@MiamiDAP My D has already been accepted to one of the colleges on her list and received a $100,000 scholarship. She started researching colleges the summer before starting high school (a private international baccalaureate high school). My D didn’t choose GW, or any of her schools based on rankings. She chose the school based on her passion for international affairs/politics. Her list is very balanced and realistic…not based on rankings. While your advice is well meaning, I’m sure, it does not apply to our situation.
Form personal experience, I know of 2 very bright, hardworking students at Wake who applied test optional because their test scores did not reflect their capabilities and work ethic. They both had strong academic records, strong extracurricular activities and they demonstrated their interest by visiting, interviewing and applying ED.
I actually meant OP D’s friends’ situation. They seem to aim at Elite schools, and I never understood why some people taking rankings to the heart. Sorry, if I offended anybody!
A MERIT scholarship? Or financial aid? I thought schools generally required test scores for merit scholarships.
@GMTplus7, I can’t speak for @HappyFace2018 but D received similar merit (assuming $100K is for four years) from two different EA schools without submitting test scores (merit notification came with acceptance.) One school just sent the final FA package, no need based grants, only a Stafford loan. It will be interesting to see if any of her other (no merit) schools offer FA.
@GMTplus7 and @PNWedwonk My D received $100,000 merit scholarship, no financial aid (our EFC is $63,000).
@GMTplus7 Yes, she received this scholarship based on her scores. The issue is with schools like Wellesley and UChicago. She received a “possible” from Wellesley (as opposed to an “unlikely”) and was deferred to RD from EA at UChicago (as opposed to being outright rejected in the EA round). Our college counselor’s discussions with both schools showed how impressed they are with her full IB high school education, EC’s (which includes a three year governing board member on a major company whose focus is helping low income families and being a classically trained violinists who has been invited to play at Carnegie Hall). She’s took each test several times/studied like crazy but could not break the mid 50% of these schools.
@HappyFace2018, So the $100K was at a school where she DID submit scores? My D submitted scores for a few schools where they were required and one where they mattered for merit. I’m sort of second guessing at this point because her scores were actually fine–within the center 50% for all of her applications and above 50% for most of them–but we felt like she should only submit them if they were above that 75th percentile. Maybe not the best strategy–we’ll see. Mostly, she really hated the SAT (a lot-one sitting) and the ACT (a little less-two sittings) so was happy to apply to schools that didn’t think they were important. She’s also full IB, so that may help (she’s fine with IB exams because they test what you are taught and aren’t just tricky.)
Perhaps not ‘easily gain admission’, but yes they can gain admission.
I’ve been reading some of the treads debating the motivations of test optional colleges and find most of them unintelligent: claims are made without evidence and there seems to be a great deal of mind reading going on. Just ignore all of this.
Focus on application strategy. There’s a good strategy that’s been recommended and commented on in hundreds of threads: With stark honesty set down requirements, wants, qualifications, thoroughly research colleges that match those, reduce the list to safeties, reaches and matches, apply. If there are test optional colleges among those, fine. Some test optional colleges are more selective, some less so.
@PNWedwonk My D loves the IB program. With her EC’s, LOR’s, great interviews and full IB…we really believed the “holistic” approach would kick in. We shall see…
^Just would like to clarify some things- do you mean that scores did not break into the mid 50% or do you mean that scores did not break beyond the mid 50%? In other words were the scores below the mid range or just at the mid range? Only asking to just get a barometer of what they are looking at for admissions. When you look at what UChicago considers important, they have scores as “considered” yet they have one of the highest average SAT scores around- just below Cal Tech I believe.
@goingnutsmom Score’s that did not break into the middle 50%. Yes, she thought long and hard before applying. The admissions officer said her application is outstanding with one caveat…her scores. Our college counselor said it was very obvious from her discussions with the admissions officer that he was in a “quandary” about how to handle the application.
Your D sounds amazing and any college would be lucky to have her. What I’m a little confused about is if a school puts down scores as just “considered” why would it be so difficult for them to make a decision unless they really do weigh the scores more heavily. Unless there was a huge discrepancy between scores and academic markers like GPA. The good thing is that your D’s school seems top notch in that they provide a college counselor to advocate for their students. No such luck at public schools unless it’s a feeder type school.
@goingnutsmom Thank you so much! She is musically gifted. We included a solo/a Capella video with her application and it blew them away LOL! She started the hip-hop dance team at her school. She actually played lacrosse and soccer but gave those up for her violin. Someone once said that had she continued those sports and been recruited for them, the test scores would have been moot. When she visited the European Council and concentration camps during a 9th grade foreign exchange trip her focus completely changed.
Accepting students with scores outside the middle 50% during EA decisions would hurt a schools stats. The same thing happened with Georgetown. Perfect interview (the alumni who interviewed her was so impressed with her). She was deferred to RD from EA.