DCUM Forum

Anonymous

04/15/2026 19:26 Subject: Top private bottom of the class

Anonymous wrote:I am not naming the colleges, but it's true that it really depends on the school. Like PP, our school has 70% admit rate for a couple colleges with 10-20% acceptance rate range. 30% admit rate for a 8% school.

Can you give equivalent colleges so we can get the picture?

Anonymous

04/15/2026 19:04 Subject: Top private bottom of the class

Villanova is not harder than Colgate.

Anonymous

04/15/2026 19:01 Subject: Top private bottom of the class

Anonymous wrote:I am not naming the colleges, but it's true that it really depends on the school. Like PP, our school has 70% admit rate for a couple colleges with 10-20% acceptance rate range. 30% admit rate for a 8% school.

Yep. This is why you have to research your own school’s data and see Where your student falls in the scattergram. You may be surprised!

Anonymous

04/15/2026 18:50 Subject: Top private bottom of the class

I am not naming the colleges, but it's true that it really depends on the school. Like PP, our school has 70% admit rate for a couple colleges with 10-20% acceptance rate range. 30% admit rate for a 8% school.

Anonymous

04/15/2026 18:46 Subject: Top private bottom of the class

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SMU, TCU, and Tulane are perfectly acceptable schools for rich kids that aren't the academic superstars. Also, pretty much every small liberal arts college below the top 30 or so. Plus some SEC schools like Alabama. Tons of wealthy private school kids there.

What about Davidson ED? If truly a top private, and a strong pointy academic interest (all of which can be created), I've seen it work with strong demonstrated interest.

Wesleyan
W&L
Colgate
Richmond
Colby
Bucknell
Denison

This does not seem reasonable in the last few years at least. Have you looked at the admit rates for these schools?

+1
Some of these schools have sub 12% admit rates. PP is delusional.

It can really depend on the school, both the private high school and the college. We have a liberal arts college with a ~20% acceptance rate that admits ~70% of applicants from our private school.

Anonymous

04/15/2026 18:34 Subject: Top private bottom of the class

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SMU, TCU, and Tulane are perfectly acceptable schools for rich kids that aren't the academic superstars. Also, pretty much every small liberal arts college below the top 30 or so. Plus some SEC schools like Alabama. Tons of wealthy private school kids there.

What about Davidson ED? If truly a top private, and a strong pointy academic interest (all of which can be created), I've seen it work with strong demonstrated interest.

Wesleyan
W&L
Colgate
Richmond
Colby
Bucknell
Denison

This does not seem reasonable in the last few years at least. Have you looked at the admit rates for these schools?

+1
Some of these schools have sub 12% admit rates. PP is delusional.

Anonymous

04/15/2026 18:28 Subject: Top private bottom of the class

For a true "top private":

NYU ED
Tulane ED (if male; if female will likely be spring scholar)

SMU
W&M
W&L
Richmond
Colby
Bucknell
Lehigh
Chapman
Oxy
Scripps/Pitzer
Elon
Furman
Sewanee
Rhodes

Vermont
Wisconsin
Ohio State
Indiana

Anonymous

04/15/2026 18:25 Subject: Top private bottom of the class

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Santa Clara
Bates
Vermont
Wisconsin
Lehigh
NYU
penn St

These are people who graduated with my son from Sidwell in the last four years. without hooks.

agree with these, and I would add Denver U, Tulane (if male), Villanova, U of Santa Clara, and Bard.

No shot at Villanova. Are you joking?

Villanova is harder than Wake and Colgate these days.

Anonymous

04/15/2026 18:23 Subject: Top private bottom of the class

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Santa Clara
Bates
Vermont
Wisconsin
Lehigh
NYU
penn St

These are people who graduated with my son from Sidwell in the last four years. without hooks.

agree with these, and I would add Denver U, Tulane (if male), Villanova, U of Santa Clara, and Bard.

No shot at Villanova. Are you joking?

Anonymous

04/15/2026 18:20 Subject: Re:Top private bottom of the class

How “bottom” we’re talking about here? What’s the GPA and expected SAT score (based on PSAT)? How many AP classes?

Anonymous

04/15/2026 18:15 Subject: Top private bottom of the class

Anonymous wrote:Santa Clara
Bates
Vermont
Wisconsin
Lehigh
NYU
penn St

These are people who graduated with my son from Sidwell in the last four years. without hooks.

agree with these, and I would add Denver U, Tulane (if male), Villanova, U of Santa Clara, and Bard.

Anonymous

04/15/2026 18:11 Subject: Top private bottom of the class

ED to Tulane (if boy), Providence or TCU.

Anonymous

04/15/2026 18:06 Subject: Top private bottom of the class

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SMU, TCU, and Tulane are perfectly acceptable schools for rich kids that aren't the academic superstars. Also, pretty much every small liberal arts college below the top 30 or so. Plus some SEC schools like Alabama. Tons of wealthy private school kids there.

What about Davidson ED? If truly a top private, and a strong pointy academic interest (all of which can be created), I've seen it work with strong demonstrated interest.

Wesleyan
W&L
Colgate
Richmond
Colby
Bucknell
Denison

This does not seem reasonable in the last few years at least. Have you looked at the admit rates for these schools?

Depends on strength of high school, pointedness of kid and how much curation is happening btw now & fall.

Anonymous

04/15/2026 17:58 Subject: Top private bottom of the class

Santa Clara
Bates
Vermont
Wisconsin
Lehigh
NYU
penn St

These are people who graduated with my son from Sidwell in the last four years. without hooks.

Anonymous

04/15/2026 17:54 Subject: Top private bottom of the class

Make sure you show demonstrated interest. Schools like Elon were deferring kids this year in EA that hadn’t visited. From private schools. You might try Loyola Maryland as a likely.