Anonymous
07/16/2025 17:45
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DS is a rising junior at a good DMV private- not one of the "Big 5", but the tier right below.
He has excellent grades (95+), and is scoring in the 1500-1540 range on his practice SATs so far.
The issue is that he is not motivated to do anything outside of what he needs to do at school and has no passion for anything yet. He plays a sport recreationally, volunteers here and there (no leadership position), and it's honestly been like pulling teeth to get him to do anything to stand out.
From everything I know about college admissions so far, they all seem to be after the kid who is great at one particular thing, has a great story, demonstrated leadership and impact ... of course grades and test scores matter but they don't seem to be enough.
What reach schools should he be aiming for?
If you can afford it, this is the perfect profile for the top UK/EU universities. If he can score 5’s on at least 3 AP tests and with a 1500+ SAT, he would be an easy admit at most UK schools (outside Oxbridge since that is a crapshoot and involves other testing/interviews).
In the EU: Copenhagen, Amsterdam, ETH Zurich, Maastricht, Science Po, Paris, Trinity College. If business, Bocconi. These are all top universities that focus on grades/tests. ECs are irrelevant here.
In the UK, just look at the typical top 10: Oxbridge, LSE, Imperial, St Andrews, Edinburgh, Durham, UCL, Bath, Warwick, Exeter
I would take UVA any time over any foreign schools.
Wisconsin and Ohio State are very solid schools, they will take OP easily. Why do we have to go to a fancy European country?
Same. I wouldn't pay for any of those.
Typical small minded American. I agree on UVA for in state. Not sure what OP kid wants to study. But lets say it is Econ or Business. You can get a phenomenal education at a EU school for the price of a SINGLE YEAR of an OOS tuition in the US. You would be saving a ton.
I agree. I don't know about a SINGLE year for a 3 yr undergrad in the UK, but definitely a saving on 4 yrs of in state college.
$160k total 4 yrs in state versus $90k total 3 yrs UK that's a saving of $70k
Not in the UK. My son is going to his 3rd at Bocconi. Tuition for this upcoming year is 16k Euros….times, That is about $55k DOLLARS for all 3 years. I’m sorry, but unless you are at a top school or in state school in the US, nothing compares to the cost benefit.
I didn’t realize Bocconi was this cheap. One of the top, if not the top Business school in the EU.
It is a steal for the right kid.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 16:37
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
Also ED might work at reach schools. They are the ones that care about yield-protection anyway!
Anonymous
07/16/2025 16:36
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
I would suggest schools that are known for yield-protection. Northeastern comes to mind. If he wants to dream big, maybe Yale? I dunno.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 15:50
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DS is a rising junior at a good DMV private- not one of the "Big 5", but the tier right below.
He has excellent grades (95+), and is scoring in the 1500-1540 range on his practice SATs so far.
The issue is that he is not motivated to do anything outside of what he needs to do at school and has no passion for anything yet. He plays a sport recreationally, volunteers here and there (no leadership position), and it's honestly been like pulling teeth to get him to do anything to stand out.
From everything I know about college admissions so far, they all seem to be after the kid who is great at one particular thing, has a great story, demonstrated leadership and impact ... of course grades and test scores matter but they don't seem to be enough.
What reach schools should he be aiming for?
If you can afford it, this is the perfect profile for the top UK/EU universities. If he can score 5’s on at least 3 AP tests and with a 1500+ SAT, he would be an easy admit at most UK schools (outside Oxbridge since that is a crapshoot and involves other testing/interviews).
In the EU: Copenhagen, Amsterdam, ETH Zurich, Maastricht, Science Po, Paris, Trinity College. If business, Bocconi. These are all top universities that focus on grades/tests. ECs are irrelevant here.
In the UK, just look at the typical top 10: Oxbridge, LSE, Imperial, St Andrews, Edinburgh, Durham, UCL, Bath, Warwick, Exeter
I would take UVA any time over any foreign schools.
Wisconsin and Ohio State are very solid schools, they will take OP easily. Why do we have to go to a fancy European country?
Same. I wouldn't pay for any of those.
Typical small minded American. I agree on UVA for in state. Not sure what OP kid wants to study. But lets say it is Econ or Business. You can get a phenomenal education at a EU school for the price of a SINGLE YEAR of an OOS tuition in the US. You would be saving a ton.
I agree. I don't know about a SINGLE year for a 3 yr undergrad in the UK, but definitely a saving on 4 yrs of in state college.
$160k total 4 yrs in state versus $90k total 3 yrs UK that's a saving of $70k
Not in the UK. My son is going to his 3rd at Bocconi. Tuition for this upcoming year is 16k Euros….times, That is about $55k DOLLARS for all 3 years. I’m sorry, but unless you are at a top school or in state school in the US, nothing compares to the cost benefit.
I didn’t realize Bocconi was this cheap. One of the top, if not the top Business school in the EU.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 15:09
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
Oxford, Cambridge, the University of London colleges, Toronto
Anonymous
07/16/2025 15:07
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
If he is at a "tier below the big 5" - he must be doing 3 after school activities a year (fall, winter, spring). Just lean into that. If he is going to be a senior on the team, he mentors the lowerclassmen. Look on the internet for how to sell. Then have him get a job. Done. You don't need to lie or do a fake charity. - parent of rising senior at private
Anonymous
07/16/2025 15:02
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DS is a rising junior at a good DMV private- not one of the "Big 5", but the tier right below.
He has excellent grades (95+), and is scoring in the 1500-1540 range on his practice SATs so far.
The issue is that he is not motivated to do anything outside of what he needs to do at school and has no passion for anything yet. He plays a sport recreationally, volunteers here and there (no leadership position), and it's honestly been like pulling teeth to get him to do anything to stand out.
From everything I know about college admissions so far, they all seem to be after the kid who is great at one particular thing, has a great story, demonstrated leadership and impact ... of course grades and test scores matter but they don't seem to be enough.
What reach schools should he be aiming for?
Do you need merit? If not, ED will be very important.
Look at:
Public schools like UVA, UMichigan, UT, and UNC don't focus on ECs as much.
Depending on major, an ED at a school like Rice or WashU or UChicago could work with a bit of application finessing.
ECs (in addition to high stats) are important at those three privates.
Yes, ECs are needed in addition to high stats at Rice.
I remember a post about a kid with below average stats got in Rice, his EC is working at a horse farm for 3 summers. TX resident though.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 15:00
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DS is a rising junior at a good DMV private- not one of the "Big 5", but the tier right below.
He has excellent grades (95+), and is scoring in the 1500-1540 range on his practice SATs so far.
The issue is that he is not motivated to do anything outside of what he needs to do at school and has no passion for anything yet. He plays a sport recreationally, volunteers here and there (no leadership position), and it's honestly been like pulling teeth to get him to do anything to stand out.
From everything I know about college admissions so far, they all seem to be after the kid who is great at one particular thing, has a great story, demonstrated leadership and impact ... of course grades and test scores matter but they don't seem to be enough.
What reach schools should he be aiming for?
Do you need merit? If not, ED will be very important.
Look at:
Public schools like UVA, UMichigan, UT, and UNC don't focus on ECs as much.
Depending on major, an ED at a school like Rice or WashU or UChicago could work with a bit of application finessing.
ECs (in addition to high stats) are important at those three privates.
In RD, yes.
But those are the 3 schools our private CCO suggests for very high stats with mediocre ECs for ED (only ED).
Each private high school is presumably different? Your school will have a stronger track record with some private colleges over others.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 14:57
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DS is a rising junior at a good DMV private- not one of the "Big 5", but the tier right below.
He has excellent grades (95+), and is scoring in the 1500-1540 range on his practice SATs so far.
The issue is that he is not motivated to do anything outside of what he needs to do at school and has no passion for anything yet. He plays a sport recreationally, volunteers here and there (no leadership position), and it's honestly been like pulling teeth to get him to do anything to stand out.
From everything I know about college admissions so far, they all seem to be after the kid who is great at one particular thing, has a great story, demonstrated leadership and impact ... of course grades and test scores matter but they don't seem to be enough.
What reach schools should he be aiming for?
Do you need merit? If not, ED will be very important.
Look at:
Public schools like UVA, UMichigan, UT, and UNC don't focus on ECs as much.
Depending on major, an ED at a school like Rice or WashU or UChicago could work with a bit of application finessing.
ECs (in addition to high stats) are important at those three privates.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 14:55
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
Anonymous wrote:DS is a rising junior at a good DMV private- not one of the "Big 5", but the tier right below.
He has excellent grades (95+), and is scoring in the 1500-1540 range on his practice SATs so far.
The issue is that he is not motivated to do anything outside of what he needs to do at school and has no passion for anything yet. He plays a sport recreationally, volunteers here and there (no leadership position), and it's honestly been like pulling teeth to get him to do anything to stand out.
From everything I know about college admissions so far, they all seem to be after the kid who is great at one particular thing, has a great story, demonstrated leadership and impact ... of course grades and test scores matter but they don't seem to be enough.
What reach schools should he be aiming for?
Junior tryouts for the recreational sport he is playing. If he can't get in varsity, tryout at junior varsity. Get some training this summer.
Editor at a school newspaper, magazine, etc.
Apply to/attend competitive summer programs in the summer after junior. Look for the free ones in particular.
Local internship.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:37
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:God forbid my son has to spend 3 years in Milan for $55k all in. I definitely would prefer Ann Arbor for $58k for ONE year OOS.
Some kids want a traditional college experience in the United States? College game day? Greek life? Sports? Rah-Rah camaraderie?
Of course. Nothing wrong with that. It is a different experience. The camaraderie is not exclusive to American institutions. Greek life sure, but there are similar societies, etc. It is just a different experience. I’m not to criticize anyone for choosing one or the other.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:35
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
If you have money to burn sure. For those who dont, this is a great option.
Also, have you ever stop to think that some kids might want to explore and go abroad? You dont have to like it or understand . But the world doesn't revolve around our noses. Nobody has to do anything. But isn’t it nice t hat there are options to kids like the OP’s kid?
We had $400k saved for college. One kid. Guess what, my son graduates next year and he will have $300k+ still saved. If he goes to grad school great, if he doesn’t, he has a $300k nest egg to start his life.
Also, have you ever stop to think that some kids might want to explore and go abroad? You dont have to like it or understand . But the world doesn't revolve around our noses. Nobody has to do anything. But isn’t it nice t hat there are options to kids like the OP’s kid?
We had $400k saved for college. One kid. Guess what, my son graduates next year and he will have $300k+ still saved. If he goes to grad school great, if he doesn’t, he has a $300k nest egg to start his life.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:33
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
Anonymous wrote:God forbid my son has to spend 3 years in Milan for $55k all in. I definitely would prefer Ann Arbor for $58k for ONE year OOS.
Some kids want a traditional college experience in the United States? College game day? Greek life? Sports? Rah-Rah camaraderie?
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:32
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DS is a rising junior at a good DMV private- not one of the "Big 5", but the tier right below.
He has excellent grades (95+), and is scoring in the 1500-1540 range on his practice SATs so far.
The issue is that he is not motivated to do anything outside of what he needs to do at school and has no passion for anything yet. He plays a sport recreationally, volunteers here and there (no leadership position), and it's honestly been like pulling teeth to get him to do anything to stand out.
From everything I know about college admissions so far, they all seem to be after the kid who is great at one particular thing, has a great story, demonstrated leadership and impact ... of course grades and test scores matter but they don't seem to be enough.
What reach schools should he be aiming for?
If you can afford it, this is the perfect profile for the top UK/EU universities. If he can score 5’s on at least 3 AP tests and with a 1500+ SAT, he would be an easy admit at most UK schools (outside Oxbridge since that is a crapshoot and involves other testing/interviews).
In the EU: Copenhagen, Amsterdam, ETH Zurich, Maastricht, Science Po, Paris, Trinity College. If business, Bocconi. These are all top universities that focus on grades/tests. ECs are irrelevant here.
In the UK, just look at the typical top 10: Oxbridge, LSE, Imperial, St Andrews, Edinburgh, Durham, UCL, Bath, Warwick, Exeter
I would take UVA any time over any foreign schools.
Wisconsin and Ohio State are very solid schools, they will take OP easily. Why do we have to go to a fancy European country?
Same. I wouldn't pay for any of those.
Typical small minded American. I agree on UVA for in state. Not sure what OP kid wants to study. But lets say it is Econ or Business. You can get a phenomenal education at a EU school for the price of a SINGLE YEAR of an OOS tuition in the US. You would be saving a ton.
I agree. I don't know about a SINGLE year for a 3 yr undergrad in the UK, but definitely a saving on 4 yrs of in state college.
$160k total 4 yrs in state versus $90k total 3 yrs UK that's a saving of $70k
Not in the UK. My son is going to his 3rd at Bocconi. Tuition for this upcoming year is 16k Euros….times, That is about $55k DOLLARS for all 3 years. I’m sorry, but unless you are at a top school or in state school in the US, nothing compares to the cost benefit.
But, what if you don’t care about the cost? And you have $500,000 in your 529 for this kid? And you want to get into the best US school you can? Why are we sending all these kids abroad now?
I don’t think this is a good plan unless you need to do it for financial reasons. Then absolutely it makes sense.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:32
Subject: Rising Junior with excellent grades and test scores but no great extracurriculars
God forbid my son has to spend 3 years in Milan for $55k all in. I definitely would prefer Ann Arbor for $58k for ONE year OOS. 