Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My ds had a b average from a mom big 3 private and a 30. Got into both unass and Skidmore among many others. B students from big 3 with 31 ish scores will get into many of the schools mentioned. Ignore all stats on gpa or class rank other than your school’s Naviance and talk to your counselor.

EXACTLY! School context really matters here, and solid Bs at Sidwell/STA/NCS/GDS is not the same as solid Bs at my kid's public school.

The kid should continue to discuss target schools with the counselor and applying to 6-7, not 3.

Many of these kids would be A students in public. The top DC private schools are very demanding.

Baloney re these kids being A students at public.

They get a ton of attention and small classes in private, which helps

Anonymous wrote:"Public" school is not a monolith, and what I've seen from kids in Big 3 schools, their curriculum is not very different from the curriculum of a high quality public school (which has plenty of kids of highly educated professionals, who happened not to go the hedge fund/law firm partner route). The only difference is the classes are smaller and the kids have a lot more resources across the board.

That alone makes a big difference in learning. Class sizes at among the best public schools like Mclean/Langley/Madison have between 30-35 kids. Two of my DD's AP classes at one of these schools have 36 kids. You can say what you want but it is very difficult to learn in that environment.

Ever wonder why private lesson cost more than group lesson?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My ds had a b average from a mom big 3 private and a 30. Got into both unass and Skidmore among many others. B students from big 3 with 31 ish scores will get into many of the schools mentioned. Ignore all stats on gpa or class rank other than your school’s Naviance and talk to your counselor.

EXACTLY! School context really matters here, and solid Bs at Sidwell/STA/NCS/GDS is not the same as solid Bs at my kid's public school.

The kid should continue to discuss target schools with the counselor and applying to 6-7, not 3.

Many of these kids would be A students in public. The top DC private schools are very demanding.

Baloney re these kids being A students at public.

You are wrong. You should see the level of work that is asked of 8th graders at my kid’s school. As are a dime a dozen in public but much harder to get in these schools.

"Public" school is not a monolith, and what I've seen from kids in Big 3 schools, their curriculum is not very different from the curriculum of a high quality public school (which has plenty of kids of highly educated professionals, who happened not to go the hedge fund/law firm partner route). The only difference is the classes are smaller and the kids have a lot more resources across the board.

Anonymous wrote:At Wisconsin, 25 percent get ACT of 27 or below and 25 percent get 33 or above. 27-32 is the "middle half."

Those numbers include in state and non-resident scores.

In the 1980s, Michigan and Wisconsin were fairly close but now Michigan is higher: 32-35.

Minnesota, Indiana, U Texas and U Washington are some other really nice state achools worth checking out. They are all in very nice towns/cities, have no e campuses, and are serious schools.

And UMC white male, unhooked from OOS needs to hit the 75% ACT. OP’s kid would look a lot better with a 33. Maybe time to try the SAT?

At Wisconsin, 25 percent get ACT of 27 or below and 25 percent get 33 or above. 27-32 is the "middle half."

Those numbers include in state and non-resident scores.

In the 1980s, Michigan and Wisconsin were fairly close but now Michigan is higher: 32-35.

Minnesota, Indiana, U Texas and U Washington are some other really nice state achools worth checking out. They are all in very nice towns/cities, have no e campuses, and are serious schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My ds had a b average from a mom big 3 private and a 30. Got into both unass and Skidmore among many others. B students from big 3 with 31 ish scores will get into many of the schools mentioned. Ignore all stats on gpa or class rank other than your school’s Naviance and talk to your counselor.

EXACTLY! School context really matters here, and solid Bs at Sidwell/STA/NCS/GDS is not the same as solid Bs at my kid's public school.

The kid should continue to discuss target schools with the counselor and applying to 6-7, not 3.

Many of these kids would be A students in public. The top DC private schools are very demanding.

Baloney re these kids being A students at public.

You are wrong. You should see the level of work that is asked of 8th graders at my kid’s school. As are a dime a dozen in public but much harder to get in these schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you imbeciles constantly post how many applicants a college receives? The quality of those applicants is the relevant statistic.

How many of the 40,000+ kids who applied to Wisconsin do you think are not quality applications? How do you delineate between in state and OOS for the 5,000 or so spots they will fill? Just using this as an example since it was raised up thread.

+1. And the problems with schools, especially public schools (vs Ivy’s) that get 40,000-60,000 applications is that they have limited resources and can’t spend an hour getting to know each kid and carefully reading essays and LORs. They may make allowances for curriculum rigor based on what the regional AO knows, but admissions are much more numbers based than SLACs filling classes of 400. Even UVA is largely numbers based. Look at a Naviance scattergram. For unhooked kids there is going to be a GPA and SAT/ ACT weedout at publics like Wisconsin and Pitt with large numbers of applicants. You have almost solid red un to a certain GPA/ SAT combo, then almost all green.

A 31 isn’t going to cut it at Wisconsin. It might at Pitt, assuming the kid is not applying to Engineering of SCI.

Anonymous wrote:Why do you imbeciles constantly post how many applicants a college receives? The quality of those applicants is the relevant statistic.

How many of the 40,000+ kids who applied to Wisconsin do you think are not quality applications? How do you delineate between in state and OOS for the 5,000 or so spots they will fill? Just using this as an example since it was raised up thread.

Anonymous wrote:Why do you imbeciles constantly post how many applicants a college receives? The quality of those applicants is the relevant statistic.

Okay. Let’s talk quality in the DMV. My TJ kid with a mix of As and Bs in core classes (4.05W). Nothing below a B, except a B- in Chemistry (not a strong suit) and C+ in a semester math class freshman year. Upward trend in grades. Also male. Also a nice kid. Also strong (nonacademic) ECs. 1520 (749/780) SAT, 3 subject tests in Math 2, physics and Lit, all 740 or over (Math is an 800j.

My kid was deferred by Case Western and we expect a deferral by Northeastern in a couple weeks. Probably stands a 50/50 shot at both in the RD pool. Stronger for Case because they have a great program in his area of senior research that he want to continue and good demonstrated interest so he’s an actual good fit. In at Pitt with some merit and a 25-50 SLACs with great merit. Is most interested in RD schools, so we are waiting. One is WM where he stands a great chance with demonstrated interest and the “boy bump”. Is not competitive for UNC.

Why do you imbeciles constantly post how many applicants a college receives? The quality of those applicants is the relevant statistic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't counselor have a better idea of your kid's chances than people on this board?

Right? Like...is this not why you pay for a Big 3?

While I agree with the first post, the 2nd is just being an ahole. Why are people on this board such jerks?

Anonymous wrote:Check out skidmore, vassar, bates, university of Rochester, Miami university of Ohio, northeastern, Lehigh, Lafayette. Wisconsin will probably work out. UVM will work out. UNC is a reach. I’d also look at UMass Amherst and Delaware.

Yes to Skidmore, Miami of Ohio, Lafayette, UVM, Umass Amherst and Delaware.

Lehigh and and Wisconsin are probably reaches

Lol to Bates, Rochester (which wants serious STEM kids), Northeastern (which has tens of thousands of EA apps) and UNC. Not gonna happen with those stats.

If you GC at a Big 3 is suggesting UNC, either there is a hook beyond full pay we aren’t seeing, or she’s placating you or she’s incompetent.

Anonymous wrote:Following, as this is likely to be my DS’s situation a year from now. Any hope for the supposed “boy bump” at an SLAC?

Yes. This could be a smart play. I have a boy doing SLACs— from TJ. Same idea. Small fish. Big pond. If you are fully pay and ED that’s even better. The “boy bump” might not get your kid into Williams or Amherst. It’s more a turn a “maybe pile” kid into a yes. The sport would help more.

I would look ranked 25-60 SLACs and rely on your guidance counselor for a sense of a good ED chance. Denison and Franklin & Marshall come to mind.

What is your kid interested in studying? Pre-professional, STEM, humanities, no idea yet?

What environment does he want? Would he do well with Greek (Denison) or want Greek Free? How liberal?

All SLACs have a different atmosphere and focus. Big difference between Oberlin and Denison.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think Wisconsin or Vermont are reaches.

I taught at Vermont. They take undergrad ed very seriously.

Wisconsin had over 40,000 applications this year for EA. It would be a reach.

+1. Wisconsin is tougher than you might think.

Anonymous wrote:UNC (Chapel Hill?) will be a reach.

In state UNC, maybe. UNC only takes 20% of kids from OOS. It’s Near Ivy level hard from the DMV. And they are definely not going to care about a maybe D3 good enough athlete. So, no.