Looking for a great fit LAC

College Search & Selection
181

@LoveTheBard Our rejection letter was very definitive about there not being appeals. My daughter and I never questioned the rejection, or complained. She was disappointed, as was I. It was a very challenging moment. But we believe there must be another place she is supposed to be. They have very limited spots and the most amazing students from all over applying. I’m sure at times it hard for them to say no to students.

I told my daughter she was in good company. Approximately 88% of other, bright, engaging, kids are rejected, as well.

I have come to know one student that was admitted through his mom, that was admitted ED. And he is an amazing kid. He should absolutely be there.

My D would never try to actively appeal, unless they gave us a reason to think we should. And the letter was pretty clear they don’t do appeals.

182

@Grinnellhopeful you’ve got a bunch of terrific recommendations already but typing in anyway to suggest that, if you and your D are willing to look outside of the Midwest for the RD round of applications, you take a look at Reed. It has quirky, nerdy students and an intellectual vibe. Sciences are supposed to be excellent–it’s got a great track record with grad school admissions, and it’s the only LAC (I think) that has its own nuclear reactor where undergrads can become certified reactor operators. It is known for anthropology as well. Need-aware admissions, but it’s a “meets full need” school if she gets in, and financial aid includes the cost of two round-trip tickets home per year.

Best of luck to you in the process to come–there are so many good places out there.

183

@93pilots Tell me more!!!
My D’s face lights up and she becomes so animated, excited, and serious about nuclear fusion (I don’t even know what she’s talking about) and it’s use as an alternative energy source. I think I have that right. But that’s where she brings in her anthropology or sociology. Being able to go into other parts of the country or the world and being able to relate to them on their level and explain the new science in a way that they will understand and not reject. This is where she gets very passionate. That’s why her essay was on the topic it was on. If I got the science lingo wrong, it’s because she seriously outsmarted and out knowledged me about 3 years ago.

184

Reed is unique and interesting place. She might want to apply, but I would not recommend committing without a visit.

185

I’m going to look now to see if she has the stats to be considered.

186

Reed is a pretty liberal place (I know I will start hearing from “libertarians” in a minute, but the heartbeat of Reed is VERY liberal). More so than many other LACs, most of which lean that way. Agree that no one should commit there without a visit. My D2 did like it, but didn’t end up applying.

187

Agree with everyone else re not committing without a visit–wouldn’t recommend an ED2 application sight unseen. (If she is accepted RD, I think they will pay for a plane ticket for a spring visit before decision time.) Also agree that it’s a very liberal place (also surprisingly conservative in some ways–the Humanities 110 requirement comes to mind). She might hate it, but it might really click for her. I am no expert but think her stats would get her considered (especially if the ACT goes up) and I also suspect she would be geographically desirable. My S is a freshman there and seems to really like the place, so far. Feel free to PM me, if you want.

188

It’s not just that Reed is liberal - it has a very specific, intense vibe. Perfect for some kids, alienating for others. You have to KNOW it’s what you want.

189

Reed is a very intense, highly intellectual school with a very unique vibe. There are a few things to be aware of – one of which it that their 4-year graduation rate is well under 70% (close to 60%) and their freshman retention rate is also quite a bit lower than that of many schools. While they claim to meet 100% need, they use loans in their packages and are not totally need-blind (at least they weren’t; I don’t know if they are now). A few years back, there was a bit of a drug problem – with two heroin overdoses in as many years – and I think the administration has been trying to deal with the issue.

If you’re willing to consider schools on the west coast, Occidental, Pitzer (test flexible/optional), and Scripps might be excellent choices. Not sure if Whitman meets 100% need, but that might be a good choice as well. If her ACT score improves dramatically, she might want to consider Rice, but that’s a big reach at this point. And Colorado College might be a good fit too.

190

I think Reed is known for two things: lots of students go on to get their PhD’s and lots of pot smokers. Based on what you have said about your daughter, I love Earlham and Beloit for her.

191

@citymama9 Of the applications submitted EA, Earlham is definitely mom’s choice. I love this Bonner Scholar program not only because if she does it the school commits to meet 100% of demonstrated need, but because I like the weekly meetings to develop leadership skills, I love that she will do service over the summer, and 10 hours weekly, help developing skills needed for grad school. Not to mention Earlham’s grad school placement looks very good. For me it feels like a safe nurturing environment. My conversation with the AO, and emails to my daughter did not have a sales pitch feel to them. Her top choice of the EA applications is Knox. I also think Knox would be a great place for her if the FA package works. My D spoke to the AO at Knox on Monday for approx 40 minutes, the AO told her to expect good news in the mail before Christmas. I know we can’t be assured she will be offered admission to either at this point, but she does meet the average stats of admitted students at both schools with her current stats.

I don’t have a feel for Beloit yet. They haven’t really reached out beyond the standard emails.

We aren’t submitting anymore apps until the new scores come next week. And I’ve been adding a few to the cart as advised. I’m giving her highlights of other potentials slowly, a little bit of info at a time, because she was getting overwhelmed. I’m probably obvious in my attempt to get her to focus on Earlham.

She’s funny, she acts like she isn’t listening or isn’t interested but will come home and drop a little morsel of information on me that tells me she has been listening and looked on her own. Yesterday, she told me she looked at the Bonner Scholar Application, and lined up a recommender.

I’m going to look closely at Beloit today, to get a good feel for myself.

We also applied EA at Coe, I feel like that one might come of the list? I’m. I’m not finding a lot of info about it. Can anyone tell me what makes it special or a good school for her?

Drake and Truman- They were very much safety schools where I felt very confident she would get in. I believe both were rolling admissions. So, we may here from them soon. They aren’t the favorites at this point.

To summarize her fav and my fav thus far are both solid schools. She needs to visit both. Earlham said they would send a plane ticket so she could visit.

We should also have an answer from both within a month.

I’m keeping St. Olaf, Reed, Lawrence, Macalester in the cart to explore once the scores come out. Although, she might be able to make the cut at St. Olaf with her current stats.

192

I forgot to mention that Earlham asked me to screenshot her new ACT scores and send them to the AO on the 19th, the day before the go on break. She said it wasn’t to boost chances of admission but it could boost merit aid. Neither Earlham or Knox had concerns about her current test scores. Will I feel differently about those schools of her test scores break 30 as predicted? I don’t know? They both seem like great schools and rigorous enough.

I don’t think she would feel out of place amoung the students at either schools. Again, I’m very gun shy. I’m concerned there might be something on her app that is a red flag and that’s why she was rejected from G. I’m cautiously optimistic about those two schools but not counting on anything at this point.

193

I have a niece who is thriving at Earlham.
IMO it’s an excellent, less selective alternative to Grinnell (one that pushes all the buttons mentioned in the original post).

194

@LoveTheBard Someone close to us directed her to Colorado College. It looks like a great place. But I don’t think with her current stats she I’m not sure she would stand a chance. I have a list of schools to look at if she breaks 30-32. I don’t want to look too deeply at them until I know that she would have a decent chance of getting in. Because when we do that, we see what a few points difference in her score can get her. And it feels kind of yucky. 6 more days until scores come out.

195

Definitely take the Earlham offer to visit. I graduated a few years ago. I’m a first generation student, and that place changed my life. The quality of teaching at Earlham was far superior to what I experienced in graduate school (at a highly ranked research institution). It’s a really nurturing place. There were outstanding students in my cohort who’ve gone on to do amazing things in the arts, sciences, and in public service.

196

@Grinnellhopeful - I haven’t seen your daughter’s application, and none of us were t in the room with the Grinnell AOs, but my strong hunch, given the level of encouragement that you received is that there only significant “red flag” in her application was scores below the norm for Grinnell. As much as colleges talk about “holistic” admissions, they also need numbers, because collectively the numbers affect ranking and perception. So it may have just been a very calculated committee decision that won’t be a factor at schools where her scores are at or above average, or where they can choose to disregard them.

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Here’s an interesting article that may put the whole score thing in perspective: https:/ /www.forbes.com/ sites/noodleeducation/2015/07/30/when-colleges-go-test-optional-who-benefits/#4548ac677807

In particular…

"But higher education in America today is also a big business, and Boards of Trustees rarely take any course of action that won’t also benefit the university’s long-term growth. It’s worth noting that non-submitting applicants’ test scores don’t figure into average SAT and ACT scores for the colleges, a loophole that also results in higher average scores reported to guidebooks and the U.S. News rankings — even among schools that purport not to value test scores. Schools that make SAT or ACT scores optional, in short, may benefit from a bump in their selectivity assessments. Test-optional policies also encourage an increased number of applicants — another factor that results in higher selectivity ratings, since the school will be able to accept a smaller percentage of its applicant pool.

“Both selectivity and test scores are factors in the U.S. News & World Report rankings. As such, they often serve as a shortcut for consumers and even experts who want to determine how good a school is. The single most important factor in the U.S. News rankings — accounting for a whopping 22.5 percent of the overall 2014 scores — is academic reputation. Raising test scores and selectivity can help improve the reputation of an institution, as well. Further, test-optional policies are widely regarded positively in academic circles, so instituting these also helps to improve the reputation of a school.”

197

One minor thing I’d caution about is the use of the phrase “we are applying”, especially when talking to colleges. Your D is applying – and I think colleges are a little wary of parents who are over-managing their kid’s app process to the point where the school can’t be sure of the kid’s own interest and true personality. I’m not saying you should back off at alll – it is a complex and expensive endeavor, and I 100% understand and agree with what you are doing. But I’d just avoid that phrase when talking to colleges.

One other thing to be aware of is that once your kid is admitted, they will probably never talk to the admissions people again. And it is the AO’s job to sell the college to her/you. They are marketers. One of the big challenges is to get behind that marketing curtain to get a real look at the college. A few things we’ve found to be helpful are:

  • Look for the student newspaper online. It can be a very unvarnished look at current issues and events on campus.
  • Read the Fiske description very carefully. We found that the negatives of a school were there – just very politely phrased.
  • Read lots of old threads out here. Take some of it with a grain of salt, but it can help you see what is going on. The college forums seem less active than they used to be (site re-do a few years ago changed traffic patterns to them), so dig back.
198

^^^ I agree with everything @intparent said above.

199

@intparent I also agree with everything you said. I tend to use “we”, here. I didn’t write her essay, or answer questions in her common app. But I have been thinking backing to my communication with any school and hoping I didn’t make that mistake. In particular would be the schools of recent. I certainly didn’t with Grinnell. That was driven by my D. However, since that was the only school before 12/1 that she applied to and she is floundering, I have been steering the ship a bit since.

Although, yesterday I saw a bit of a change in her. Maybe she just needed those few days? But yesterday she became a little more engaged. Not so engaged that she’s researching other schools, but that she’s really looking at the schools I present her with.

I told her last night to respond to even the generic emails from the schools her application is submitted to. I told her to reach out to the AO now. I said it doesn’t have to be a carefully crafted email, just something, anything. I told her to ask a question about the choir or the dorms. Even if it’s something she typically researches herself.

I think that is some of it, she is quite comfortable finding the information she needs on her own. So, she may have to dial that back a bit.

Hopefully, she will take my advice. I’ve also made a bit of a stand. I said that I’m not going to help her submit any more applications. I have given her a list of what’s in the shopping cart so to speak, but I’m not gonna take any further action until she does.

Because honestly, I don’t want to make that choice for her. I needed to give her a little kick in the butt after the rejection but it’s time for her to take control back.

200

@intparent I also agree with everything you said. I tend to use “we”, here. I didn’t write her essay, or answer questions in her common app. But I have been thinking backing to my communication with any school and hoping I didn’t make that mistake. In particular would be the schools of recent. I certainly didn’t with Grinnell. That was driven by my D. However, since that was the only school before 12/1 that she applied to and she is floundering, I have been steering the ship a bit since.

Although, yesterday I saw a bit of a change in her. Maybe she just needed those few days? But yesterday she became a little more engaged. Not so engaged that she’s researching other schools, but that she’s really looking at the schools I present her with.

I told her last night to respond to even the generic emails from the schools her application is submitted to. I told her to reach out to the AO now. I said it doesn’t have to be a carefully crafted email, just something, anything. I told her to ask a question about the choir or the dorms. Even if it’s something she typically researches herself.

I think that is some of it, she is quite comfortable finding the information she needs on her own. So, she may have to dial that back a bit.

Hopefully, she will take my advice. I’ve also made a bit of a stand. I said that I’m not going to help her submit any more applications. I have given her a list of what’s in the shopping cart so to speak, but I’m not gonna take any further action until she does.

Because honestly, I don’t want to make that choice for her. I needed to give her a little kick in the butt after the rejection but it’s time for her to take control back.