Anonymous wrote:MCPS 2024, 3.98/4.5, 1540
Accepted w/merit: UNC, UMD, Ohio State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It appears that it is harder to get into college than when we all applied. But what about for the very high stats kids?

Can some of you please share how it went for your child who went through the process if your kid was max rigor, 1550 plus, top grades, great but not national award winning extracurricular.

My child is having trouble finishing up their college lists and part of the reason is we really just have no idea how it will all go with the reach schools. We also don't know what school is "worth" taking your shot early. This child will be happiest with an intense, highly academic crowd.

This was my kid. He’s attending UMDCP. No luck at any of the highly ranked privates but in the end I think he wound up right where he’s supposed to be. Good luck!

Same for my super high stats DC (higher than OP's kid). They are pretty happy there. Bonus for going to UMD in state is that UMD took most of their credits - 56 total, and got merit. They will have two bachelors and +1 masters in 4 years for under $130K.

Got a great internship, having a blast, and making decent money.

It was an ego hit when they were rejected to T15, but in the end, they said they are at where they are meant to be, and they are happy. I have seen DC grow in the past 2 years while in college, and it's been an amazing journey for DC.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3.98uw/1560 (760v/790m), 11 APs, male, full pay, poli sci/IR. All apps were RD.

Attending a T10 where he was admitted off the waitlist in June. Previously planned to attend a low target w/merit

Rejected: Brown, Columbia, Georgetown, UCLA/UCB/UCSD, USC, Vandy

Waitlisted: Michigan, Northeastern (admitted late April but not for Boston), NYU, Tufts, and the T10 (admitted in June)

Accepted: state flagship, other in-state safety, two low targets (T60s)

Hindsight is 20/20. My kid did not have his app ready to apply early - the UCs were the first apps submitted. Didn't finalize Common App essay until Jan 1. If he had to do it over again, he would have applied early somewhere, at least EA. Ultimately it worked out, I think the school he's attending will be a good fit, but it's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride.

My advice is to have multiple targets and safeties that your kid would be glad to attend if not admitted anywhere else. This is not a predictable process from the student perspective. As someone mentioned above, some high-stats students will get into many top schools, some will get into none, and it may not be clear from the outside why that happened, except that top schools are largely looking for the same things.

Just so incredibly stupid not to name the school already. It’s not helpful otherwise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My two had similar stats from a high performing public. Additionally, they both had outstanding ECs, internships, school leadership, and both were athletes, with one being actively recruited by D3 schools. One had a significant national award in a STEM field. They were also good writers and made the most of their essays. I didn't read their LOCs, but I'm sure they were very good. They are both very outgoing and fun to be around.

Both kids knew the realities of college admissions today. It really is a crapshoot for top students from high performing public schools. Stats-wise - I think they both got Bs in Spanish in 8th grade, but otherwise straight As in the most difficult classes, and one had a 35 and the other a 1520. But that doesn't really distinguish them from a lot of their classmates. The competition is fierce at good publics in the DMV, Bay Area, Tri-State area, and Chicago. There are a lot of great students out there at high performing publics.

I think the ECs and the leadership are what mattered in the end, plus the essays, particularly one of them, which was hilarious and would definitely bring any admissions reader to champion them at the table where they decide these things. Being charming and funny is very helpful, both in college admissions and life. We also visited about 10 schools all together, dragging the younger sibling along to be efficient. That was very enlightening. A parent brings their 90s biases, but things have changed a lot since then. All the people shooting for Ivies - visit them before applying.

Ultimately, they played the ED game. I think one might have wanted to take a shot at Stanford. And the other, MIT. But they both really connected with a couple of T20 schools where applying ED makes a difference. Both got in to their schools in the ED round. One and done with the both of them. Didn't get a chance to apply anywhere else. And they are both very happy with their college experience. So it all worked out.

ED is the key.

I noticed many posters didn't ED anywhere. Yes, I understand they all wanted HYPMS, the results could be very different if high stats kids settle for ED at a T20 school.

Very few can ED.

Anonymous wrote:
1560 SAT
4.0 Unweighted, 4.57 weighted
14 APs with all fives on the 9 tests taken before applying
Took Calc 3 junior summer, got an A (he LOVES math and will major in it)
Merit Finalist
Captain and MVP of his rowing team (4 years on the team)
3 years juried music with awards
Helped run the family business (with demonstrated financial impact!)

Applied to Yale (legacy AND rowing official visit with pre-read), Princeton, Penn, Northwestern, Dartmouth, Cornell, Uchicago. Waitlisted at Northwestern and Cornell and rejected at the rest.

He going to Penn State, which he was actually happy with from the beginning of the process, thankfully, which is why he only applied to a few top schools.

He is starting out with 66 credits and can graduate in three years with a double major OR in four with an integrated masters (applied math and applied statistic).

Sidebar: We invested the additional money we saved for college which will have a dramatic impact on his financial future. He is thrilled! And he joked about hoping it happened because he is pretty sure the social life is going to be so much better and is convinced he can get a great education pretty much anywhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My two had similar stats from a high performing public. Additionally, they both had outstanding ECs, internships, school leadership, and both were athletes, with one being actively recruited by D3 schools. One had a significant national award in a STEM field. They were also good writers and made the most of their essays. I didn't read their LOCs, but I'm sure they were very good. They are both very outgoing and fun to be around.

Both kids knew the realities of college admissions today. It really is a crapshoot for top students from high performing public schools. Stats-wise - I think they both got Bs in Spanish in 8th grade, but otherwise straight As in the most difficult classes, and one had a 35 and the other a 1520. But that doesn't really distinguish them from a lot of their classmates. The competition is fierce at good publics in the DMV, Bay Area, Tri-State area, and Chicago. There are a lot of great students out there at high performing publics.

I think the ECs and the leadership are what mattered in the end, plus the essays, particularly one of them, which was hilarious and would definitely bring any admissions reader to champion them at the table where they decide these things. Being charming and funny is very helpful, both in college admissions and life. We also visited about 10 schools all together, dragging the younger sibling along to be efficient. That was very enlightening. A parent brings their 90s biases, but things have changed a lot since then. All the people shooting for Ivies - visit them before applying.

Ultimately, they played the ED game. I think one might have wanted to take a shot at Stanford. And the other, MIT. But they both really connected with a couple of T20 schools where applying ED makes a difference. Both got in to their schools in the ED round. One and done with the both of them. Didn't get a chance to apply anywhere else. And they are both very happy with their college experience. So it all worked out.

ED is the key.

I noticed many posters didn't ED anywhere. Yes, I understand they all wanted HYPMS, the results could be very different if high stats kids settle for ED at a T20 school.

Very few can ED.

Anonymous wrote:
1560 SAT
4.0 Unweighted, 4.57 weighted
14 APs with all fives on the 9 tests taken before applying
Took Calc 3 junior summer, got an A (he LOVES math and will major in it)
Merit Finalist
Captain and MVP of his rowing team (4 years on the team)
3 years juried music with awards
Helped run the family business (with demonstrated financial impact!)

Applied to Yale (legacy AND rowing official visit with pre-read), Princeton, Penn, Northwestern, Dartmouth, Cornell, Uchicago. Waitlisted at Northwestern and Cornell and rejected at the rest.

He going to Penn State, which he was actually happy with from the beginning of the process, thankfully, which is why he only applied to a few top schools.

He is starting out with 66 credits and can graduate in three years with a double major OR in four with an integrated masters (applied math and applied statistic).

Sidebar: We invested the additional money we saved for college which will have a dramatic impact on his financial future. He is thrilled! And he joked about hoping it happened because he is pretty sure the social life is going to be so much better and is convinced he can get a great education pretty much anywhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, based on our experience, be aware of the OOS Top Publics with single digit OOS acceptance rates with 60,000 and more applications. In addition to Ivies and other T20s, these are some of the most difficult gets. We found that out this last cycle.

I really fail to see why those are so attractive to people.

My kids applied to instate public schools but no out of state publics. I'm not paying private $ for public quality. Nope.

You fail to see why UCLA, Cal, Michigan, UNC and UVA would be attractive?

For OOS, correct. I'd rather my kid go private if not getting instate tuition.

So you’d prefer Wheaton College over UVA? Juanita College over Berkeley? Conn College over Michigan? Elon over UCLA? Bryn Mawr over UNC?

Random examples but you get my point. “Private colleges” span from terrible to mediocre to good to excellent”

Bryan Mayr could definitely be preferred over UNC.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, based on our experience, be aware of the OOS Top Publics with single digit OOS acceptance rates with 60,000 and more applications. In addition to Ivies and other T20s, these are some of the most difficult gets. We found that out this last cycle.

I really fail to see why those are so attractive to people.

My kids applied to instate public schools but no out of state publics. I'm not paying private $ for public quality. Nope.

You fail to see why UCLA, Cal, Michigan, UNC and UVA would be attractive?

For OOS, correct. I'd rather my kid go private if not getting instate tuition.

So you’d prefer Wheaton College over UVA? Juanita College over Berkeley? Conn College over Michigan? Elon over UCLA? Bryn Mawr over UNC?

Random examples but you get my point. “Private colleges” span from terrible to mediocre to good to excellent”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My two had similar stats from a high performing public. Additionally, they both had outstanding ECs, internships, school leadership, and both were athletes, with one being actively recruited by D3 schools. One had a significant national award in a STEM field. They were also good writers and made the most of their essays. I didn't read their LOCs, but I'm sure they were very good. They are both very outgoing and fun to be around.

Both kids knew the realities of college admissions today. It really is a crapshoot for top students from high performing public schools. Stats-wise - I think they both got Bs in Spanish in 8th grade, but otherwise straight As in the most difficult classes, and one had a 35 and the other a 1520. But that doesn't really distinguish them from a lot of their classmates. The competition is fierce at good publics in the DMV, Bay Area, Tri-State area, and Chicago. There are a lot of great students out there at high performing publics.

I think the ECs and the leadership are what mattered in the end, plus the essays, particularly one of them, which was hilarious and would definitely bring any admissions reader to champion them at the table where they decide these things. Being charming and funny is very helpful, both in college admissions and life. We also visited about 10 schools all together, dragging the younger sibling along to be efficient. That was very enlightening. A parent brings their 90s biases, but things have changed a lot since then. All the people shooting for Ivies - visit them before applying.

Ultimately, they played the ED game. I think one might have wanted to take a shot at Stanford. And the other, MIT. But they both really connected with a couple of T20 schools where applying ED makes a difference. Both got in to their schools in the ED round. One and done with the both of them. Didn't get a chance to apply anywhere else. And they are both very happy with their college experience. So it all worked out.

ED is the key.

I noticed many posters didn't ED anywhere. Yes, I understand they all wanted HYPMS, the results could be very different if high stats kids settle for ED at a T20 school.

Very few can ED.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1550 is not considered high.

It is top 1%, higher than any of your children and very high. It also only goes so far because people really don’t understand that academics are a critical but single part of what admissions at top schools look for.

DP here. I'll agree it's very high and it's a great score and good for your kid. But why did you have to throw in that it's higher than any of your children?

My kid actually scored higher, so you're wrong there. Many others did as well.

Anonymous wrote:
1560 SAT
4.0 Unweighted, 4.57 weighted
14 APs with all fives on the 9 tests taken before applying
Took Calc 3 junior summer, got an A (he LOVES math and will major in it)
Merit Finalist
Captain and MVP of his rowing team (4 years on the team)
3 years juried music with awards
Helped run the family business (with demonstrated financial impact!)

Applied to Yale (legacy AND rowing official visit with pre-read), Princeton, Penn, Northwestern, Dartmouth, Cornell, Uchicago. Waitlisted at Northwestern and Cornell and rejected at the rest.

He going to Penn State, which he was actually happy with from the beginning of the process, thankfully, which is why he only applied to a few top schools.

He is starting out with 66 credits and can graduate in three years with a double major OR in four with an integrated masters (applied math and applied statistic).

Sidebar: We invested the additional money we saved for college which will have a dramatic impact on his financial future. He is thrilled! And he joked about hoping it happened because he is pretty sure the social life is going to be so much better and is convinced he can get a great education pretty much anywhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My two had similar stats from a high performing public. Additionally, they both had outstanding ECs, internships, school leadership, and both were athletes, with one being actively recruited by D3 schools. One had a significant national award in a STEM field. They were also good writers and made the most of their essays. I didn't read their LOCs, but I'm sure they were very good. They are both very outgoing and fun to be around.

Both kids knew the realities of college admissions today. It really is a crapshoot for top students from high performing public schools. Stats-wise - I think they both got Bs in Spanish in 8th grade, but otherwise straight As in the most difficult classes, and one had a 35 and the other a 1520. But that doesn't really distinguish them from a lot of their classmates. The competition is fierce at good publics in the DMV, Bay Area, Tri-State area, and Chicago. There are a lot of great students out there at high performing publics.

I think the ECs and the leadership are what mattered in the end, plus the essays, particularly one of them, which was hilarious and would definitely bring any admissions reader to champion them at the table where they decide these things. Being charming and funny is very helpful, both in college admissions and life. We also visited about 10 schools all together, dragging the younger sibling along to be efficient. That was very enlightening. A parent brings their 90s biases, but things have changed a lot since then. All the people shooting for Ivies - visit them before applying.

Ultimately, they played the ED game. I think one might have wanted to take a shot at Stanford. And the other, MIT. But they both really connected with a couple of T20 schools where applying ED makes a difference. Both got in to their schools in the ED round. One and done with the both of them. Didn't get a chance to apply anywhere else. And they are both very happy with their college experience. So it all worked out.

ED is the key.

I noticed many posters didn't ED anywhere. Yes, I understand they all wanted HYPMS, the results could be very different if high stats kids settle for ED at a T20 school.

Anonymous wrote:3.98uw/1560 (760v/790m), 11 APs, male, full pay, poli sci/IR. All apps were RD.

Attending a T10 where he was admitted off the waitlist in June. Previously planned to attend a low target w/merit

Rejected: Brown, Columbia, Georgetown, UCLA/UCB/UCSD, USC, Vandy

Waitlisted: Michigan, Northeastern (admitted late April but not for Boston), NYU, Tufts, and the T10 (admitted in June)

Accepted: state flagship, other in-state safety, two low targets (T60s)

Hindsight is 20/20. My kid did not have his app ready to apply early - the UCs were the first apps submitted. Didn't finalize Common App essay until Jan 1. If he had to do it over again, he would have applied early somewhere, at least EA. Ultimately it worked out, I think the school he's attending will be a good fit, but it's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride.

My advice is to have multiple targets and safeties that your kid would be glad to attend if not admitted anywhere else. This is not a predictable process from the student perspective. As someone mentioned above, some high-stats students will get into many top schools, some will get into none, and it may not be clear from the outside why that happened, except that top schools are largely looking for the same things.