<p>Well, when my daughter was in the 8th grade I had her take a placement test for private prep high schools. She aced the test and would have been admitted just about anywhere. I asked her which schools she would like to visit. She replied "I do not want to go to a private H.S." We live in an area of NY with a small public HS. Graduating class usually around 100 students. This HS has never had a student accepted to any ivy other than Cornell (rarely). Her dream was Harvard (as an 8th grader). I explained to her "Harvard has never accepted anyone from our HS." She exclaimed, "I will be the first." She is now a junior in HS and still #1 in her class. The guidance counselor stated "she will undoubtedly graduate with the highest GPA the school has ever seen (if she keeps on track)." She aced the SAT. She did attend Harvard SSP last summer. She received an A and an A- in the two very vigorous classes she took, and received 8 college credits. This shows she can handle the Harvard work. Eight weeks of Harvard, living on campus and achieving those grades was a nice feat for a 16 yr. old going to class with college students. There has never been a student in her school that attended that program before. She has the grades, test results, the EC's, volunteering hours, the personality, and the desire.
The question I have is this, since (Harvard, Yale, MIT, Cornell, Georgetown, Upenn (her favorite choices) have never
admitted a student from her HS, how likely is it they will accept her, given the info above. Did going to this little unknown public HS kill her chances? Her guidance counselor is rooting for her with every fiber of her being, as well as I.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’ll kill her chances. The admissions officers at officers will look at her school and see the program it has. For example, a student from a rural town with a high school that offers no AP classes won’t be penalized for not having taken an AP course. As long as he or she is taking the most rigorous schedule and taking all he or she can get from the school, they’ll be fine. If your daughter is earning the highest GPA the school as seen and aced the SAT, etc, I think she’ll be fine. It seems like she’s doing everything she can with what the school has to offer. And she also went to the SSP at Harvard and did great in the courses, demonstrating her abilities. I really don’t think her chances are tainted. Best of luck to you and your daughter! :)</p>
<p>Thank you totallytrudy…she will have 9 APs (BIO, CHEM, CALC 1, CALC2, US HIST, PHYSICS, MACRO, WORLD HIST, LIT,) and 4 yrs of Spanish upon graduation. Her HS is not that far into the sticks, we are one hour from NYC. But…is so far off the ivy map that on college fair day not one ivy, nor any really top colleges show up.
I hope u r right, and the HS does not kill her chances. Thanks again, she will be applying in the fall. </p>
<p>Define “ace”.
SSP is nothing all that special since it costs an extremely large sum of money.</p>
<p>2350 SAT. You are right SSP is not special unless you ARE accepted to attend, AND take hard classes. AND receive A’s in those hard classes. Did you attend Harvard SSP? It seems that all the naysayers of Harvard SSP did not attend, nor know how demanding it is. Two college classes (8 credits) in 8 weeks at Harvard for a sophmore that received A’s is not special? Yes it is costly, but it is the same price per credit as a college student, plus dorm expense. I think it was worth it. She came home with a great sense of accomplishment, and enjoyed two months in Cambridge. Maybe I am biased because I am her father. </p>
<p>Colleges look at students within the context of their school. So you aren’t more likely to get in because you go to a big name school. And ivy isn’t everything</p>
<p>Here is the thing, with the way it looks she can get into Harvard and the rest of the schools you listed. But here is the reality, there is no way to actually confirm that somebody is going to go to Harvard. There is no secret formula to get in, there isn’t any way to cheat to get in, it is just about working hard (which she does), good academic stats (which she has), good EC’s that show a passion (which I am not sure about), and luck. Now, she will not be at a disadvantage because of her school, these Ivies will compare her to the context of her school and how she preformed versus how others in her school preformed. I am sure she will end up getting into one of those top schools you listed, most likely Georgetown, Cornell, or UPenn. I suggest she applies to NYU, and other schools in the state as back-up. AND I tell this not to bash you, but to help you. When she is working on her college app, she can list that she did Harvard SSP, but it is nothing that should be “lived up”, or thought of as extraordinary. A summer program that is amazing is TASP, that is something that you can emphasize on your college app, but definitely not Harvard SSP. A 2350 SAT score is astounding, but that isn’t enough to get in to a top college. </p>
<p>Please, do not be saddened or let your daughter be saddened by the lack of Ivy students from your school. A school in my county that has never had a student accepted into an Ivy, or any school in the top 10 (according to US News rankings), had a student this year accepted to 7 out of the 8 ivies, and the guy chose Yale. </p>
<p>RSI and TASP are demanding and extremely selective; SSP prays on foolish parents who want to dish out the money for a new car on an 8 week program of intro classes. </p>
<p>Politics2016 Thank you for the input. Yes she will mention the SSP on her resume and provide her transcripts, but I believe she will enhance her passion for working with young children. Teaching Religious instruction at the church every Sat. morning Sept-May, working with youngsters that are having trouble learning to read at the public library on Saturday afternoons, and working with physically challenged children with sports activities for them. Although she loves to learn (non-stop thirst for knowledge), she does love to be a part of helping others. Her passion is being there for others. She takes it very seriously. I can honestly say many, many people in our town know her and are truly rooting for her. She is also involved in many school EC’s as well as 4 yr varsity volleyball player.
What a hard working young man he must be, to be accepted to 7 top schools. I applaud him. Actually Upenn, Georgetown and Cornell, MIT are her top choices right now, She will probably ED to one of them because they all have the business courses she is looking for. She will apply to Harvard, Yale and Brown just in case one of the aforementioned schools decline and one of these say yes. Boston College, Villa Nova, Fordham, Syracuse are second choices and safety is Binghamton. She is hoping for a 5 yr accelerated MBA and to sit for the CPA exam. Which most of these colleges business schools offer, except for Harvard, Yale and Brown each of these would take six years I believe. She is not interested in NYU because of lack of campus/sports. She loves being a big part of the school she attends, and wants a campus, sports and EC’s she can really become a big part of.
Foolish thank you for calling me a fool. </p>
<p>Note: She only has 8 APs, because the CalcBC overrides the CalcAB once taken. Also, specify which AP Physics she has taken (there are 3).</p>
<p>Being in an ivy doesn’t measure your daughters worth by the way. Just thought that you should know that. If she wants to be an artist, the Ivy League isn’t for her. And if she wants to be a journalist, why would she go to an ivy? The Ivy League isn’t the only set of schools out there. Seriously parents, get a grip. Don’t live out your dreams through your child.</p>
<p>By the way, if that’s her list of schools, she is gonna be VERY disappointed lol. The chances of her getting into all of them, let alone 1, are slim to none. Just saying. You need to look at safety and match schools for her. Don’t go to a school just for the name.</p>
<p>@foolish </p>
<p>I can’t imagine the SSP program being seen as a foolish summer for students. What it does say is that the parents have $$$ and or the student received FA. My DD did a summer program at a boarding school, the cost was quite high. I’m sure some could say that a program that DD attended was foolish as I look back. DD did very well and had an amazing summer. Are there other summer endeavors that are more prestigious? Sure, but the student attended & did the work…and did well. </p>
<p>I think adcoms put things into context, what else will her app say about her? She still has 2 more years, a lot of time to fill her resume with interesting pursuits. I don’t think SSP will eclipse an otherwise stellar app. </p>
<p>Thank you, NHCTMOM. She made memories that summer of 13 that she will never forget. </p>
<p>I don’t think that was a bad decision on high school. For a school at that size, I am not surprised there is no one admitted to top Ivies before. Your D is a very qualified candidate and should give them a try. Very often, a student from a small town with the same credential may have a slight benefit over another one from a large high school in a metropolitan with a class full of similar credential students.</p>
<p>If we all tell you that you made the wrong choice, what would you do? It’s water under the bridge at this point.
Quit stressing out so much - the world will not end for you, for her, or anyone else if she does not get into Harvard. Thousands of students end up perfectly happy at their second choice or third choice college and go on to live happily everafter.</p>
<p>Your daughter could go to the number one high school in the country and obtain a 5.0 GPA with perfect SAT and SAT1 tests and still not get into Harvard. There are more top students than any one and even all Ivy’s can accept in a given year.</p>
<p>HOPE for Harvard. But as suggested above, also apply to a few less elite schools that she will enjoy attending.And quit the pressure. It is very sad to spend your entire high school career obsessed with getting into a dream school and being devastated when that doesn’t happen. Concentrate on preparing FOR college and enjoying high school, not getting INTO a specific one.</p>
<p>I don’t think it will hurt at all.
Your test scores (SAT & AP) proves that.
Attending the summer program could be the difference over other applicants and/or tipping point.</p>
<p>No I am not stressing over the subject and neither is she. In fact Harvard is not her number one choice. Upenn, Georgetown and Cornell are her top choices respectivlely. MIT, Harvard and Yale are her 2nd tier choices. Brown, Boston College, Villa Nova, Fordahm are her third tier and Binghampton as a safe safety school. She will not be heartbroken no matter what the outcome and neither will I. It was just a question posed. </p>
<p>She’s applying to all great schools and no matter the outcome I think she’ll be happy and meet success wherever she goes. Just out of curiosity, what does she want to study? What are her career plans?</p>
<p>@lkgrg17 </p>
<p>Look at Williams, Amherst, Wesleyan. They are great school & each will provide a stellar education. Each is different but are all fabulous schools. </p>
<p>DD had her heart set on several schools throughout her HS career. The school that she was adamant about not attending? Refused to take a peek at it until I hog tied her in junior year(it was actually reverse psychology LOLOL)?..well, she applied, was accepted and decided to commit during the accepted students event last month. </p>
<p>I say all this to say, I would have bet my right eye that A.) she would have never applied B.)she would have never gotten in because of the incredibly low acceptance rates and C.) that she would have never decided to attend.</p>
<p>I am still in shock by how this thing has played out. What your DD wants now, may very well change when 5/1/16 arrives. These kids grow and morph so much, it’s quite mind boggling. </p>
<p>Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention, my DDs top choices? She was accepted and decided AGAINST those schools. The school that she had her heart set on for her ED app, she did an overnight in early November, just to be sure and hated it after being there for 2 hours. That blew us all away! Because this was the school that she fell in love with in sophomore year. Of course, she didn’t apply.</p>