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The 2017 Acceptance Thread


The Girls' Mom
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I would be tempted to write off a lot of them as lying if we hadn't met kids who actually were doing all these things! And some of them were really nice kids to boot! But they were all extremely stressed their entire four years.

 

I've overheard students discussing the lies they sent admissions officers... not to mention that trolling is a past-time for some people.

 

Are they all lying? Of course not. Are they all telling the truth? I doubt it. 

 

I know and admire many local teens that are doing extraordinary things and who are attending the schools that many students dream of. I still take CC with the proverbial grain of salt. It's impossible to see the whole picture on a message board.

 

I've also seen stress take a terrible toll on some local students. So very sad...

Watching the stress level on CC is enough to give me pause...

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I'm not "8", but I agree with her that I stay away from the kids' threads. The useful threads are in the parent forums. The "Class of 20xx" threads are generally filled with knowledgeable parents. Their kids do tend to be high achieving, but that is not always the case. The financial aid forum has useful posts, as does the "college admissions" and "search and selection" forums. You do have to skim for what is useful for you, and I am generally using the info I get there as a jumping off place for finding more information.

This is my approach as well. It was on CC that I learned our ds would have to pay taxes at the kiddie tax rate on his scholarship $$ beyond tuition and QEEs. Their FA forum can be very helpful. One poster is actually a FA officer and she is incredibly helpful for people with complicated issues.

 

The admissions and search and selection forums, I am very selective about what I read. Reading through those threads, though, made me very aware of schools that I knew my Dd would not want to attend. Knowing where not to apply can be as helful as knowing where to apply. :) It also helps to understand where your student does fit into the accepted student profile, especially if your student will be applying for competitive merit aid as the sole means of being able to afford a school. Acceptance in that case is only a single factor. Reading the profiles of kids who have been awarded various scholarships can be quite helpful (as well as the comments of parents.) For example, it was on CC that I read that essays were going to be extremely (major emphasis) important for McNair consideration at USCarolina. Definitely not essays to just crank out.

 

The parents of 20xx threads have their own feel. I like the 2017 thread, but I won't read the 2020 thread. The parents on 2017 tend to be very down to earth and supportive. The 2020 parents are over the top competitive.

 

Pick and choose. Fwiw, there are posters whose posts I have learned to ignore and then there are posters who I make a point to read. I read to become informed, but I completely ignore the vast majority of posts.

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I've overheard students discussing the lies they sent admissions officers... not to mention that trolling is a past-time for some people.

 

Are they all lying? Of course not. Are they all telling the truth? I doubt it.

 

I know and admire many local teens that are doing extraordinary things and who are attending the schools that many students dream of. I still take CC with the proverbial grain of salt. It's impossible to see the whole picture on a message board.

 

I've also seen stress take a terrible toll on some local students. So very sad...

Watching the stress level on CC is enough to give me pause...

Another bunny trail, I know ... but I've often wondered if some kids aren't being honest and how do admissions officers know? They don't have the time to fact check kids. Do you think some kids are lying their way into top schools?

Edited by Attolia
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Fwiw, I would NOT want my kids reading CC at all. It would be stress-inducing for them. It was for me when I first started reading until I figured out how to use the site for what I wanted. Now I just ignore the stuff that is meaningless. :)

 

I didn't have my boys on the site either - except to answer specific questions AFTER they were students at their respective colleges.  Then I figured they have/had better insight than I do about their schools.  They also use my account and identify themselves as my kiddos.

 

I don't get on cc all that much any longer.  That one has more or less dropped off my radar even though the Hive has stayed.

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ETA: responding to Attolia...

 

I've often wondered the same thing...

 

Not to mention that sometimes reality is quite different from the image a well-written description conjures up. Someone on the WTM board once wrote a brilliant post giving two different versions of how their student spent an average day. Neither description was a lie. It was powerful to see the difference that word choices made. It's sobering to realize decisions are based partially on how everything is packaged. In some ways, colleges are judging the book by its cover. I've seen some pretty usual, mundane activities be transformed into amazing accomplishments with nary a lie.

 

Again, not that there aren't any amazing accomplishments. I just tend to be rather jaded and cynical by default...

Edited by Woodland Mist Academy
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Dd is already a freshman, but she's applied to transfer, and just found out she got in to UMass Amherst. :)

 

(And yes, they tried to tell her she needed to take the GED.  :glare:   Even though she's completed a full year of 4-year college (w/ a 4.0 so far) and had a ton of DE credits as well.  I had to remind them they changed their official homeschooler policy last year and said 27 DE credits would be considered 'proof of graduation' in lieu of a GED.  Somehow the Transfer office hadn't changed their policy to align with Freshman admissions.  I got them to fix that).

 

Go Matryoshka!!!

 

Nan

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ETA: responding to Attolia...

 

I've often wondered the same thing...

 

Not to mention that sometimes reality is quite different from the image a well-written description conjures up. Someone on the WTM board once wrote a brilliant post giving two different versions of how their student spent an average day. Neither description was a lie. It was powerful to see the difference that word choices made. It's sobering to realize decisions are based partially on how everything is packaged. In some ways, colleges are judging the book by its cover. I've seen some pretty usual, mundane activities be transformed into amazing accomplishments with nary a lie.

 

Again, not that there aren't any amazing accomplishments. I just tend to be rather jaded and cynical by default...

 

Yeah, if you read the thread about parents paying between $9000 and $25,000 for college admissions counseling, you realize just how much how "packaging" can impact acceptances. 

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All of our college decisions are in - glad to be joining this distinguished company!  :coolgleamA:  We still have one round of interviews for competitive scholarships, but here's the list so far:

 

Old Dominion University - Honors College, Presidential Scholarship, Big Blue Scholarship

Virginia Commonwealth University - Honors College, Presidential Scholar (full-ride)

William & Mary - Monroe Scholar

University of Virginia - Echols Scholar

And we also received word this week that she was awarded one of the $2500 National Merit Scholarships! :party: Nearing the finish line....

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ETA: responding to Attolia...

 

I've often wondered the same thing...

 

Not to mention that sometimes reality is quite different from the image a well-written description conjures up. Someone on the WTM board once wrote a brilliant post giving two different versions of how their student spent an average day. Neither description was a lie. It was powerful to see the difference that word choices made. It's sobering to realize decisions are based partially on how everything is packaged. In some ways, colleges are judging the book by its cover. I've seen some pretty usual, mundane activities be transformed into amazing accomplishments with nary a lie.

 

Again, not that there aren't any amazing accomplishments. I just tend to be rather jaded and cynical by default...

 

 

I call it a skeptic.  I tend to be a skeptic as well so welcome to my party  :lol:

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I wanted to say this for a while, but couldn't find a right thread or place so far. Since we are talking about CC, I'd like to express my gratitude for this forum. 

 

........

 

p.s) Hope you understand what I am saying. I have DS6 next me doodling on his math book now. Gotta go. 

 

 

I feel very much the same way.  I can't talk to people about this stuff in real life.  I need ya'll  :grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug:

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All of our college decisions are in - glad to be joining this distinguished company!  :coolgleamA:  We still have one round of interviews for competitive scholarships, but here's the list so far:

 

Old Dominion University - Honors College, Presidential Scholarship, Big Blue Scholarship

Virginia Commonwealth University - Honors College, Presidential Scholar (full-ride)

William & Mary - Monroe Scholar

University of Virginia - Echols Scholar

And we also received word this week that she was awarded one of the $2500 National Merit Scholarships! :party: Nearing the finish line....

 

 

:party:

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The result is in. DS is going to Harvard! :crying:  :crying:  :crying:

 

So, so excited.

:party:

 

DD isn't home and I am being a good mama and not checking her decisions that just came out  :crying:  Someone needs to tie my hands.   :lol:

Edited by Attolia
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Yay Job!!!! That is fantastic!!! Way to go!!!

 

DS is in at Columbia as a Kluge Scholar. Not sure what that means.

 

Rejected everywhere else, but waitlisted at Penn. That was a bit of a surprise, as he has been taking classes there for two years and is there at this moment for a Penn club he started. :-)

 

Congratulations everyone! This has sure been a fun ride with you all!!

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I am not a patient person so I definitely need a prize :lol:

My suggestions are (in no particular order): chocolate, ice cream, or wine. Or all of the above!

 

EVERYONE on this thread deserves prizes! You have done amazing jobs raising your children! Homeschooling takes extreme dedication, and your devotion to your children has reaped huge benefits to them. Academically, yes, but also in many other ways! Happy for all! The college admissions process is NOT for sissies! It's long and grueling. I often said that I got through it with Jack and Jesus. ;)

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Waitlisted at Yale and Brown...our last two decisions.  :thumbup1:

 

Honestly, I am a little glad her list got narrowed down.  She wasn't the kid who was dead set on an Ivy.  Her heart isn't broken by any means.

She found out today that she has a merit scholarship to Wake  :hurray:

I still don't know how she is going to decide between the schools she has on her list (all with merit aid).  She is very, very blessed to have the choices she does. 

:001_tt1:

 

 

 

 

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This is really stress reducing. I made the mistake of reading https://smile.amazon.com/Acceptance-Legendary-Counselor-Colleges-Themselves-ebook/dp/B002DQDODO/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1490818598&sr=1-6&keywords=acceptance, thinking it might be helpful. Instead it led me down a path of panic, since there is no way that I have the kind of backdoor connections this guy had built up to help get his kids into schools. The fact that he's very down on kids declaring Biology as a major doesn't help!

 

But seeing so many kids succeed definitely makes me feel more confident that our rather off the beaten path program of study just may end up working out after all.

 

 

Congratulations to all!!

 

Acceptance is an interesting book.  There was one year when I read that, Crazy U, and the Gatekeepers.  

 

The positive thing I took from Acceptance was that it was entirely appropriate for me, in my role as counselor, to occasionally call and ask questions about programs or the application process.  You are right that the counselor in the book had a strong network.  I think that matters in some cases, but it may also work against some students because there is some other student in their school who gets the counselor's stamp of approval when they don't.  Our kids don't have to worry about competing with classmates to get the best effort of the college counselor.

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I went on CC during the weekend and felt hopeless, seriously. All those amazing kids with super impressive resumes and can't get into top schools. They are superhuman kids! They win awards, establish companies, build homes for orphans, etc. One kid said that all his work during the last 4 years was wasted. That's really sad. These are just kids with a wonderful future ahead no matter where they go, but it seems to them everything rides on getting accepted to certain colleges. And of course, now that I know how competitive it is, I don't want to fall into the same trap.

 

It just feels healthier here.

 

ETA: and they have almost perfect SAT scores and above 4.0 GPA, so I guess stats don't matter that much when everyone else has the same stats.

 

I don't read CC much, certainly not the forums that are heavily populated with chance me and speculative threads.  I do see a lot of that type of post on the Service Academy Forums boards.  

 

A couple observations:

 

Students are self-reporting their scores, accomplishments and grades.  Take it with a grain of salt.

When you get into the realm of extremely selective schools, students need to have a good dose of reality about their chances.  They also need to realize that many students with outstanding profiles will be turned down.

 

Students (and sometimes their parents) are sometimes not the best at judging how competitive the school is and how competitive their application is.  

 

Students on CC can be prone to conflating a really strong desire to attend somewhere with a good likelihood of being accepted and being able to afford it.  

 

IMHO, most students need to be brutally honest about their package AND the profile of students accepted at the school AND the acceptance rate AND their family's ability to pay.  

 

If you only look at your stats and the average profile, but don't pay attention to the 8% acceptance rate or if you ignore the fact that the school does no merit aid, you are likely to be disappointed.  If you buy into the idea that your lifetime of happiness depends on attending one and only one school, you are also setting yourself up.

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DS was accepted to George Washington, with a nice merit award.  May not bring the price down to affordable range, but it was a nice bonus.

 

The remaining school should give an answer tomorrow.  Not holding my breath since it is insanely selective.

 

DS has a list of 5-6 schools where he has been accepted.  He is now comparing programs to figure out which one is the best fit.  We will be spending some quality time this weekend bringing together all of the various financial puzzle pieces.

 

Still no word from Navy ROTC.  I have mostly given up on that for a 4 year scholarship.  I knew it was a long shot, given the fact that he was applying for the LREC scholarship and not going for a STEM degree.  All hope isn't lost, but we have to proceed assuming that this isn't going to happen.

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Do you guys know how hard it is to sit in a crowded pizza parlor not being able to whoop and fist pump out loud?

 

Amazing news today for sure!

 

We have some bad news today regarding a scholarship and poor kid is sad but will get a favorite pizza anyway. He is taking it in stride although he had so much hopes on it.

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Do you guys know how hard it is to sit in a crowded pizza parlor not being able to whoop and fist pump out loud?

 

Amazing news today for sure!

 

We have some bad news today regarding a scholarship and poor kid is sad but will get a favorite pizza anyway. He is taking it in stride although he had so much hopes on it.

 

 

:grouphug:

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We have some bad news today regarding a scholarship and poor kid is sad but will get a favorite pizza anyway. He is taking it in stride although he had so much hopes on it.

 

Sorry to hear that.   :grouphug: Glad he's taking it in stride.  Hopefully there are other decent financial options.

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Do you guys know how hard it is to sit in a crowded pizza parlor not being able to whoop and fist pump out loud?

 

Amazing news today for sure!

 

We have some bad news today regarding a scholarship and poor kid is sad but will get a favorite pizza anyway. He is taking it in stride although he had so much hopes on it.

Between the TMI post and the "amazing news" comment, I am dying to know what happened.

 

Did I miss it somewhere?

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Lots of fun news here today! And I'm sorry about the disappointments, though it sounds like all these kids have plenty of great options.

 

Lisabees, I would have been super annoyed with that Penn decision though! How very weird. But the Columbia Kluge Scholar program sounds fantastic!

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Early Decision is a good book for perspective and a reality check.

I just read the synopsis of that book. Wow. Incredibly depressing.

 

College applications don't have to be life-sucking for parents or students, especially if you don't get sucked into the elite or their future is destroyed mentality.

 

People that can afford college application counselors probably are not working with an extremely tight budget. If you are on an extremely tight budget like we are, knowing how your budget works (or doesn't!!) for different college scenarios is your best first step. For some families, the stress of highly competitive schools is worth it bc they become a good financial value. For others like ours, the gap is huge and they are best avoided anyway bc they will never be affordable.

 

A good next step is to spend time perusing common data sets to understand how your student fits into school profiles. If you need merit scholarships, your student needs to be in the upper quartile.

 

The saddest stories are kids with above avg but not tippy top stats, who are on a tight budget, and who insist lower ranked schools are beneath them. Kids with a 30 ACT who insist on applying to top tier schools are going to be left in a predicament unless they have an incredibly strong hook. For example, take a student who fits the 30 ACT scenario and whose FAFSA EFC is around $10,000. The student only applies to only top schools or schools where he is likely to be accepted but the school doesn't meet need. The student refuses to consider lower ranked schools where the 30 makes him competitive for merit. After days like yesterday, he is left with rejections from the vast majority of his schools and a handful of acceptances from schools where the family's expected contribution is $20,000+. That same student could have had affordable options with a different application strategy.

 

The same scenario is true for kids with high stats and an unaffordable familial contribution. Setting their sights on need only schools is likely to leave them in the situation where they cannot afford to attend.

 

Applying well can take a lot of stress out of the equation. It can be stressful in trying to figure out what schools fit the academic and financial profile, but it is far better to do that before application deadlines then realize it after announcements of acceptances, rejections, and FA packages. And accepting that schools ranked in the 100s out of thousands of schools does not mean that the students attending there are a bunch of dullards with zero employment opportunities in the future. ;)

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I feel it's my job as a parent to research schools and then instill some reality. 

 

For that kid who has an ACT 30 and EFC $10,000 then it's okay to look some at top schools, but be realistic and look at other schools as well and do some research to see  what schools might offer automatic merit aid at that score. It's much better to have some (or one) good offer from a decent school in your back pocket before you think too much about the super-competitive.

 

 

 

 

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Quite honestly, very few with a 30 ACT are going to get into top schools.  Those who do have a significant hook.  If below the 25th percentile in stats, expect to need a significant hook.  While there can be some in that 25% "without" an obvious hook, the competition for those slots is incredibly fierce.  It's not the 5-8% general acceptance rate... (which is already low).

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Quite honestly, very few with a 30 ACT are going to get into top schools.  Those who do have a significant hook.  If below the 25th percentile in stats, expect to need a significant hook.  While there can be some in that 25% "without" an obvious hook, the competition for those slots is incredibly fierce.  It's not the 5-8% general acceptance rate... (which is already low).

 

 

I am glad someone said this, I was feeling the same way but was afraid to actually say it  :lol:   Even with a significant hook, a 30 would be a real reach with tippy tops.

Edited by Attolia
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I just read the synopsis of that book. Wow. Incredibly depressing.

 

 

Yes, some of the situations discussed in the book are incredibly depressing. The book itself, however, is actually sometimes quite witty. When I finished it, I felt more free than I had for a long time. Through the lives of the teenagers and their parents, I saw paths to avoid and paths I feared did not exist. There is a way through the madness without giving in to it. I don't think I've ever returned to the level of concern I had before I read that book.

 

Life is too short and too precious and the world is way too big and too beautiful to narrow the only worthwhile paths down to a few. Our approach to the high school years....

 

Work hard, play hard, plan well, be true to yourself, and see where life takes you.

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 And accepting that schools ranked in the 100s out of thousands of schools does not mean that the students attending there are a bunch of dullards with zero employment opportunities in the future. ;)

This thought is what goes through my head every time I see a link or a post with lists about the top schools, like the one about the feeders to grad schools. Yay for the schools on the list but, by gosh and by golly, those aren't the only schools whose students go to grad school. I (we) already have enough pressure thinking about fit, finances, tribe and degree...there is too much pressure at every turn. DS is a sophomore this year and I am still experiencing anxiety over the school he chose to attend and whether or not he'll be employable, get the right internship, meet the right people for recommendations, make the right professional connections...it's too much at times. When do these kids (and their parents) get to enjoy the fruits of their labor? Why must every decision be qualifiable?

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