So Much Love, So Few Spots

EmptyNestToBe
Sun, 29 Mar 2009 08:49:13 +0000

50 year old mom here. Little in life is fair… One can hope for equitable…which is a different thing. We had a rough day in our house yesterday and hope that Tuesday brings better news. Dan, you have been very helpful and honest with your responses to our questions. Thanks!

Still, there seems little reason for some of these decisions…(not speaking of Tufts here…we have not heard from Tufts yet.) As I read through these posts and as I hear app results from my S and his friends, I am astounded at some of the decisions by some of these schools.

I have a few last questions:
How easy is it to discern fact from fiction in these apps when there is so much love and so few spots? If you take the high road in the application process, are you at a disadvantage?

My S’s app is 100% honest. We did not deny that both his step-dad and I are well educated. However, he did not take any SAT courses other than a few books purchased at the bookstore. In his comment section, he commented on the stability of his relationship with his step-dad… (that was a mistake!) as a good thing in his life. He did not write that his grandfather is an abused spouse by his grandmother who is a raging alcoholic…(which he should have). He did not say his bio-father is a dead-beat and that he is owed several hundred thousand dollars…which he won’t go after because he does not need it…(Moral character seems to work against a college acceptance letter.) I could go on. But you probably get my point…

My second question: (My apologies if this is in the wrong string) If you don’t recalculate GPA…how do you account for the difference in “differential” for AP/Honors courses for students from different schools? For example: our town gives a .3 for AP/Honors courses and rarely gives As as grades in these courses per policy. Two towns over they give a 1.3 and kids can graduate with a 5.3. How can a 4.0 compete with a 5.3 without recalculating? The school profile sent with the transcript does not explain these policies at all and I am sure that as admissions officers, you don’t have time to deal with these nuances? I have been curious about this for the last four years and would be thrilled to learn how you figure this all out?

Thanks and best wishes!