Holy Cross RD Class of 2023

@Rivers4 Thank you!

Looking at the number and selection rate for ED at Holy Cross last year it appears RD is a much more difficult get (even adjusting for the fact that many of the 345 ED selections last year [out of a total class of 800ish] were recruited athletes). ED number seems to be a relatively large one given the 815 target size. RD at HC was selecting for just 460ish remaining slots. (The verbiage in the RD selection letters referring to a target of 815 inadvertently obscures that.) So a prospective student looking at applying RD should take that into consideration when predicting likelihood of selection.
Congrats to those accepted RD at HC and best of luck in evaluating all your options. Those not selected have excellent opportunities as well.

Accepted w/ $10K merit scholarship and pretty decent financial aid

Biology & Music
33 ACT (35 E, 33 M, 34 R, 30 S)
GPA: 4.63 W, 3.95 UW
Very strong EC’s in music/science
Also toured/attended an info session, sent in the additional “supplement,” and attended the online admissions chat

accepted

32 ACT/33 SS
GPA 4.45 W, 3.9ish UW
top 5 Catholic prep school
Varsity and club sports
Lots of other standard ECs

no merit aid, which seems odd given other’s reported experience and merit aid received elsewhere, but HC is a front runner so maybe a Crusader soon?

Accepted w/ 10k merit scholarship

34 ACT
GPA 4.0W
Strong EC’s with leadership positions
Toured, attended an info session, attended the online chats, but did not interview. However, my mom did send in a parent recommendation.
My grandfather, uncle, aunt, and cousin all attended HC so that was probably a big plus for me too.

Accepted

S accepted with $12 K HC Scholarship. He really would love to go this school but it is looking unreachable cost wise.

anyone happen to know the acceptance rate this year?

HC was a top choice for my twins. Unfortunately, HC decided to admit one son and waitlist the other.

Admitted Son:

4.1 GPA
33 ACT
NHS and a ton of service hours/involvement; leadership in intramural sports

Waitlisted Son:

3.9 GPA
30 ACT
NHS and a ton of service hours/involvement; leadership in recreation league sports

Based on the statistics I have reviewed, both were above the median in GPA and ACT scores. Private Jesuit high school, one of the finest private schools in our state. Great recommendations. Visited the school last summer, participated in the online chats, requested an interview multiple times, but never received a response. Wrote the parent recommendation.

Two weeks before decision date, received a request that Admitted Son supplement his financial aid documents. No such request for Waitlisted Son. When I inquired, the response was “Send them in for him anyway.” Was this a hint?

My sons want to attend college together, so this is a huge disappointment.

Accepted

3.5 UW GPA
35 ACT
Mid 700s SAT IIs
Top Catholic Prep

No merit aid - should I appeal?

Yes, @lulumar . I would call and ask what the criteria is for the 10k merit that is going to many students. Their website still says they don’t give merit outside of some specific scholarships, but that is not what we are seeing here.

does anyone know if there is a facebook group or groupme for accepted students?

There’s a “College of the Holy Cross Class of 2023” Facebook closed group with almost 500 members.

Released our slot today. I hope it goes quickly to a waitlisted child and they don’t make you wait until July. Best wishes to all and good luck.

Is there a parents fb page for class of 2023?

Just in from the college today
https://www.telegram.com/news/20190417/facing-rising-demand-from-students-holy-cross-scales-back-need-blind-admissions-policy

^Wow. You’d think they would have

  1. announced this BEFORE kids put their applications in this year

  2. perhaps they could have hit up their extensive athletic scholarship budget instead of going need blind, if they were having issues making ends meet (which is pretty surprising to hear coming from a college that has a HUGE per student endowment.

This also explains the mystery merit kids got this year (and last). The $10K may entice some families to attend at at 60 per year, where it can’t get enough of them to pay 70k per year.

Here’s another article about the ex-post facto change:

https://hcspire.com/2019/04/10/the-college-quietly-abandons-prestigious-need-blind-admissions-policy/

@suzyQ7 Between the very high ED rate and this new “need aware” policy, admission becomes a bit harder for many middle class students.
Division 1 athletics is central to the college’s identity at this point so I would not expect cuts in money earmarked for those expensive endeavors.
BTW the linked article from the student-run Spire is rather well-written and informative.

Common Data set for last year indicates a 81% admission rate ED. That is incredibly high.
This includes athletes obviously. But also 1. legacies who can pay full freight.

Completely skewed and somewhat meaningless stat as 100% of the 750 student athletes are ED. So call it 180 kids in each ED cycle are a 100% acceptance rate.