Anonymous wrote:Fascinating discussion in this Reddit with an AMA with a T10 AO - short excerpt below:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/s/UAB1tFcBAq

“Does going to a highly-competitive school: Exeter, Andover, Lawrenceville, Horace Mann, Dalton, etc. worsen your chances at a T10 because potentially lower class-rank and lower GPA?
…

No. The school you goes to REALLY has a major effect on you getting in to top schools. If you go to a feeder, your chances go up pretty significantly as long as you're not getting straight Cs or flunking

…

Interesting. I was told that at elite schools, your chances are worse because you are competing with other kids in your class for spots.
The students at the top high schools are much more impressive, and it is harder to maintain straight-A's.
I'm a Lawrenceville student. Will having a 3.8 UW GPA harm me when applying to T10s?

….
I mean, going to a feeder school doesn't mean it's a ticket to slack off. Still work your ass off while there, but also know that the acceptance rates at feeder schools like Andover are really, really high.

And re: GPAs, we care about transcripts. Grades and rigor are things we look at, so I can't say for certain if you just give me a GPA
….

That seems inherently unfair to me... having the privilege to attend a feeder increases your chances significantly?”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thought this was interesting. Results from a New York City private school last year? Anyone know which school this is?

Clearly 3.8 here would appear to be doing just fine

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/s/6NODO2IldZ

I think this is a private in NE not necessarily NYC. Here are the results at Dalton and Spence from last year.

https://www.instagram.com/daltonseniors23/
(Class size around 120)
https://www.instagram.com/spence23niors/
Class size 60

A lot of ivy english majors......

Anonymous wrote:Fascinating discussion in this Reddit with an AMA with a T10 AO - short excerpt below:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/s/UAB1tFcBAq

“Does going to a highly-competitive school: Exeter, Andover, Lawrenceville, Horace Mann, Dalton, etc. worsen your chances at a T10 because potentially lower class-rank and lower GPA?
…

No. The school you goes to REALLY has a major effect on you getting in to top schools. If you go to a feeder, your chances go up pretty significantly as long as you're not getting straight Cs or flunking

…

Interesting. I was told that at elite schools, your chances are worse because you are competing with other kids in your class for spots.
The students at the top high schools are much more impressive, and it is harder to maintain straight-A's.
I'm a Lawrenceville student. Will having a 3.8 UW GPA harm me when applying to T10s?

….
I mean, going to a feeder school doesn't mean it's a ticket to slack off. Still work your ass off while there, but also know that the acceptance rates at feeder schools like Andover are really, really high.

And re: GPAs, we care about transcripts. Grades and rigor are things we look at, so I can't say for certain if you just give me a GPA
….

That seems inherently unfair to me... having the privilege to attend a feeder increases your chances significantly?”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thought this was interesting. Results from a New York City private school last year? Anyone know which school this is?

Clearly 3.8 here would appear to be doing just fine

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/s/6NODO2IldZ

I think this is a private in NE not necessarily NYC. Here are the results at Dalton and Spence from last year.

https://www.instagram.com/daltonseniors23/
(Class size around 120)
https://www.instagram.com/spence23niors/
Class size 60

Anonymous wrote:What is the most highly ranked school you’ve seen:
a 3.8uw private/high rigor get into? Humanities major
34 ACT

Curious.

Anonymous wrote:Agree with above.
UChicago def - ED preferred
Michigan
USC
Wash U
Vanderbilt (ED)
Emory (ED)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fascinating discussion in this Reddit with an AMA with a T10 AO - short excerpt below:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/s/UAB1tFcBAq

“Does going to a highly-competitive school: Exeter, Andover, Lawrenceville, Horace Mann, Dalton, etc. worsen your chances at a T10 because potentially lower class-rank and lower GPA?
…

No. The school you goes to REALLY has a major effect on you getting in to top schools. If you go to a feeder, your chances go up pretty significantly as long as you're not getting straight Cs or flunking

…

Interesting. I was told that at elite schools, your chances are worse because you are competing with other kids in your class for spots.
The students at the top high schools are much more impressive, and it is harder to maintain straight-A's.
I'm a Lawrenceville student. Will having a 3.8 UW GPA harm me when applying to T10s?

….
I mean, going to a feeder school doesn't mean it's a ticket to slack off. Still work your ass off while there, but also know that the acceptance rates at feeder schools like Andover are really, really high.

And re: GPAs, we care about transcripts. Grades and rigor are things we look at, so I can't say for certain if you just give me a GPA
….

That seems inherently unfair to me... having the privilege to attend a feeder increases your chances significantly?”

Life isn't fair.

And having had kids at one of these private schools and public school I can say that the private school one worked about 4 times harder in high school. It was trial by fire.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've seen Cornell, Dartmouth and Columbia in this GPA range admitted unhooked (all different kids) in the last 2 admissions seasons. I'm not sure you could replicate this (I have a kid in this bracket who is not even trying) but it has been done.

I agree. But the kids were “pointy” with passion projects - for a lack of a better description. A theme across classes, summer work, clubs, volunteering, then something they did that is the project: start a non-profit, lead a protest, write a research paper with a college professor, etc.

You are being so overly optimistic. Not happening with that GPA at all.

Your kid doesn't go to a private school. This is not a low gpa.

My 3.8uw private kid got into Cornell, Rice and Emory this last cycle. WL at many T20s at well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've seen Cornell, Dartmouth and Columbia in this GPA range admitted unhooked (all different kids) in the last 2 admissions seasons. I'm not sure you could replicate this (I have a kid in this bracket who is not even trying) but it has been done.

I agree. But the kids were “pointy” with passion projects - for a lack of a better description. A theme across classes, summer work, clubs, volunteering, then something they did that is the project: start a non-profit, lead a protest, write a research paper with a college professor, etc.

You are being so overly optimistic. Not happening with that GPA at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've seen Cornell, Dartmouth and Columbia in this GPA range admitted unhooked (all different kids) in the last 2 admissions seasons. I'm not sure you could replicate this (I have a kid in this bracket who is not even trying) but it has been done.

I agree. But the kids were “pointy” with passion projects - for a lack of a better description. A theme across classes, summer work, clubs, volunteering, then something they did that is the project: start a non-profit, lead a protest, write a research paper with a college professor, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at your schools Naviance.

Cornell/Emory/Vanderbilt/Wash U/USC could be good possibilities

No way. Not getting in with that GPA

Anonymous wrote:Look at your schools Naviance.

Cornell/Emory/Vanderbilt/Wash U/USC could be good possibilities

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fascinating discussion in this Reddit with an AMA with a T10 AO - short excerpt below:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/s/UAB1tFcBAq

“Does going to a highly-competitive school: Exeter, Andover, Lawrenceville, Horace Mann, Dalton, etc. worsen your chances at a T10 because potentially lower class-rank and lower GPA?
…

No. The school you goes to REALLY has a major effect on you getting in to top schools. If you go to a feeder, your chances go up pretty significantly as long as you're not getting straight Cs or flunking

…

Interesting. I was told that at elite schools, your chances are worse because you are competing with other kids in your class for spots.
The students at the top high schools are much more impressive, and it is harder to maintain straight-A's.
I'm a Lawrenceville student. Will having a 3.8 UW GPA harm me when applying to T10s?

….
I mean, going to a feeder school doesn't mean it's a ticket to slack off. Still work your ass off while there, but also know that the acceptance rates at feeder schools like Andover are really, really high.

And re: GPAs, we care about transcripts. Grades and rigor are things we look at, so I can't say for certain if you just give me a GPA
….

That seems inherently unfair to me... having the privilege to attend a feeder increases your chances significantly?”

This a really helpful AMA

Agree. This was helpful. Does anyone know where else to find similar posts like this link from Reddit with interviews or Q&A with former AO? Maybe a new post with that info.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fascinating discussion in this Reddit with an AMA with a T10 AO - short excerpt below:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/s/UAB1tFcBAq

“Does going to a highly-competitive school: Exeter, Andover, Lawrenceville, Horace Mann, Dalton, etc. worsen your chances at a T10 because potentially lower class-rank and lower GPA?
…

No. The school you goes to REALLY has a major effect on you getting in to top schools. If you go to a feeder, your chances go up pretty significantly as long as you're not getting straight Cs or flunking

…

Interesting. I was told that at elite schools, your chances are worse because you are competing with other kids in your class for spots.
The students at the top high schools are much more impressive, and it is harder to maintain straight-A's.
I'm a Lawrenceville student. Will having a 3.8 UW GPA harm me when applying to T10s?

….
I mean, going to a feeder school doesn't mean it's a ticket to slack off. Still work your ass off while there, but also know that the acceptance rates at feeder schools like Andover are really, really high.

And re: GPAs, we care about transcripts. Grades and rigor are things we look at, so I can't say for certain if you just give me a GPA
….

That seems inherently unfair to me... having the privilege to attend a feeder increases your chances significantly?”

This a really helpful AMA