Anonymous
09/09/2025 21:30
Subject: Re:Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
If open to SLAC, Colby or Midd love private school kids.
Anonymous
09/09/2025 21:27
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Generally slacs love top privates.
Anonymous
09/09/2025 20:21
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:+ male
+ full pay
+ regional awards (multi state)
Interests in applied ethics and AI. Could apply as philosophy.
School is reallly pushing Chicago and he doesn’t want that so looking at options p
School is pushing Chicago because that is likely the highest ranked school kid can get into with the relative rank.
If you do not like it, ask for other "target" options.
Top boarding and day schools are all over the Boston area, and they publish their SAT ranges on profiles for families. Some of these would be considered T20 high schools. Maybe one is yours. Not a single one of these top high schools has a median SAT of 1560(many are at or just above 1500 though). In other words, your kid has a top SAT score but average grades: that says to AOs that they are not studying as hard as they could, and might not be ready for the competition of ivy-level. The average unhooked kids from these schools go to ND, Bowdoin, NYU, Emory etc. UChicago is not common for truly average, most are top-30-40%, but with the 1560 and since the CC is pushing, it must be in range for your kid. That is pretty impressive to have a shot at a T12 as an average student! Is he sure he does not like it? That school opens almost as many doors as an ivy. Ask specific colleges that would be good ED besides Chicago. Your CC will know your high school's track record better than anyone on the internet.
This is a leap. At my kids boarding school, kids who came in from some schools who didn’t have algebra in 8th, for example, had pretty shitty 9th grade grades. And they did just fine if not better during college search.
Uchicago is an easy placement college counselors like that. But it doesn’t need to be your priority
Anonymous
09/09/2025 20:16
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:A lot of non-grinder kids can be more attractive applicants. Top schools don’t cares if you got Bs in French all the way through if you went outside of your school to get AI related certifications, wrote an opera, or won the east coast regional intel competition division
Ironically. The more the elite the school, the more they’ll look past one element on the application
Yes this was the case for my two private school kids. At 2 diff Ivy (RD)….
One had a lot of Bs in foreign language.
Anonymous
09/09/2025 20:10
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
A lot of non-grinder kids can be more attractive applicants. Top schools don’t cares if you got Bs in French all the way through if you went outside of your school to get AI related certifications, wrote an opera, or won the east coast regional intel competition division
Ironically. The more the elite the school, the more they’ll look past one element on the application
Ironically. The more the elite the school, the more they’ll look past one element on the application
Anonymous
09/09/2025 20:09
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:So it’s one of these top 20 high schools?
https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/
Non-boarding day school list:
https://thebestschools.org/rankings/k-12/best-private-schools/
Anonymous
09/09/2025 20:09
Subject: Re:Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
If the kid doesn't like Chicago, they shouldn't apply. .There are plenty of reasons not to like a school, and especially one with a quarter system and reputations like Chicago.
It's hard to know what other colleges are willing to look down the class for ED. At our top DC private, there are LACs that fit that bill - Wesleyan, Middlebury. Vandy doesn't go that far I don't think but ours probably doesn't rank as high nationally.
The CC should know that info and can tell you if you're straight w them: Look chicago is not a fit, what else could work
It's hard to know what other colleges are willing to look down the class for ED. At our top DC private, there are LACs that fit that bill - Wesleyan, Middlebury. Vandy doesn't go that far I don't think but ours probably doesn't rank as high nationally.
The CC should know that info and can tell you if you're straight w them: Look chicago is not a fit, what else could work
Anonymous
09/09/2025 20:08
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
So it’s one of these top 20 high schools?
https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/
https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-private-high-schools/
Anonymous
09/09/2025 20:06
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:It all depends on where the rest of the class is applying.
Exactly…and how strong your peers are…
Anonymous
09/09/2025 19:48
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:+ male
+ full pay
+ regional awards (multi state)
Interests in applied ethics and AI. Could apply as philosophy.
School is reallly pushing Chicago and he doesn’t want that so looking at options p
School is pushing Chicago because that is likely the highest ranked school kid can get into with the relative rank.
If you do not like it, ask for other "target" options.
Top boarding and day schools are all over the Boston area, and they publish their SAT ranges on profiles for families. Some of these would be considered T20 high schools. Maybe one is yours. Not a single one of these top high schools has a median SAT of 1560(many are at or just above 1500 though). In other words, your kid has a top SAT score but average grades: that says to AOs that they are not studying as hard as they could, and might not be ready for the competition of ivy-level. The average unhooked kids from these schools go to ND, Bowdoin, NYU, Emory etc. UChicago is not common for truly average, most are top-30-40%, but with the 1560 and since the CC is pushing, it must be in range for your kid. That is pretty impressive to have a shot at a T12 as an average student! Is he sure he does not like it? That school opens almost as many doors as an ivy. Ask specific colleges that would be good ED besides Chicago. Your CC will know your high school's track record better than anyone on the internet.
OP said that it’s a top20 private, that is a totally different game. A 3.5 gpa but above average test score from such an elite school carries a lot of weight. Chicago would love an ED admit with this profile.
True, ivy plus might be difficult for this kid except for Cornell and with that major. Dartmouth probable if it’s a feeder and maybe a higher test score (Dartmouth likes high scorers). More realistically OP would be looking at Vandy, WashU, Emory, and SLACs. Many options.
Anonymous
09/09/2025 19:26
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:+ male
+ full pay
+ regional awards (multi state)
Interests in applied ethics and AI. Could apply as philosophy.
School is reallly pushing Chicago and he doesn’t want that so looking at options p
School is pushing Chicago because that is likely the highest ranked school kid can get into with the relative rank.
If you do not like it, ask for other "target" options.
Top boarding and day schools are all over the Boston area, and they publish their SAT ranges on profiles for families. Some of these would be considered T20 high schools. Maybe one is yours. Not a single one of these top high schools has a median SAT of 1560(many are at or just above 1500 though). In other words, your kid has a top SAT score but average grades: that says to AOs that they are not studying as hard as they could, and might not be ready for the competition of ivy-level. The average unhooked kids from these schools go to ND, Bowdoin, NYU, Emory etc. UChicago is not common for truly average, most are top-30-40%, but with the 1560 and since the CC is pushing, it must be in range for your kid. That is pretty impressive to have a shot at a T12 as an average student! Is he sure he does not like it? That school opens almost as many doors as an ivy. Ask specific colleges that would be good ED besides Chicago. Your CC will know your high school's track record better than anyone on the internet.
Chicago loves kids from top private schools who ED. It is true from Sidwell, STA, etc. It is very rare for a top 20% kid from these schools to attend Chicago from these schools because they all aim for the Ivies and most are successful. As such Chicago is where the kids with a 3.6-3.8 ED1 and then where some of the 3.8+ ED2 if they want a secure shot at a prestige school and didn't get into their ED1/SCEA Ivy. Chicago's admission from top privates is a very well worn pathway.
Anonymous
09/09/2025 19:23
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:+ male
+ full pay
+ regional awards (multi state)
Interests in applied ethics and AI. Could apply as philosophy.
School is reallly pushing Chicago and he doesn’t want that so looking at options p
School is pushing Chicago because that is likely the highest ranked school kid can get into with the relative rank.
If you do not like it, ask for other "target" options.
Top boarding and day schools are all over the Boston area, and they publish their SAT ranges on profiles for families. Some of these would be considered T20 high schools. Maybe one is yours. Not a single one of these top high schools has a median SAT of 1560(many are at or just above 1500 though). In other words, your kid has a top SAT score but average grades: that says to AOs that they are not studying as hard as they could, and might not be ready for the competition of ivy-level. The average unhooked kids from these schools go to ND, Bowdoin, NYU, Emory etc. UChicago is not common for truly average, most are top-30-40%, but with the 1560 and since the CC is pushing, it must be in range for your kid. That is pretty impressive to have a shot at a T12 as an average student! Is he sure he does not like it? That school opens almost as many doors as an ivy. Ask specific colleges that would be good ED besides Chicago. Your CC will know your high school's track record better than anyone on the internet.
Didn't OP say he doesn't want grinder culture of UChicago? That would be consistent with the grades.
Anonymous
09/09/2025 19:17
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:+ male
+ full pay
+ regional awards (multi state)
Interests in applied ethics and AI. Could apply as philosophy.
School is reallly pushing Chicago and he doesn’t want that so looking at options p
School is pushing Chicago because that is likely the highest ranked school kid can get into with the relative rank.
If you do not like it, ask for other "target" options.
Top boarding and day schools are all over the Boston area, and they publish their SAT ranges on profiles for families. Some of these would be considered T20 high schools. Maybe one is yours. Not a single one of these top high schools has a median SAT of 1560(many are at or just above 1500 though). In other words, your kid has a top SAT score but average grades: that says to AOs that they are not studying as hard as they could, and might not be ready for the competition of ivy-level. The average unhooked kids from these schools go to ND, Bowdoin, NYU, Emory etc. UChicago is not common for truly average, most are top-30-40%, but with the 1560 and since the CC is pushing, it must be in range for your kid. That is pretty impressive to have a shot at a T12 as an average student! Is he sure he does not like it? That school opens almost as many doors as an ivy. Ask specific colleges that would be good ED besides Chicago. Your CC will know your high school's track record better than anyone on the internet.
Anonymous
09/09/2025 18:41
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:St Andrews takes lots of private kids even without APs.
If OP's kid has AP scores LSE or Oxbridge (though Oxbridge apps / subject tests are due soon)
Does LSE require APs or will they take 35/35/35/36 ACT?
Anonymous
09/09/2025 18:37
Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
It all depends on where the rest of the class is applying.