<p>I have heard EA is more challenging for admission success. Should my son apply Regular?
GPA 3.7W 3.4UW all most rigorous classes at small independent school. ACT 33 Sat's now 2080 but retook. SAT 11 Chem 760 and US Hist 770. He is in 3 Varsity Sports, good lad internship and employment past. Very active at school. His past 2 years have been GPA's 3.9 to 4.1 and he has become very motivated He really likes the school and we are unsure of right move.
Thanks for any advice</p>
<p>BUMP! Sorry but today is an active day?</p>
<p>I would try EA...worst they could do is defer him. D1 applied EA to VSB in 2000 with a 3.85uw and 4.8w, with a little lower test scores, from a very competitive high school(she was in the top 4% of her class). She also had 5APs. She was deferred. In reality, her weakness was her verbal SAT score. She had a very high math score. She got in RD, but it was a LONG wait until March. Admissions offices do recalculate GPAs, but your S's class rank is VERY important. His 3.4 will be looked on more favorably if he is in the top 10-15% of his class. Colleges love that upward trend as well. Good luck!</p>
<p>yes, his class rank is more on a scatter graph but he is rougly top 15%. The school does not inflate grades too much. This makes it weird when I see 4.8 GPA's. He will have taken 4 AP's but all honors classed. The school advises 2 AP's a year and to participate in EC's. It must be challenging for the colleges to weigh all these different high schools. I can see how the stand tests can matter.</p>
<p>I agree, but they seem to look at the whole applicant. No one is just a GPA and/or amazing test score. Lately, there seems to be no rhyme or reason in the college admissions process. I've seem kids with high SAT/ACT scores and great grades get wait listed while kids with lesser test scores and grades get in. It seems they all are doing sports, clubs, volunteering and have jobs. With so many applicants, I think schools are looking to see a kid with a passion and is following it. Over the past three years, Villanova happens to be one of those schools where admission has become difficult. I am so glad that all 3 of mine are happily in or out of college.</p>
<p>ibnhf1: "It must be challenging for the colleges to weigh all these different high schools."</p>
<p>You would think so, but it is amazing how much the adcoms know about the schools from which the students are applying, especially if they are schools from which they have had a number of applicants in prior years. My younger sister is in the process of doing her RD applications, and she has had an interview with each of her EA schools. She was astonished in one of those to hear the interviewer mention the head GC by name, and know that the school weights certain level courses in such and such a manner. They also knew, for instance, that the Portuguese club had been funding cut 2 years ago, etc. So anyone applying from my sister's HS to that college has little chance of 'gaming' ECs by claiming ones that don't line up with the real story. She said she was glad she didn't inflate any of her app content b/c it is obvious that the adcoms are more plugged in than one would assume. btw, it was not Villanova, but a comparable school.</p>
<p>Gabbagabbahey,
thanks for reply, yes it is amazing about all the work they do to understand the schools. This works in our favor because my s is in a tough curriculum and the grade inflation is minimum. I see people here posting that they have "only a 4.1W GPA and that very same GPA went to Harvard last year at his school. I think as we are more into this college process, I am feeling that you just have to plug at it with a good attitude and something good will happen.</p>
<p>Oh yes!! An adcom called my S's GC last fall making inquires about him. He wanted further clarification on why my S was taking a class....it was a regular class...not honors. The GC thankfully explained one of my S unusual activities. Thankfully, he and some friends had done some fundraising in conjunction with that class. They do check. They know their stuff!!!</p>