How do you know if your child would be competitive at top schools?

calmom
Mon, 24 Apr 2017 04:18:51 +0000

@MyrtleD - your kid is fine. He is actually very impressive. The only problem is that you are asking the wrong question – it should not be “can he get into X college” – it should be “what colleges will afford him the most opportunities in line with his interests and goals”.

Please take advice you get on CC with a big grain of salt. Your kid is not every other kid. The very most selective colleges are not counting up courses on the transcript – they are asking, “what does this applicant bring that the others don’t?” And they are looking for consistency. They want to see high school transcripts that match the student’s goals and stated interests.

I will caution that we found out that it was actually some of the less selective colleges that were stuck on certain requirements – my daughter ended up accepted at reach colleges and waitlisted at schools her g.c. had told her were matches. One was a university that specifically required 4 years of high school math when she had 3. If a college says it “requires” a course, then take that seriously.

If it simply lists the course as “recommended” – then the word means what it says.