<p>TuTuTaxi,
RD is an abbreviation for Regular Decision, the typical application process where you apply and find out about admissions usually in spring, unlike Early Decision.</p>
<p>A "match" school, which might also be referred to as a "realistic" or "ballpark" school is a school where the applicant fits the profile of accepted students, squarely in the middle (or above) where the applicant has a realistic chance of being accepted but is not a guarantee (unlike a safety school). A school that is one person's "match" school may not be another person's match school because that category is in relation to the particular applicant. A student is likely to end up at a match school. </p>
<p>So, in other words, match schools are those that are in your ballpark, ones where you have a realistic chance of being admitted but are not a sure thing. In these instances, your stats more closely fit the ones of accepted students. </p>
<p>The only exception to this is when a student's "stats" closely align with the average ones of accpeted students at an elite college where the admission rate is under 20% roughly, the school might then be referred to as a reach school because of the chances of admission being slimmer when a majority of applicants have stats that fall approximately in the range of accepted students. </p>
<p>RD is "regular decision." It means you do not apply Early Action or Early Decision, but with the general pool of applicants.</p>
<p>In my opinion, a "match" school is one where a student falls within the middle of the median range of stats. For example, a student with an SAT score of 1200 and a GPA of 3.5, would be a match for schools where the 25 percentile-75 percentile of SAT scores is 1100-1300 and the median GPA is between 3.4 and 3.6. I also think it is important to look at the percentage of applicants accepted - if it's below 35% and you're in the "middle" range, it's probably a reach, not a match. Of course, all of this presupposes that one has taken a challenging academic curriculum in high school comparable to what the particular college recommends (most will tell you how many years of math, English, etc. they prefer) and has some other qualities - extracurriculars, essays and recommendations - that pull him/her into the pool.</p>
<p>I consider a safety to be a school where it is highly likely you will be admitted, either because the school accepts a high percentage of students (80% plus) or because your stats are in the higher end or above the 75th percentile of accepted students. It's wise to have at least one financial safety - a school where you are highly likely to get in and can afford to go to even if you don't get massive amounts of financial aid.</p>
<p>A reach, in my opinion, is any school where your stats put you in the lower percentile of stats or where less than 25% of students are accepted,even if your stats are in the middle or upper range.</p>
<p>Tututaxi: RD = Regular decision (non binding), most applications due by Jan 1, decisions come in late March, acceptance by May 1.</p>
<p>ED = Early decision (binding), applications due by Nov. 1, decisions by Dec 15.</p>
<p>EA = Early action, non binding, applications due by Nov 1. decisions by Dec 15, acceptance by May 1.</p>
<p>'Match' means if you look at the admitted student profile and if you are above the mean stats for that school, it is a match (I think this how it was explained to me), Reach means you are slightly below the mean score range.</p>
<p>People on CC are a very select group, really concerned about finding the "right" college and getting a variety of offers to weigh, etc. Prep schools and top high schools also represent only one side of the picture.</p>
<p>In our working class neighborhood, many kids don't even go to college. Many others start with community college. Others just apply to the closest state university. They don't spend a lot of time deliberating over where to go and what schools might be a good match. They simply pick the closest and cheapest. Only the very top students apply to more than 2 or 3 colleges. So the figures do not surprise me a bit.</p>
<p>Susan, I think you are on target. CC is a very select group --- most kids in the real world only apply to a few schools, don't aim for reaches, they just go for local schools and are done with it. Can't help thinking that maybe that is a much better way to go.</p>
<p>At S's school this year, more than 70% of the senior class applied ED or EA. This does not include rolling programs where many of the kids applied early. About 75% got into an early program. A high rate, but for some kids the EA schools were safeties, particularly paired with a super selective ED school--a young man who did not get into UVa did get into BC, for instance and is counted in that 75%, though he did not get into his first choice school. The same with one who did not get into Duke, but was accepted to Tulane. A number of those kids who got into their first choice schools, ended the process right there and did not send the pack of apps all ready to go just in case. So those kids mitagated the large numbers from kids who applied to many schools for a variety of reason. My son was in the large number group. Those kids averaged 10-12 apps, as more than half of their schools were really highly selective schools, where a match does not an admit make. There are many kids without a true safety here, as the counselors seem to have a good idea where these kids would be admitted in that category of schools, and colleges like Hobert William Smith, Skidmore, Connecticut College, Lafeyette, Lehigh are being used as safeties, something that I, as a risk adverse person, would not advocate. But many kids we know in the area just applied to State U and/or a non selective local school. Really, the vast majority. So this college roulette game that gets so much press and discussion, is really limited to very few kids in this country. Though the number has radically increased from previous generations. I know that when I applied to college, it was State U or a local school. Sometimes a local private college would be considered if the parents were well to do, but the idea of applying to 6 colleges, which was what I did was not a usual thing. 3-4 were what the top kids were doing.</p>
<p>My son's high school limited the number of applications to eight US schools. Kids were allowed unlimited non-American applications and all UC schools were counted as one application. The school's rationale was rather inconsistent. Depending on the situation the reasons changed, e.g. You can't do a thorough job on more than 8 applications. The colleges know we limit you to 8 and that you are "serious." Too much administrative work. Eight is enough.</p>
<p>For those of us with kids applying to selective American colleges -- which many of them were -- this eight rule seemed arbitrary and unfair. No one was advocating 20, but 10-12 was a lot more comfortable for many of us. We also felt that it was none of the school's darn business. My son was admitted ED so I never had to go mano a mano with his counselor, but the whole situation irked me.</p>
<p>For reasons that I never understood, the GC's didn't encourage early applications. They didn't actually discourage them, but the student had to be the aggressive party. Possibly they didn't want to get into financial issues with the families.</p>
<p>Nearly all graduates of this internatinal highschool go on to college. A few become missionaries, but otherwise they end up at colleges all over the world. For my money the European application system is even more wacky and stressful that ours. Son had friends that didn't know where they were going to end up well into the summer months.</p>
<p>It is not the gospel, but it is a fun starting place. I found that S enjoyed the process one time around. Mom then proceeded to obsessively check and re-check, tinker, etc. You can expose yourself to schools you haven't heard of, click through to their profiles and websites.</p>
<p>I prefer our Guidance office's term for "match" schools: they call it "50/50", clarifying that is certainly not a sure thing but not a long-shot.</p>
<p>The majority of students at my daughter's small Southern private school apply to 1 or 2 colleges, same for the college bound students at DH's public high school. The difference is almost all the students at his school pick one place to apply, and at DD's school, a substantial minority, apply to more than 1-2 schools. Out of 145 seniors, they had 3 accepted "true" ED.</p>
<p>At S's private school where all but one or two - if that - go on to college, they recommend 5 or 6 apps:</p>
<p>1 or 2 "long shots" - chances are 1 or 2 in 10
2 "distinct possibilities" - chances are 3 or 4 in 10
1 or 2 "likelies" - about 7 in 10
1 where entrance "seems assured"</p>
<p>They suggest the schools in the last 2 categories be ones you'd "be truly satisfied" to attend.</p>
<p>They also do not at all push ED, despite the statistical advantage it may have. Some kids do it but probably no more than 20%. They require a list from the kids in about October/early Nov. and then alert parents, noting if they think the kid has no safeties, to be sure the parent realizes that and is comfortable with the risk. There is a real effort at fit vs. prestige. Some do apply to more but they seem to be the top 10% or 20% of the class.</p>
<p>My S applied to 5 - two EA. None were real reaches mostly because he had very specific criteria and no reaches met them. Some are reaches in terms of merit money but not admission.</p>
<p>BTW, top kids do go on to HYPS (although not as often as from NE prep schools) as well as the top LACs. Most go on to smallish privates although some do go to the state univs.</p>
<p>Thanks ALL, I did the Princeton Review's on-line "Counselor-O-Matic", attempting to answer the way I believe D would. Well......NO MATCH was found, (lol) hopefully it's because D is only in 9th grade (no test scores yet) and I had to leave many questions blank. I hope my obssession subsides after D's in college. I don't think my health insurance covers multiple or long term psychiatric admissions.:eek:</p>
<p>DS applied to 1 very selective/small/elite/private LAC/out-of-state app - somewhat of a reach - very determined guy/had a hook/athlete - ED - accepted</p>
<p>DD applied to 2.5 - all matches/2 mid size/1 large state U - out-of-state app - lol - decided day .5 app was mailed that she was not interested - accepted at all - 1st choice EA/rolling ad - in 12 days - 2nd choice EA in 21 days and .5 choice deferred/accepted RD - she wasn't interested in any reach schools in the least bit.</p>
<p>Was awesome having their college futures decided early on - they both enjoyed their senior years after that - without the stress and pressures that their peers experienced.</p>
<p>Tutu - As a parent who started obsessing and researching when MY daughter was in 9th grade (she's now a junior), I can relate. I will warn you though, that it is easy to feel burnt out on this by the time your child is actually getting ready to APPLY to schools so try to pace yourself. :)</p>
<p>wish<em>it</em>was
Sounds like your school has a very sane and helpful "system". My S's PHS has something somewhat similar, certainly similar philosophy, but not as good as yours. Would be great if your school's approach was adopted more widely, imho</p>
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I am realizing that I don't have a very specific idea of what a "hook" would be, even tho I see it referred to relatively often. Can anyone clarify?</p>
<p>Could be any unusual talent, skill or achievement. Well, not necessarily unusual, maybe just outstanding. Maybe you have won national awards for your tuba playing, maybe you worked to bring Afghan refugees into the U.S.</p>
<p>But I have heard some people refer to their URM status as being a hook. Which I don't agree with. It could just be something that makes you stand out from all the high gpa's and SAT's.</p>
<p>I applied to two schools, and why should I have applied to more? I did plenty of research before applying. More importantly, however, I am paying for my own undergrad education, so out-of-state or private schools were not an option. Let's face it - way too many people have an undergrad degree for it to be worth enough by itself. Going into the sciences, I know I'll have to attend graduate school. That is something I'm willing to take out loans for, so why should I rack up $150,000 for undergrad? Besides, you can easily get an undergraduate education at a local library. Why pay a fortune for it? On top of that, with AP credits, I will probably easily graduate in 3 years. Private schools just don't give away credits like that, they like to keep you locked in for all four years. I'm not saying I made a smarter decision than everybody else, but everyone has different needs.</p>
<p>"I am realizing that I don't have a very specific idea of what a "hook" would be, even tho I see it referred to relatively often. Can anyone clarify?"</p>
<p>I would characterize a hook as whatever puts a student over the top in a competitive pool in which everyone has excellent grades, scores, recommendation, essays. It could be minority or economic status. It could be talent -- like music, art, theater. To me it is a point of differentiation, an identifying feature. For my son growing up in Asia was a hook. Being an artist was a hook. Being an Eagle scout was a hook. The combination of the three gave him a distinct profile. A hook can also help compensate for weakness in another area, for example a published poet who has low math SATs.</p>
<p>Does your "hook" need to relate to your field of study?
If a HS student a is top-notch-award-winning-golfer but is applying as a pre-med major would the golfing be considered a hook?</p>