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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Mom of a middle schooler here - is this a joke? A super smart kid with high scores and you guys think he needs to apply to college in Canada because he won't get into any top US schools? MUST every child have a hook? This is only like 5% of kids. Where do the rest go? This is insane. I think DCUMommies are just insane.[/quote]

Fair enough. But there are a gazillion students applying to T20 schools. Almost all have great stats. And these schools generally have sub 6 percent acceptance rates. A 1600 and a 4.0 unweighted doesn't mean anything at these schools - except the application gets read. They crossed that bar. But if there's nothing else there - like in this example - it's going into the reject pile regardless. Every year, there are roughly 7 million college applications being sent out. That's a lot of apps. For the top schools, you need to distinguish yourself in some way beyond grades and test scores, which are only a marker to have the application read in the first place.

An unmotivated but smart student like this has a better chance at honors programs at state schools, which are more stat driven. So are the Canadian schools. As for UK universities, Cambridge and Oxford are not happening even with perfect stats. There's an interview process that delves into things beyond stats.

To be honest, smart students who are unmotivated to do anything else is actually a red flag at many schools. Elite schools are inviting students to be part of a community. And if they are not contributing, what's the point of attending. This student should use the stats to get into an honors program at a state school. Or use it to get merit at lower ranked schools.  [/quote]

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