Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 14:16     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
Anonymous wrote:What's the intended major? If you don't want to specify, at least indicate a range. CS, Engineering, Science, social science or humanities can be very different.


Agree major will matter—also, male vs female.
Full pay, right?
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 14:15     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
Anonymous wrote:Those ECs seem very strong to me. My child had about 1/10 of your child's ECs - a couple of casual clubs, a bit of volunteering, but no jobs, no internships, no sports, no music, no leadership (but strong grades/scores/teacher recs) and applied to Williams/Amherst/Swarthmore and got in to one of the three (and several other top 10 LACs that they also would have been very happy at.)

That was from a DC public, so maybe the expectations for kids at private schools are higher. But I think the counselor might just trying to lower your expectations; it's all a crapshoot.



Wow! What do you think made your kid standout?
Were they legacy? URM? Major?
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 14:14     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our kid like this ended up at Cornell.
From a private. The essays are critically important ….


Cornell is pretty easy to get into if you work with the right private admissions consultant. Or if you just do your research and understand what each school is looking for — that research shows in the essays.


What do they want?


I'm the PP. Do the research in each Cornell college. What major is your kid applying to? It's different by each college. I also found a scoring rubric here. Search.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 14:09     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
The point about college counselors and their motivations is very insightful. It is also true most families never hire counselors, much less start freshman year! My dc was admitted to ivies, as were his closest friends, and none of the families used private counselors.

I suspect the counselor will suggest your student ED somewhere quite attainable. It’s not a bad strategy and will cut down on senior year stress, but there are trade offs.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 14:07     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
Anonymous wrote:SLACS!



+1 My kid with slightly higher stats and slightly stronger ECs (regional and state orch) is at a WASP. Generally state schools also care less about ECs. U Wisconsin, Pitt, UVA, UMD.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 14:07     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
I don’t think you are in Ivy or Ivy+ territory but everything else is on the table. It’s not all doom and gloom. Crafting a cohesive application with solid essays is key. What schools do they like? ED1 and ED2 if needed will be very helpful as well. You got this!!
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 14:04     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
Thank you all for taking the time to respond. This definitely makes me feel better!
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 14:03     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
Anonymous wrote:How's your budget, OP? I would focus on fit over prestige, but I would think a highly-rejective school could be an option if you can commit to the NPC cost and your student applies ED. Again, though, fit over prestige.

To answer your question, my daughter got in to Carleton and W&M (OOS) with similar stats/ECs, but was WL'd from T20s and rejected from Ivies during RD. Enrolled at W&M and it's been excellent.

Also, I wouldn't overindex on the "we hired the counselor too late" sentiment. Many people don't hire counselors at all, and it's 100% in the counselor's interest to be like "well I could have maybe helped you if only you'd come to me earlier; as it is, (sigh) we'll see what we can do". Under that premise, any success your kid sees is the counselor's doing, and any lack of success is your fault. Don't buy it. There will be lots of great options for your kid, even if you don't work with that (or any) counselor.


OP here. thank you and this definitely makes sense re the counselor!
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 13:59     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
Anonymous wrote:How's your budget, OP? I would focus on fit over prestige, but I would think a highly-rejective school could be an option if you can commit to the NPC cost and your student applies ED. Again, though, fit over prestige.

To answer your question, my daughter got in to Carleton and W&M (OOS) with similar stats/ECs, but was WL'd from T20s and rejected from Ivies during RD. Enrolled at W&M and it's been excellent.

Also, I wouldn't overindex on the "we hired the counselor too late" sentiment. Many people don't hire counselors at all, and it's 100% in the counselor's interest to be like "well I could have maybe helped you if only you'd come to me earlier; as it is, (sigh) we'll see what we can do". Under that premise, any success your kid sees is the counselor's doing, and any lack of success is your fault. Don't buy it. There will be lots of great options for your kid, even if you don't work with that (or any) counselor.


It’s also in the counselor’s interest to lower your expectation, so you’ll think your money is well spent at the end when you get the final outcome!
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 13:56     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
Anonymous wrote:Should really look at Naviance data, but I can’t imagine OP being rejected by UF or NYU.


NYU is not T30; it’s notorious for being an easy admit for full pay and/or EDi, i=1,2,3,…
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 13:52     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
Those ECs seem very strong to me. My child had about 1/10 of your child's ECs - a couple of casual clubs, a bit of volunteering, but no jobs, no internships, no sports, no music, no leadership (but strong grades/scores/teacher recs) and applied to Williams/Amherst/Swarthmore and got in to one of the three (and several other top 10 LACs that they also would have been very happy at.)

That was from a DC public, so maybe the expectations for kids at private schools are higher. But I think the counselor might just trying to lower your expectations; it's all a crapshoot.

Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 13:48     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
My similar DC got into Umich, UVA, UNC, and Cornell. Waitlisted at several Ivy/Ivy plus.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 13:47     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You will have the best results with slacs, if you are willing to go that route. Anything outside Williams is possible. Otherwise, probably looking at 25-50 in national universities.

There is no difference between Williams and other t10 LACs. Stop trolling.


There is in terms of admission from our private. Anything else is doable for top third of class.

That is only relevant to your private.


Probably not. You are just triggered by Williams for some reason. I, on the other hand, have no connections to the school and am a neutral reporter.


It only says your school is not a feeder to Williams. Ours sends 3-4 each year to Williams but often 0 to Pomona.


No we send kids to Williams but they need to be in top 5 percent of class. Also send kids to Pomona but it’s an easier admit.


You may not be a troll, but again, that information is specific to your school.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 13:45     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
SLACS!
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 13:43     Subject: Where did your high stats/ max rigor but OK ECs student end up?
My friend’s child (counselor hired “early,” attended what I understand to be big 5) got into Georgetown with a similar profile. Applied to a humanities major that the school was growing.