hello, my daughter is pretty high stats and Skidmore is on her list. Wondering what your daughter’s stats were if you’re willing to share? She’s a Lit/Writing/PoliSci person…thanks!
Hi. My daughter went test optional at Skidmore. SATs were 700 English/680 math. We thought SATs were strong enough for regular admissions but not strong enough for TE & with the pandemic colleges seemed very open to test optional. She also did not submit her AP scores. She had a strong GPA, 4.33 weighted, and took a total of 6 APs throughout high school (would have done more but not all APs available in our high school until sr year). She applied as a Biology major and art minor, but honestly I dont think they care much about your intended major. She had strong leadership but nothing probably all that different than most applicants.
My daughter was accepted reg admission but waitlisted for TE at first. She contacted admissions about her strong interest in Skidmore and let them know of her other offers for both merit and TE and that while Skidmore was her first choice she couldnt attend without TE as we didnt qualify for need based aide. She did make it very clear to them that if she gets off the TE waitlist she would attend Skidmore. A couple of weeks later in early April they did offer her TE and she accepted. I do think demonstrated interest is important at Skidmore. Make sure your daughter interviews and attends whatever she can of what Skidmore offers, either in person or virtually. Feel free to PM if you have any other questions, happy to answer them. Good luck!!
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Thats great she got TE at a school she loved!!!
My son will have low stats so TE will be more competitive for him so we may need to cast a very wide net. Hes only a junior now so we will re-evaluate at the start of 2022.
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Thank you! Interesting about the SAT scores…were you selective across the board to various TE schools as to whether you went test-optional? Best of luck to your daughter; she must be getting excited!
Hi wondering if you’d be willing to share your son’s stats. My daughter interested in several of same TE schools: F and M, Skidmore, Dickinson……also Syracuse and American…thanks!
We looked mostly at the College Data Set for each school. If her SATs seemed within the 75th percentile we included them, if not, we went test optional. While she got into every school she applied to, 2 did not offer TE, and an additional 2 waitlisted her for TE initially but then offered TE. We also targeted schools where she was likely to get good merit in case the TE didn’t work out. I think our strategy worked pretty well with going test optional at the more selective schools but really in the end who even knows how these decisions are made! Best of luck, and happy to share more of our experience if it’s helpful to you or anyone else out there!
So many schools out there! I found often it was the more selective schools that offered less TE slots. He has time too to get up his stats if that’s what he chooses. I suspect that colleges will be very forgiving for kids who went through Covid in their freshman and sophomore years… Good luck!
thank you!
great advice.
TE 2021 APPLICANTS “Reunion”!! @Marmaduker @sleeplessinla @RandomGuy62 @tcl2b1g @Breagh @D17D21 @Herecomestheson @JerseyMom2025 and everyone else here!!
It is a cold and dark early evening here in the Northeast and was just poking around in College Confidential and was wondering how everyone was doing who participated so much in this thread. Let us know where your '21 student landed and how their experience has been for 1st semester!
I can start. My daughter is at Skidmore and so far really enjoying it. Not perfect but pretty good! I am very thankful got to use TE.
How about your student?!?
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Love this idea of updating! Good to hear about Skidmore!
My son likes Binghamton well enough I think (he’s my kid who shares the least). He’s doesn’t complain much so I will take that as a win!
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Sounds great, @tcl2b1g ! No complaints, happy kid! 
Hi Friends and fellow higher ed employees! My daughter ended up at Tulane with no TE. Very sad. I reapplied this year but I am told from the liason that I have a 0% chance. Very sad as there are other schools like USC that actually like to see Sophmores applying. I am a bit frustrated that Tulane doesn’t embrace TE with a more encouraging attitude. We all have worked very hard at our respective colleges and this could be a very rewarding benefit. Trying to convince my daughter to transfer to USC …hahahah …only kidding but I wish I could use my benefit.
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Hi @Breagh. Good to hear from you. That is frustrating about the TE situation at Tulane. I found the whole process so stressful last year. Hang in there!
Daughter is TE at USC and loving it. She even, to our surprise, participated in sorority rush last week. (What we love about 'SC is they allow for scholarship stacking.)
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After initially not being offered TE at her “top choice” Mount Holyoke, my daughter had all but committed to Bryn Mawr (no TE) when MHC offered her TE off the waitlist. She thought about it for a day (having a school “want her” was important in her decision) and eventually accepted the TE offer to attend MHC. She has no regrets and is enjoying it as much as possible with the fairly restrictive covid precautions still in place.
She did end up with a fairly large single room her first year, resulting from a lightning strike and subsequent fire in one of the dorms, but that’s a story for another time.
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Great advice
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CONGRATS! I’d love to know how TE works at USC- is it full tuition or some other amount? the info online isn’t clear.
USC’s scholarship is 80% of tuition, which amounts to more than TE’s minimum. USC also allows for stacking of some scholarships. So we’re paying 8% of the full tuition price. USC’s room and board is pricey, so that’s important to consider. Good luck!
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thank you so much! i appreciate this!
Hi @RandomGuy62! Great that your daughter is enjoying Mount Holyoke! Sounds likes some excitement there in the dorms, but to end up in a large single is pretty nice! My D has been in a triple but just recently 1 roommate moved out so now they have a double which my D is quite happy to have the extra space.