Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 03:40     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
The following may seem crass. I’m sorry.

I think that most people posting missed the part about you having cancer.

Maybe that can actually be a hook and help your DC explain away any weakness in ECs.

What’s your DC’s “story”? DC is helping to take care of Mom.

My guess is that your DC writes well, tha the teachers love your DC, and that your DC may do better at T20 schools with great aid than the jerks here think because your DC is the real thing, not the product of tutoring.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 01:57     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
To the OP: I’m sorry the jerks all jumped on your thread. If you want a mature, helpful conversation, you might post your question (with budget) over at College Confidential. Folks there are far kinder and more compassionate. The advice will probably end up in a similar “public honors college” place, but the journey there will be far more pleasant.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 00:41     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
He has nothing to offer the T10 or Ivies so I would water your money on Duke or the like.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2025 00:38     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here once again. My mind is blown that a 99.9th percentile ACT, NMSF, 10+ APs with mostly 5s, and a nearly perfect GPA are a dime a dozen and not something that would interest T20 schools. I guess you learn something every day.


My mind is blown that you haven’t done any tire kicking to realize the reality that these types of kids are incredibly common in this country? Talk about self centered.


Not OP but jeez! stop being so snotty!

College is a weird weird world now and so 100% different from when all of us parents applied that unless you have started to spend time spots like this to realize the outcomes for high stats kids and to hear about how people “cultivate” these ridiculous “spiky” profiles for their kids, you will not assume either is the case. People just do not realize how much things have changed from when we all were applying.


Some kids who aRe spikey were trained so but others are naturally spikey.

I think the issue with OP was she got the answer but it wasn’t what she was looking for. Yet:

-Her kid has been in this school awhile;

- she sees kid with high grades and NMSF but also know that doesn’t make kid stand out even at school

Nevertheless, she is still incredulous that her kid probably won’t fare better than what she assumed. Where has she seen the top 25% of her kid’s school going for the last few years?

Top 25% is evenly split between T20 type schools and the Honors College at the state flagship with around $15,000 merit scholarships. A lot of the kids getting into T20 schools don't have the same financial concerns.

Thanks to the handful of people who were helpful. As I said in the OP, my kid is perfectly happy doing the Honors College at the state flagship, and we just wanted to see what else might be viable. The answer appears to be that the high stats don't matter that much, and the state flagship is the way to go.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 22:44     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here once again. My mind is blown that a 99.9th percentile ACT, NMSF, 10+ APs with mostly 5s, and a nearly perfect GPA are a dime a dozen and not something that would interest T20 schools. I guess you learn something every day.


My mind is blown that you haven’t done any tire kicking to realize the reality that these types of kids are incredibly common in this country? Talk about self centered.


Not OP but jeez! stop being so snotty!

College is a weird weird world now and so 100% different from when all of us parents applied that unless you have started to spend time spots like this to realize the outcomes for high stats kids and to hear about how people “cultivate” these ridiculous “spiky” profiles for their kids, you will not assume either is the case. People just do not realize how much things have changed from when we all were applying.


Some kids who aRe spikey were trained so but others are naturally spikey.

I think the issue with OP was she got the answer but it wasn’t what she was looking for. Yet:

-Her kid has been in this school awhile;

- she sees kid with high grades and NMSF but also know that doesn’t make kid stand out even at school

Nevertheless, she is still incredulous that her kid probably won’t fare better than what she assumed. Where has she seen the top 25% of her kid’s school going for the last few years?
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 22:35     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here once again. My mind is blown that a 99.9th percentile ACT, NMSF, 10+ APs with mostly 5s, and a nearly perfect GPA are a dime a dozen and not something that would interest T20 schools. I guess you learn something every day.


My mind is blown that you haven’t done any tire kicking to realize the reality that these types of kids are incredibly common in this country? Talk about self centered.


Not OP but jeez! stop being so snotty!

College is a weird weird world now and so 100% different from when all of us parents applied that unless you have started to spend time spots like this to realize the outcomes for high stats kids and to hear about how people “cultivate” these ridiculous “spiky” profiles for their kids, you will not assume either is the case. People just do not realize how much things have changed from when we all were applying.


OP is a donut hole family and is just starting to do research now at the 11th hour. Snark is warranted. Not sure how old you are but it’s not dramatically different from when I went through the process.


Did you read that OP has been going through cancer treatment for the last 5 years?? What is wrong with you??
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 22:21     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
I find threads like this to be beyond idiotic. "What schools should I look at for my very high-stats kid?"
Um - any school you want? Good grief.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 21:57     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here once again. My mind is blown that a 99.9th percentile ACT, NMSF, 10+ APs with mostly 5s, and a nearly perfect GPA are a dime a dozen and not something that would interest T20 schools. I guess you learn something every day.


My mind is blown that you haven’t done any tire kicking to realize the reality that these types of kids are incredibly common in this country? Talk about self centered.


Not OP but jeez! stop being so snotty!

College is a weird weird world now and so 100% different from when all of us parents applied that unless you have started to spend time spots like this to realize the outcomes for high stats kids and to hear about how people “cultivate” these ridiculous “spiky” profiles for their kids, you will not assume either is the case. People just do not realize how much things have changed from when we all were applying.


OP is a donut hole family and is just starting to do research now at the 11th hour. Snark is warranted. Not sure how old you are but it’s not dramatically different from when I went through the process.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 21:40     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here once again. My mind is blown that a 99.9th percentile ACT, NMSF, 10+ APs with mostly 5s, and a nearly perfect GPA are a dime a dozen and not something that would interest T20 schools. I guess you learn something every day.


My mind is blown that you haven’t done any tire kicking to realize the reality that these types of kids are incredibly common in this country? Talk about self centered.


Not OP but jeez! stop being so snotty!

College is a weird weird world now and so 100% different from when all of us parents applied that unless you have started to spend time spots like this to realize the outcomes for high stats kids and to hear about how people “cultivate” these ridiculous “spiky” profiles for their kids, you will not assume either is the case. People just do not realize how much things have changed from when we all were applying.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 21:14     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:Your post seems strange because you don't name the Western State (there is a western undergraduate exchange) or name how competitive the high school is. It really depends how many other students at the high school also have very high stats.

Why your post is puzzling to people with students in college is that AP classes don't make sense. Since your child is in 11th grade he or she hasn't yet taken 11th grade AP's yet.

So your child in 9th or 10th grade took AP Calculus? Well that maybe could be true?

AP Lit - that is really unusual as most student first take AP Lang in 11th then AP Lit in 12th.

AP Chem in 10th? Maybe but most students are required to take Honors Chem and a bio class first so don't get to AP chem until 11th.


DP, Private in greater DMV area. AP Chem in 10th and AP Lang or Lit in 10th(the other 11th, college semester-style English 12th) is what the top group does, over 10% of the graduating class is in this group, and many of them are in APCalc in 10th too.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 20:34     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
USC (South Carolina) Or UGA Honors
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 20:34     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:OP here once again. My mind is blown that a 99.9th percentile ACT, NMSF, 10+ APs with mostly 5s, and a nearly perfect GPA are a dime a dozen and not something that would interest T20 schools. I guess you learn something every day.


My mind is blown that you haven’t done any tire kicking to realize the reality that these types of kids are incredibly common in this country? Talk about self centered.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 20:31     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:OP here once again. My mind is blown that a 99.9th percentile ACT, NMSF, 10+ APs with mostly 5s, and a nearly perfect GPA are a dime a dozen and not something that would interest T20 schools. I guess you learn something every day.


Your kid may get into around a T20. Higher than that is much less likely. You are putting way too much emphasis on the academic side only.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 20:23     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:OP here once again. My mind is blown that a 99.9th percentile ACT, NMSF, 10+ APs with mostly 5s, and a nearly perfect GPA are a dime a dozen and not something that would interest T20 schools. I guess you learn something every day.


What kind of colleges do the top 20-25% get in to from your HS?

At our private high school, the top 30-40% gets in to T25. Though top math and stem majors struggled in RD this year.
Anonymous
Post 04/15/2025 20:09     Subject: Very high stats kid - which schools should we be considering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Your post seems strange because you don't name the Western State (there is a western undergraduate exchange) or name how competitive the high school is. It really depends how many other students at the high school also have very high stats.

Why your post is puzzling to people with students in college is that AP classes don't make sense. Since your child is in 11th grade he or she hasn't yet taken 11th grade AP's yet.

So your child in 9th or 10th grade took AP Calculus? Well that maybe could be true?

AP Lit - that is really unusual as most student first take AP Lang in 11th then AP Lit in 12th.

AP Chem in 10th? Maybe but most students are required to take Honors Chem and a bio class first so don't get to AP chem until 11th.


Sorry. Trying not to give too much identifying info. The high school is small but very well regarded and is a magnet program. Around 20-25% of the kids end up with NMSF, and over half have 10+ APs when they graduate. My kid is top 5% by GPA. Unfortunately, the guidance counselor is new.

Yep. 5 APs were already taken in 9th-10th, with an average score of 4.8. Kid this year is taking another AP in each core subject, and then a post-AP in each core subject in 12th.

Kid has other long term hobbies that weren't included in the OP. I wasn't sure if any schools were interested in a kid who has a lot of very eclectic interests and is obviously not parent manufactured vs. a kid who has a cohesive story with a very carefully cultivated package.


If 25% of the class is NMSF then your kid doesn't stand out. And you still didn't address AP Lit in 9th or 10th grade. That is very, very unusual. It isn't the number of AP's it is the AP Lit and AP Chem in 9th or 10th.