Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 13:03     Subject: Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It sounds a little they are taking a lot of liberty in assuming they would have gotten in and had the opportunity to turn down. Most of those stats are rejected. However, I applaud any kid that prioritizes fit.


+1 I also have a 1600 scoring kid. Especially with super scoring, a 1600 on the modern SAT is not as rare or meaningful as it once was when the test was designed differently. Even the majority of 1600 kids would get rejected from an ivy today, especially without other stand out accomplishments to back up the test scores. The schools do not really distinguish between a 1600 vs 1550, and there are too many kids who get these top scores, so you have to be a stand out some other way. As a previous thread pointed out, there are probably 20,000 who get 1520 or higher in one sitting, and when you allow super scoring on top of that, the numbers are even higher. It’s really good that OPs kid is not expecting or hoping to get into an Ivy or top10, and good for them for prioritizing fit.

I would be curious to know what places they pick and why. My kid is book smart, but not the leadership type or startup type, nor have they built a nuclear reactor in our garage. They just love learning and want to go somewhere where they can meet other nice, curious kids.


+1. I had a brief moment when DC started getting perfect scores on practice tests where I thought, should I be adjusting the schools we are planning to tour this year? And then I remembered how thoroughly unimpressed he was when we toured Brown, which was probably the closest fit wise of any of the Ivies. He knows he wants an artsy SLAC and so even if he does get a perfect or near perfect score this fall, it won’t change our plans. I’m not going to pressure him to go after something he doesn’t want that he probably wouldn’t get anyway. I’m glad he’s focused on fit and not prestige.


Which artsy SLAC does your DC like? Mine wants strong music arts but wants to major in one of the sciences.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 13:01     Subject: Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
going through the same situation but with sports - my DC actually prefers the feel and community of two top SLACs over Cornell and Brown. We were surprised at first, but she really disliked the vibe at Cornell (my alma mater), and voiced an adamant “no way on earth!”.

Not sure many people would choose a top Nescac over an Ivy, but we are an example of at least one
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 13:01     Subject: Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is a horrible example of vague posting. My initial response is "so?" Next question is "Do they not want Ivies but they want Williams/Pomona/Stanford/MIT/etc." or "Do they want to go to state U for free and be a superstar?" - though guess what - no guarantee they will be a superstar and being average at state U is a lot worse than being average at an Ivy so there will be a lot more pressure to succeed.

But frankly I don't think I generally care so I will move on. Best of luck.


That is no longer true. MIT took one kid out of 50 from my kid's STEM magnet. At least 30 kids who were better in academics, SAT scores, ECs than that one kid, chose UMD. UMD has more top students from the various magnet programs in MD, VA, DC, NJ, Delaware and NY - coming for some of its reputed majors. The sheer volume of top performers in UMD in certain majors should give anxiety to applicants. UMD is not a small, cosy, boutique college.


OMG. Just stop with your UMD boosterism. You have no idea what the stats are for any kid other than your own and you sound ridiculous making these claims.
DP
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 12:54     Subject: Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It sounds a little they are taking a lot of liberty in assuming they would have gotten in and had the opportunity to turn down. Most of those stats are rejected. However, I applaud any kid that prioritizes fit.


+1 I also have a 1600 scoring kid. Especially with super scoring, a 1600 on the modern SAT is not as rare or meaningful as it once was when the test was designed differently. Even the majority of 1600 kids would get rejected from an ivy today, especially without other stand out accomplishments to back up the test scores. The schools do not really distinguish between a 1600 vs 1550, and there are too many kids who get these top scores, so you have to be a stand out some other way. As a previous thread pointed out, there are probably 20,000 who get 1520 or higher in one sitting, and when you allow super scoring on top of that, the numbers are even higher. It’s really good that OPs kid is not expecting or hoping to get into an Ivy or top10, and good for them for prioritizing fit.

I would be curious to know what places they pick and why. My kid is book smart, but not the leadership type or startup type, nor have they built a nuclear reactor in our garage. They just love learning and want to go somewhere where they can meet other nice, curious kids.


+1. I had a brief moment when DC started getting perfect scores on practice tests where I thought, should I be adjusting the schools we are planning to tour this year? And then I remembered how thoroughly unimpressed he was when we toured Brown, which was probably the closest fit wise of any of the Ivies. He knows he wants an artsy SLAC and so even if he does get a perfect or near perfect score this fall, it won’t change our plans. I’m not going to pressure him to go after something he doesn’t want that he probably wouldn’t get anyway. I’m glad he’s focused on fit and not prestige.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 12:39     Subject: Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This will cause entertaining responses I'm sure, but what would be your reaction if your 36 ACT/4.8W GPA student didn't want to apply to an Ivy? I respect it but am surprised.


Many kids applying to school now have strong feelings on Israel and its treatment of the Palestinians specially in Gaza. Over the past few years Ivies have shown by actions that only support for Israel will be allowed. Your freedom speech and academic freedom will be suppressed. You can be expelled from the school if you are in disagreement with the administration or well funded outside groups. This is reinforced in what seems like a preferential admission for Jewish students(12-25% of the students population depending on the school vs 2% of the population). Add in the antisemitism attacks from the federal government that creates a preferred status for students that vocally support Israel.

Most students with the high scores and grades apply ED because it increases your admissions chances(Brown is 17.9% EA and 5% regular admission). Though this limits your choice to one school. Why would you pick a school where you are basically a second class student, can get expelled by outside groups, receive no support from the administration and have federal funding stripped? Today it is support for Israel. Tomorrow it could be support for vaccines or if you are a democrat.

Who wants that type of a hassle went there are other schools out there that are just focused on academics.



Thank you for this comment. Well said.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 12:35     Subject: Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
Anonymous wrote:It sounds a little they are taking a lot of liberty in assuming they would have gotten in and had the opportunity to turn down. Most of those stats are rejected. However, I applaud any kid that prioritizes fit.


+1 I also have a 1600 scoring kid. Especially with super scoring, a 1600 on the modern SAT is not as rare or meaningful as it once was when the test was designed differently. Even the majority of 1600 kids would get rejected from an ivy today, especially without other stand out accomplishments to back up the test scores. The schools do not really distinguish between a 1600 vs 1550, and there are too many kids who get these top scores, so you have to be a stand out some other way. As a previous thread pointed out, there are probably 20,000 who get 1520 or higher in one sitting, and when you allow super scoring on top of that, the numbers are even higher. It’s really good that OPs kid is not expecting or hoping to get into an Ivy or top10, and good for them for prioritizing fit.

I would be curious to know what places they pick and why. My kid is book smart, but not the leadership type or startup type, nor have they built a nuclear reactor in our garage. They just love learning and want to go somewhere where they can meet other nice, curious kids.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 12:32     Subject: Re:Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
Ivy is not a meaningful category beyond prestige. When you really look at them, they are very different from each other and a student who applies to several of them is just chasing prestige and risking a bad fit. Some are very urban (Columbia, Penn, Yale, Brown), some are rural/suburban with not a lot going on (Dartmouth, Cornell, Princeton), some are very pre-professional and large/impersonal (Harvard, Cornell, Penn), some have social scenes that are Greek or eating club dominated (Dartmouth, Princeton), some attract more artsy and humanities types (Yale, Brown). It is not surprising to me that a top student might find a better fit and prefer an excellent non-Ivy school. Top SLACS in particular may be a better fit for some; some students might prefer the social scene at Duke or UCLA, or fall in love with Ann Arbor, etc. I think it is impressive when a 17 year old is mature enough to look beyond the Ivies. A good fit college can provide lifelong friends and connections. The older I get the more I think that is important; I know a lot of people who had a meh experience at an Ivy and have no connection to the place or anyone they went to college with.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 12:28     Subject: Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
Any child with a parent who would start a very odd thread like this is highly unlikely to get into an Ivy anyway. They know. Glad they saved you the application fee.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 12:28     Subject: Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm assuming they want to attend school in the South? That locale is very hot right now.

Plus Vandy, Duke, U Chicago, WashU, Rice, etc. are all rising in popularity.

Or maybe they want to go instate?




Agree, those schools are rising and popularity.

Also add on:
Northwestern
Wake
SLACs!!!


Ivies give tons of need based aid. These schools do not.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 12:25     Subject: Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
Anonymous wrote:This will cause entertaining responses I'm sure, but what would be your reaction if your 36 ACT/4.8W GPA student didn't want to apply to an Ivy? I respect it but am surprised.


Probably wouldn’t get in anyways. TONS of kids with that same academic profile get rejected from Ivies every year. Everyone applying, especially now that almost all are test required have similar stats.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 12:23     Subject: Re:Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
Who cares?

Kid should go where he wants.

My kid chose a school lower ranked than two of the T10s he was admitted to.

Newsflash: pretty much every kid applying to T1-20 had that same academic profile, and many at state flagships, etc
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 12:16     Subject: Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This will cause entertaining responses I'm sure, but what would be your reaction if your 36 ACT/4.8W GPA student didn't want to apply to an Ivy? I respect it but am surprised.


No one cares.

The weird thing is that DCUM draws such weirdos that it's hard to distinguish the trolls from those who'd think this is actually a thing that warrants feedback.


It is weird. Why worry about the schools of no interest the student? What are the schools of interest? What universities and why? That's the conversation this poster needs to have and get a list of where this student will apply.

That said, if the major of interest of this student is particularly strong at a certain ivy, It might be worth just having them take a look to make sure that they are excluding the school for the right reasons.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 12:13     Subject: Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This will cause entertaining responses I'm sure, but what would be your reaction if your 36 ACT/4.8W GPA student didn't want to apply to an Ivy? I respect it but am surprised.


No one cares.

The weird thing is that DCUM draws such weirdos that it's hard to distinguish the trolls from those who'd think this is actually a thing that warrants feedback.


+1
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 12:11     Subject: Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This will cause entertaining responses I'm sure, but what would be your reaction if your 36 ACT/4.8W GPA student didn't want to apply to an Ivy? I respect it but am surprised.

Weighted gpa means nothing.
Perfect scores are no big deal.
I would say your thinking these would be the main criteria for Ivy admission means you have a lot to learn.

I actually think these kids have figured that out, which is why these high GPA, high test score kids aren’t attracted to Ivies. Everyone wants a school where they’ll be wanted, and fit in, and recent admissions results and statements have made it pretty clear that an ordinary suburban kid from the DMV who is really really smart is not someone who will fit in or be welcome at an Ivy. So why should they want to go there?
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 12:08     Subject: Perfect scores, no interest in Ivys
Anonymous wrote:This will cause entertaining responses I'm sure, but what would be your reaction if your 36 ACT/4.8W GPA student didn't want to apply to an Ivy? I respect it but am surprised.


No one cares.

The weird thing is that DCUM draws such weirdos that it's hard to distinguish the trolls from those who'd think this is actually a thing that warrants feedback.