<p>momrath, yes, I agree that being around smart kids is a good thing but feeling overwhelmed by course requirements and unable to get a word in edgewise in seminars filled with hotshots could be discouraging. I guess there needs to be a challenging, stimulating environment that still allows you to feel that you can cope without burnout and have time for extracurricular activities as well. </p>
<p>Our problem will be fitting in enough visits while classes are in session--given georgraphy and incompatible academic schedules.</p>
<p>I think you are smart to consider "fit" and whether or not 'scraping in' is the best environment.</p>
<p>I recall this was discussed on another thread-- evidently females perform better (statistically) when they are somewhere in the mid range of abilities in a school setting and males perform better when they are in the upper ranges of the academic spectrum. Just an anecdote, not sure if it is true.</p>
<p>I have this same concern with my D, whose stats are 1350 & 3.87 W, top 15%. If she is admitted to her reach schools, she is likely to be in the 25% range of admitted kids. At her safeties & matches she is in more like the 75% range.</p>
<p>I have decided to relax about it. I have seen the trajectory of her academic growth has suddenly gotten really steep this past year-- her jets are turning on-- and I think the environment of high-caliber kids will only enhance this. Couple this with fairly liberal curricular requirements at her reaches (that will allow her to pursue interests primarily) and I think the environment at a "reach" will end up being exciting, not intimidating.</p>
<p>I don't think schools will admit a kid they feel can't handle the academic work. </p>
<p>Just a thought that there's going to be some growth between now and fall '06.</p>
<p>Damom, Most of the schools we have talked to want the new SAT but some do not. Lewis & Clark is one school that said they will not even consider the writing score on the new SAT and will accept the old one. They do not require any SAT II's.</p>
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momrath, yes, I agree that being around smart kids is a good thing but feeling overwhelmed by course requirements and unable to get a word in edgewise in seminars filled with hotshots could be discouraging. I guess there needs to be a challenging, stimulating environment that still allows you to feel that you can cope without burnout and have time for extracurricular activities as well.
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<p>Pyewacket, you know this is just one of the more important concerns that we struggle with as we launch these kids off into the unknown. One of the many things our parents didn't seem to worry too much about, by the way.
I've come to terms with just letting them form their own gut conclusion about the important aspects of feel like - is the atmosphere too intellectual or competitive or not intellectual enough - I've realized that some much of feel is what the individual child makes of it, and so much of the experience is chance, what roomate, what major, which classes. They just have to make the decision that seems best to them. If she will listen to your advice, and you have an opinion or can visit too, that's OK, but neither of you will really know how the college will work out until she is going there.</p>
<p>Last year during admitted students visiting time in April, I remember one poster very vividly. The child was visiting Swat, which was high on my DD's list. She went to one of those 15 student, highly intellectual seminars that seem to be the quintessential Swat experience, and it was a terrible class. Fourteen of the students were visibly tired, unenthusiastic about participating, perhaps marginally prepared. One student monopolized the discussion, rather obnoxiously. Now this anecdote flew directly in the face of most of the other info DD had gathered about Swat, but it had the ring of truth. My point is the student won't ever know if that is a fluke, you just have to make the best decision you can. I think the experienced admissions people, especially at some of these small LACs know their schools, their students, their constitutencies very well. If she does a good job presenting herself, honestly and completely, they won't offer her admission to setting where she will completely overwhelmed academically.</p>
<p>One class or one tour guide can really misrepresent a school. I think you get a better "feel" hanging out with a group of kids or better yet spending the night, doing several things. My D and I got the best feel just approaching kids at random on the green, in the dining hall, and asking them what they liked best & least about the school.</p>
<p>Of course, if a kid overshoots he can always transfer into a more mellow environment.</p>
<p>I really appreciate all this input, thanks. cangel and SBmom have good points
about adcoms knowing what they're doing and transferring "down".</p>
<p>Meanwhile we have determined the Brown will accept only the new SAT but Brandeis, BrynMawr, and Wesleyan will all accept old SAT + Writing SAT II as an alternative.</p>
<p>All of you moms are great. Thank you for all the wonderful input. :)
About Brown, do you think that means they will not look at the higher verbal/math score from the old and new SATs? I mean, say if my D got a higher v score in the old SAT and a lower one on the new SAT, but vice versa for the math.</p>
<p>Damom, This is a question you need to ask Brown directly --- and, for that matter, the other schools on her list as well. It would be doing you and your daughter a disservice to take at face value anything WE say here without asking the schools themselves about their policies. Each school is likely to have their own way of doing things as the new SAT is brought on board so it is especially important to get the information "straight from the horse's mouth" and ask each school individually.</p>
<p>I received an e-mail in response to my question to Brown, saying "we require the new SAT for graduates in June 2006" I did not ask anything further. A lot of schools do put this SAT stuff on their websites now.</p>