Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test score, when viewed in the context of your school, is important. Many here jumped at the first chance to opine that scores are not important, and don't do much on their own.
If test scores are not important, why schools consistently end up having 25% with 1570 or higher, 50% with 1525 or higher? Year after year?

Application Nation said that even at test optional school, most of the kids got in not only submit scores, but high scores.
Downplaying the importance of test scores, especially this year, is misleading or at least an outdated view

My kid got in test optional to many T20 last year. The truth is you need something else/special to be TO at that level of school. Basically an applicant who’d be in the running for HYPSM (with a decent 1520+ score). Everything else is already there.
Then it works. Otherwise, no dice.

It's a spike.

Application Nation has the same view. They have all these data from their groups over the past few years. Absent of a big spike, no chance at T20 for TO.

This is why so many counseling firms focus on the spike. Early (9th/10th grade)….it matters.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test score, when viewed in the context of your school, is important. Many here jumped at the first chance to opine that scores are not important, and don't do much on their own.
If test scores are not important, why schools consistently end up having 25% with 1570 or higher, 50% with 1525 or higher? Year after year?

Application Nation said that even at test optional school, most of the kids got in not only submit scores, but high scores.
Downplaying the importance of test scores, especially this year, is misleading or at least an outdated view

My kid got in test optional to many T20 last year. The truth is you need something else/special to be TO at that level of school. Basically an applicant who’d be in the running for HYPSM (with a decent 1520+ score). Everything else is already there.
Then it works. Otherwise, no dice.

It's a spike.

Application Nation has the same view. They have all these data from their groups over the past few years. Absent of a big spike, no chance at T20 for TO.

Did they have examples of these spikes?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test score, when viewed in the context of your school, is important. Many here jumped at the first chance to opine that scores are not important, and don't do much on their own.
If test scores are not important, why schools consistently end up having 25% with 1570 or higher, 50% with 1525 or higher? Year after year?

Application Nation said that even at test optional school, most of the kids got in not only submit scores, but high scores.
Downplaying the importance of test scores, especially this year, is misleading or at least an outdated view

My kid got in test optional to many T20 last year. The truth is you need something else/special to be TO at that level of school. Basically an applicant who’d be in the running for HYPSM (with a decent 1520+ score). Everything else is already there.
Then it works. Otherwise, no dice.

It's a spike.

Application Nation has the same view. They have all these data from their groups over the past few years. Absent of a big spike, no chance at T20 for TO.

Most of the kids we know that get into T20 with slightly lower GPA, have one or more of the following:

- feeder private HS and undersubscribed major w/ECs to match;
- unusual (rare) talent or ability (that is nationally recognized;
- eccentric or weird /niche academic areas of interest that have been pursued to the exclusion of all else (only some schools like this)
- extraordinary amount of PT regular work experience (not research/nepo internships) where kid got LOR /recognition for going above and beyond as a dependable PT/almost FT employee
- FG/LI
- recruited athlete
- legacy/donor if ED and prob something else listed here?

3.9 UW and 4.5 weighted with a 1500+ will be ok for top 50.

I don't think T20 is possible unless there is something else in the profile that will make the student stand out. T50 is BU/BC level, T20 is Georgetown +, which will not happen.

If it is 3.9 out of 4.5, then T50 won't be possible even with a 1600 SAT.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test score, when viewed in the context of your school, is important. Many here jumped at the first chance to opine that scores are not important, and don't do much on their own.
If test scores are not important, why schools consistently end up having 25% with 1570 or higher, 50% with 1525 or higher? Year after year?

Application Nation said that even at test optional school, most of the kids got in not only submit scores, but high scores.
Downplaying the importance of test scores, especially this year, is misleading or at least an outdated view

My kid got in test optional to many T20 last year. The truth is you need something else/special to be TO at that level of school. Basically an applicant who’d be in the running for HYPSM (with a decent 1520+ score). Everything else is already there.
Then it works. Otherwise, no dice.

What do you mean by "something else/special"? Are you talking about recruited athletes or something else?

I agree.

Not a recruit hook but something extraordinary (award/notoriety/will add something to campus life).

Think actress for musical theater with awards, or nationally ranked in a club sport that the school is trying to restart (this is true for 1 kid we know from last year into T10 but test optional)…

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test score, when viewed in the context of your school, is important. Many here jumped at the first chance to opine that scores are not important, and don't do much on their own.
If test scores are not important, why schools consistently end up having 25% with 1570 or higher, 50% with 1525 or higher? Year after year?

Application Nation said that even at test optional school, most of the kids got in not only submit scores, but high scores.
Downplaying the importance of test scores, especially this year, is misleading or at least an outdated view

My kid got in test optional to many T20 last year. The truth is you need something else/special to be TO at that level of school. Basically an applicant who’d be in the running for HYPSM (with a decent 1520+ score). Everything else is already there.
Then it works. Otherwise, no dice.

What do you mean by "something else/special"? Are you talking about recruited athletes or something else?

Anonymous wrote:Test score, when viewed in the context of your school, is important. Many here jumped at the first chance to opine that scores are not important, and don't do much on their own.
If test scores are not important, why schools consistently end up having 25% with 1570 or higher, 50% with 1525 or higher? Year after year?

Application Nation said that even at test optional school, most of the kids got in not only submit scores, but high scores.
Downplaying the importance of test scores, especially this year, is misleading or at least an outdated view

My kid got in test optional to many T20 last year. The truth is you need something else/special to be TO at that level of school. Basically an applicant who’d be in the running for HYPSM (with a decent 1520+ score). Everything else is already there.
Then it works. Otherwise, no dice.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is obviously a ridiculous troll thread. Come on.

MCPS kid. Everyone has 3.9/4.5 or up

These posts make me literally want to cry. I can assure you that not "everyone" does.

I sympathize. Grade inflation at MCPS has warped everything. Generally the more efficient students will let themselves get a few Bs first quarter bc there is only so much time in a day. Then the next quarter they’ll pull those first quarter Bs up into As while allowing a couple of As from first quarter to drop to Bs. And at the end of the semester, it’s straight As because only the higher grade counts. And that’s all colleges see.

These high MCPS GPAs are more about time management than anything else. And having the right balance of easy APs and difficult APs. They’re all bright kids who work hard. But MCPS has made such a game of things that how you play the game is what matters.