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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I have a junior who has straight As, highest rigor, 1500+ SAT, 2 varsity sports that he should be captain senior year, summer internships, academic clubs and competitions but no national or international recognition in anything.

He is such a hard working kid. I thought a 1500 would be good enough but he is trying to get 1550 on his SAT. Not sure how big of a difference 1510 or 1550 is.

[b]I have seen some superstar kids get rejected from all the top schools and making me nervous[/b].[/quote]

If your definition of success is to get in to one or more of the “top schools,” you are indeed setting yourself and your DS up for failure.

Take a broader view of success. In addition to the “reaches for all” schools, find targets and safeties that would be a great fit for him. Find schools where he would thrive - including many that are not T10 or T20.

Hard truth: It is an unpredictable process. Apply widely and see what happens. But please know that what you e seen this year is not uncommon. MANY amazing kids with a 4.0 (unweighted), 12+ APs, and 1550+ do not get into a single T10 or T20.

Here’s our DC’s story: They have the stats I listed above. Non-STEM major who was one of a handful in their grade to take Calc BC junior year (5 on exam), Physics C (both parts) senior year, as well as the full range of other APs.

Hooked at two T10 schools (legacy) but did not get in to either. Was waitlisted at the HYPSM legacy school and ED deferred + RD rejected at the other T10 legacy school.

But DC did get in to a different T10 plus Cornell with a fellowship they did not even know about or apply for. (Plus massive merit aid and special opportunities at two T50 schools.)

This is a STRANGE and often UNPREDICTABLE process. Encourage your DC to give the applications his very best effort, but please do yourself a favor - expect nothing when it comes to the T10 and T20 schools. Nothing is guaranteed.

So keep hoping for the best while taking a much wider view of “success”. If your child is bright and resilient, they will bloom wherever they are planted. THAT is success!

[/quote]

Great comment.

And my 2 cents: forget about ivyes. There is this misconception that ivy league schools are the best and that it is not necessarily true. MIT, CMU, Stanford are better than any ivy on engineering. JHU is better than any ivy on BME, and pre-med. And list can go on.

Kids go to Ivy league schools first for connections and prestige and second for education. That's not the case with other top *non ivyes) where kids go to learn.[/quote]
Brown beats JHU for premed[/quote]

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