https://ed.sc.gov/tests/tests-files/eocep-files/uniform-grading-policy-february-2018/ indicates that grade points can be as high as 5.875 in South Carolina.
Yes, I think he said elsewhere that his child did get into a few schools, including a top choice. Realistically, these days kids aren’t going to get into all the schools where they are a strong candidate - there is too much competition. For S24 I’ll be ecstatic if he gets into even one of his top choices.
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This. 100% this. And this is not anything new in college admissions.
I would recommend reading the GT admissions blog. Rick Clark has some fantastic insight that is translatable to other schools. Rick Clark – Georgia Tech Admission Blog
Read the “Two most important letters in college decisions” entry on his blog.
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No one will know if that applies here: But colleges will also need to guess who might likely get a “better” (in the mind of the student/parent) offer, and never enroll if offered acceptance. The result might be a waitlist placement to see how strong the “continued interest” of that otherwise very desirable candidate might be.
So, in some cases a “not good enough” waitlist status, could be a result of being perceived “too good” - my daughter definitely saw rejections from slightly less-selective schools which (correctly) assumed that she would end up elsewhere.
They definitely are looking for kids who will also fit well academically - but, once that is established, it is (within a certain “band”) by far no longer the only criteria when deciding between two candidates.
I’m confused: How could that be important, if the admissions officer doesn’t ever see or know your child (other than through letters of recommendations)?
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He is going to college. I’m sorry you’re disappointed. He did what he was supposed to do: earn his grades, participate, contribute to his school and, hopefully, his community.
Presumably, he is going to a college he likes and that is affordable. The reward is knowing that he did his best and that he is privileged enough to be able to attend college at all.
I’m always sad when parents or students feel that working hard in high school is a waste of time unless they get into HYPS. That’s the wrong lesson to learn from all that hard work.
This might help clarify your questions.
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/t/why-its-so-hard-to-get-into-an-under-15-acceptance-rate-school
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@ProudDad721, you’re describing my kid (no Asian). Your family is not the only one. There are many of us in similar situation.
My kid was heartbroken at the beginning. Then, started to see the great academics and fun things from admitted colleges. My kid is now very pleased and happy with the college selection.
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Yes this is a typical story.
The question you seem to be asking is why did he not get his top choices? What went wrong? Was he not good enough?
The answer is that nothing went wrong and he is definitely good enough.
As parents/guardians we believe colleges are looking for the brightest and best minds to educate for the advancement of society at large. Colleges themselves have different priorities. They don’t really accept based on pure merit any more.
So don’t take the colleges’ decision personally.
Your son’s grades, academic performance and personality are all markers of his success and abilities.
I would suggest you stop thinking of colleges in terms of tiers and think about them in terms of what they can offer your son. Where will he be happy? Where is his major best taught? Where can he continue to grow and develop?
What was all that work for? - we work to do our best. All that effort never goes away. 2 kids at the same school will have different outcomes depending on the effort they put in. You should be proud of him.
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This was most certainly a factor.
For many reasons, the college/university admissions process in the US is not designed to have our best students attend our most prestigious universities to study with our top professors. It does occur from time to time, but that is more of a happy accident than a master plan.
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Except that OP’s son seems to have gotten into at least 1 top choice:
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I would hope that being a nice person would help in admissions, but being good looking? I sure hope not! That would be very sad.
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Unweighted is 4.0 out of 4.0, as in straight As. Your comment is insulting. What disservice? He went to a magnet like, prep like public school. Having a grade like this is quite an accomplishment.
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Yes and he did submit it.
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Many of us can relate- we watched our students grind for years- AP classes, ACT prep, multiple sports and/or music, service… and secretly, we watched her classmates NOT do it all. Then we also had a pandemic take their 9th and 10th grade experiences from them. So we really wanted this- options for college that feel “good” and also can be afforded. WOW was this year tough!!! Our other child is a junior in college and got into every school he applied to with the same stats and I would argue fewer ECs. He had an offer of free tuition at a good state flagship. She applied to the same kinds of schools- skipped schools we knew she could not afford and got limited merit aid from all schools except 1. After visiting that school it was, for many reasons, not her place. So she is looking at similar schools at similar costs to her classmates who didn’t do all that she did and that just feels weird. She got rejected from schools (2) and waitlisted (2) that were very surprising to us based on what we had researched. And I am still scratching my head at some of this… If Boston University can fill it’s incoming class with students somehow better than ours, then I agree, she should not have been admitted. Ours has similar stats 4.0UW, 34 ACT, lots of AP, 2 year editor in chief, all league level varsity athlete for 4 years… blah blah and on. So tonight we open the sparkling cider and celebrate her next step. She deserves for us to be excited. It isn’t her fault that her brother got something 3 years ago with the same “resume” that she wasn’t given. Her road is going to be harder and she is going to have to do some things he didn’t to afford it, but it is what she has and her dad is proud of her.
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Could be true. But there is a difference btwn someone w a 1200 and 1500 SAT, usually (but not always).
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It is a school considered a small IVY which has a track record of placing their students in good graduate programs. So at least we were not altogether screwed. He is happy. But I can tell he is disappointed and that is what hurts and really bothers me.
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A sibling several years young w similar stats did better. We are at a point in time where ‘superstats’ are not even good enough for a high likelihood of matching at second tier schools.
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Yes. but such is the reality of life. Part of the ‘holistic’ admissions process no doubt.
We are not even talking HYPS nor even the lesser Ivies. Getting into those schools is always tough and often requires something that makes you stand out, including outstanding scholastic, academic, and/or extracurricular achievement. We are talking CWRU, which last I checked was a second tier school.
If it’s a factor then it HELPED the OP’s son. Being male is very helpful in college admissions as so many more girls apply and attend college. If the OP was strategic he could have targeted selective schools with skewed male/female ratios, where admissions is keen not to reach a tipping point. Vassar, for example is famously easier for a boy to be admitted than a girl.
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CWRU is an excellent school with a great reputation. It’s no consolation prize.
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