Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:21     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kid was at a DC selective public high school. Lower 1/3 of the class. Average ECs
At a SLAC but I wish he wound up at a bigger school as the social group is too small.
My DS was very similar in that he is challenged by all the smart kids around him.

Get SATs up and apply ED to Boston University
University of Rochester - go visit and see if it is a good fit
Do a summer program at University of Chicago and apply ED 0


Is your DC happy at the SLAC? I don't want to start another boring debate about Chicago, but the kids we know there are super academically motivated and had very high SATs. Don't think it's a fit.


I wouldn't exclude that possibility. Not to start a debate about Chicago, but 25% of Chicago students are non-submitters. Like every school, there are motivated like your DC, and there are bright and happy kids who can adjust well once there. Especially for OP's kid, strong in math and weaker in verbal can still do very well at Chicago.
Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:20     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My God, OP. Your poor kid. He's in 10th grade with a solid profile -- although you don't even know his test scores yet! -- and you're already freaking out about college? He's going to be just fine. As time goes on he'll see school mates getting into various colleges and things will fall into place.

Let him enjoy high school. In the meantime, take a Xanax.


Actually, you are the one who needs to chill. OP is not freaking out. They are asking a very reasonable question. By spring of sophomore year you have some sense of where your kid is going to be. These super selective public high schools are great at handling top kids, and also feeding kids to in-state publics, but aren't good at the other kids. So OP is asking a great question in a very reasonable tone.

But you be you. FFS.


OP: Thank you. FWIW, we didn't really want to send him to a SHS, but had a really poor lottery #, so the other public options were not amazing. And he does love the school.
Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:17     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
Anonymous wrote:If at Stuy or Brx Science, what is the numeric gpa and I will let you know what I have seen. Below 93 is tough and you should ED strategically. I have seen success with lower UCs if that is an option. Start at SUNY and transfering is also an option.


Bronx (not Stuy, mercifully). Current GPA is 93.5 (woo hoo for the 0.5!). I have faint hope for huge improvement on the SAT - he never does well on standardized verbal tests. As you likely know, a strong math score on the SHSAT can make up for a weaker verbal, but the SAT is different.
Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:13     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
Anonymous wrote:My kid was at a DC selective public high school. Lower 1/3 of the class. Average ECs
At a SLAC but I wish he wound up at a bigger school as the social group is too small.
My DS was very similar in that he is challenged by all the smart kids around him.

Get SATs up and apply ED to Boston University
University of Rochester - go visit and see if it is a good fit
Do a summer program at University of Chicago and apply ED 0


Is your DC happy at the SLAC? I don't want to start another boring debate about Chicago, but the kids we know there are super academically motivated and had very high SATs. Don't think it's a fit.
Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:13     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
Anonymous wrote:Wake ED
Middlebury ED
Wesleyan ED
Vassar
Tulane
Macalester
Kenyon
American/GWU


Being a boy can help especially if he improves his SAT score. Not to take away from your DS (I’m a boy mom too) but it’s just the reality at a lot of schools. It’s not fair to girls and hopefully things will change.


He hasn't even taken the SAT yet! READ.
Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:12     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
NYU!

I believe NYU is one of the best options for NY high schoolers of this profile. Try to get a good test score, but if not, apply test optional to NYU.

Good luck
Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:11     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My God, OP. Your poor kid. He's in 10th grade with a solid profile -- although you don't even know his test scores yet! -- and you're already freaking out about college? He's going to be just fine. As time goes on he'll see school mates getting into various colleges and things will fall into place.

Let him enjoy high school. In the meantime, take a Xanax.


Actually, you are the one who needs to chill. OP is not freaking out. They are asking a very reasonable question. By spring of sophomore year you have some sense of where your kid is going to be. These super selective public high schools are great at handling top kids, and also feeding kids to in-state publics, but aren't good at the other kids. So OP is asking a great question in a very reasonable tone.

But you be you. FFS.


Yes, she freaking out. She's describing a well adjusted kid who's doing just fine and is only in 10th grade. I sent four kids to college and the only "sense" I had about them in 10th grade was whether they were happy. This kid will land on his feet. Everything she says about him makes that clear. He could be happy in any one of 100 colleges.
Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:11     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
Anonymous wrote:Do you want to stick with a Northeastern/Urban/Liberal cultural orientation? If not, Washington & Lee and Davidson might be worth a look.

University of Miami is more in line with the NE/liberal vibe and may also be a good fit.


Yes, I hope I don't get flamed for saying this, but NE/liberal vibe is important.
Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:10     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
Wake ED
Middlebury ED
Wesleyan ED
Vassar
Tulane
Macalester
Kenyon
American/GWU


Being a boy can help especially if he improves his SAT score. Not to take away from your DS (I’m a boy mom too) but it’s just the reality at a lot of schools. It’s not fair to girls and hopefully things will change.
Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:10     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
One thing that your kid can control is applying as early as possible.

Also being strategic about recommenders if a recommender is needed. Does your kid have an EC with a teacher sponsor?

Friendly norm-core/typical kids usually do well enough anywhere they can find a "group of guys".

I would recommend looking further into:

Pitt
Syracuse
RIT (if considering a STEM major after all)
Drexel
SUNY Binghamton

Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:09     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
If at Stuy or Brx Science, what is the numeric gpa and I will let you know what I have seen. Below 93 is tough and you should ED strategically. I have seen success with lower UCs if that is an option. Start at SUNY and transfering is also an option.
Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:08     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
Anonymous wrote:My kid was at a DC selective public high school. Lower 1/3 of the class. Average ECs
At a SLAC but I wish he wound up at a bigger school as the social group is too small.
My DS was very similar in that he is challenged by all the smart kids around him.

Get SATs up and apply ED to Boston University
University of Rochester - go visit and see if it is a good fit
Do a summer program at University of Chicago and apply ED 0

Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:07     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
Anonymous wrote:Check your high school's Naviance or Scoir. 1400 is not Ivy+ territory. Ivy+ needs higher scores. And from most high schools, a higher GPA as well, though that is high school-dependent.

See where the score is at least at the 25th percentile. That would be at colleges ranked beyond T20.


READ people. READ. She says she's looked. And she never said he's shooting for Ivies. You people are nuts.
Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:07     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
Anonymous wrote:My God, OP. Your poor kid. He's in 10th grade with a solid profile -- although you don't even know his test scores yet! -- and you're already freaking out about college? He's going to be just fine. As time goes on he'll see school mates getting into various colleges and things will fall into place.

Let him enjoy high school. In the meantime, take a Xanax.


Actually, you are the one who needs to chill. OP is not freaking out. They are asking a very reasonable question. By spring of sophomore year you have some sense of where your kid is going to be. These super selective public high schools are great at handling top kids, and also feeding kids to in-state publics, but aren't good at the other kids. So OP is asking a great question in a very reasonable tone.

But you be you. FFS.
Anonymous
Post 03/15/2026 12:05     Subject: Worried about college for "standard strong" DS
Anonymous wrote:My kid was at a DC selective public high school. Lower 1/3 of the class. Average ECs
At a SLAC but I wish he wound up at a bigger school as the social group is too small.
My DS was very similar in that he is challenged by all the smart kids around him.

Get SATs up and apply ED to Boston University
University of Rochester - go visit and see if it is a good fit
Do a summer program at University of Chicago and apply ED 0


Read much? Kid hasn't even taken the SATs yet. She's guessing. She obviously has a very well adjusted and happy kid on her hands who is doing just fine but he's only in 10th grades and she's freaking out.