What should I write in my LOCI if I have no significant improvement in my honors and etc, Please help, I am desperate!!! I didn’t apply to any safety school, so this is my last chance.
@HailuMu - Congrats on the admit and the decision! Your DD is in a good place. Just came across this news and nothing surprising:
https://communications.williams.edu/news-releases/4_10_2017_fulbrightgrants/
@TiggerDad thank you!! And thanks for the link 
Just committed to Lehigh IBE program. Good luck to all. Also this is a very useful site.
My son finally committed! Miami University of Ohio! Yay!!!
My daughter committed to Columbia. Here is her information that can hopefully help someone in the future. Good luck to all at their chosen colleges.
Weighted/UC GPA: 4.2 Unweighted : 3.9
Class rank: 35/357 (top 10%)
Test Scores:
ACT: 34C (E 34, M 31, R 35, S 35) W 24
AP English Language and Composition: 5
AP United States History: 5
AP World History: 4
AP Lit: TBD
SAT Subject Test - US History: 780; Literature: 740; French w/ Listening: 610 (only sent to Howard, Tulane, GU, and Columbia)
Extracurricular Activities:
Class President - all four years
Mock Trial - 10th thru 12th grades
School board Youth Commission member – 10th thru 12th grades
Student school board member – one semester in 11th grade
Youth Leadership Committee for our city - 11th grade
Peer conflict resolution (invite only) - 11th and 12th grade
Volunteering (tutoring 10th grade, Bay Area Rescue Mission 11th grade and summer)
School district scholarship recipient for Ivy League Connection, attended UPenn Social Justice Academy summer 2016
Additional Info:
7 AP classes and 3 Honors classes (incl. senior year)
Essays: Didn’t read but she’s a strong writer so I’m sure they were good
Recs: Didn’t read but I’m sure they were good as she has great relationships with her teachers
Major: Political Science
Accepted: Tulane ($32k Presidential scholarship, Honors), Howard (Presidential (full ride) scholarship), UCLA, UCSB (Honors), USC (1/2 tuition Presidential scholarship + $1k merit), Columbia, Fordham ($32k Dean’s scholarship, Honors), George Washington ($25k merit), and Georgetown.
Waitlisted: UPenn
Rejected: None
Senior courses: AP Calculus AB, AP English Lit, AP Government, Economics, Photography (CA A-G fine arts req.), AP Biology, and TA.
Applied for financial aid: Yes
Family income: ~$75k
Home state: CA
Race: URM (mixed race, Caucasian and African American)
We’re done, too! DS17 is going to Caltech, so I’ll post this in case it helps any future kids:
ACT: 35C (36E, 36M, 34R, 34S) - one sitting
SAT: 2280 (CR+M 1560 with 800 math) - one sitting
SAT 2: 800 Math 2, 800 Physics
GPA: 3.95UW, 4.85W
Rank: Top 2%
National Merit Finalist
Prior APs - 5s in Calc BC, Physics B (back in the old days), Chem, Bio, Comp Sci (8th grade), 4s in APUSH, Lang
This year: AP Macro/Microecon, AP US Gov’t, AP Lit, (plus Physics C self-study)
Math through Linear Alg and Multivariable at various colleges
College CS classes: Discrete Math, Automata and Formal Languages, Computer Organization (assembly language) & Logic Design
Other college classes: Physical Geology, Intro Bio, World Hist, research credits
HS-based 4-year engineering program
ECs: 1st place or top 10 in several cybersecurity national CTFs, USACO gold, physics research since 10th grade with co-author on 2 papers, attended SSP and RMP summer programs, lots of school STEM ECs and volunteer STEM tutoring, regional awards in Science Bowl, Econ Challenge, math competitions, others.
Home state - CA
Income - >150,000
Caucasian male
Hooks - none
Major - Physics 1st choice, CS 2nd
Accepted: Caltech, CMU (for CS), UCSB (CCS Physics), UC Berkeley (Regents), UCLA, USC(al), UCSD, UCSC, Calpoly SLO, Kenyon College
Waitlisted: UChicago, Harvard, Cornell, Stanford, Mudd
Rejected: Yale, Princeton, MIT
For future reference:
The basics:
- []Female, white, possible geographic hook (from Alaska)
[]ACT: 33 (36E, 30M, 34R, 33S)
[]GPA: 3.93UW, 4.00W
[]3 AP classes (English language, calculus AB, statistics—every one the school offers), 1 dual-enrollment class (English composition)
[]Class rank: 2/27
[]Planning on majoring in neuroscience and/or conflict studies
Applied to 12 schools, accepted to all, with merit aid offered at all except Colgate (which doesn’t offer merit aid) and Kenyon:
- []Colgate University
[]Earlham College
[]George Mason University
[]Kenyon College
[]Macalester College
[]Mount Holyoke College
[]Muhlenberg College
[]Smith College
[]University of Alabama
[]University of Alaska Fairbanks
[]University of Kansas
[]University of Saint Thomas
She’ll be attending Muhlenberg in the fall, which not coincidentally offered her a merit aid package that brought it down to cheaper than all except her in-state option, and within a rounding error of that one.
For Future CCers:
GPA 4.0
SAT 2120 (2015 Test) (M 730; R 740; W 650)
ACT 32 (31M, 34S, 34R, 29E)
3 AP Classes(World History; US History; Calc BC) Honors Physics; English; Makerspace (Engineering)
Top 10% of nearly 600 students
Plans to major in Civil Engineering
White Male
Eagle Scout (candidate at time of applications - achieved in December); NHS; NYLT; Middle School Tutoring; MUN
Applied to 9 schools, accepted to 8, Merit aid offered at most
Colorado School of Mines
Rochester Institute of Technology
Renselaer Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Stevens Institute of Engineering
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Olin College
He’ll be attending Colorado School of Mines.
Adding D’s info for future reference as well:
SAT: 1520 (790 M, 730 ERW) - single sitting, did not retake
SAT 2: 800 Math 2, 720 Chemistry
GPA: 3.9 UW, 4.39 W (GT program)
Rank: Top 2%
National Merit Commended (missed by 1 in TX)
Typical awards
Prior APs: Calc BC, Physics 1, Chem, APUSH, English Lang, Human Geo, Spanish, Psychology, World History (mostly 5s)
Senior APs: Macro, US Gov’t, English Lit, Statistics, Bio, Euro
IB: Spanish
College classes: MV Calc, Differential Equations, Micro
ECs: Swim team (varsity and club), top Orchestra + 2 instruments (piano and violin), VP-P environmental club, 2 part-time jobs during the school year and summers (incl. leadership), non-school teen board/councils, other stuff
Summer programs: 3 free, including ND leadership seminar
Community Service: ~200 hrs
Home state - TX
Income - >$200k
URM, single parent home
Major - Accounting/International business + Arabic
Applied and Accepted to All:
Harvard
UGA (Foundation Fellowship + Honors)
Ole Miss (Stamps + Honors)
University of Cincinnati (Cincinnatus Presidential + Honors + Lindner Honors Plus)
Pitt (full ride + Honors + guaranteed masters)
Michigan State (UDS + Honors + Professorial Assistantship)
IU (Fry + Hutton Honors + Ace)
UT ($12,500/yr + BHP, 40 Acres finalist)
UKy (Presidential + 1/2 Parker + Global Scholars)
UMD (Partial B/K + Honors)
U Del (DiScho + Honors)
tOSU (National Buckeye + Maximus + more money + Honors)
NCSU (semi-finalist for Park, didn’t advance, no scholarship, didn’t apply for honors or any other scholarships)
Villanova (Veritas Scholarship, presidential finalist + Honors)
LSU (highest non-Stamps award, chose not to compete for Stamps + Honors)
UArk (Fellowship finalist, chose not to compete, awarded their two highest scholarships + Honors)
U South Carolina (Cooper Scholars Award + Honors)
Excellent essays and recommendations (teachers love her); interesting backstory; made personal connections with many people in admissions. She clearly lost steam towards the end of the process, however.
Here is D’s for future reference…She is going to Vandy on premed track.
SAT: 1550 (750 reading/writing) one sitting
SAT 2: 760 Math 2, 800 Bio, 800 Chem and 760 US History
GPA: 4.0 unweighted
Rank: don’t rank, but should be top 3 out of 350
Award: National Merit scholar, Coolidge semifinalist, Top 10 in national essay contest, National award on FBLA, state champion on app challenge, state top 3 in econ challenge (individual perfect score), multiple state awards in FBLA, awards in volunteering, Carson Scholar, etc
Prior APs - 10 5s
This year: AP Env science, AP Lit, AP Computer Science, AP euro history, AP German, AP Physics C, Math through Linear Alg
ECs: FBLA president, leader on Robotics team, Youth Media writer as well as having writing published in city newspaper and national media, varsity swimming, leadership council on girl advocacy group, organized events around girls in stem, sex ed etc.
Home state - PA
Income - full pay
Asian female
Hooks - none
Major - CS/Econ
Accepted: U Chicago (merit scholarship), MIT, Georgetown, Northwestern, Duke (Robertson finalist), Michigan, Vandy (Chancellor Scholarship), etc
Waitlisted: Wash U, Yale, U Penn Fisher program
Rejected: Harvard, Stanford
D actually wrote on a blog (she got paid for it) as to why she picked Vandy. DH and I initially had trouble understanding her decision, but it is her decision. We respect it and believe she will be successful wherever she goes!
My S committed to Penn/Wharton. Here is his information that can hopefully help someone in the future. Good luck to all at their chosen colleges.
Weighted/UC GPA: 4.54 Unweighted : 3.95 Academic Weighted 4.38
Class rank: NA guessing top 2% of class of 450
Test Scores:
SAT(old) 2250 Super score 800M, 750 Wr, 700 CR
AP English Language and Composition: 5
AP United States History: 4
AP Stats 5
AP World History: 3
AP Lit: TBD
AP Calc B/C TBD
AP Gov TBD
Dual Enrollment Econ Micro and Macro
SAT Subject Test - Math 2 800 (only one sent) 680 Chem
Extracurricular Activities:
Student Body President 12th grade
Class President - 9-11
Student Advisor to Superintendent 11-12
VIP Sports President ( sport leagues for handicapped children and teens
Guitar and Lead vocal for Cover band
Employment
Camp Counsellor at sleep way camp Summers
Tutor 3 students a week for total 6 hours
Guitar shop 10 hours a week
Additional Info:
Valedictorian (one of 13, crazy at our school)
7 AP classes
Essays: ok. not off the charts
Recs: ASB Director and Math teacher wrote amazing one. Principal wrote one instead of guidance counselor. Assume that was special, as they met every week for all 4 years for ASB presidency
Accepted: Penn, Vanderbilt, Michigan/Ross, USC/Marshall, Texas. McCombs BHP, Boston College CSOM, Tulane, Indiana/Kelley, Bama
Waitlisted: Georgetown, Cornell, UNC, Berkeley
Rejected: UVA
.
Applied for financial aid: Yes
Home state: CA
Thank you all so much. Very helpful indeed. Wishing all your kiddos only the best!
I want to second this. ^^ It’s very helpful. Best wishes to all of the kids!
bigpapiofthree your son was denied at UVA? That is nuts! He is more than qualified! OOS they are tough but not Ivy-league tough surely!
I’ll add mine for the more moderate stat kids out there 
Weighted gpa 4.0, unweighted 3.6
24 act (22 E, 26 M, 25 R, 24 S) a truly terrible test taker
12 semesters AP
8 semesters honors
6 dual credit community college classes
Top 10% graduating class at big, competitive, public
4 years varsity sport, national titles
Great EC’s
Leadership
Strong essays
Female, Hispanic
Accepted
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (attending)
UT Austin
Sarah Lawrence (small merit)
Purdue
Manhattan College (merit)
Ithaca College (merit)
Drexel (merit)
Seattle U (merit)
U Mass Amherst (merit)
Waitlisted
UIUC
Lehigh
UC Santa Cruz
SDSU
CSULB
Denied
UCI
UCD
UCSD
UCSB
NYU
Fordham
Bryn Mawr
U of Washington
In case this helps future parents decide here are my D’s stats. It’s been a bumpy ride for us!
GPA 3.9U/4.3W
Rank 7/350
APs - total 4 incl BC calc - she should have done more but big time constraints- this hurt her)
SAT 1400, ACT 30- Did not want to retake! Barely studied 
Essay and recs - solid but not mind-blowing
ECs: jazz band (many awards, alto sax), Pitt band for show choir (also was in show choir for 3 years but not this year) was , band, dance (won awards) , NHS, DECA,volunteering (assistant dance teacher) prob a few other things I can’t remember - she got some sort of academic award also - no sports
Asst mgr at Subway
MA resident, decent public school, no hooks, middle class, reasonable income
Applied: (undeclared major)
UMass - Amherst - accepted,
UConn- Storrs - accepted, 15k merit - she’s going there
UVA - deferred then rejected
UR - WL
College of WM - WL
My recommendation for future applications? Declare a major, apply to more than 5 colleges, don’t expect colleges to care much about your ECs unless relevant to your major, apply to less selective private colleges who want you more, do more prep for standardized tests… tell your children to enjoy life and not abandon their social life trying to get a resume to impress colleges - they are not that impressed by the usual well-rounded -but non-sporty- ECs - our D has been a machine working to achieve in every way (even broke up with her her boyfriend as no time) and it didn’t pay off for her. Jazz band especially sucked up so much of her time. Hope my advice helps future students!
This is a great thread. However, from reading the above threads, the most significant pattern is that there is no pattern. The kids above are a combination of very high stats kids, other above kids, some who have hooks and others who don’t. Also, there are kids who are going to the highest ranked school that they were accepted, while others are choosing for them the best combination of strong academics and merit money. There are also some randomness and a few head-scratchers in here on why did he/she get into X school but rejected by Y school. Therefore, I’m not sure how any of this will help the classes on 2018 and 2019 who are putting together their college lists? I would just recommend to these kids to do well in school but (echoing britlass’ advice) to do something that you enjoy with your free time and not just pile on extra EC’s for the sake of your college essays!
@londondad Couldn’t agree more. I started reading this and other threads with the goal of learning in greater detail what S18’s chances might be and the same themes keep repeating themselves: traditional indicia of academic excellence, affluence, “hooks” (especially athletic prowess and URM status) and a healthy dose of randomness.
@britlass “they are not that impressed by the usual well-rounded -but non-sporty- ECs”
This is a good point that I wanted to add to. I really don’t think that colleges know how to evaluate ECs other than the obvious ones where you get prizes (e.g., mathletes), perform research or play a varsity sport. My DD had 10 or 11 interviews all of which had almost the exact exchange:
Interviewer: “What sport do you play?” (Not, “Do you play a sport”)
DD: “I don’t play sports” (She is dyspraxic)
Interviewer: “What do you do with your spare time?”
DD: “I am active in performing arts. I am in choir, orchestra, and plays at my school and with the Boys’ school”
Interviewer: “That’s nice” (and the conversation moves on) or they ask which plays she starred in (none)
I also got the impression that if you are not top of the food chain in your EC, the Unis are not really interested in hearing about it (as they look for kids who are “pointy” rather than well-rounded). My DD is a solid average to slightly above average performer in her artistic activities but, this being London, she has, for example, classmates who are already professional actors. For my DD her passion and enthusiasm for the arts will only get her so far when others are just more talented.
I guess my main point here is that while I think it is good that Unis look beyond grades and test scores to build their classes, I get the impression that they really don’t know what they are doing when they try and evaluate non-academic activities, particularly for girls.