@Itisatruth , I think your categories are right, not the GC’s. Your reaches are quite possibly attainable (not insane!) but those schools have the kind of acceptance rates that pretty much guarantee than for every unhooked applicant who is admitted at least 2 or 3 who look just like them won’t be. I think you can explain that to your D. If you didn’t have full faith in her abilities, you wouldn’t be encouraging those apps, but you are also making sure she has great options given what to an outsider may be the randomness of the process.
Late summer update: D20 did Barnard and Sarah Lawrence interviews in mid-July – both went fine though the Barnard experience felt more pressured (even though it was with a student and the Sarah Lawrence one was with an admissions officer). Something about that trip allowed her to drop Vassar and Macalester from the list, so we’re down to 7, yay! She’s started on the Pitt app (having some trouble with the Student Reported Academic Record that GF is not helping to solve, boo), plans to have that in by Sep 1, then spend September on Common App essay and EC write up, then submit 3 EA apps in October (Reed, Bard, Sarah Lawrence) and then three RA apps in November/December (Bryn Mawr, Barnard, Mount Holyoke). She’s been in touch with the Reed regional rep who confirmed that she can interview when the rep in Philly, and we’re hoping she can do the same with Bard. A Bryn Mawr overnight visits and a Mount Holyoke shadow day also planned. Everything should be done by December 15th!
At this point, the 3 (historically/inclusive) women’s colleges are her top picks but none has emerged as an ED contender, which is fine by me. She’s also still planning to do an gap year.
Just saw these Mount Holyoke 2023 admissions stats on their website. Such a big drop in RD admissions rate (36%) from prior year, and an attendant widening of the gap between ED & RD rates (which used to be almost the same). Zoinks! @allyphoe
Admission Statistics
First-year applicants 3,908
Early Decision applicants 397
Transfer applicants 187
Total First-Year acceptances 1,491
Total Early Decision acceptances 227
Total Transfer acceptances 66
Total First-Year acceptance rate 38.2%
Early Decision acceptance rate 57.2%
Total Transfer acceptance rate 35.3%
Total First-Year matriculants 509
Total Transfer matriculants 26
International matriculants 145
@Itisatruth Would you be willing to elaborate on why your D dropped Macalester from her list? My D20 added Mac to her list based on what she has read, but we won’t be able to visit before she apples. Any feedback would be helpful.
Hi, @Dancingmom518 sorry for the late reply, not here on CC that much since the redesign. No specific negatives on Macalester – it was the school she liked the most from our Summer 2018 trip (summer before junior year) but it was always a “maybe”. She’s kept only one school not within driving distance on her list (Reed), and is trying to keep her list fairly short (7). Macalester just wasn’t in the top 7. I think it’s a great place, and we know a sophomore boy there who loves it, and one of D20’s good friends is applying and also pursuing athletic recruitment for XC.
Thank you @Itisatruth , it is difficult to judge these schools when you are unable to visit. I hope your daughter has a successful application season.
You can send a transcript for Pitt, instead of doing SRAR.
Thanks @mommdc – her school did actually send out a helpful memo right before school started on how to categorize classes for the Pitt SRAR, so D20 got that app submitted on 9/3. And as of this morning, thanks to some helpful tips from @TheVulcan over on the Pitt 2024 thread, it appears that she has been accepted!
I noticed Agnes Scott on all kinds of “best” lists in the latest USNWR.
https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/agnes-scott-college-1542/overall-rankings
For completeness, and “it’s almost October 1” update.
“final” list of 7 applications:
Pitt - rolling, done
Sarah Lawrence - EA
Bard -EA
Reed - EA
Mount Holyoke RD
Bryn Mawr RD
Barnard RD
- Accepted to Pitt (no news yet re: honors or merit)
- Interview scheduled with Bard and (I hope) Reed in town, all others done.
- Bryn Mawr Senior Overnight (Nov) and Mount Holyoke Shadow Day (Oct) scheduled.
- Using Friday/Monday senior college visit days to visit D17 sibling at her college, which D20 is not applying to but her good friend is so they are going up together next weekend. D17 has promised to hold a college essay workshop for the 2020s. :smile:
- Met with Sarah Lawrence rep during high school visit; going to Reed local reception next week (she will miss the visit at her high school due to XC meet); Will attend BMC, Barnard and Bard visits later in the fall. MHC unfortunately not scheduled to visit her high school.
- I am encouraging her to use another school holiday to travel up to Barnard to visit some classes but I don't think she's likely to do this on her own.
- Common App essay: She has about 200-300 words down at this point. I am requiring 800-1000 words of something before she leaves for D17 visit next Friday.
- Has sorted out how to use the 10 activities slots on Common App -- some things are being dropped (babysitting, sport season she only did freshman year), some activities with similar themes being lumped in one entry (ecology online course + ecology camp).
I think that’s it!?! Stress levels high, not always the most pleasant kid to be around these days but we are cultivating compassion and patience.
Hi itisatruth, I went to barnard and live on long island, if she has any questions. Both our daughters are applying to Mount Holyoke. My daughter is working on her activity sheet. Have you found a good template or sample? One is not to describe the club, right? Just use verbs to describe what one does?
@silverpurple Ethan Sawyer/College Essay Guy is our go-to for all things essay and Common App. He has a good, brief overview on writing the activities list here: https://www.collegeessayguy.com/blog/guide-college-activities-list-common-app-example-application
Update following Mount Holyoke Shadow Day last week: The college put on a really great Shadow Day, including immediately separating the parents and the kids first thing in the morning and keeping them separate and busy for the day.
Parents got to attend an Admission/FA panel, an outstanding student panel, a nice lunch across the lake at their Conference Center, and then a tour with two students who complemented each other really well in terms of background, interests, academic focus, and tour guide style.
Students meanwhile did a tour, got matched with a host, had lunch, and then could attend one or more classes with host or on their own. D20 was with a group of about 6 prospies, and their host didn’t have any afternoon classes, so they hung out in the student center together for a couple of hours and then went to two psychology classes.
Overall, D20 was really delighted with the campus vibe, the other students and prospies, and the glimpse of academic life she got. Mom also very impressed! It’s a long drive from Philly area but I think just about a perfect distance from home during college.
With EA deadlines looming, D20 has decided to get Sarah Lawrence and Reed EA apps in but push Bard back to RD, or possibly drop from list if she gets good news from Sarah Lawrence in December. MHC, BMC, Barnard for RD still – I was wondering if MHC Shadow Day would bump her into ED territory there but it did not. Can’t pick a favorite from the three historically women’s colleges!
Mid-December update: Accepted EA at Sarah Lawrence tonight with Presidential Merit Award ($35k per year) – very happy about that! Also heard last month about $2k per year Pitt merit award, which brings the COA for those two schools pretty close to each other. Remaining apps to submit RD: Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke. Dropping Bard from the list. Onward!
Woohoo! Congrats! My kid’s cousin’s cousin is a Sarah Lawrence grad, and a totally awesome person.
Congrats on the Sarah Lawerence admit!!! Keep us posted on her journey – but great to know she has two great options in the bag already!
New Year’s update: Got the last 3 RD apps in late December/early Jan (Barnard, BMC, MHC) and just heard today that she’s accepted into Pitt Honors. Next notification should be Reed EA in early Feb.
For those following along at home: Reed EA epic box arrived yesterday. She’s 3 for 3 so far!
Great news for your D! Can’t wait to see where she ends up. My D20 is headed for Barnard in the fall, so maybe they will meet one day lol.
Hooray!!!