had enough guidance along the way. Maybe they assumed their kid’s stats would be enough. [/quote]

What type of advice here was valuable?[/quote]

1. Wait and ask for more merit money before signing the check. 
2. Pay to play camps do not move the needle
3. Do not pay attention to what peers are doing. 
4. Mission trips show that you are probably wealthy
5.  Better to be the big fish in the small pond in high school, and possibly in college as well. 
6. Naviance shows gpa at end of high school.  Kids are applying junior year, and most likely have lower GPAs. Do not be afraid to apply to that school that mostly accepts kids with 4.4 gpa, when your kid has a 4.2 
7. Do not eliminate schools because the dorms are crappy. Most students only live in them for one year. Same with food. 
8. Do not cross out schools because the tour was bad. Maybe you just had a bad guide. 
9. Be clear with your kid about how much you are able to spend on tuition. Do not let them get their hopes up. 
10. A basic regular job goes a long way, and can move the needle. Think restaurant, lifeguard, camp counselor, landscaping, babysitting. Family responsibilities also look good. , 
11.  Essays should not be a list of all accomplishments or about sports injury or death in the family. Think of a challenge they had, and how they overcame it. Getting out of their safety bubble. Show vulnerability. 
12.  Do not poo poo schools that have high acceptance rates. 
13. Contact regional admissions officers to show demonstrated interest. 
14.  Follow college social media admissions pages
15. Be excited for all acceptances your kid gets, and be supportive when they get waitlisted or declined. Remind them that sometimes the schools have certain priorities, and there was nothing they could do about it.

Just a few things I’ve learned on this forum.  There are probably more, but that was all I could come up with now.  Please be kind :)[/quote]

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