Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 13:45     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:OP here. Ugh. I swore to myself that my 9:43 post would be my last on this thread, but here I am.

Kid took the classes that they wanted, did the ECs that they wanted, didn't grind much at all, and is naturally very bright and high achieving with quirky interests. They aren't going to fit some sort of "package" and have no interest whatsoever in trying to create a hook out of the cancer or any hobbies.

If anything, this entire thread has encouraged us to not bother "playing the game." I'm not even sure that my kid would want to be at a school filled with these overly packaged kids. I knew admissions were holistic, but I didn't realize just how holistic and over-the-top everything has become.


Hi OP - I can relate. I have a quirky, ND, queer kid who is high stats, a NMF and ECs are related to anime, coding and video editing. Application was authentic and spoke to their interests and activities.

Kid worked on a college list of NMF scholarship schools with some Ivies and targets thrown in as well. Accepted everywhere but T30. Absolutely happy to have several full ride options and + Honors ranging from T40+ schools.

For us, money was a major consideration and I’m proud of the merit $$ offers. Kid is still weighing top 3 options before committing.

Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 13:43     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The following may seem crass. I’m sorry.

I think that most people posting missed the part about you having cancer.

Maybe that can actually be a hook and help your DC explain away any weakness in ECs.

What’s your DC’s “story”? DC is helping to take care of Mom.

My guess is that your DC writes well, tha the teachers love your DC, and that your DC may do better at T20 schools with great aid than the jerks here think because your DC is the real thing, not the product of tutoring.


Is this something you made up?

Honest opinions = being a jerk?


It is not crass. It is part of the kid's personal story and narrative. It shaped them into who they are today and will give a full picture to the admissions officers.
My kid, a slightly above average, but not exceptional student, got into a T20 school, incorporating into his essays how his father's chronic condition impacted his life. Not a sob story, just matter of fact telling of how he helped take care of his dad etc... He is a kind, empathetic individual and I believe his teachers' LORs also reflected how they appreciated him.


Except you said kid’s story is helping to care for mom. You made that up. OP never said one word about kid helping mom or mom even needing help.


Having a parent with serious illness is part of the kid’s story! Just read again.
Try being open minded and nice for a change.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 12:56     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:OP here. Ugh. I swore to myself that my 9:43 post would be my last on this thread, but here I am.

Kid took the classes that they wanted, did the ECs that they wanted, didn't grind much at all, and is naturally very bright and high achieving with quirky interests. They aren't going to fit some sort of "package" and have no interest whatsoever in trying to create a hook out of the cancer or any hobbies.

If anything, this entire thread has encouraged us to not bother "playing the game." I'm not even sure that my kid would want to be at a school filled with these overly packaged kids. I knew admissions were holistic, but I didn't realize just how holistic and over-the-top everything has become.


You might want kid to apply to Northwestern, Cornell, Brown and a few others...I am serious. I think your kid should look into it. Post a new thread with application advice/major/activities when you get there this summer. Register online for webinars and local college fairs. Make sure the regional AO knows your kid for top 3 schools on list. Check the NPC for the schools mentioned.

GL!!! Rooting for you. Hope your cancer is in remission.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 12:53     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Be sure to check out the elite publics - UCLA, UCB, U Mich, UVA, etc., as these schools seem to continue to value traditional measures of academic success over the process of packaging a kid as a historic costume designer.


Hahaha. Best comment of the thread. A new EC…


The fact that these poor kids have to grind, take top rigor, max out ECs and then have to package it all up tied to a FREAKING MAJOR has to stop. The top liberal arts ivies used to be places where kids could find themselves. It's all too much and causing insane burnout. I am past this process with my two, but if I had a third I would suggest not even "playing the game."

I kind of agree with you, but as you stated, you didn't have to play any games a long time ago to get into a T15. You do now.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 12:51     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
OP here. Ugh. I swore to myself that my 9:43 post would be my last on this thread, but here I am.

Kid took the classes that they wanted, did the ECs that they wanted, didn't grind much at all, and is naturally very bright and high achieving with quirky interests. They aren't going to fit some sort of "package" and have no interest whatsoever in trying to create a hook out of the cancer or any hobbies.

If anything, this entire thread has encouraged us to not bother "playing the game." I'm not even sure that my kid would want to be at a school filled with these overly packaged kids. I knew admissions were holistic, but I didn't realize just how holistic and over-the-top everything has become.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 12:50     Subject: Re:Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
The issue isn't the number of students with top stats, it's the number of students with top stats who behave in the same way. They are all applying to the same handful of prestigious, need-blind schools with better than average aid packages. So for this subset of schools, in addition to having the stats to get in, best to bring something extra, somehow demonstrate that you aren't just carpet bombing schools with extra aid.

If the aid package is the top goal, it's much better to apply to lower ranked schools that are buying stats. At the very least put these schools in the mix, because top students who don't run the real risk of a shutout.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 12:44     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Be sure to check out the elite publics - UCLA, UCB, U Mich, UVA, etc., as these schools seem to continue to value traditional measures of academic success over the process of packaging a kid as a historic costume designer.


Hahaha. Best comment of the thread. A new EC…


The fact that these poor kids have to grind, take top rigor, max out ECs and then have to package it all up tied to a FREAKING MAJOR has to stop. The top liberal arts ivies used to be places where kids could find themselves. It's all too much and causing insane burnout. I am past this process with my two, but if I had a third I would suggest not even "playing the game."
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 12:42     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:OP here once again. My mind is blown that a 99.9th percentile ACT, NMSF, 10+ APs with mostly 5s, and a nearly perfect GPA are a dime a dozen and not something that would interest T20 schools. I guess you learn something every day.


Don't get your advice here. These are people you are competing with for your kids' admission shots and they come to DCUM to discourage others from applying and spread fear. Your kid should apply to any school your kid wants that you may be able to afford. T20s will give financial aid to 150HHI families. For example, see here: https://admission.princeton.edu/cost-aid/how-financial-aid-works#:~:text=New%20Methodology,board%2C%20books%20and%20personal%20expenses.

Good luck to your kid! And everyone else who is trying to intimidate you too!
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 12:28     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:Why not try for the top-- check the NPC for MIT, Bryn Mawr (if a girl), Harvard-- it's possible that you will be able to afford it. And your income would be considered low enough that the app fees are waived.

Even if your kid doesn't get in, the time spent working on the essays, etc. can be very worthwhile. Why not try? That way you'll not consider, "what if?"


PP back-- re: "And your income would be considered low enough that the app fees are waived." Actually, I'm not sure about that-- may be for some schools but not others.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 12:27     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Why not try for the top-- check the NPC for MIT, Bryn Mawr (if a girl), Harvard-- it's possible that you will be able to afford it. And your income would be considered low enough that the app fees are waived.

Even if your kid doesn't get in, the time spent working on the essays, etc. can be very worthwhile. Why not try? That way you'll not consider, "what if?"
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 11:31     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here once again. My mind is blown that a 99.9th percentile ACT, NMSF, 10+ APs with mostly 5s, and a nearly perfect GPA are a dime a dozen and not something that would interest T20 schools. I guess you learn something every day.


Well, they probably aren't a dime a dozen in Idaho or Wyoming or Montana, but in metro DC (or metro NYC, metro SF, etc), there are many. Sorry to enlighten you to the real world out here.


define "many"? People act like there are thousands of them in this area, there are not. There are only like thousands in the country that have a 1570+ alone, once you start adding in nmsf, ap, etc it whittles down further and further.


Op said top 25% at kid’s school are nmsf.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 11:30     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The following may seem crass. I’m sorry.

I think that most people posting missed the part about you having cancer.

Maybe that can actually be a hook and help your DC explain away any weakness in ECs.

What’s your DC’s “story”? DC is helping to take care of Mom.

My guess is that your DC writes well, tha the teachers love your DC, and that your DC may do better at T20 schools with great aid than the jerks here think because your DC is the real thing, not the product of tutoring.


Is this something you made up?

Honest opinions = being a jerk?


It is not crass. It is part of the kid's personal story and narrative. It shaped them into who they are today and will give a full picture to the admissions officers.
My kid, a slightly above average, but not exceptional student, got into a T20 school, incorporating into his essays how his father's chronic condition impacted his life. Not a sob story, just matter of fact telling of how he helped take care of his dad etc... He is a kind, empathetic individual and I believe his teachers' LORs also reflected how they appreciated him.


Except you said kid’s story is helping to care for mom. You made that up. OP never said one word about kid helping mom or mom even needing help.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 11:14     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:He has nothing to offer the T10 or Ivies so I would water your money on Duke or the like.

There is nothing wrong with OP's kid taking a shot at a few T10s. I am a PP with a high stats kid who did not have a good cycle this year. However, older sibling, also with high stats, NMF, with ECs that were nothing special, is at a T10 right now, after applying ED.

There is too much uncertainty to not give it a try. Maybe it won't work out, but it might. If kid has a top choice and that top choice is affordable for OP per the Net Price Calculator, I would strongly suggest applying ED.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 11:08     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here once again. My mind is blown that a 99.9th percentile ACT, NMSF, 10+ APs with mostly 5s, and a nearly perfect GPA are a dime a dozen and not something that would interest T20 schools. I guess you learn something every day.


My mind is blown that you haven’t done any tire kicking to realize the reality that these types of kids are incredibly common in this country? Talk about self centered.


Not OP but jeez! stop being so snotty!

College is a weird weird world now and so 100% different from when all of us parents applied that unless you have started to spend time spots like this to realize the outcomes for high stats kids and to hear about how people “cultivate” these ridiculous “spiky” profiles for their kids, you will not assume either is the case. People just do not realize how much things have changed from when we all were applying.


OP is a donut hole family and is just starting to do research now at the 11th hour. Snark is warranted. Not sure how old you are but it’s not dramatically different from when I went through the process.


Did you read that OP has been going through cancer treatment for the last 5 years?? What is wrong with you??


Easily missed seeing as OP didn't identify themself in the follow up post where the medical diagnosis was shared.

What is wrong with you besides jumping on people who are giving harsh but valid feedback?

Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 10:52     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here once again. My mind is blown that a 99.9th percentile ACT, NMSF, 10+ APs with mostly 5s, and a nearly perfect GPA are a dime a dozen and not something that would interest T20 schools. I guess you learn something every day.


Well, they probably aren't a dime a dozen in Idaho or Wyoming or Montana, but in metro DC (or metro NYC, metro SF, etc), there are many. Sorry to enlighten you to the real world out here.


define "many"? People act like there are thousands of them in this area, there are not. There are only like thousands in the country that have a 1570+ alone, once you start adding in nmsf, ap, etc it whittles down further and further.