Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think grad school is the new college.

I agree. The whole college thing has a scammy aspect

Agreed. Unless you are doing Engineering or compsci, 4 years of college will not give you nothing. You need to go to grad school to actually get a leg up. Parents saving for 4 years of college need to reexamine their savings goals. At least 6 years of college.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems that excellent GPA and SAT is no longer enough. EC activities have to be supplemented with trips to teach underprivileged children in 3rd world countries. And you have to be able to afford the said trips to foreign countries. You have to know people to get internships and recommendations. All this in HS.

I just feel that I have failed my kids because this is just so overwhelming.

I'm the person whose kid needs between 3-5 classes before they could technically take the MCATS, whose kid was rejected from alma maters, and who is Yale Medical School legacy and whose kid can't get into a college with good stats:

This is my DC's mountain. DC, who is affluent, tutored friends who are more affluent, who got into fantastic schools. DC went throughout school with great kids, albeit nowhere near the same academic level, who are going to top notch schools.

You didn't fail your kid: the admissions process screwed our kids. It can't continue. In my old life I used to get federal funding for one of the schools - and others - my DC was rejected from. I was in love with one university because of the personal pride I took in the future renewal of the area and the coalition I was part of. Did I tell the admissions people this? No.

So, my advice is to use every connection you have to make the decision easy for the admissions team. My DC heard her entire life how I worked from the age of 7 and she wanted to it by herself. My family was 30 years from shirt sleeves (me) to shirt sleeves (daughter). Not the "American Dream."

So, let me guess, you DC comes from an UMC family and was given all the advantages that entails, and now she has lost the "American Dream" b/c HYPS or the like rejected her? There are literally 4,000 institutions of higher education out there. There is one for your DC. If s/he applied only to those with very low admit rates, and you were pushing that, then yes that is on you. Oh, well, I guess there is a gap year/community college in the offing. Nothing wrong with that.

Anonymous wrote:There is a college for everyone OP. Why lose heart?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems that excellent GPA and SAT is no longer enough. EC activities have to be supplemented with trips to teach underprivileged children in 3rd world countries. And you have to be able to afford the said trips to foreign countries. You have to know people to get internships and recommendations. All this in HS.

I just feel that I have failed my kids because this is just so overwhelming.

I'm the person whose kid needs between 3-5 classes before they could technically take the MCATS, whose kid was rejected from alma maters, and who is Yale Medical School legacy and whose kid can't get into a college with good stats:

This is my DC's mountain. DC, who is affluent, tutored friends who are more affluent, who got into fantastic schools. DC went throughout school with great kids, albeit nowhere near the same academic level, who are going to top notch schools.

You didn't fail your kid: the admissions process screwed our kids. It can't continue. In my old life I used to get federal funding for one of the schools - and others - my DC was rejected from. I was in love with one university because of the personal pride I took in the future renewal of the area and the coalition I was part of. Did I tell the admissions people this? No.

So, my advice is to use every connection you have to make the decision easy for the admissions team. My DC heard her entire life how I worked from the age of 7 and she wanted to it by herself. My family was 30 years from shirt sleeves (me) to shirt sleeves (daughter). Not the "American Dream."

So where is she actually going to go to school? Are you complaining just because she didn't get into Yale? Nobody has a right to go to Yale. Something must have been off with her application or her choices of schools to apply to, if her peers all go into better schools and she literally got in nowhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here. My kid is in a magnet HS in MCPS. Straight A's. 1560 SAT (taken only once, he is not keen to retake again because of lack of time). Not a sports person. Participates in 4 clubs. Belongs to a couple of scholastic honors societies. 300 Hours of SSL - various local charities and volunteer work he has been involved in since MS. Leadership position in a couple of clubs. Goes for a few competitions from his clubs - wins a few. 7 APs (Mainly 5s) by end of junior year.

I have been told that he should not even bother to apply to the top schools because he should have done things that differentiates him from other students. Examples that I was given of charities that were founded, travel to 3rd world countries etc., Interning at NIH, Intel competition etc. - is not something we can afford because of lack of time and money.

I do not have a problem with him applying to state public colleges as long as he does something that he will enjoy (he is equally good in Humanities and STEM).

Thank you for your replies. I am actually beginning to feel a lot better now.

Are you trolling? Your kid will get into at least one top 25 university, guaranteed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems that excellent GPA and SAT is no longer enough. EC activities have to be supplemented with trips to teach underprivileged children in 3rd world countries. And you have to be able to afford the said trips to foreign countries. You have to know people to get internships and recommendations. All this in HS.

I just feel that I have failed my kids because this is just so overwhelming.

I'm the person whose kid needs between 3-5 classes before they could technically take the MCATS, whose kid was rejected from alma maters, and who is Yale Medical School legacy and whose kid can't get into a college with good stats:

This is my DC's mountain. DC, who is affluent, tutored friends who are more affluent, who got into fantastic schools. DC went throughout school with great kids, albeit nowhere near the same academic level, who are going to top notch schools.

You didn't fail your kid: the admissions process screwed our kids. It can't continue. In my old life I used to get federal funding for one of the schools - and others - my DC was rejected from. I was in love with one university because of the personal pride I took in the future renewal of the area and the coalition I was part of. Did I tell the admissions people this? No.

So, my advice is to use every connection you have to make the decision easy for the admissions team. My DC heard her entire life how I worked from the age of 7 and she wanted to it by herself. My family was 30 years from shirt sleeves (me) to shirt sleeves (daughter). Not the "American Dream."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems that excellent GPA and SAT is no longer enough. EC activities have to be supplemented with trips to teach underprivileged children in 3rd world countries. And you have to be able to afford the said trips to foreign countries. You have to know people to get internships and recommendations. All this in HS.

I just feel that I have failed my kids because this is just so overwhelming.

That is not true at all. In fact these volunteer/vacations are not viewed the way you think they are by admissions counselors. There are plenty of "real" ways kids can make an impact via volunteerism that doesn't cost $5 grand. My kid got into 3 Ivy's and a number of SLAC's with special honors and didn't have a single volunteer/vacation. He did avail himself of plenty of opportunities at his school and in his community, sought out internships and national and international competitions. You don't have to "buy" an extracurricular--nor should you. College admissions counselors are not idiots. They know exactly what those trips are about--and it isn't altruism.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems that excellent GPA and SAT is no longer enough. EC activities have to be supplemented with trips to teach underprivileged children in 3rd world countries. And you have to be able to afford the said trips to foreign countries. You have to know people to get internships and recommendations. All this in HS.

I just feel that I have failed my kids because this is just so overwhelming.

I'm the person whose kid needs between 3-5 classes before they could technically take the MCATS, whose kid was rejected from alma maters, and who is Yale Medical School legacy and whose kid can't get into a college with good stats:

This is my DC's mountain. DC, who is affluent, tutored friends who are more affluent, who got into fantastic schools. DC went throughout school with great kids, albeit nowhere near the same academic level, who are going to top notch schools.

You didn't fail your kid: the admissions process screwed our kids. It can't continue. In my old life I used to get federal funding for one of the schools - and others - my DC was rejected from. I was in love with one university because of the personal pride I took in the future renewal of the area and the coalition I was part of. Did I tell the admissions people this? No.

So, my advice is to use every connection you have to make the decision easy for the admissions team. My DC heard her entire life how I worked from the age of 7 and she wanted to it by herself. My family was 30 years from shirt sleeves (me) to shirt sleeves (daughter). Not the "American Dream."

Anonymous wrote:It seems that excellent GPA and SAT is no longer enough. EC activities have to be supplemented with trips to teach underprivileged children in 3rd world countries. And you have to be able to afford the said trips to foreign countries. You have to know people to get internships and recommendations. All this in HS.

I just feel that I have failed my kids because this is just so overwhelming.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think grad school is the new college.

I agree. The whole college thing has a scammy aspect

Agreed. Unless you are doing Engineering or compsci, 4 years of college will not give you nothing. You need to go to grad school to actually get a leg up. Parents saving for 4 years of college need to reexamine their savings goals. At least 6 years of college.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems that excellent GPA and SAT is no longer enough. EC activities have to be supplemented with trips to teach underprivileged children in 3rd world countries. And you have to be able to afford the said trips to foreign countries. You have to know people to get internships and recommendations. All this in HS.

I just feel that I have failed my kids because this is just so overwhelming.

I don't know where you are hearing this but that was the case ten years ago. ALL college and university offices know of the fake "I paid $20K so my kid could go build a well in Uganda" gambit. They are much more impressed by something local that requires grit, planning and multi-year execution, like Eagle Scout, Boys or Girls State or Nation, holding down a part-time job as someone said, assisting the Salvation Army long term. Taking college courses while in high school at the local community college. That shows more discipline and grit than mommy and daddy doling out money for a trip abroad.

Interesting post because I'm the PP of the normal stats kid at Macalester. My son did Boys State, was nominated to Boys Nation, went to HOBY and took several courses at the community college. I didn't think a lot about it, but maybe that made up for his somewhat 'meh' GPA. I figured it was his interview since he's extremely charismatic and always Mr. Popular.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems that excellent GPA and SAT is no longer enough. EC activities have to be supplemented with trips to teach underprivileged children in 3rd world countries. And you have to be able to afford the said trips to foreign countries. You have to know people to get internships and recommendations. All this in HS.

I just feel that I have failed my kids because this is just so overwhelming.

I don't know where you are hearing this but that was the case ten years ago. ALL college and university offices know of the fake "I paid $20K so my kid could go build a well in Uganda" gambit. They are much more impressed by something local that requires grit, planning and multi-year execution, like Eagle Scout, Boys or Girls State or Nation, holding down a part-time job as someone said, assisting the Salvation Army long term. Taking college courses while in high school at the local community college. That shows more discipline and grit than mommy and daddy doling out money for a trip abroad.