@green26knight - We really liked USC (Southern CA). Unfortunately, my two did not get in.
@green26knight We are visiting USC next week, we let TAMU go after a disappointing visit last month. Hope your visits go well!
Those considering Carleton will love it ! Its a great school with an excellent reputation in a great little college town. I still listen to their student radio station.
@Phlipper - Carleton was so enticing for my D and she was thrilled to be accepted. But it’s the most expensive option for us and the weather was a concern for my D. They have such a great profile in the sciences too!! Sigh, it’s funny as a parent how there are a couple colleges I’m having a hard time letting go for her – Carleton is def. one of those. But they can only go to one!!
@green26knight, it came down to USC and A&M for my D, also. Really impressed with both schools, but will likely select USC because its closer to home and because she’ll have better flexibility to change majors if needed. We’re going to admitted students day on the 28th, and then I expect she will commit.
My S18 rejected by Stanford and Wash U. He liked Stanford, really didn’t like Wash U (I was not even sure why he applied honestly. I guess if he’d gotten a huge scholarship?) Waitlisted at Vanderbilt and CMC.
In at USC, and his various financial safeties, which are also good schools and under serious consideration. These are his final choices and we are waiting semi-patiently for him to decide.
I am positive if he had gotten full tuition from USC he’d go there, but half-tuition certainly makes it a more difficult choice, but one he is lucky to have.
One of my other reasons for this post, echoing an earlier post, is to prepare your NMF student for the challenges and potential disappointment of the application process. All of these kids are used to working hard, succeeding and being rewarded in some form. This was really the first time my two NMF sons had to deal with rejection or not achieving their goal. It is a great lesson for them and us as parents. Go into the process expecting some “no’s” along the way.
My D was not rejected anywhere (WL at Tulane) but we did not shoot super high either - chasing that merit! A friend’s son (NMF & ASB president) was rejected at Stanford, accepted at Harvard.
My DS, rejected at MIT and USC, just received full cost of attendance Eminence scholarship at Ohio State, which doesn’t offer any money for NMF, so go figure. I’m so excited for him though, because he actually liked Ohio State better than USC. Things have a way of working out.
NMF. 36 Single Sit ACT. 4.x GPA. Varsity Athlete. U.S. Presidential Scholar Candidate.
Etc.
Rejected from Princeton and University of Chicago. They were not applied to SCEA/ED.
@usma87 curious did you child visit Michigan (show interest)? and what state are you from? I have heard that Michigan likes one to show interest…Thanks for any help
@LvMyKids2 - We are in NorCal. We were not able to visit, so “demonstrated interest” would definitely been low.
S rejected from Johns Hopkins (RD) and waitlisted at Davidson (RD), but accepted at several other schools:)
NMF (SI 225), ACT 36 (taken once), GPA 3.9/4.3, Varsity Athlete 4 years with awards, AP Scholar with Distinction, 12 APs total: 5 5s and 2 4s so far, SAT Subject Tests 790, 800. Science ECs.
To future applicants and parents:
Believe the selective schools that say admission is holistic!
And understand that RD at schools which fill 50+% of the class ED is even more competitive than you would expect!
@appalachymom agree on the selective schools that say admission is holistic and the RD schools that fill up many spots. Aside from all of this, any hooks help (athlete, URM, 1st generation) and then hoping when they throw the dart, it lands on the bullseye for your kid!!!
Also, for future applicants, with LACs the holistic review means they’re looking for ‘fit’ too. I’m convinced that for a couple of colleges where either she got in – or didn’t – it came down to their assessment of her fit for the school.
So, again, stats are not everything – and, yes, as @LvMyKids2, there’s plenty of random luck too.
“their assessment of her fit for the school” please explain?
Are you talking about “needs”? female, engineering, minority is needs for almost every school.
@texaggie – No, I’m talking more about the overall vibe, so to speak, that comes through for a student. At larger universities, I don’t think this applies so much, but I think part of the holistic review at LACs recognizes kids who are likely to do well and be attracted to (and actually choose) their college. Yes, they are looking for STEM, and music, and diversity, etc. but I think they look at overall fit too.
For example, my D was NOT accepted at a particular urban LAC. I did further research and found it is known for a culture of a lot of “edgy, type A” students and is a very ‘go, go, go’ kind of place. My D. is pretty earthy, crunchy, loves outdoors, etc. and that showed through her application – very much so. (Her whole common app essay was about mediation, essentially). Even tho her stats were above 75% for the college, I can see how a admissions person might think she was not a great fit.
Do I know she was not accepted because of fit? No. Could I be generalizing too much? Yes. But she applied a lot of places, mostly LACs, and the ones where she accepted did generally seem like good fits. And, if she had gotten into that LAC, she would not have chosen it. So, bottom line is that IF they didn’t see her as a good fit – they were in fact right.
Does this help?
My NMF DD was very realistic. She knew she wanted to get scholarship money so she was not rejected by any school. However, people may likely feel that she did not aim very high. She applied to USC (South Carolina), Alabama, Clemson, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and Mississippi State. She received very generous scholarships from all schools but VT. She will be attending South Carolina Honors College and is very excited!
Her buddies (most similar stats to hers) were rejected from MIT, Princeton, Harvard, and Georgetown but accepted to Duke, Georgia Tech, and Emory - however will attend UNC, Clemson, and Colorado-Boulder (full ride here).
Now that some of the stats are coming out about acceptance rates, here is how my 2 NMF faired. The business major had higher stats and stronger ECs. The most selective schools he was accepted to were UCLA (~14.5% acceptance rate) and Notre Dame (~17.9%). The CS major, was rejected by all selective schools (Harvard (ED), Northwestern, Brown, USC and UCLA). He was accepted to his safety schools (UC Irvine and ASU). He will attend ASU and has the potential to graduate in 4 years with a Masters (AP Credits).
It was an eye-opening process this year. I expected the NMF to carry more weight in the admissions process. In my opinion, it played a minor role at the schools my sons applied to. It is helping on the FA front. So, maybe the best way to consider the status is a tuition assistance boost at some schools.
@usma87 Thank you for your post. I agree exactly with the NMF played a minor role. it definitely can help on the FA front and tuition assistance. But honestly, it is not make or break or even that huge of a difference for any selective school. That is not to take away the accomplishment from the child.
Can I ask where else your business major, higher stats ECs kid applied? And was it to the business schools of those colleges where a business school existed? Thank you so much