Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:58     Subject: if me DD’s odds
If the Ivy is Penn, legacy won’t help at all, unfortunately. More important than Gpa is where she is in the class. Is she in top 5 students or top five percent?
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:41     Subject: Re:if me DD’s odds
You people are insane. My dd had nowhere near the ECs and didn't have a perfect GPA and got into Cornell. No legacy, no connections. Just a rich white girl from the burbs.

She's clearly qualified. It's just luck otherwise
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:29     Subject: if me DD’s odds
Anonymous wrote:Her GPA is a 4.1 uw (weighted maybe 4.5, 4.6?). Her school is weird with its system. For all intents and purposes, say 4.0.

Re: summer, she’s going back to the summer program she’s an ambassador for. She really likes it. Writing and reading at a New England SLAC. She also works at a cupcake shop and will be doing a School of Rock show. Would love for her to try her hand at more writing (and agree on lack of leadership), but I don’t want to force it.

In terms of other schools, she likes Tufts a lot (didn’t love the commute to SMFA though), but liked Wesleyan more so will prob do that ED2. Gaming it out though I’m thinking the Ivy might defer her (soft rejection since DH and I are alumni) which will mess up the ED2 plan.

What do you think of W&M for her?

Could she write a poem that could be turned into a song for her band in collaboration with bandmates? That's outside the norm and may be a fun stretch.

Or maybe she could write something for a literary magazine as part of her summer experience?

It's time to push her comfort zone just a bit.
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:24     Subject: if me DD’s odds
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Her GPA is a 4.1 uw (weighted maybe 4.5, 4.6?). Her school is weird with its system. For all intents and purposes, say 4.0.

Re: summer, she’s going back to the summer program she’s an ambassador for. She really likes it. Writing and reading at a New England SLAC. She also works at a cupcake shop and will be doing a School of Rock show. Would love for her to try her hand at more writing (and agree on lack of leadership), but I don’t want to force it.

In terms of other schools, she likes Tufts a lot (didn’t love the commute to SMFA though), but liked Wesleyan more so will prob do that ED2. Gaming it out though I’m thinking the Ivy might defer her (soft rejection since DH and I are alumni) which will mess up the ED2 plan.

What do you think of W&M for her?



She sounds like a wonderful fit for W&M!


Yay! I think so too. We’re going to visit in a few weeks (and she just scheduled an interview)!
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:22     Subject: if me DD’s odds
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Her GPA is a 4.1 uw (weighted maybe 4.5, 4.6?). Her school is weird with its system. For all intents and purposes, say 4.0.

Re: summer, she’s going back to the summer program she’s an ambassador for. She really likes it. Writing and reading at a New England SLAC. She also works at a cupcake shop and will be doing a School of Rock show. Would love for her to try her hand at more writing (and agree on lack of leadership), but I don’t want to force it.

In terms of other schools, she likes Tufts a lot (didn’t love the commute to SMFA though), but liked Wesleyan more so will prob do that ED2. Gaming it out though I’m thinking the Ivy might defer her (soft rejection since DH and I are alumni) which will mess up the ED2 plan.

What do you think of W&M for her?


Yay! I think so too! We’re going to visit in a few weeks. Just scheduled an interview as well.


She sounds like a wonderful fit for W&M!
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:20     Subject: if me DD’s odds
Laying it all out…She’s a full-pay white girl interested in the humanities BUT truly enjoys all subjects. Taking Calc BC next year, took AP Physics I this year and liked it (considered taking Physics C next year but didn’t really make sense since she’s not a STEM person and and will be taking 5 APs). She’s an old school liberal arts kid.
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:17     Subject: if me DD’s odds
Anonymous wrote:Her GPA is a 4.1 uw (weighted maybe 4.5, 4.6?). Her school is weird with its system. For all intents and purposes, say 4.0.

Re: summer, she’s going back to the summer program she’s an ambassador for. She really likes it. Writing and reading at a New England SLAC. She also works at a cupcake shop and will be doing a School of Rock show. Would love for her to try her hand at more writing (and agree on lack of leadership), but I don’t want to force it.

In terms of other schools, she likes Tufts a lot (didn’t love the commute to SMFA though), but liked Wesleyan more so will prob do that ED2. Gaming it out though I’m thinking the Ivy might defer her (soft rejection since DH and I are alumni) which will mess up the ED2 plan.

What do you think of W&M for her?



She sounds like a wonderful fit for W&M!
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:14     Subject: if me DD’s odds
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How does she have a 4.1 uw? She seems like a great well-rounded kid but I don't see anything distinctive (in terms of excellence) in her profile. If she's applying as an Art major with an awesome portfolio, maybe? If she writes amazing essays and has strong teacher recs?

But I'd encourage her to focus on T30-50 schools.


This is silly. My ds is nowhere near any of this and got into five 30-50 schools 2 years ago non ED. OP's dd has a shot ED at non HYP Ivy for sure.



Gender is an important factor. Girls majoring in the humanities are not exceptional. And things have only gotten more competitive in the past two years.

They most certainly are. She has a great chance but did you say major? Art is, of course, portfolio based.


What? No. Male humanities majors get the biggest bump in admissions. Followed by female STEM majors. Girl humanities majors overall are disadvantaged, because they are overrepresented. Male STEM majors are also disadvantaged due to overrepresentation.

If she's not locked into a major at the time of application, strategically she should consider expressing interest in majoring in art. Would help her stand out a little. She can always drop it to a minor later on.
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:14     Subject: if me DD’s odds
I didn’t realize you could get (reliable) legacy admit rates. Going to check now…
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:13     Subject: if me DD’s odds
So there's nothing that really pops out. But I would encourage her to stress the writing/literature/journalism angle on the app. There is a difference between those applying to Wharton or Cornell Engineering and those applying as a prospective English major. Even the Ivies are reaching to fill their English departments. The essay is her time to shine and get an admissions reader on her side. Also, it's probably too late, but if not do try to get an Editor-in-Chief position for one of the school publications, if not the paper, something else.
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:11     Subject: if me DD’s odds
Her GPA is a 4.1 uw (weighted maybe 4.5, 4.6?). Her school is weird with its system. For all intents and purposes, say 4.0.

Re: summer, she’s going back to the summer program she’s an ambassador for. She really likes it. Writing and reading at a New England SLAC. She also works at a cupcake shop and will be doing a School of Rock show. Would love for her to try her hand at more writing (and agree on lack of leadership), but I don’t want to force it.

In terms of other schools, she likes Tufts a lot (didn’t love the commute to SMFA though), but liked Wesleyan more so will prob do that ED2. Gaming it out though I’m thinking the Ivy might defer her (soft rejection since DH and I are alumni) which will mess up the ED2 plan.

What do you think of W&M for her?
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:10     Subject: Re:if me DD’s odds
I think her odds are decent!

At this point, the STEM kids are cannibalizing each other. A very involved, multitalented liberal arts kid might just sneak in there!
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:08     Subject: if me DD’s odds
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DD applying ED to non-HYP Ivy. I’d classify her as “average excellent” with an artsy/interesting streak. Top line info:
-Double legacy
-4.1 uw at good public in Northeast
-10 APs by end of senior year (others all honors)
-Most likely NMSF
-34 ACT (took 2X, doesn’t want to take again)
-Junior Book Award (from the school she’s applying to but obv that has nothing to do w them)
-Scholastic Gold Key in Art
-Award for best in drawing in our state
-Painting award, 1st place (county level)
-Ntnl Art Honor Society pres
-School musical and plays all four years (no leads)
-Newspaper (staff writer, 4 years; social media editor, 3 years; layout editor, 2 years)
-School of Rock (guitar and vocals, 2 years)
-Key Club (4 years) with varied projects - she genuinely enjoys volunteering
-Schoolhouse SAT tutor
-Ambassador for creative writing and literature summer program

Reading about the nonprofit founders and scientific research kids, I feel like mine has no shot. Any input?


I think Tufts would be perfect with their art school and liberal arts.



+1 Northwestern and Emory are also good possibilities, especially if ED. But double legacy could be a significant factor. Check and see what the legacy admit rate is for the Ivy under consideration. Are you and DH involved alums? Do you donate on a regular basis, even if not much?

Also where does she fall in terms of her classmates? At my DS's magnet school, a 34 ACT is not considered strong. Too many 35s and 36s in the cohort, and 1550+ SATs. What about her AP scores? A good number of 5s with some 4s could compensate for that.
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:08     Subject: if me DD’s odds
Anonymous wrote:ED 1 Cornell
ED 2 Tufts

She’s a double legacy. ED should obviously be to that school…
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2024 17:06     Subject: if me DD’s odds
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DD applying ED to non-HYP Ivy. I’d classify her as “average excellent” with an artsy/interesting streak. Top line info:
-Double legacy
-4.1 uw at good public in Northeast
-10 APs by end of senior year (others all honors)
-Most likely NMSF
-34 ACT (took 2X, doesn’t want to take again)
-Junior Book Award (from the school she’s applying to but obv that has nothing to do w them)
-Scholastic Gold Key in Art
-Award for best in drawing in our state
-Painting award, 1st place (county level)
-Ntnl Art Honor Society pres
-School musical and plays all four years (no leads)
-Newspaper (staff writer, 4 years; social media editor, 3 years; layout editor, 2 years)
-School of Rock (guitar and vocals, 2 years)
-Key Club (4 years) with varied projects - she genuinely enjoys volunteering
-Schoolhouse SAT tutor
-Ambassador for creative writing and literature summer program

Reading about the nonprofit founders and scientific research kids, I feel like mine has no shot. Any input?


I think Tufts would be perfect with their art school and liberal arts.


Tufts is a far cry from an ivy.