<p>Would you considr a school with a 71% accepptance rate a higly selective school, selective school, reach, or safety?</p>
<p>if your stats were approx the median or above then it would be a safety.</p>
<p>Wabash, you don't decide that a school is a reach, match or safety just by looking at the school's acceptance rate. You have to compare the school's median scores, students in top 10%, etc with YOUR own accomplishments. If your SAT scores are, say, 1050 and this school's median scores are 1100-1200, you should consider it a reach. A 71% acceptance rate is very high. But, that doesn't automatically translate to it being a safety for all students.....29% get rejected.</p>
<p>I like to use numbers because it makes me think more realistically. Basically 7 out of every 10 people gets in, but 3 are rejected.</p>
<p>No, it is not a highly selective school. It is not even a moderately selective school. Whether it's a reach, match or safety would depend on the applicant's stats.</p>
<p>oh, ok.....</p>
<p>I have come to hate the term "safety school." Even a school that admits 70% of applicants may not be a "safety school" --- Instead, I prefer the term "good bet" as in "I have a good bet of getting in." It's a subtle but important difference.</p>
<p>In considering whether a school might be a good bet for you, there are a few important caveats:
(1) Does the school offer Early Decision? If so, it is important to separate out the ED admissions numbers from the Regular decision numbers. Many schools fill a large chunk of their class through eArly decision and in many cases, the admissions numbers are higher for early decision candidates than for those applying RD. Yet, nearly all schools report their admissions percentage as a combination of the two, which can, and frequently does, inflate that overall admissions numbers. If you are applying RD to a school that fills more than 30% of its class through ED, that means there will be fewer openings for you. And, it also means that the admission figures during RD may be significantly lower than reflected in that overall admissions rate. The same is sometimes true for schools with Early Admission programs. In fact, there are some schools where it is harder to get in EA than it is RD - they look for stronger candidates during the early round. So, it's important to know how that overall rate breaks down. It's also important to know something about the stats of students admitted ED or EA and how they compare to RD admissions. The US News & World Report premium edition has this information available for each school and is worth the $15 it costs to gain online access.</p>
<p>(2) Keep in mind that the stats reported by almost every college are for ENROLLED students, not ADMITTED students. In truth, the stats of admitted students are probably lower than the stats for enrolled students reported. Every school aims to admit the best candidates it can and improve its overall stats---and they do so knowing that many of those best students will choose higher level schools. This is especially true for schools that top students may consider "safeties". What does this mean to you? It means, that if you find you are in the lower part of the median for the ENROLLED student figures reported, that your chances may very well be LESS than you think because you will be actually be compared to those higher level applicants.</p>
<p>(3) As has already been mentioned, smaller schools - even "less selective schools" - often have other things besides grades and test scores that they focus on: make sure you know what those things are and how you fit. I know, for example, that Wabash places a HUGE emphasis on demonstrated leadership and also on candidate intangibles like character so recommendations, essays and interviews are much more important there than their stats might indicate.</p>
<p>(4) Is the school fully need blind in admissions? If not, will you need significant financial aid? That can be a deadly combination if your stats fall in the lower range for the school unless you are bringing something special to the table. More importantly, if you need significant financial aid, does the school guarantee to meet all need? Some schools that are "less selective" have high admissions rates but paltry financial aid packages. NO school is truly a "good bet" (or safety if you will) if you can't afford to go there.</p>
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<p>In truth, the stats of admitted students are probably lower than the stats for enrolled students reported.</p>
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<p>The reverse is true. The stats of admitted students are universally higher than those of enrolled students, because the higher a kid's stats are, the more acceptances he got, and the less likely he is to enroll at any one school where he was accepted. The kids at the bottom of the accepted pool enroll at a high rate; the kids at the top are way less likely to matriculate.</p>
<p>Thanks for catching my boo-boo Hanna - that's exactly what I meant to say but scrambled it all somehow. :) Therefore, when looking at the "numbers" of schools, ask if they are for admitted students or students enrolled. If enrolled, that means that the stats for ADMITTED students are probably higher.</p>
<p>"In considering whether a school might be a good bet for you, there are a few important caveats:
(1) Does the school offer Early Decision?" </p>
<p>Yes and I plan to apply ED. I heard that selective schools will sometimes lower their standards for ED applicants. Is this true?</p>
<p>(2) Keep in mind that the stats reported by almost every college are for ENROLLED students, not ADMITTED students. In truth, the stats of admitted students are probably lower than the stats for enrolled students reported. Every school aims to admit the best candidates it can and improve its overall stats---and they do so knowing that many of those best students will choose higher level schools. This is especially true for schools that top students may consider "safeties". What does this mean to you? It means, that if you find you are in the lower part of the median for the ENROLLED student figures reported, that your chances may very well be LESS than you think because you will be actually be compared to those higher level applicants." </p>
<p>All keep it in mind</p>
<p>(3) "As has already been mentioned, smaller schools - even "less selective schools" - often have other things besides grades and test scores that they focus on: make sure you know what those things are and how you fit. I know, for example, that Wabash places a HUGE emphasis on demonstrated leadership and also on candidate intangibles like character so recommendations, essays and interviews are much more important there than their stats might indicate."</p>
<p>How did you find that out?</p>
<p>(4) Is the school fully need blind in admissions? If not, will you need significant financial aid?" </p>
<p>I'll check. </p>
<p>"That can be a deadly combination if your stats fall in the lower range for the school unless you are bringing something special to the table."</p>
<p>such as?? I mean, I play the trumpet, Marching Band, </p>
<p>More importantly, if you need significant financial aid, does the school guarantee to meet all need? Some schools that are "less selective" have high admissions rates but paltry financial aid packages. NO school is truly a "good bet" (or safety if you will) if you can't afford to go there"</p>
<p>I'll look into that.</p>
<p>I can answer about playing trumpet. If you are at the level that you are planning to be a Music Performance major, and band is important at that school, that could be just the hook you need. If you are planning to be something other than a music major and are just an average player, band is a good EC to throw on the page but not a hook to get you in. Also, trumpet players are not usually in short supply. Tuba, on the other hand (it's not too late to switch).</p>
<p>How to tell if band is important at that school? If it is a joke band, like Stanford, Rice and too many others nowadays, your potential contribution is worth a cup of warm spit. Where the band is good, popular, constantly featured in alumni events, is hard to get into (audition required), populated with scholarshipped music majors in leadership positions, then you're looking at a real band.</p>
<p>well, band is important to me, but its not t he most important to me, i don't plan on majoring in music. perhaps medicine or something like that.</p>
<p>whay about being a Bouy's State delagate? would that hock me? found out av. gpa was 3.30 for HSC.</p>
<p>Wabash, I found out about what Wabash looks at by talking with various folks who have applied there over the past few years. They also list character, Ec's, etc. on their common data set info. as being very important. Small schools, in general, tend to look at the whole person, not just grades and test scores (doesn't mean you can get in with crappy stats, just that they want the whole package). Wabash can be very generous with merit money and financial aid if they decide you are their type. This is one school where you really should visit and interview. They have been known to fly in some prospective students if your parents won't pay for the trip. (No guarantee they'll do this but keep it in mind if you need to ask them to help you get there). And, most important, Wabash likes to see demonstrated interest. Even if you can't visit yet, email the adcom for your state (can find it on their page), introduce yourself and simply ask "What are the most important things you look for in potential Wabash students?" In a later email you can ask Do you guarantee to meet full financial need? If not, what percentage of accepted students get their need met?" Same goes for H-S.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>well, I emailed my HSC rep. last week and he still has not responeded (about grads. in my area) he gave me the name of one that graded in '65, but I wanted a grad within the lasy 4 or 5 yrs. do you think i should re- email him?</p>
<p>Would calling/emailing like a head doc, saying i have a med. condition increase my chances of admission, when i apply ED? [just woundering..]</p>
<p>Uh? I don't understand that last bit. Are you saying you are going to email a doctor at HSC to tell them about a med condition? Or have a doctor email them? </p>
<p>Depending on the medical condition, I'd tread lightly about making too much of any medical condition. If you can write a convincing essay about how you have overcome the limitations of any medical condition, that's a possible essay topic - but still risky.</p>
<p>Why is it a risk?</p>
<p>Just make sure you are not using it as an excuse to explain poor grades or test scores. I think I would probably recommend having your guidance counselor address a medical issue in his/her recommendation so that admissions can see you as more than just a med issue in your application. I am not sure what you are hoping a letter from a doctor will achieve in the admissions process. Of course, it also depends on what the condition is - if you want to PM privately, please do so. </p>
<p>In the meantime, any thoughts on revealing medical issues?</p>
<p>i don't know i thought colleges wanted kids who were "well-rounded"</p>
<p>more later</p>
<p>stuff like band, awards, etc. and kids who don't fit the "normal" student box</p>