DD = dear daughter
DS=dear son etc.
my “dear daughter” (dd) is studying Industrial Engineering and plans to minor in CS. She has not maintained a 4.0, but did get 2 A’s and 2 B’s first semester. With more challenging classes this semester, she has warned us that her grades will likely drop. My husband was a GT grad, so he knows how difficult it is and we have never expected her to get a 4.0. She is working very hard - she admits she probably should avail herself to the extra tutoring, etc. the school and her Sorority provide. She is able to take 12-13 credits because of all the AP and DE credits she came in with. She knows she not the smartest kid there, she did not have a super-high SAT, but she had great grades in HS along with tremendous leadership and ECs. She loves GT and knows that she’ll have wonderful options upon graduation.
3 Likes
I’m an idiot… DD and DS… what does S12 or does that mean Son one of two?
Crazy talk I tell you…
Okay!!! So, getting a 3.5 freshman year… typically GPA comes up from there. Meaning, if one drops out obviously not, but usually yes Sophomore year is hard… but GPA up slightly… Junior year can come up more…
I went to a “hard school” and believe I exited freshman year with a 2.9… ended up with a 3.45 overall… so really, a 3.5 first year… seems solid with lots of options wide open.
1 Like
1 Like
You have an S23… Son in the HS class of 2023. 
Hope that helps with the lingo!
1 Like
DANGIT!!! I’m way too much of an engineer (3 masters in engineering)… spend all kinds of time around numbers whatever I do for a living… and too focused on raising my kids to know WTheck these things mean!!!
3 Likes
Only if he applies to start the fall after he graduates undergrad…which a LOT of medical school students do not do. And even with that, he will need to provide a final transcript to the medical school…should he get accepted. And that’s not guaranteed either.
But right now…congrats on GT. Great school…and we love Atlanta. Guessing he will too! We can give you lots of things to do when you go to visit! Just let us know.
2 Likes
Curious dadofboys3….why did you not apply to Purdue, Michigan or UIUC?
Actually, I do not think that there is a direct correlation between the year and grades. It depends of major and what areas you like/do not like in your major and required classes in area that you may not be strong. I struggled with some upper classes more than lower level classes. I also had no trouble in graduate-level classes (once I switched to another major in grad school ).
I did not apply anywhere, my college days are long gone. 
Son’s intended major is biomedical engineering. Also, I don’t believe we posted the universities applied to and accepted, so understand the question. In at UM. No applied to PU/UI.
Note applied to VT as a “safety” … which is why the original question from the thread was to get advice from other people… so this quickly passing weekend when we discuss colleges if we can cross one off the list and decline so others can get a spot, so be it.
Lol -
…. from your comments on here and some of the other threads……
…….I thought you were the one who applied!!!
(we run in the same circles due to overlapping schools- your knowledge of other kids on the class rank thread was mind blowing- I don’t know where any of my daughters friends applied or their rank, for instance )
You are super involved !!
Seems like you are deciding curriculum, credits per semester, strategy, etc…you have a great handle on this
You should be proud!
Just looking for insight given your involvement and knowledge.
Mentioned VT as a safety but then you even have much lower ranked school as well?
Just curious about Purdue and UIUC since they are good for engineering, and how you decided your list? I assumed you didn’t apply since you didn’t mention them.
MIT, Stanford, CMU?
How did you rule out Michigan over VT?
You seem extremely knowledgeable (making me feel bad) so just looking for help on your ranking of engineering schools and thought processes.
Also curious as to why you would pick what you consider a safety school (VT) that costs much more over a top 5 engineering school in the country like GT? Confused by the thread if VT is a safety and more expensive.
I left it to my daughter to pick schools and do her applications herself, and don’t know other kids stats in her high school or ranking so I’m really just looking for how you used all this information to rank schools and how you came to final decisions!
Hearing other people’s thought processes can be very helpful as you may see things from a unique perspective that helps us all!
Thank you ! You’ve done a ton of leg work here and I appreciate your expertise
1 Like
I’m a little scattered. Any knowledge of rankings and what not is “rounding”… we’ve known these kids and fams for years, and I’ve been on certain school boards, so I know a thing or two just b/c I happened to see Johnny or Suzie rankings in 9th grade or 3rd grade… so generally know who’s who.
Rapid fire answers…
Lower ranked school applied to owing to a scholars college which would be top ranked.
Applied to CMU, but, would never likely encourage student to go there… we know kids full ride… and said life is miserable… weather, culture, students not friendly… he said he takes no joy dropping his daughter off each year. So as a parent, while we await April 1st date, would decline CMU.
MIT Stanford wouldn’t get in.
Purdue UIUC… based on BME… went more with GT… I cannot exactly say how he came up with his list… but Boston is there, CWRU, UM, GT… it seems like top ten BME programs… and then throw in an honors college or two… along CMU Cornell (both would be turn down)… anyway, off topic… its a hodge podge… and likely b/c its our first kiddo through the process maybe over applied to like 8 schools… to schools I couldn’t get into when I was a kid, and now everything is CRAZY … used to be if you had a 1260SAT you were the smart kid… now everyone is getting 1400+ etc. etc… and/or the access to information to blogs is a lot more.
2 Likes
And dropped UM from list b/c it would cost more than GT and would be “just as far away”… and would be slightly lower ranked for BME.
I don’t know… once getting into GT considering his major… and the cost of GT… it cleaned out his college application gameboard quite a bit… which I go back to in hindsight he probably overapplied…
BUT caveat, one we didn’t know what schools he’d get into as in my mind I know he’s way more talented then I ever was… but now things are wild… and its his list… say GT didn’t accept him, then maybe we’d be looking at UM closer, or whatever… lastly our first time through this as parents so those extra 2-3 schools he threw in the ring b/c common app is easy like VT, then so be it… side note, this just came to mind, had he gotten into VT HONORS… that’s what would have made VT compelling to him in his mind… that’s right… he applied to VT if he got honors (didn’t, so, its a no go).
It would be easier if we were talking to him 
1 Like
Thank you!! Very helpful. Wow-Got into GT and UM but not VT honors…admissions these days make no sense…that’s crazy
Congratulations to your son in getting into VT. VT is really not a safety for engineering these days. Lots of kids getting waitlisted or denied even instate with 1500+ SAT’s . Just too many qualified applicants.
Enjoy Georgia Tech. That’s a great opportunity.
2 Likes
Yes, these are tough admits…but isn’t this kid number 1 in his class at a prep school? Or is that some other kid?
2 Likes
yeah… just wasn’t going to throw it out there i guess… maybe should have cast the ballot… who knows???
Your S has a great college outcome. There is zero reason to second guess his application choices. Congrats to everyone! Now it is time to buy a Georgia Tech hoodie and celebrate!
3 Likes
If you applied to 8 schools, you definitely didn’t over apply.
Your kid is great and got into reaches but you couldn’t have known that up front.