Stats: ACT 34. 8 APs with grade5. Athlete, Captain. National awards in several areas. Research published. GPA 4.2.

Mine did 2 years ago. Top SLAC. It was a bit stomach churning at the time. Very surprised. Full ride.

Anonymous wrote:Every kid that got into an ivy or top 10 LAC from DD's elite private day school last year was: recruited athlete, faculty kid (HS is 30 min from an ivy) or alumni kid. No joke.

Non hooked kids who were top of the class academically got into good LACs (Richmond, Washington & Lee, Bucknell) or highly ranked publics (Michigan, UCLA).

You're certainly not from DC if the school is 30 min from an Ivy. I know that's not the situation at St. Albans, NCS, Sidwell, GDS, Potomac, Maret, Visitation or Gonzaga.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost all of the reaches you hear on forums are minorities who checked foster kid, native, black or hispanic box(es).

Huh, my friend’s kid got into VCU, which was his reach. White, non-Hispanic, lived with his affluent, educated, married bio parents.

Duh! We’re talking about schools more selective than VCU here.

The top 15 schools really should be called something like "lucks" for the non-athletes. My kid has perfect ACT/SATs, all As, over 10 APs, leadership positions, work experience, athlete (though not strong enough for a scholarship, NMSSF, etc. He is also extremely outgoing and personable, so will do well on interviews. It will still require a decent amount of luck to land a spot in the top 15.

Anonymous wrote:Almost all of the reaches you hear on forums are minorities who checked foster kid, native, black or hispanic box(es).

https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2019/09/a-raw-look-at-harvards-affirmative-action-for-white-kids/

"I was just trying to make a narrower point: There are a whole lot of white applicants who benefit from the ALDC preference system, far more than there are minority kids who benefit from affirmative action."

Accepted to a top 10 (non-Ivy) school and also accepted into another well known school with a Stamps scholarship (full ride). 36 ACT on a first attempt, 94+ unweighted GPA from a highly selective high school known for its rigor. Strong essays for common app and college specific, 2 major ECs - one relatively common, got national level recognition there, the other one very unusual, was probably the only kid applying with that. White, UMC, unhooked boy.

Anonymous wrote:Every kid that got into an ivy or top 10 LAC from DD's elite private day school last year was: recruited athlete, faculty kid (HS is 30 min from an ivy) or alumni kid. No joke.

Non hooked kids who were top of the class academically got into good LACs (Richmond, Washington & Lee, Bucknell) or highly ranked publics (Michigan, UCLA).

Your definition of 'elite' needs some work, then.

Yale, Brown, Princeton - Top 3% of class; public school, unique extra-curriculars; leadership roles in school; 12 AP classes, compelling essay around unique extra curriculars, URM, 34 ACT

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every kid that got into an ivy or top 10 LAC from DD's elite private day school last year was: recruited athlete, faculty kid (HS is 30 min from an ivy) or alumni kid. No joke.

Non hooked kids who were top of the class academically got into good LACs (Richmond, Washington & Lee, Bucknell) or highly ranked publics (Michigan, UCLA).

If that's the case, then it doesn't sound like your kid's elite private day school is well respected academically.

+1

Recruited Athlete... I don't remember his stats but it was a lot of goals.

Anonymous wrote:Every kid that got into an ivy or top 10 LAC from DD's elite private day school last year was: recruited athlete, faculty kid (HS is 30 min from an ivy) or alumni kid. No joke.

Non hooked kids who were top of the class academically got into good LACs (Richmond, Washington & Lee, Bucknell) or highly ranked publics (Michigan, UCLA).

If that's the case, then it doesn't sound like your kid's elite private day school is well respected academically.

Anonymous wrote:Almost all of the reaches you hear on forums are minorities who checked foster kid, native, black or hispanic box(es).

Huh, my friend’s kid got into VCU, which was his reach. White, non-Hispanic, lived with his affluent, educated, married bio parents.

Our school in DC got multiple unhooked kids into multiple reach schools. Stop making excuses.

Every kid that got into an ivy or top 10 LAC from DD's elite private day school last year was: recruited athlete, faculty kid (HS is 30 min from an ivy) or alumni kid. No joke.

Non hooked kids who were top of the class academically got into good LACs (Richmond, Washington & Lee, Bucknell) or highly ranked publics (Michigan, UCLA).