Anonymous
03/04/2026 10:53
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
Anonymous wrote:So which of the following unhooked applicants from the same high school gets in to T10/20 if all others (ECs, reco letters) very comparable?
Applicant A: 4.0 from 9th grade to 12th, taking normal courses. 4 years average 4.0
Applicant B: 3.7 in 9th grade, 3.9 in 10th grade, 4.0 in 11th and 12th grade, taking most rigorous courses. 4 years average 3.9
I don't t think Applicant A has ANY chance at top 20 unless the student has a huge hook.
Anonymous
03/04/2026 10:51
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
Anonymous wrote:3.98/4.5, 1560 got WL at UVA a couple years ago.
4y FL, World, APUSH, APGov, Phy C-Mech, E&M, Calc BC, Calc 3/Linear BUT no lang nor lit. Yep, rigor in ALL areas.
I am surprised kid din't get into UVA but this is specifically NOT "rigor in all areas." You said no AP Lang or Lit. UVA admissions people state over and over that they want to see APs in all major subject areas. And while of course we all know that they take students without it, in this case it sounds like your kids did not have it.
In any case, being compared to peers is also enormous. And school you are applying to is also a factor. If your child was at TJ and applying to engineering it is easier to understand a waitlist than if your child is from Roanoke applying to Arts and Sciences.
Anonymous
03/04/2026 10:48
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
Anonymous wrote:According to Alan Gelb in his book Conquering The College Admissions Essay in 10 Steps the following are most important:
1-Grades in college prep classes
2-rigor of classes
3-test scores
4-essays
5-recommendations
6-class rank
7-extracurriculars
What do "college pre classes" mean? AP classes? What if a private school doesn't have APs?
Anonymous
03/04/2026 10:45
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
So which of the following unhooked applicants from the same high school gets in to T10/20 if all others (ECs, reco letters) very comparable?
Applicant A: 4.0 from 9th grade to 12th, taking normal courses. 4 years average 4.0
Applicant B: 3.7 in 9th grade, 3.9 in 10th grade, 4.0 in 11th and 12th grade, taking most rigorous courses. 4 years average 3.9
Applicant A: 4.0 from 9th grade to 12th, taking normal courses. 4 years average 4.0
Applicant B: 3.7 in 9th grade, 3.9 in 10th grade, 4.0 in 11th and 12th grade, taking most rigorous courses. 4 years average 3.9
Anonymous
03/04/2026 10:45
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Despite what you always hear, I know several non-hooked kids that have gotten into top 20 without top rigor across the board. They all had good GPAs but not top rigor in 100% of their classes.
What is your experience?
GPA is the most important. Rigor can be very subjective. This is from a senior parent who got deferred from Brown ED, UVA, UMich EA. You cannot get into UVA without a min 4.4 so rigor is secondary
GPA is much more subjective than rigor! Every school district calculates differently for one thing, so 4.4 from FCPS is not the same as 4.4 from Arlington or Montgomery County. For another, grade inflation is rampant and colleges know it. AP and IB classes have standards that are quantifiable.
Also I promise you that it is not true that you cannot get into UVA without a min 4.4 even in FCPS, which I am guessing you are referring to?
Anonymous
03/04/2026 10:33
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
Anonymous wrote:DC was not top rigor across all 5 subjects. In early to HYPS. Had the grades and test scores, but less than 10 APs. Public school.
You are either leaving something very significant out or this did not happen.
Anonymous
03/04/2026 10:31
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:top rigor not required from our private. kids with better grades and non top rigor did better in college admissions than kids with slightly lower grades in all top rigor classes.
Seems the same at my kids’school. I blame the convoluted (noAP) explanation in the academic profile they send to colleges.
I think it has a lot to do with intended majors.
Most top schools (outside of engineering) do not admit by major.
Anonymous
03/04/2026 10:31
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:3.98/4.5, 1560 got WL at UVA a couple years ago.
4y FL, World, APUSH, APGov, Phy C-Mech, E&M, Calc BC, Calc 3/Linear BUT no lang nor lit. Yep, rigor in ALL areas.
Not in English. UVA is infamous for wanting top rigor in all 5 core areas.
Oh sorry - you were saying you need rigor in all areas. Misunderstood. We agree.
That's absurd though. Can you explain to me why a liberal arts major looking to study something completely unrelated to STEM would need to take an AP Physics/Chem/Bio course or go beyond Calc BC. That just doesn't make sense!
Anonymous
03/04/2026 10:26
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
At our private there’s no APs or weighting…
If a niche humanities major, you don’t need the “advanced” stem for certain Ivy/T20. But you absolutely need independent school based research initiatives (that align with major).
If a niche humanities major, you don’t need the “advanced” stem for certain Ivy/T20. But you absolutely need independent school based research initiatives (that align with major).
Anonymous
03/04/2026 10:12
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Despite what you always hear, I know several non-hooked kids that have gotten into top 20 without top rigor across the board. They all had good GPAs but not top rigor in 100% of their classes.
What is your experience?
GPA is the most important. Rigor can be very subjective. This is from a senior parent who got deferred from Brown ED, UVA, UMich EA. You cannot get into UVA without a min 4.4 so rigor is secondary
But you can’t get a 4.4 without rigor. So they go hand in hand. Top grades and top rigor.
Anonymous
03/04/2026 10:04
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
Anonymous wrote:DC was not top rigor across all 5 subjects. In early to HYPS. Had the grades and test scores, but less than 10 APs. Public school.
Wow! congrats! hooked or a unique angle or athlete?
Anonymous
03/04/2026 10:04
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
Anonymous wrote:According to Alan Gelb in his book Conquering The College Admissions Essay in 10 Steps the following are most important:
1-Grades in college prep classes
2-rigor of classes
3-test scores
4-essays
5-recommendations
6-class rank
7-extracurriculars
Not at all private school. Or Ime
Anonymous
03/04/2026 09:56
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:top rigor not required from our private. kids with better grades and non top rigor did better in college admissions than kids with slightly lower grades in all top rigor classes.
Seems the same at my kids’school. I blame the convoluted (noAP) explanation in the academic profile they send to colleges.
I think it has a lot to do with intended majors.
Anonymous
03/04/2026 09:47
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
According to Alan Gelb in his book Conquering The College Admissions Essay in 10 Steps the following are most important:
1-Grades in college prep classes
2-rigor of classes
3-test scores
4-essays
5-recommendations
6-class rank
7-extracurriculars
1-Grades in college prep classes
2-rigor of classes
3-test scores
4-essays
5-recommendations
6-class rank
7-extracurriculars
Anonymous
03/04/2026 08:19
Subject: Rigor - Is it that important?
Anonymous wrote:I know the kids, what they took, and what they got in those classes. My kid and all his friends share info, they basically all know eachother's business.
Most people can't even recall all the courses their own kid took. You think you know what everyone's transcript looks like?