Just curious- Where do kids with flawless stats (2400, 4.0, valedictorian, double 800s on SAT IIs, tons of APs) go to college if apparently most elite schools reject them? What would be a “match” school for them? (This is not me in any means, just wondering because HYPS seem to reject these students like crazy due to more “holistic” considerations to build a diverse class).
They go all over, but have more options that other students. Many go to HYPSM , many go to state flagships and honors programs, others to schools where those stats matter and don’t have as much of a holistic process. The pinnacle of those schools is Caltech.
Everyone is rejected by “most elite schools,” but all an applicant needs is to be accepted by one of those schools. Most 4.0/2400 kids get accepted by at least one “elite” school.
@TooOld4School what other schools are like Caltech in that they are very stat-heavy and not necessarily holistic?
@ihavefewECs UCB and UCLA, usually.
@basedchem thanks! any others? please feel free to list as many as you can think of.
@ihavefewECs I think that the three biggest players in the game for stats is UCB, UCLA, and Caltech. But here are some where stats are important, but more criteria is needed:
MIT (high achievements in math/science)
Stanford (impact on community/bigger things)
Harvard, Yale, Princeton (I don’t need to explain)
Rice-Baylor Medicine program (offered through Rice) (takes like 6 people a year, need research too)
I heard Northeastern used to be a safety school for that type of kid.
So did UMich, but then it started preemptively rejecting applicants who are unlikely to attend.
Interesting thread. I know a girl with 2400/4.0 who was rejected from two Ivies and NYU. She was wait listed at Vassar. Her parents were stunned. I believe she didn’t get in to NYU because they didn’t think she would attend. The good news is, she was accepted at Northeastern Honors program with a very nice merit award, and she is very happy there.
I don’t think any kid can rest on their laurels these days. My D has very good stats, not stellar, but has made an effort to,show every college she is applying to that she’s genuinely interested. Hopefully it will work in her favor. She knows not to take anything for granted when applying to highly selective schools.
The premise here is faulty.
Kids with “perfect stats” (of which there are far fewer than most realize) get into elite schools, and at higher rates than people without those stats.
What they don’t do is just waltz into every elite schools with those stats - because the competition is fierce, and the schools actually understand that a kid with a 2400 isn’t any “more qualified” than a kid with a 2350.
Nephew with those stats got into some ‘shiny’ schools, but opted for a full scholarship at his State U in the honors program. Couldn’t be happier.
“Nephew with those stats got into some ‘shiny’ schools, but opted for a full scholarship [elsewhere].” (11)
The more accomplished the student, the less needful they may be of a “shiny” school.
UChicago loves high stats. You do need serviceable essays, but it would be very unusual for them to turn down a student with perfect stats.
Seems like many such students would attend:
- State flagships.
- Private schools comparable in selectivity to the more selective state flagships.
- Schools offering large merit scholarships.
UCLA accepted 61% of applicants with 4.0 unweighted GPAs for Fall 2014, so for those with perfect test scores and rigorous honors/AP courses, it’s likely close to a lock.
I have a 4.0 GPA with a 2330 SAT score and I have NO idea which school will accept me.
It’s just so competitive now. Ten years ago I would be chilling at home knowing for sure that I would get into an ivy.
@marvin100 , UMich does admit kids with great stats, and does have holistic (race not considered) admissions. Everyone high stat kid that I know (in-state, however) has been admitted there, and most, about 70%, (again, in-state) have chosen to attend. The most popular areas are Engineering and Biology.
I’m sure it is the same with California residents for Cal and UCLA. If your in-state school is highly rated it’s hard to find a better value.
Admit rates might look lower today versus 10 years ago, but I seriously doubt that it is more competitive for applicants of similar quality. Maybe if you are talking 30 years ago, it’s different.
As someone who applied to colleges 11 years ago from an ivy feeder, I can tell you that 4.0/2330 was by no means “for sure getting into an ivy.” Certainly not without all the other bells and whistles that people still talk about today.
As @NickFlynn points out, the admit rates have dropped drastically because the common app/online applications has allowed people to more easily send far more applications to schools now than then. Many ivy league schools in 2004 didn’t even use the common app - let alone common app + supplements. Online submission existed for some, but was not popular. The increase in apps per student automatically drops the admit rates without necessarily increasing the quality of the students.