So at a family party like 6,7 years ago, DD found a book “Getting into a Top College,” the Chatterjeee book – I’m sure some of you are familiar with it. She read it at the party, family member let her bring it home. The book stayed on her night table for a couple of months before landing on the bookshelf. She picked it back up last summer and then came down to breakfast one morning in July and was like, “I need to apply to Europe. No top schools are a sure thing.” Besides the fact that she’s always been a Harry Potter fanatic, the UK schools offer a great deal to liberal-arts kids, some finance, pre-professional types (LSE), but really, if you’re an east-coaster, flying to Scotland/UK is almost like flying to California. If you’re open to going across the country, you should consider the possibility of attending University across the pond. In any case, the UCAS system this year allowed you to apply to four schools for $20-$25. Every student who has no qualms about going to college thousands of miles from home should, at the very least, consider the X factor in the American college admissions process – the United Kingdom. The currency exchange can also be a concern, but there’s considerable overall value to including UK schools in your child’s college search portfolio.
As for DC stats, D23, white female, sibling in school with our youngest 2 years behind her – not full pay:
- Highly regarded prep school known for grade deflation
- 1450 SAT (sparingly submitted)
- GPA 3.9 uw, 8 APs (mostly 5s) & 6 honors (all As)
- 3-sport varsity captain (league all-star in 2 sports)
- Considerable campus-based DEI work
- EIC of school newspaper last 2 years
- Class President for 2 years
- 2-time full scholarship recipient to Ivy League Academic camp
- Won national contest for sculpture
- Scholarship recipient of Philosophy research project one summer led by Georgetown professor
- Spent one summer and fall (virtually) conducting research at ivy-league affiliated urban hospital
- Managed social media for COVID-related help center during summer of Pandemic
SUPER-SAFETIES
We spent one weekend last year watching sports and reviewing every college in the United States. We ignored a few states (Alaska, Hawaii, couple others) to make certain that we didn’t miss any amazing “super safeties,” schools that she was assured of acceptance with a significant package. Worst case scenario, could you be happy if you had to attend, that sort of thing. She also applied to alma maters, because maintaining some ties with your schools are important, least we think so. School guidance counselors recommended a couple of universities. She didn’t necessarily agree but she played ball with her GC, especially since the application fees were waived.
IMPORTANT – every family should review every school that offers an application fee waiver. Yeah, yeah, numerous “rejective” colleges play the long game and offer a zero-fee application to juice their low acceptance rate – still, you should be at least aware of every school that offers a “free spin.” Another pocket to look for a school whose academic averages match or comes close to your DC’s application. We reviewed the list of zero-application fee colleges (Bowdoin, Colby, Tulane, etc.) understanding the RD dynamics at play and their highly-rejective reputations. We created a cost-effective list, fully aware of not wanting to “throw away time” on schools with low RD percentages. Bowdoin & Colby didn’t offer EA so they were out. No interest in the other women’s colleges beyond our initial journey with Wellesley.
ACCEPTED:
OHIO UNIVERSITY (OOS, full scholarship, fee waiver)
FORDHAM (half-scholarship/discount $35K, fee waiver)
WASHINGTON & LEE (TO; six-figure+ scholarship, fee waiver)
U WISCONSIN (OOS, deferred EA, waitlisted, offered significant package after coming off waitlist, never visited)
ST. ANDREWS (half-scholarship)
GLASGOW (half-scholarship)
EDINBURGH (half-scholarship)
WAITLISTED
CORNELL (TO-ED)
REJECTED
VANDY (TO-EDII)
USC (TO-EA-deferred)
COLUMBIA/TRINITY program (TO)
OXFORD
DEFFERED
U CHICAGO (TO; declined EDII offer, never visited, fee waiver)
TULANE (TO; declined EDII offer, never visited, fee waiver)
RICHMOND (TO, no official tour, really a drive-by, withdrew, fee waiver)
Recruited to play a sport at Wellesley & Grinnell. “Not going to school in Iowa, next.” Visited Wellesley, beautiful grounds but didn’t receive a welcoming vibe from campus.
We visited 2 dozen schools. After the St. Andrews admittance came in last fall, she just said “LEHIGH, SYRACUSE, COLGATE, WILLIAM & MARY, they’re gone. No need now, and not the experience that I’m looking for.” Ultimately, we asked these questions:
Can you get into Tier 1 law school from St. Andrews? Yes. (A recent CC thread about this reinforced our belief here.)
Can you get a job on Capitol Hill from there upon graduation? Yes, numerous recent grads are currently working in D.C. political circles
Do you have a realistic chance at Big 3 Consulting from there? Yes (McKinsey recruits there.)
No application fee for 7 of the 16 schools where she applied
Paid about $400 in fees for applications (including CSS fees & UCAS)
TAKEAWAYS
I truly believe that you need to love your super-safety to pieces - visit, stay in town for a night, buy merch. Just get it locked-in, and hopefully get it locked in with some money. Find the very best school that you genuinely believe you will be accepted, enthusiastically.
Washington & Lee was not among her Top 20 – at all - but they repeatedly mailed us (more specific than the direct-mail barrage that just about of all us received this year) Very specific mail. Received a waiver. Took a shot. The rest is in that other thread.
Cornell was the ED pick. She spent a couple weeks at the school over high school summers on their dime. Won an academic award there. Was invited back the next year but was cancelled due to COVID. Thought that was her best shot.
So, DC is headed to St. Andrews. The kicker is that she gets to “study abroad” junior year, which means come back to the states for a semester or two. The potential schools are PENN, UCLA, Chapel Hill, UVA, couple of others.
Would she have done anything differently? Maybe a thing or two here or there, maybe 2 sports instead of 3, but she enjoyed her high school years, made amazing friends. I think, at this point, the process worked. Now she’ll see what riding on the other side of the road feels like.
Thanks to the CC community giving us knowledge and insight through this byzantine process. We still haven’t figured out the system, but at least our DD received a favorable outcome.
Thanks, all!!!
