Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 14:32     Subject: If your kid got into their “reach” school…
Went to an Ivy. My first week had lunch with someone who’d been a couple of years ahead of me in HS. Her comment. “The hardest part is getting in”
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 14:25     Subject: If your kid got into their “reach” school…
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How have they done in college? I’m a little nervous that if DD gets in, she may struggle more there academically. High school grades, resume etc are good but it has taken her a lot of work to get there. I don’t know if she can sustain that, in an even more competitive environment. I wonder if it’s better not to go to the “best” college one gets into - big fish small pond etc.

On the other hand, I hear a lot about grade inflation so maybe I should not worry about this.


What is her SAT score? If she has 1550+ I wouldn't worry about it too much.

I am not saying kids don't have a high test score necessarily wouldn't do well.

I am saying if she has a high score, the predictive power is high in general.


This is so incorrect it’s crazy. I’m a professor and I can tell you that standardized test scores don’t have much predictive value in how kids do in college- nor do the number of APs


Then why is SAT/ACT used as a proxy for college readiness. I thought the "cut scores" for readiness are validated but the liklihood of getting a B (or some set grade) in entry level college courses. I agree that it is not a great measure...more in some ways because it does not represent a set of specific knowledge or skills students can work on that have been shown to be prerequisites for college courses.

It’s the rigor of courses in high school that really matters
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 14:15     Subject: If your kid got into their “reach” school…
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DC rigorous private high, high score. In at an ivy (a tough one according to DCUM). Feedback is that college is much less stressful than high school. Rigorous high school really really paid off. DC’s friends feedback similar. Most friends got straight As in college.

Don’t worry too much about.


Agree with this. Attended a Big3 DC private high school and worked their tail off. I was so much work.
Currently has a 4.0 after 2 years in a STEM major at Cornell. Continually says how much easier college is than high school was.

I guess this is a good thing?



Except for MIT / Uchicago/ possibly Johns Hopkins , rest are easy peasy…
Don’t be impressed too quickly


Silly post based on lack of knowledge.


+1 the arrogance some have to think they know so much about so many different schools. Wish people posted more wisely, it’s good for students to come in realistic and not over-confident.
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 13:48     Subject: If your kid got into their “reach” school…
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DC rigorous private high, high score. In at an ivy (a tough one according to DCUM). Feedback is that college is much less stressful than high school. Rigorous high school really really paid off. DC’s friends feedback similar. Most friends got straight As in college.

Don’t worry too much about.


Agree with this. Attended a Big3 DC private high school and worked their tail off. I was so much work.
Currently has a 4.0 after 2 years in a STEM major at Cornell. Continually says how much easier college is than high school was.

I guess this is a good thing?



Except for MIT / Uchicago/ possibly Johns Hopkins , rest are easy peasy…
Don’t be impressed too quickly


Silly post based on lack of knowledge.
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 13:47     Subject: If your kid got into their “reach” school…
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DC rigorous private high, high score. In at an ivy (a tough one according to DCUM). Feedback is that college is much less stressful than high school. Rigorous high school really really paid off. DC’s friends feedback similar. Most friends got straight As in college.

Don’t worry too much about.


Agree with this. Attended a Big3 DC private high school and worked their tail off. I was so much work.
Currently has a 4.0 after 2 years in a STEM major at Cornell. Continually says how much easier college is than high school was.

I guess this is a good thing?



Except for MIT / Uchicago/ possibly Johns Hopkins , rest are easy peasy…
Don’t be impressed too quickly


Uchicago has majors like Business Economics for kids who are not very academic, so you can get away with not doing difficult majors there.
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 13:43     Subject: If your kid got into their “reach” school…
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Parents - don't just assume your kids are ok. Help them pick classes that first year, check in frequently. You probably won't see the grades.


How about this.

I pay the bill. I will see the grades.


Sounds good...except that's not the law.
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 13:38     Subject: If your kid got into their “reach” school…
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DC rigorous private high, high score. In at an ivy (a tough one according to DCUM). Feedback is that college is much less stressful than high school. Rigorous high school really really paid off. DC’s friends feedback similar. Most friends got straight As in college.

Don’t worry too much about.


Agree with this. Attended a Big3 DC private high school and worked their tail off. I was so much work.
Currently has a 4.0 after 2 years in a STEM major at Cornell. Continually says how much easier college is than high school was.

I guess this is a good thing?



Except for MIT / Uchicago/ possibly Johns Hopkins , rest are easy peasy…
Don’t be impressed too quickly


Impressive to have finger on pulse of all majors at a lot of elite schools!
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 13:36     Subject: If your kid got into their “reach” school…
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DC rigorous private high, high score. In at an ivy (a tough one according to DCUM). Feedback is that college is much less stressful than high school. Rigorous high school really really paid off. DC’s friends feedback similar. Most friends got straight As in college.

Don’t worry too much about.


Agree with this. Attended a Big3 DC private high school and worked their tail off. I was so much work.
Currently has a 4.0 after 2 years in a STEM major at Cornell. Continually says how much easier college is than high school was.

I guess this is a good thing?



Except for MIT / Uchicago/ possibly Johns Hopkins , rest are easy peasy…
Don’t be impressed too quickly
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 12:32     Subject: If your kid got into their “reach” school…
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I actually somewhat disagree and think it's wise to consider. My very top student from rigorous private is at an Ivy in a hard major and they are working hard to stay on top. My middle had 99% test scores but not the gpa, they would not be able to handle this environment at all. Way too intense and way too fast moving.


The issue is that your student feels the need to "stay on top."

If you had said:

"My very top student from a rigorous private is at an Ivy in a hard major and they are working to keep up/ do their best, pass the hardest classes," I would be less concerned.

Your student has an unhealthy fixation with being "on top."


Well, they want a top med school so have to and also thrive in that environment. My comment was more directed at my youngest who wouldn’t thrive at a reach despite being 99% test score and a rigorous high school. Depends on the kid, what environment motivates or demotivates, and career goals as to whether gpa needs to be fixated on or not.

I think it’s fair for OP to consider for their particular kid, it is a concern for some. I see at my oldest’s Ivy, lots of premeds getting their first B’s ever.
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 12:29     Subject: If your kid got into their “reach” school…
Anonymous wrote:Parents - don't just assume your kids are ok. Help them pick classes that first year, check in frequently. You probably won't see the grades.


How about this.

I pay the bill. I will see the grades.
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 12:29     Subject: If your kid got into their “reach” school…
Anonymous wrote:There are enough kids who are not tippy top students in HS who get in based on institutional priorities. They seem to be managing and graduating. If a major is difficult then kids move to easier majors and graduate.


I'm sorry. "Tippy top?"

Please tell me you don't use that expression in non-anonymous situations.
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 12:28     Subject: If your kid got into their “reach” school…
Parents - don't just assume your kids are ok. Help them pick classes that first year, check in frequently. You probably won't see the grades.
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 12:24     Subject: If your kid got into their “reach” school…
I personally got into my reach school. I had to transfer out after 3 semesters with a 2.7 GPA after Freshman year with my last semester a 1.9 GPA that would have put me in academic probation.

I never took Calc, Physics, in math I average C grades in HS but got in and I was in over my head.

People don’t realize this can happen
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 12:04     Subject: If your kid got into their “reach” school…
Anonymous wrote:There are enough kids who are not tippy top students in HS who get in based on institutional priorities. They seem to be managing and graduating. If a major is difficult then kids move to easier majors and graduate.


Truth for the most elite there is a larger percentage of super hooked that don’t have the academic chops and will be fairly easy for an unhooked student to beat in the classroom: matters for majors/goals that rely on GPA. Even with grade inflation at these same elites one still needs to be top half for good med or T14 law.
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2025 12:02     Subject: Re:If your kid got into their “reach” school…
Depends on which reach school it is. I’ve seen among our friends/neighbors kids who got into the less intense schools like Brown or Wesleyan who loved it and did really well. Know kids who got into schools like MIT, Princeton, JHU as recruited athlete or with a lot of tutoring and private consultant help who are miserable and talking about transferring (1 has already left). Those kids are hating their freshman year. The workload is too much at some schools when the handholding is gone.