Anonymous wrote:My dd was accepted into her reach school, Rutgers University (ok DCUM I realize this isn’t a reach for most of you but hear me out) She is deciding between there and U of Delaware, a target where her stats fit perfectly. She really likes Rutgers because of large diverse campus and proximity to nyc. But the average gpa/sat scores posted are quite a bit above hers. Is there any reason to think there would be a big difference in these schools in terms of difficulty or work load? I don’t want my kid to be out of her league. Thx all.
PS it didn’t help when we visited UD (which I really liked) we overheard one parent say “all the Rutgers rejects go to UD.” Is this true?
If Rutgers accepted her, it’s because they believe she can handle the level of difficulty that they offer. And that level of difficulty will vary depending on the major.
Ultimately the success of any student depends on their ability to work hard. Bright kids can wash out because they’re not willing to put in the time while more average college students can excel because they make the commitment to succeed. Is your daughter a hard worker?
Keep in mind that difficulty of admission is higher than it’s ever been. While Rutgers may be a reach for your daughter right now, it might have been a target for her just 3-5 years ago. The professors haven’t suddenly changed what they’re expecting if students because te SAT scores went up. They’re teaching the same way they always have.
If Rutgers is where she feels she fits, I’d send her off and wouldn’t give it a second thought. There a really a lot of nice things about college life at Rutgers. The “neighborhoods” and the different undergraduate colleges give Rutgers its own unique personality.
Best of luck to her.
PS - The parent you overheard at Delaware is an idiot.