‘24. The role of hooks, narratives, and packaging.

Anonymous wrote:How being a high stats kids really doesn't matter much at all for top schools. The "holistic" voodoo and "institutional priorities" approach is really tough for kids that truly excel (1560+ SAT, over 10 APs with all fives on tests, Merit Finalist, etc) to handle. Stories of others getting shut out of all top schools they apply to are harrowing and stressful.

Yes.
I learned here: the stats just get your kid's application through the door. After you meet the threshold, for T10, they don't often "revisit" the stats because the kid met the requirements. But, it's then about EVERYTHING else and DC must stand out. The "story" of the kid is much more important to top schools than the stats. Our private's CCO, said to focus on the story in 11th grade and what makes DC different than everyone else.

How being a high stats kids really doesn't matter much at all for top schools. The "holistic" voodoo and "institutional priorities" approach is really tough for kids that truly excel (1560+ SAT, over 10 APs with all fives on tests, Merit Finalist, etc) to handle. Stories of others getting shut out of all top schools they apply to are harrowing and stressful.

how many free resources there are if you just take a bit of time to use them, learn about them.

oh and some private counselors are a total and utter waste if you do the abovementioned learning and listening.

Most kids aren't really cutthroat when it comes to the admissions process. My daughter's group of friends have actually been very supportive of each other throughout the process. It is more important for the parents that there kids are going to the higher ranked school.

Anonymous wrote:There’s are great opportunities everywhere. I’m an East Coast SLAC snob but changed or expanded my thinking when we saw the southern public flagships.

Can you be more specific about which southern public flagships?

There’s are great opportunities everywhere. I’m an East Coast SLAC snob but changed or expanded my thinking when we saw the southern public flagships.

That the whole process is stupid. I can't believe we're still waiting on decisions but have had some since November.

That said, DS has gotten in everywhere because we found several schools he really liked that fit his academic profile. I'm sure he'll be happy at any of them. I think we attacked the whole stupid process the right way. I'm just jealous of the ED success story families, but that wasn't right for my DS.

The idea of perfect fit is utter BS...most kids could be happy at many different places - parents are just putting more pressure on kids to subscribe to some concept of the perfect fit when its not realistic.

Anonymous wrote:Two things:

1. Emphasis on prestige - I knew it was bad but good lord I can't imagine what we are doing to our kids from a stress level perspective.
2. Fixation on employable majors - the majority of 18yo kids don't really know what they want to do for the rest of their lives - be open to allowing them to explore vs pushing for some "guaranteed" money making major. If there is an obvious intersection then great but don't force your kid into a major.

So true. Was halfway through the YCBK podcast from today about the old listener who was a legacy of HYP whose kid was denied and finishing first year in Honors College at Arizona. Eye-opening.

Can I contribute as the parent of a recent college grad and college junior? What I learned is that college flies by and your child can be happy at more than one school. Goodness of fit matters way more than prestige. Also, if your child creates a realistic list that includes multiple targets and safeties, you won’t have to fear being shut out. I don’t know of one single student who was rejected everywhere. As a matter of fact, every student I know has had a choice of where to attend. The only people who seem to be miserable are those who are status conscious. There will never be enough slots at the top schools for every qualified applicant so it’s just a lottery. Accept that fact by freshman year of HS and your child will be far less stressed.

That it's really easy to get into college if you're a good student with pretty good scores but not top scores (in this case a 1400). My ds got in everywhere he applied but one college as a normal kid who picked easier APs and enjoyed his life without stress. I was so worried and thought it would be a lot harder than it was.

Two things:

1. Emphasis on prestige - I knew it was bad but good lord I can't imagine what we are doing to our kids from a stress level perspective.
2. Fixation on employable majors - the majority of 18yo kids don't really know what they want to do for the rest of their lives - be open to allowing them to explore vs pushing for some "guaranteed" money making major. If there is an obvious intersection then great but don't force your kid into a major.

How secretive some colleges are about when their RD decisions will be released.

What has surprised you - that you were clueless about?