Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 23:25     Subject: Re:Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:What kind of school does your son want?

Two schools that come to mind are Tufts and Wesleyan.


Seems this kid could aim higher given it’s a feeder.

At our non-DMV private this kid gets into Cornell/WashU/Emory in RD assuming enough DI.

I’d aim Higher for ED1 and reassess after Dec. A deferral is diff from a rejection. Read the tea leaves and be prepared to pivot.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 23:22     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:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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/


At any of these schools, this kid gets into Brown level schools ED. Provided not a lot of other hooked peers EDing.

No.
NCS, Sidwell, and Gilman are all on the list. Not for 3.5 gpa kids.


I thought gpa was 3.7/3.75uw?


Did OP say that? I must have missed it. The title says middle of the class, which is typically 3.5 in a top private that does not inflate.


Since rigorous privates have competitive admission, they can usually choose strong/A students coming in from middle school so there are few average students academically. That said, from my experience a middle 50% gpa at a rigorous private would be around 3.6 due to the lack of inflation. Top half ranges from just below an A- (very high B+) to an A average. Ofc, rigor matters a lot!


Not at our top private. No one gets a solid A average. 2 A, 2 A- and 1 B+ would put you in top 25%. Last year a core subject teacher gave majority of her class C’s in the final.


Same at our private. And my kid got into T10 with that grade…
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 23:19     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:
Anonymous wrote:I am very curious what school this is because schools shouldn't be "pushing" kids to schools they don't want to go to.


True story: our school pushed a close friend’s DC to EA Princeton. He wanted Yale. They are an FA family with another DC in lower grade so the parents didn’t want to piss off the school. The boy ended up loving Princeton.


I wish my kid had these problems - slumming it to Princeton instead of Yale.


The family thought Princeton would be too white and preppy. He ended up being glad he went. Perhaps the counsellor knew there were already connected kids/legacy applying to Yale, or maybe they genuinely thought Princeton would be a better fit.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 23:19     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:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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/


At any of these schools, this kid gets into Brown level schools ED. Provided not a lot of other hooked peers EDing.

No.
NCS, Sidwell, and Gilman are all on the list. Not for 3.5 gpa kids.


I thought gpa was 3.7/3.75uw?


Did OP say that? I must have missed it. The title says middle of the class, which is typically 3.5 in a top private that does not inflate.


Since rigorous privates have competitive admission, they can usually choose strong/A students coming in from middle school so there are few average students academically. That said, from my experience a middle 50% gpa at a rigorous private would be around 3.6 due to the lack of inflation. Top half ranges from just below an A- (very high B+) to an A average. Ofc, rigor matters a lot!


Obviously it’s going to be school dependent, even for non-inflated schools, some average at 3.4, others at 3.6. Grades are also somewhat subjective, a teacher may never give any one A in their class. Or a kid is well liked. So on and so forth. Then there is rigor to consider.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 23:17     Subject: Re:Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
What kind of school does your son want?

Two schools that come to mind are Tufts and Wesleyan.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 23:13     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:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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/


At any of these schools, this kid gets into Brown level schools ED. Provided not a lot of other hooked peers EDing.

No.
NCS, Sidwell, and Gilman are all on the list. Not for 3.5 gpa kids.


I thought gpa was 3.7/3.75uw?


Did OP say that? I must have missed it. The title says middle of the class, which is typically 3.5 in a top private that does not inflate.


Since rigorous privates have competitive admission, they can usually choose strong/A students coming in from middle school so there are few average students academically. That said, from my experience a middle 50% gpa at a rigorous private would be around 3.6 due to the lack of inflation. Top half ranges from just below an A- (very high B+) to an A average. Ofc, rigor matters a lot!


Not at our top private. No one gets a solid A average. 2 A, 2 A- and 1 B+ would put you in top 25%. Last year a core subject teacher gave majority of her class C’s in the final.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 23:10     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:I am very curious what school this is because schools shouldn't be "pushing" kids to schools they don't want to go to.


True story: our school pushed a close friend’s DC to EA Princeton. He wanted Yale. They are an FA family with another DC in lower grade so the parents didn’t want to piss off the school. The boy ended up loving Princeton.


I wish my kid had these problems - slumming it to Princeton instead of Yale.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 23:08     Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:I am very curious what school this is because schools shouldn't be "pushing" kids to schools they don't want to go to.


True story: our school pushed a close friend’s DC to EA Princeton. He wanted Yale. They are an FA family with another DC in lower grade so the parents didn’t want to piss off the school. The boy ended up loving Princeton.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 23:03     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:
Anonymous wrote:Is this Horace Mann? They send a lot of kids to Chicago.


Yup - I think they had 20+ kids go to Chicago a year or two ago. I guess those kids really like the color maroon.


HM is super rigorous and definitely where fun goes to die, so if you’re chasing brand name and can’t get into Ivies, Chicago would feel like home


Generally very true (which is why my kid is not at Horace Mann) but there is a contingent of kids who party their way through HM and still do fine. Athletes/super wealthy/connected parents, etc. It is a very odd dynamic.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 23:02     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:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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/


At any of these schools, this kid gets into Brown level schools ED. Provided not a lot of other hooked peers EDing.

No.
NCS, Sidwell, and Gilman are all on the list. Not for 3.5 gpa kids.


I thought gpa was 3.7/3.75uw?


Did OP say that? I must have missed it. The title says middle of the class, which is typically 3.5 in a top private that does not inflate.


Since rigorous privates have competitive admission, they can usually choose strong/A students coming in from middle school so there are few average students academically. That said, from my experience a middle 50% gpa at a rigorous private would be around 3.6 due to the lack of inflation. Top half ranges from just below an A- (very high B+) to an A average. Ofc, rigor matters a lot!
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 23:01     Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:I am very curious what school this is because schools shouldn't be "pushing" kids to schools they don't want to go to.


I would bet a lot that the school isn't pushing Chicago out of the blue but rather than OP wanted a top20 school and the high school said "Chicago is your only chance."
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 23:01     Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
Anonymous wrote:We New Yorkers are taking over here because we don't have a better alternative. I should tell my kid to start one - include a bunch of ads to monetize it and it would make for a great essay.

Worst case, looks like it's University of Illinois!


Chicagoan here.
Lots of CA, TX, FL and CO here too!
Not just east coast!!!
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 23:00     Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
I am very curious what school this is because schools shouldn't be "pushing" kids to schools they don't want to go to.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 22:59     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:Is this Horace Mann? They send a lot of kids to Chicago.


Yup - I think they had 20+ kids go to Chicago a year or two ago. I guess those kids really like the color maroon.


HM is super rigorous and definitely where fun goes to die, so if you’re chasing brand name and can’t get into Ivies, Chicago would feel like home
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2025 22:42     Subject: Where to apply: middle of the class but from T20 private hs. 1560 sat. Very good EC in school and outside.
We New Yorkers are taking over here because we don't have a better alternative. I should tell my kid to start one - include a bunch of ads to monetize it and it would make for a great essay.

Worst case, looks like it's University of Illinois!