The BS Parent's Guide to College Admissions

<p>@ PhotoOp</p>

<p>I was also perplexed at first as to the ‘half under 50% half over 50%’ list for the CCO. We had no list because it seemed impossible - as you stated - to compile something with more than Community Colleges on it. But it isn’t a list based on the colleges overall acceptance rate - it is a list based on the scattergrams that your student logs onto through the CCO website. So, as the CCO pointed out, based on your student’s scores on the SAT II’s and GPA (their GPA is posted at the top of the page when they log in - I think) a school that is a sure bet for one student is a reach for another. They do state that ANY school with overall acceptance rates below 20% will be a category 3 or 4 school for any student - regardless of GPA. Your student is supposed to pick category 1 and 2 schools by looking at the scattergrams and seeing where their numbers fit into the accepted students’ score range. So, if the (mean? - it’s not in front of me now) for accepted Exeter students was a 9.2 at college X, and your student has a significantly higher average - like a 10.6 -then that could go on your initial list as a ‘likely admit’ school. If your student has an 8 average - then whether or not the school has a overall higher acceptance rate than 20% - it would still be a category 3 or 4 for you.</p>

<p>If I sound like I know what i am talking about - I don’t. I am completely new at this and this info is from other parents - I am hoping they are feeding me good advice and have good memories!</p>

<p>I’m planning to take the next 8 months off, once our son settles on a school. I have been reading The Choice blog, and I find it helpful. I’ve started using the College Board’s site to look up colleges mentioned on this forum. </p>

<p>Right now, I am trying my best not to panic. I think the NPR piece is of the sort which does more harm than good. (There seems to be an entire industry which exists to feed parental panic about college admissions.) I have the impression that the reporters attended sessions at the end of the process, at which point Amherst may have had only a few spots in the incoming class free. It does not mean that the same applicant would not have been accepted, had her file been read at an earlier point in the process.</p>

<p>Frankly, though, when I looked up Amherst on the College Board’s site, Amherst admits 10% of its students from Massachusetts. It admits 16% of applicants overall. As we’re a Massachusetts family, lacking a family connection to Amherst College, I’m not racing to put it on my mental “discuss with daughter” list.</p>

<p>When I start going into college panic mode, two thoughts calm me down:</p>

<p>First, I think back over my own college admits. I, without much thought, went to the most selective college to which I was admitted. I loved my four years there–but now, with hindsight, think I probably would have gotten a better education and made better life contacts at the less competitive schools. One was Mount Holyoke, where a friend from hs enrolled who is now a full professor at a good college; the other was the honors program at Boston College, where I would doubtless have had better classes (i.e. fewer lectures with discussion sections taught by grad. students) and closer relationships to faculty.</p>

<p>Second, is my own teaching experience. As a community college instructor, I’m absolutely convinced that our students get a better general education in their first two years of school here than they would at any of our state colleges and universities. Here, they are taught by teachers who have earned their graduate degrees (not grad students), who are teachers first, not researchers, and whose entire focus is on “general,” not upper level or graduate courses. Similarly, a student at a good liberal arts college (not necessarily super-selective top 20) might well get a better education, make better contacts for graduate school, etc. there than at an Ivy League.</p>

<p>Thanks libby! That is helpful information, I hope it is true. She has spent some time looking at the scattergrams and proudly told me of some “safeties.” But they were still pretty highly selective but I’m sure her CCO will tell her if they actually are safe or not :)</p>

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<p>LOL Libby! That’s the story of my life. :)</p>

<p>I would be careful about how you analyze scattergrams. It is built only on gpa and test score data. What you don’t see is how some kids get a boost from legacies, sports, URM status, and other hooks. It s a very useful tool but don’t take it as the gospel. This can work the other way, too, of course. Perhaps your child has a special talent or ability that will make them attractive to colleges. Honestly, I think college admissions can be more quirky than BS admissions. The good thing, though, is there are so many truly great colleges to choose from.</p>

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For the folks new to a college search I certiainly understand why you feel this way when schools like Harvard are dropping below 10% acceptance rates. That said the actual data is quite different … there are something like 3000 college in the US and I’d guess less than 100 have admit rates lower than 50% … (something like the top 50 research U and the top 50 LACs) . They are a ton a very good schools with pretty high acceptance rates but schools that would be great matches or safeties for even the best of students if the fit is right.</p>

<p>As “The BS Parents’ Guide to College Admissions” thread, perhaps this thread could offer current BS parents’ experience with the college admission process as experienced by their current seniors. I would like to discuss how BS students faired in a few areas so that parents thinking about BS (or those who have BS freshmen and sophomores) can have more information going into the process, such as the pros and cons of leaving a good public school, attending a BS that is less competitive, taking a lighter courseload to keep a good GPA. For example, due to the huge applicant pool showing this year, many very highly qualified BS students are not getting into the schools of their choice. Many are not receiving the merit aid they hoped for (due to lower GPAs, but this is an old story). What reasons are the BS guidance offices giving to these students who thought they would have faired better?</p>

<p>Coming out of a BS, what are the most important things to be considered going into the admissions process? What questions do you need to ask of the guidance office now? Going to BS is no longer a ticket to college.</p>

<p>Been through this with child #1 (currently in grad school), so I know what not to do. :)</p>

<p>My is now a junior in BS, so we are a the beginning of the process once again. I have a few tips, most of which come from his college counselor.</p>

<p>Limit the number of times you bring up the subject of college (counselor told son to allow it once per week).
ALL contact with the college should be initiated by the student, NEVER the parent.
Do NOT go on any tours with your child. Child arranges tour, parent finds something else to do! </p>

<p>So far, so good, for us! Less fighting than the first time.</p>

<p>baseball mom, really, I can not go on the tour. My impression was that parents went on the tours all the time. What did other folks do?</p>

<p>I went on all of the tours! That’s the best part. Just remember not to express any opinion, and do not ask any questions LOL!</p>

<p>If your child goes on the tour without you he might ask questions, talk about himself, or talk to other students. If you are with him this is unlikely to happen. When he finishes the tour without you he will have something to tell YOU and you’ll hear what impressed him and/or what is important to him about that school now that he’s seen it with his own eyes. </p>

<p>Remember, this process is about the child finding the school that feels right, not about hearing from you which one is YOUR favorite!</p>

<p>What are tours like these days at selective schools? Back in the day, and at my college currently, they were/are groups of 10-20 parents and children with one tour guide. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a kid do a tour without a parent! </p>

<p>I can see the value of asking questions/talking to others and that some kids might do that better without a parent around, but isn’t that more an interview/visit a friend at the school sort of thing anyway? I guess I see tours as more a general introduction to the school, rather than a chance to make connections–and I’d like to be there for the general stuff. If my child liked the school, I think we’d look for other opportunities to make those more personal connections.</p>

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<p>I would too. Anyone?</p>

<p>Do the schools keep track of who is touring with or without their parents? I was thinking the tour would be the best part also.</p>

<p>Honestly, we did mostly large, selective schools and it’s the student who fills out the information card- the tour guide wouldn’t know (or care) what was with who. Maybe at a small, liberal arts college they might pay more attention to that kind of thing, but all of the information sessions we went to had about 100 kids (then broke up into smaller groups for the tour). Frankly, the “personal connection” opportunities and interviews were arranged by the prep school.</p>

<p>Remember how when your kids were applying to prep schools, it seemed as if there were hundreds of other kids applying? Yet, it still seemed to be a fairly intimate process. Well, for college, think thousands of kids applying- and the process seems a lot more impersonal, unless you develop a relationship with your regional representative or reader. I imagine it might be different if you are applying to a small school like Williams or Swarthmore. Maybe there someone would notice who was in the information session, on the tour? But actually, I sort of doubt it.</p>

<p>mamakiwi - I think its too early to gauge the success of this year’s graduating class from BS as many decisions are still coming out. </p>

<p>Regarding tours - I can only think of one time when a kid was there without a parent. I think parents are welcomed and should go but maintain a low profile. Hang in the background. We had about 3 varieties of tours. We had tours when it was just my child, me and the tour guide. Let my child ask questions but I asked some as well. It was very much a 3 way conversation. We had tours where it was 1 or 2 tour guides and a group of 6-20 people. Hang in the back and let your child lead. You’ll find many parents do not however. Large tour groups where there were several tour guides who each told a little about themselves and you got to pick who you wanted to follow. My child and I would go our separate ways and go with different tour guides and compare notes later. That worked well. </p>

<p>My child and I like to discuss schools but I made an effort to let her express her opinions before I would say anything as I didn’t want to influence her opinions. Usually, we found we were in agreement which made it easy.</p>

<p>That’s helpful, creative–thanks. Sounds a lot like bs tours actually–hang to the rear, let the child take the lead, but go ahead and ask a few questions if you have them. I like the idea of splitting up and comparing notes, too. All good for the files…</p>

<p>When did you all start doing tours? If you had it to do over, would you start earlier or later?</p>

<p>We did two over winter break of 11th grade, and then two over spring break. The idea is for my child to see some variety to have a more informed conversation with her college counselor. </p>

<p>I certainly go on the tour, but walk at the back. It’s annoying when parents are right up front with their kids, and some of the kids end up having to be behind the parents. I’ve had some interesting chats with the other parents who lag behind that way. </p>

<p>As for the question of prep school vs. other options for college admissions, I understand the interest but suggest that those of you who want to talk about that make another thread, since this one was started explicitly to NOT be about that. Thanks!</p>