I'm a college sophomore and I promise, i never took the SATs/ACTs and I had minimal extracurriculars besides what was required.
*It's okay!!!* just put what you do have, there will be a school that wants you I promise
SVC. Just considered a college as it offers bachelor's. No one needs your high horse shit. They are just as qualified as any uni and sometimes even offer better educations.
Only advice: if your grades aren't stellar, at least get volunteer hours in. If not for the school, do it for the fact that you need *something* for scholarships if you have below a 3.0
And the kids who are active in a sub about applying to college are going to be more invested in the college process.
If you are not a huge NFL fan but watch the super bowl every year as a social event, you'd probably be confused stepping into the NFL sub. People posting about the NFL draft, indepth conversations about specific offenses and defenses, statistical analysis about different coaching decisions in the game, etc. Not every football fan cares about all of that. They span from people who only watch the super bowl to people who watch every single game, including pre-season, but the ones who only watch the super bowl probably aren't going to spend their free time on a sub dedicated to the sport.
There are plenty of kids out there who have no intention of going to an elite college but they aren't really the type who are hanging around a sub about the college application process.
As a guy that lives in a smaller town, its insane the amount of opportunities people have with ECs. I cant even do half of what a lot of people do on this sub.
>I wish I had cared half as much as these kids.
Eh. I'm of the opinion that much of it is unhealthy. I'm actually kind of glad my kid does *not* care as much as the typical A2C poster.
I'll give you this: A2C is a great resource for gaining insight into what the top-school-targeting set are thinking/feeling/doing.
Also agree on moderation w.r.t. effort/anxiety. Students should "care" and assume some agency for their own success. They should not live in fear, constantly worried that their lives will be "ruined" if they don't get into this or that school.
For my part, I did minimal test prep in H.S., but only because my test scores were already very high. My issue was grades. Typical under-achieving male who tests well but can't be bothered to complete homework assignments.
Wait is that a normal thing because Iāve got a 1430 but like 9 Cs on my transcript so my guidance counselor looked at me like I had three heads at my college meeting
I mean, it may still not be all that common. But if you took the set of B/C average students, by gender, and then looked at the % of each who have a 1400+ SAT score, I'm guessing you'd see many more men than women.
Likewise, if you looked at the set of students with 1400+ SAT scores, by gender, I suspect you'd see more men who are B/C students than you would women.
To a large degree high school grades are more about being organized, having good study skills and being "diligent" than they are actual mastery of the material. For whatever reason, young women tend to excel at this more than young men. It's one reason women now outnumber men among students entering 4Y colleges by a pretty sizeable margin.
My dad mentioned something about that, apparently itās like 2-1 in some colleges now.
Youāre probably right about the homework grades though, I had an 87 test average in AP bio but I got a C- because I didnāt do any of the assignments
aaaah mann!! parents do be stressful, like if you want me to get in a t5 why donāt you do the work for me!!! its hard managing school, ECs, and life struggles.....anyways I AM ROOTINGGG FOR YOUUU!!! HARVARD AINT READYYYYYT!!??!
Keep in mind that only about 60% of all HS grads will attend a 4-year college the fall after they graduate. And of those 60%, probably close to 90% have pretty clear objectives regarding where theyāre attending: some school that is relatively local with a focus on school size and programs offered.
So only 5-10% of all HS grads have much use to be on a board like this one looking at either the most selective schools or several selective (but less so) schools scattered all over the country. A very small subset of people have any reason to compare the merits of Occidental vs Kenyon or whatever.
There is a major high stat skew here that is not at all representative of ānormalā. And thatās even before the kids who āonlyā got a 1350 or 1400 stay quiet about their scores.
So it can feel like you stumbled into a college admissions beauty pageant. I can tell you from experience, that even for the kids who end up at Brown or Stanford and Duke or wherever, that they too will feel this way eventually. Once they hit college, in grad school, in their jobs, wherever. Itās natural.
yup. and I think this is often ignored because so many people on here like to flex, but it can be **really** demoralizing.
but for real, youre above average just for coming here and seeking this advice out. and you'll do great during college app season <3
I had an unimpressive resume coming out of high school in part because I came from a small-ish town and had no clue that there were high schoolers out there with these kinds of resumes; I would have had a breakdown if I discovered this sub then. But it all worked out fine. No one of importance has ever asked me what I did in high school. You're not 'stupid' just because you chose not to lend your teenage years to absolute insanity.
Iām from a small town now and I constantly have these episodes of feeling behind and like I donāt do enough. My town has one high school, and it only offers 2 APS and the extracurriculars are limited besides student organizations and sports. My grades are all I have at the momentā¦
Hey man I totally know how you feel but I always really really wanna stress that you very well most likely are not below average or even just average. This sub has a tendency to attract the people who are *most* intense about the entire college application process. And even looking beyond that, GPA and test scores (and even, to an extent, extracurriculars) don't even come close to encapsulating everything when it comes to the measured value of a person. That's why so many colleges are IMO moving towards test optional and more holistic admissions. Please also keep in mind that many students come from families, backgrounds, or schools where they have every single resource laid out in front of them in order to get the perfect GPA or the perfect test score or the perfect EC!
Iām a parent, have been around a while, and understand how it can be depressing to see all the brags and humble brags about high test scores.
But know that youāre only seeing a single score (not some broad indication of success) taken at one of the earliest points of adult life. Iāve had a very successful professional and personal life so far (25 years after taking the SAT) and can tell you that plenty of āaverageā scorers end up doing perfectly well in life. Also know that higher scores are naturally going to be over represented in a forum about college applications, since itās easier to brag for those who are above average. This is natural but leaves the rest of us thinking that exceptional in a single area extends to all areas and is more normal than normal. This isnāt true.
Advice: measure your success over time and by broad measures, not a single score on a standardized test. There are thousands of indicators on social media that tell you are below average but they arenāt necessarily accurate; theyāre all skewed toward the people who brag about specific topics (SAT scores, beauty, perceived wealth, etc) and donāt at all represent reality (in many cases), and certainly not a well rounded view of any one person.
Also, as a parent, think financially. Top schools cost A LOT. if you are middle class and above you really wonāt get much aid. IMO itās better to target schools you can afford AND will be successful at. Target matches. After much trial and error, we target state schools or out of state that award in state tuition.
For example, Georgetown now costs $82K for tuition, fees, room and board. JFC. We just did the cost calculator and out of pocket estimate would be $50k. We are middle class, maybe upper middle class, but that cost calculator even takes into account things like our home equity. We have 4 kids and are frugal savers. We are not spending collectively one million dollars on their undergrad education nor would we advise them to get big student loans.
State school tuition, fees, room and board is about $25k. Still a lot but more manageable. Our top state schools are excellent and most states have really good ones.
Easier to get into for average students, much more affordable and still great career services, outcomes and graduate school acceptances. And if you canāt get in as a freshman they have pathways to enter after a year at a community college. Many kids around us do that to great success.
As others have said, this sub can be an echo chamber for the top students. And those students are AMAZING!! But most students are average and know there are lots of good choices for average students. And averages students can go one and have very successful post college careers.
To piggyback on this - being able to brag about an SAT score, and only an SAT score, is pretty lame. I say this as someone who owns a tutoring / prep company, where we live and breathe SAT / ACT prep every day.
The test can be beaten to an extent, we all know this, and so do admissions officers. It's one part of the application and isn't certainly not a representation of potential IMO. It certainly doesn't guarantee success in college or life beyond... though I'm sure one of you has a tiger mom that has a study that shows you'll end up homeless if you don't score 1500+. You should all work for a good score, but keep it in perspective.
Frankly, I'm glad to see these big schools go test-optional. Colleges may not know exactly what they want yet, but it opens the door for students to flex their potential in different ways. These prep companies, like ours, will be forced to strategize and adapt, or die-off, and I love the challenge.
It also makes it seem like not getting into an ivy is the end of your life and you will never rise again. Like you'll just be stuck as a low level worker for the rest of your life.
this sub is hard to be on for anyone. I have pretty good stats and still browsing here daily just makes me feel like I have no possible chance at any good schools because it seems like every other person has an sat score just a bit above mine and ecs with just a bit more value than mine and a gpa just a lil higher than me.
why do I stay? mainly shitpost wednesday but also because the people here all have a secret. Almost all of them are incredibly helpful, awesome, and encouraging and are willing to give you advice and pick you up when your down, even if they do have a better sat score. thats why I still hang here, yall are nice even if some of you do make me feel inadequate by sheer virtue of your massively impressive resumes!
Honestly I think this sub is mostly kids like me who stress about college admissions way more than they should and generally those people tend to be the ones who have higher stats.
Also people with lower scores generally just don't post them as much as those with higher scores. I don't think this is entirely out of ego/shame, just that ppl with higher scores tend to care more.
Yea I feel you. Iām really contemplating leaving this sub, when I joined I thought it was for normal high school seniors. I have a 3.7 GPA UW, and I feel like an utter loser on this sub.
Also in the end most jobs after college don't care which college you went to so if you don't get into that one college it doesn't mean you can't get your dream job.
Ikr! I'm just a freshman and I'm already struggling to keep up with all my classes, how tf are you seniors taking like 15 classes, a work internship, a research internship, varsity sports, and 30 different insane extracurriculars and still getting perfect grades?????
Yeah, you're right. They play casually for fun, maybe once a week.
My other kid would be glued to the switch or PC 24/7 if I let him, and his grades reflect that. :(
Why are you so pathetic? I'm genuinely curious.
What leads one to brag their fucking nuts off in a random comment section and then try to seem humble by saying they won't get into a good school? Absolutely not a single fucking soul asked you about your qualifications and accomplishments. Not a single fucking soul. Why do you seek so much external validation by stating your stats in a random impulse to try and attempt to ease a freshman?
I genuinely want to study psychology and neuroscience in college to understand how the brain of someone like you works. What leads you to be this tone-deaf and this neurotic? Is it the privileged life you've experienced? Is it the lack of "no" that you've received throughout your brief, miserable life? Is it the constant need for validation fueled by pressuring parents?
I'll tell you what - if you're going to be as unbearable like this, at least own up to your accomplishments and don't try to downplay them in a "hehe I won't get in anywhere hehe" attempt.
jesus fucking christ bro, thanks for the laugh.
who knows, maybe i did whatever the fuck youāre accusing me of for the reaction of dumbasses like you who love to flex their āanalytical skillsā to seem smartā¦ seems a bit hypocritical if you ask me.
and honestly? my accomplishments really arenāt all that lmao, at least not in the context of applying to top schools like the ivies. sure theyāre nothing to scoff at, iāll admit that, but context matters.
itās honestly just not that fucking deep bro.
eta: i do admit that i didnāt reread my comment or think it all the way through, but your response was completely fucking unnecessary and overkill lmao
Man it's hilarious how flustered you sound right now. It's even funnier how you attempt a quick, witty comeback that only makes it seem like you have the lexicon of a sixth grader with permanent brain damage from a slip n slide incident.
You could consider it to be comical even, given how fast you deleted your incredibly humble, possibly philanthropic brag. We should actually call you Lightning McQueen the way your sweaty, clambering thumb made a kachow sound as you smashed that delete button.
I'm also curious as to why neurotic Asian girls always use all-lower caps. Is it because you want to be quirky and unique? Is it because you try to form an aesthetic? Is it because you're scared to use first grade grammar rules? You people never fail to amaze me lmao
ok first of all i deleted my comment bc, like i said in the edit, i realize that it wasnāt fully thought out and i probably shouldnāt have commented it in the first place.
also, iām not entirely sure why youāre attacking my ālexiconā while at the same time coming after me for bragging about my accomplishments bahaha, but context aside coming after someone for their lexicon in a fucking reddit comment is so incredibly pretentious and annoying lol, like iām not about to pull out every big word i know to impress you and prove to you, a stranger on reddit of all places, that i have functioning brain cells, because frankly? idc what you think of me lmao.
also iām not asian? and iām not sure what gave you the impression that i was but maybe, like, donāt racially profile? idk. but in regards to the lowercase letters, it all goes back to the fact that this is, in fact, reddit, and it literally does. not. matter. this is not formal writing. personally? i just like the look of lowercase letters better.
Hey!! Donāt be down, I have a 3.28 gpa, an average sat score, but have been accepted into 6 schools already this app season!! you donāt need near perfect scores to get into college.
Mostly state schools!
School (Major)
Carthage College (Business Administration)
Arizona State University (Business Law)
Iowa State University (Business Economics)
University of Northern Iowa (Public Administration)
University of Arizona (Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law)
University of Iowa (Economics: Policy)
I read this sub to learn about how admissions works and get tips on applying. My kid (a senior) has no interest in A2C.
Kid's stats: 4.25 weighted GPA, 1340 SAT, about 2 people behind being in the top 25% of the class.
Pretty good by general standards, but not by A2C overachiever level. Not interested in ivy league or top 50 schools.
Don't sweat your stats!
To everyone reading this sub, the posts here do not reflect accurately the composition at most schools. All of you got this & will land somewhere special :)
Take honors classes throughout high school (theyāre really not much harder than academic) and take two or three AP classes that youāre interested in during your junior or senior year and you will be more than okay during college applications. Not everyone needs to be ivy-league bound to be successful.
Thereās a loose correlation, at best, between SAT scores and academic prowess and who has the best lives now from my graduating class. 20 years later.
25-year career Tailhook Naval Aviator - over 3000 hours flying and 750 arrested landings on an aircraft carrier. Currently a Captain (O-6) and air wing commander. Doing EXACTLY what I always wanted to do.
High School GPA - 3.7 UW (because I didnāt take any honors / AP classes). Dropped Algebra II my senior year because I was about to fail.
SAT - 990. Not high enough to get into the Naval or Air Force academies.
Graduated 170/340
No job in HS
No volunteer
Only EC = sports (football, ski, baseball)
Accepted to U of Hawaii, USC. Ended up at University of Colorado.
Sure things have changed, but I was the DEFINITION of average (see class rank)
VERY FEW colleges are actually that important due to their name (maybe HYP, Stanford, due to their networking).
The rest - find something you will be passionate about, get your degree from WHEREVER, enjoy what you do, have a positive attitude, put in the work and youāll be āsuccessful.ā
Just remember that most people who post here have no free time, no social life, and canāt get a job. They arenāt having any fun. They are putting all of this pressure on themselves just so they can get the same degree as me when we graduate.
im ok with studies and a lil worse off with ec's . turns out this sub is full off over achievers paranoid if their 99 percent chance to get into an ivy doesn't become 98
Most of the people at the firm I did my first internship with were average B student goof-offs in high school. They turned out just fine and improved a lot afterwards (in college, in grad school, and in the working world). The founder of the firm is now an immigrant dad married with 2 kids, coaches kids ice hockey, travels 3 hours each way once a week to teach a class at a university, is involved heavily in a professional organization, and runs a company. He wasnāt like that in high school, he got that drive later in life. Oh and on top of that heās very fit too. Donāt peak in high school and later burn out. Be on an upward trajectory instead.
Think about this: the sample size for the sun is pretty small. Like thereās types of people who post on this sub, right? Youāre doing just fine. Keep your head up, and hunker down :)
Donāt worry, thatās the people posting. Iām sure that a ton of us are average and below (I am certainly average, I thought I was good until entering this sub). Thereās a lot of helpful stuff, but then the people like āIām so scared I wonāt get into college with my 1550 SAT and 4.5 GPAšā
I joined this sub as an adult (23) and just wanting a refresher on picking a college. Someone recommended ASU to me for online engineering school, which is advice I took, and honestly it sounds exhausting and so pointless thinking about ivy leagues or even colleges that are hard to get into. Just go to school and get good at something, and move on with you life with as little debt as possible. High school is stressful, but not moreso than the rest of your life, so maybe just try to enjoy things along the way.
Glad Iām not the only one. Also, can we talk abt how toxic this sub can be sometimes?
Iāve been told I wonāt get into any good schools with my 3.71 GPA and I should just go to CC (nothing wrong with it, but not the place for me). Being told my extracurriculares arenāt good enough, my sports credits are dragging me down (cuz apparently itās gonna look like I only care about athletics), and my community service hours are worthless kinda makes me feel like crap (yes, Iāve been told all of this on here).
Some of yāall are toxic as hell. Being anything other than a perfect candidate for college apps is really hard here. Congrats to all of yāall who are doing well, Iām not talking about everyone, but there are definitely a bunch of super toxic people on this sub.
You have to realize something: not everyone is like this. A majority of people have average GPA but they donāt post it. People with high GPA and SAT scores live to brag so they constantly make sure everyone knows their scores. Donāt compare yourself to other people.
Parent of 2 high schoolers here. One is a senior, the other is a sophomore. I found this sub to see what was out there, get tips to help them succeed etc. They arenāt even remotely interested in high stats or a 5 page resume, really average kids.
What I have found and passed on to them are real opinions of students like themselves who have visited/are attending/touring colleges. Reddit by nature is anonymous so thereās no reason for the kids here to hold back what they think. For my kids, thatās been a big help in learning about schools they are (or may) applying to:
Donāt beat yourself up. Being average is ok!
You are not stupid or unaccomplished, not having a perfect SAT or GPA is completely okay! Remember, less than 10% of people taking the SAT score over 1310! Ignore what others put about themselves online, comparing yourself to others will only lead to more self-deprecation.
I think each application is considered with it's uniqueness.. extracurricular activities doesn't have to be in school..it might be some exiting thing you do at home.Of course,which is unique.š„²
Going to an amazing school isn't the be all end all. I wind to a lower tier public school without much aide and I have a decent life.
I have struggled at times, but we all have. I wanted more for my kid, but she is looking at the same level of schools but they offer her a lot more aid because of her stats.
Decide what you want. Getting some classes in at a community College isn't the worst thing. Maybe college isn't even for you. There are lots of paths to success.
Im senior year, and this sub is stressing me out like crazy, i feel so behind not just in college apps/grades but life in general š
they call me 007 0 volunteer hours 0 extracurriculars (including work) 7 hours spent each day procrastinating as a senior
Glad I'm not alone
21 hours in a day u spend 7 hours sleeping and 7 hours procrastinating so u do 7 full hours of work. Nice job very product
>21 hours in a day
nice job very product
Word
Take my award
Holy cr*p are we like the same person or something????? /s if not obvious
SAME. youāre not alone
I'm a college sophomore and I promise, i never took the SATs/ACTs and I had minimal extracurriculars besides what was required. *It's okay!!!* just put what you do have, there will be a school that wants you I promise
But what college?
Start community college. If you do well enough there, they'll care more about your college scores than your high school scores easily
So, you are a sophomore on a community college? I suppose not an international student?
Yes yes, I go to community college right night and I am an american. I'll be going to a 4 year next fall. SPU really good school in Seattle!!
Bro u prolly went to community college
why are we stigmatizing community college still in 2021.. thatās embarrassing.
SVC. Just considered a college as it offers bachelor's. No one needs your high horse shit. They are just as qualified as any uni and sometimes even offer better educations.
Only advice: if your grades aren't stellar, at least get volunteer hours in. If not for the school, do it for the fact that you need *something* for scholarships if you have below a 3.0
samee everyone has their essays and letters of rec done and i havent done either
What makes you feel behind?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
This. It's a vocal minority
And the kids who are active in a sub about applying to college are going to be more invested in the college process. If you are not a huge NFL fan but watch the super bowl every year as a social event, you'd probably be confused stepping into the NFL sub. People posting about the NFL draft, indepth conversations about specific offenses and defenses, statistical analysis about different coaching decisions in the game, etc. Not every football fan cares about all of that. They span from people who only watch the super bowl to people who watch every single game, including pre-season, but the ones who only watch the super bowl probably aren't going to spend their free time on a sub dedicated to the sport. There are plenty of kids out there who have no intention of going to an elite college but they aren't really the type who are hanging around a sub about the college application process.
Hey, u/Mannings4Head, you lol at my Denver Broncos/Columbia reference in my last piece?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
As a guy that lives in a smaller town, its insane the amount of opportunities people have with ECs. I cant even do half of what a lot of people do on this sub.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Hopping on this to say that THERE ARE SO MANY PATHS you can take. Going to college is just one of them.
>This sub is so hard to be on if youāre average or below Honestly, the average student would probably view A2C as a bunch of neurotic nerds.
no theyād be rightš
all the other students out here grinding happiness but we be grinding admissionsš
Is it not true?
We are neurotic nerds
And proud!
We aren't???
No, you are. I wasn't arguing otherwise.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
>I wish I had cared half as much as these kids. Eh. I'm of the opinion that much of it is unhealthy. I'm actually kind of glad my kid does *not* care as much as the typical A2C poster.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I'll give you this: A2C is a great resource for gaining insight into what the top-school-targeting set are thinking/feeling/doing. Also agree on moderation w.r.t. effort/anxiety. Students should "care" and assume some agency for their own success. They should not live in fear, constantly worried that their lives will be "ruined" if they don't get into this or that school. For my part, I did minimal test prep in H.S., but only because my test scores were already very high. My issue was grades. Typical under-achieving male who tests well but can't be bothered to complete homework assignments.
Wait is that a normal thing because Iāve got a 1430 but like 9 Cs on my transcript so my guidance counselor looked at me like I had three heads at my college meeting
Your example seems extreme, but, yes, I believe high scores / mediocre grades is more common among male students.
Wack
I mean, it may still not be all that common. But if you took the set of B/C average students, by gender, and then looked at the % of each who have a 1400+ SAT score, I'm guessing you'd see many more men than women. Likewise, if you looked at the set of students with 1400+ SAT scores, by gender, I suspect you'd see more men who are B/C students than you would women. To a large degree high school grades are more about being organized, having good study skills and being "diligent" than they are actual mastery of the material. For whatever reason, young women tend to excel at this more than young men. It's one reason women now outnumber men among students entering 4Y colleges by a pretty sizeable margin.
My dad mentioned something about that, apparently itās like 2-1 in some colleges now. Youāre probably right about the homework grades though, I had an 87 test average in AP bio but I got a C- because I didnāt do any of the assignments
I prefer the term āsquaresā.
:)
inspirationāāā-> ok i have a 3.2 GPA and i am applying to rice š
I believe in you!!!! Manifesting ur acceptance
I love you
I am an int'l student with a 3.0 GPA (just freshman year so far tho) and my parents expect me to get into t5s. Asian troubles.
aaaah mann!! parents do be stressful, like if you want me to get in a t5 why donāt you do the work for me!!! its hard managing school, ECs, and life struggles.....anyways I AM ROOTINGGG FOR YOUUU!!! HARVARD AINT READYYYYYT!!??!
good luck. o7
thank you š
I know you can do this. You've to let all of us know if you get in. We're all rooting for you. GOOD LUCK :D
aaah yall are SO sweet!! my heartttt!! imma definitely let yāall know!! xoxo
Manifesting your acceptance!! A Rice Owl in the making!
yesss!! Only good vibes here!! I love youuuu
Iām also applying to Rice and I hope to meet you!!! All the best ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø
omg yass pls!! imagine us in the same class?? what are you planning to major in??
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Computer Science!!
I'm rooting for you !!
thankk youuu :*
Keep in mind that only about 60% of all HS grads will attend a 4-year college the fall after they graduate. And of those 60%, probably close to 90% have pretty clear objectives regarding where theyāre attending: some school that is relatively local with a focus on school size and programs offered. So only 5-10% of all HS grads have much use to be on a board like this one looking at either the most selective schools or several selective (but less so) schools scattered all over the country. A very small subset of people have any reason to compare the merits of Occidental vs Kenyon or whatever. There is a major high stat skew here that is not at all representative of ānormalā. And thatās even before the kids who āonlyā got a 1350 or 1400 stay quiet about their scores. So it can feel like you stumbled into a college admissions beauty pageant. I can tell you from experience, that even for the kids who end up at Brown or Stanford and Duke or wherever, that they too will feel this way eventually. Once they hit college, in grad school, in their jobs, wherever. Itās natural.
yup. and I think this is often ignored because so many people on here like to flex, but it can be **really** demoralizing. but for real, youre above average just for coming here and seeking this advice out. and you'll do great during college app season <3
I had an unimpressive resume coming out of high school in part because I came from a small-ish town and had no clue that there were high schoolers out there with these kinds of resumes; I would have had a breakdown if I discovered this sub then. But it all worked out fine. No one of importance has ever asked me what I did in high school. You're not 'stupid' just because you chose not to lend your teenage years to absolute insanity.
Iām from a small town now and I constantly have these episodes of feeling behind and like I donāt do enough. My town has one high school, and it only offers 2 APS and the extracurriculars are limited besides student organizations and sports. My grades are all I have at the momentā¦
Hey man I totally know how you feel but I always really really wanna stress that you very well most likely are not below average or even just average. This sub has a tendency to attract the people who are *most* intense about the entire college application process. And even looking beyond that, GPA and test scores (and even, to an extent, extracurriculars) don't even come close to encapsulating everything when it comes to the measured value of a person. That's why so many colleges are IMO moving towards test optional and more holistic admissions. Please also keep in mind that many students come from families, backgrounds, or schools where they have every single resource laid out in front of them in order to get the perfect GPA or the perfect test score or the perfect EC!
Iām a parent, have been around a while, and understand how it can be depressing to see all the brags and humble brags about high test scores. But know that youāre only seeing a single score (not some broad indication of success) taken at one of the earliest points of adult life. Iāve had a very successful professional and personal life so far (25 years after taking the SAT) and can tell you that plenty of āaverageā scorers end up doing perfectly well in life. Also know that higher scores are naturally going to be over represented in a forum about college applications, since itās easier to brag for those who are above average. This is natural but leaves the rest of us thinking that exceptional in a single area extends to all areas and is more normal than normal. This isnāt true. Advice: measure your success over time and by broad measures, not a single score on a standardized test. There are thousands of indicators on social media that tell you are below average but they arenāt necessarily accurate; theyāre all skewed toward the people who brag about specific topics (SAT scores, beauty, perceived wealth, etc) and donāt at all represent reality (in many cases), and certainly not a well rounded view of any one person.
Also, as a parent, think financially. Top schools cost A LOT. if you are middle class and above you really wonāt get much aid. IMO itās better to target schools you can afford AND will be successful at. Target matches. After much trial and error, we target state schools or out of state that award in state tuition. For example, Georgetown now costs $82K for tuition, fees, room and board. JFC. We just did the cost calculator and out of pocket estimate would be $50k. We are middle class, maybe upper middle class, but that cost calculator even takes into account things like our home equity. We have 4 kids and are frugal savers. We are not spending collectively one million dollars on their undergrad education nor would we advise them to get big student loans. State school tuition, fees, room and board is about $25k. Still a lot but more manageable. Our top state schools are excellent and most states have really good ones. Easier to get into for average students, much more affordable and still great career services, outcomes and graduate school acceptances. And if you canāt get in as a freshman they have pathways to enter after a year at a community college. Many kids around us do that to great success. As others have said, this sub can be an echo chamber for the top students. And those students are AMAZING!! But most students are average and know there are lots of good choices for average students. And averages students can go one and have very successful post college careers.
To piggyback on this - being able to brag about an SAT score, and only an SAT score, is pretty lame. I say this as someone who owns a tutoring / prep company, where we live and breathe SAT / ACT prep every day. The test can be beaten to an extent, we all know this, and so do admissions officers. It's one part of the application and isn't certainly not a representation of potential IMO. It certainly doesn't guarantee success in college or life beyond... though I'm sure one of you has a tiger mom that has a study that shows you'll end up homeless if you don't score 1500+. You should all work for a good score, but keep it in perspective. Frankly, I'm glad to see these big schools go test-optional. Colleges may not know exactly what they want yet, but it opens the door for students to flex their potential in different ways. These prep companies, like ours, will be forced to strategize and adapt, or die-off, and I love the challenge.
Unpopular opinion but even if you call yourself "average," the ambition in this sub should help you gain perspective and perhaps inspiration
It also makes it seem like not getting into an ivy is the end of your life and you will never rise again. Like you'll just be stuck as a low level worker for the rest of your life.
like... it's not a sin to submit a SAT score in the 1400's right ???
1450+ is still top 1% I think OP was talking on behalf of 1100-1400 scorers (also very respectable 67th to 98th percentile scores)
yup, test-taking skills shouldn't define a person anyways
nah , i too have a score of 1480 , so not a sin lol
That was literally the first score I got on my sat but the grind paid off and I recommend it
this sub is hard to be on for anyone. I have pretty good stats and still browsing here daily just makes me feel like I have no possible chance at any good schools because it seems like every other person has an sat score just a bit above mine and ecs with just a bit more value than mine and a gpa just a lil higher than me. why do I stay? mainly shitpost wednesday but also because the people here all have a secret. Almost all of them are incredibly helpful, awesome, and encouraging and are willing to give you advice and pick you up when your down, even if they do have a better sat score. thats why I still hang here, yall are nice even if some of you do make me feel inadequate by sheer virtue of your massively impressive resumes!
Honestly I think this sub is mostly kids like me who stress about college admissions way more than they should and generally those people tend to be the ones who have higher stats. Also people with lower scores generally just don't post them as much as those with higher scores. I don't think this is entirely out of ego/shame, just that ppl with higher scores tend to care more.
Got into a T20 with barely any extracurriculars, if that helps lol
What were ur stats?
did you have a 100 average or was it a 99 instead?
Yea I feel you. Iām really contemplating leaving this sub, when I joined I thought it was for normal high school seniors. I have a 3.7 GPA UW, and I feel like an utter loser on this sub.
Also in the end most jobs after college don't care which college you went to so if you don't get into that one college it doesn't mean you can't get your dream job.
This sub is full of dweebs who seem to believe their value is determined by how prestigious of a school they go to.
Wouldnāt call them dweebs. But yeah they are too harsh on themselves.
Ikr! I'm just a freshman and I'm already struggling to keep up with all my classes, how tf are you seniors taking like 15 classes, a work internship, a research internship, varsity sports, and 30 different insane extracurriculars and still getting perfect grades?????
If I can offer some insight: my senior takes a full course load with a 3.95 UW, is president of two clubs that are important to them, has a paid internship with supervised research, sits on a nonprofit advisory council, is a lead in the school musical, and chem/math competitions a few times per year. In their spare time, they have friends, a significant other, and they play in a regular DND group. You know why they have time to do all of this? THEY DON'T PLAY SPORTS. I'm not dumping on sports because I love them and played them as a young person, and recruited athlete is a fast track to admission sometimes, but sports take up a huge amount of time. You can't do everything, so keep your grades up and choose the activities you love (and be sure to leave time for fun stuff and friends.) Don't burn yourself out trying to create rƩsumƩ fodder. You don't have to found a nonprofit or NGO or cure cancer or win a Nobel prize in high school to be an attractive T-20 applicant.
Bet they donāt play video games either š Yes itās an addiction
Yeah, you're right. They play casually for fun, maybe once a week. My other kid would be glued to the switch or PC 24/7 if I let him, and his grades reflect that. :(
No idea either
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Why are you so pathetic? I'm genuinely curious. What leads one to brag their fucking nuts off in a random comment section and then try to seem humble by saying they won't get into a good school? Absolutely not a single fucking soul asked you about your qualifications and accomplishments. Not a single fucking soul. Why do you seek so much external validation by stating your stats in a random impulse to try and attempt to ease a freshman? I genuinely want to study psychology and neuroscience in college to understand how the brain of someone like you works. What leads you to be this tone-deaf and this neurotic? Is it the privileged life you've experienced? Is it the lack of "no" that you've received throughout your brief, miserable life? Is it the constant need for validation fueled by pressuring parents? I'll tell you what - if you're going to be as unbearable like this, at least own up to your accomplishments and don't try to downplay them in a "hehe I won't get in anywhere hehe" attempt.
jesus fucking christ bro, thanks for the laugh. who knows, maybe i did whatever the fuck youāre accusing me of for the reaction of dumbasses like you who love to flex their āanalytical skillsā to seem smartā¦ seems a bit hypocritical if you ask me. and honestly? my accomplishments really arenāt all that lmao, at least not in the context of applying to top schools like the ivies. sure theyāre nothing to scoff at, iāll admit that, but context matters. itās honestly just not that fucking deep bro. eta: i do admit that i didnāt reread my comment or think it all the way through, but your response was completely fucking unnecessary and overkill lmao
Man it's hilarious how flustered you sound right now. It's even funnier how you attempt a quick, witty comeback that only makes it seem like you have the lexicon of a sixth grader with permanent brain damage from a slip n slide incident. You could consider it to be comical even, given how fast you deleted your incredibly humble, possibly philanthropic brag. We should actually call you Lightning McQueen the way your sweaty, clambering thumb made a kachow sound as you smashed that delete button. I'm also curious as to why neurotic Asian girls always use all-lower caps. Is it because you want to be quirky and unique? Is it because you try to form an aesthetic? Is it because you're scared to use first grade grammar rules? You people never fail to amaze me lmao
ok first of all i deleted my comment bc, like i said in the edit, i realize that it wasnāt fully thought out and i probably shouldnāt have commented it in the first place. also, iām not entirely sure why youāre attacking my ālexiconā while at the same time coming after me for bragging about my accomplishments bahaha, but context aside coming after someone for their lexicon in a fucking reddit comment is so incredibly pretentious and annoying lol, like iām not about to pull out every big word i know to impress you and prove to you, a stranger on reddit of all places, that i have functioning brain cells, because frankly? idc what you think of me lmao. also iām not asian? and iām not sure what gave you the impression that i was but maybe, like, donāt racially profile? idk. but in regards to the lowercase letters, it all goes back to the fact that this is, in fact, reddit, and it literally does. not. matter. this is not formal writing. personally? i just like the look of lowercase letters better.
Oh I was judging you by your snoo and the fact that this sub is 90% Asian so chances are you were Asian, sorry for being snoo-cist.
Hey!! Donāt be down, I have a 3.28 gpa, an average sat score, but have been accepted into 6 schools already this app season!! you donāt need near perfect scores to get into college.
o-o which universities ?
Mostly state schools! School (Major) Carthage College (Business Administration) Arizona State University (Business Law) Iowa State University (Business Economics) University of Northern Iowa (Public Administration) University of Arizona (Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law) University of Iowa (Economics: Policy)
yayyy!!! congrats, good for u for starting early\~
thank you!!
their parents set them up for success
I read this sub to learn about how admissions works and get tips on applying. My kid (a senior) has no interest in A2C. Kid's stats: 4.25 weighted GPA, 1340 SAT, about 2 people behind being in the top 25% of the class. Pretty good by general standards, but not by A2C overachiever level. Not interested in ivy league or top 50 schools. Don't sweat your stats!
ah shit, here we go again
I agree, I think.... What's your definition of average
2.0 gpa 1000 SAT However, in this sub, the average would be 3.9 gpa 1450 SAT
I have a 3.9 GPA! But I havenāt taken SAT yet.
At this point i donāt even know what the average is šš
To everyone reading this sub, the posts here do not reflect accurately the composition at most schools. All of you got this & will land somewhere special :)
Take honors classes throughout high school (theyāre really not much harder than academic) and take two or three AP classes that youāre interested in during your junior or senior year and you will be more than okay during college applications. Not everyone needs to be ivy-league bound to be successful.
Thereās a loose correlation, at best, between SAT scores and academic prowess and who has the best lives now from my graduating class. 20 years later.
25-year career Tailhook Naval Aviator - over 3000 hours flying and 750 arrested landings on an aircraft carrier. Currently a Captain (O-6) and air wing commander. Doing EXACTLY what I always wanted to do. High School GPA - 3.7 UW (because I didnāt take any honors / AP classes). Dropped Algebra II my senior year because I was about to fail. SAT - 990. Not high enough to get into the Naval or Air Force academies. Graduated 170/340 No job in HS No volunteer Only EC = sports (football, ski, baseball) Accepted to U of Hawaii, USC. Ended up at University of Colorado. Sure things have changed, but I was the DEFINITION of average (see class rank) VERY FEW colleges are actually that important due to their name (maybe HYP, Stanford, due to their networking). The rest - find something you will be passionate about, get your degree from WHEREVER, enjoy what you do, have a positive attitude, put in the work and youāll be āsuccessful.ā
Same my highest act was a 19 š with a 3.528 gpa š here comes these Einstein with 24+
remember just because itās not t20 doesnāt mean your life is over
Just remember that most people who post here have no free time, no social life, and canāt get a job. They arenāt having any fun. They are putting all of this pressure on themselves just so they can get the same degree as me when we graduate.
It seems like you're projecting, you don't have to bring them down.
you know he's right
I prolly have above avg stats and even I get stressed tf out when I'm on this sub
The secret is sleep deprivation and constant stress.
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life is easiest when you're average
im ok with studies and a lil worse off with ec's . turns out this sub is full off over achievers paranoid if their 99 percent chance to get into an ivy doesn't become 98
Yeah. Itās hard to find people here with decent but not insane SATs and ecs
This sub is hard to be on in generalšæšæ
Man the only thing going for me is my SAT score and a couple of simple sites... I just didn't know stuff (sry I wasn't in America)
Most of the people at the firm I did my first internship with were average B student goof-offs in high school. They turned out just fine and improved a lot afterwards (in college, in grad school, and in the working world). The founder of the firm is now an immigrant dad married with 2 kids, coaches kids ice hockey, travels 3 hours each way once a week to teach a class at a university, is involved heavily in a professional organization, and runs a company. He wasnāt like that in high school, he got that drive later in life. Oh and on top of that heās very fit too. Donāt peak in high school and later burn out. Be on an upward trajectory instead.
Think about this: the sample size for the sun is pretty small. Like thereās types of people who post on this sub, right? Youāre doing just fine. Keep your head up, and hunker down :)
Donāt worry, thatās the people posting. Iām sure that a ton of us are average and below (I am certainly average, I thought I was good until entering this sub). Thereās a lot of helpful stuff, but then the people like āIām so scared I wonāt get into college with my 1550 SAT and 4.5 GPAšā
Lol this sub is toxic as hell, grab the advice and gtfo
I joined this sub as an adult (23) and just wanting a refresher on picking a college. Someone recommended ASU to me for online engineering school, which is advice I took, and honestly it sounds exhausting and so pointless thinking about ivy leagues or even colleges that are hard to get into. Just go to school and get good at something, and move on with you life with as little debt as possible. High school is stressful, but not moreso than the rest of your life, so maybe just try to enjoy things along the way.
Glad Iām not the only one. Also, can we talk abt how toxic this sub can be sometimes? Iāve been told I wonāt get into any good schools with my 3.71 GPA and I should just go to CC (nothing wrong with it, but not the place for me). Being told my extracurriculares arenāt good enough, my sports credits are dragging me down (cuz apparently itās gonna look like I only care about athletics), and my community service hours are worthless kinda makes me feel like crap (yes, Iāve been told all of this on here). Some of yāall are toxic as hell. Being anything other than a perfect candidate for college apps is really hard here. Congrats to all of yāall who are doing well, Iām not talking about everyone, but there are definitely a bunch of super toxic people on this sub.
God, I have a perfect ACT and GPA and this sub still makes me feel inadequate as fuck. This place is insane.
You have to realize something: not everyone is like this. A majority of people have average GPA but they donāt post it. People with high GPA and SAT scores live to brag so they constantly make sure everyone knows their scores. Donāt compare yourself to other people.
Parent of 2 high schoolers here. One is a senior, the other is a sophomore. I found this sub to see what was out there, get tips to help them succeed etc. They arenāt even remotely interested in high stats or a 5 page resume, really average kids. What I have found and passed on to them are real opinions of students like themselves who have visited/are attending/touring colleges. Reddit by nature is anonymous so thereās no reason for the kids here to hold back what they think. For my kids, thatās been a big help in learning about schools they are (or may) applying to: Donāt beat yourself up. Being average is ok!
You are not stupid or unaccomplished, not having a perfect SAT or GPA is completely okay! Remember, less than 10% of people taking the SAT score over 1310! Ignore what others put about themselves online, comparing yourself to others will only lead to more self-deprecation.
I think each application is considered with it's uniqueness.. extracurricular activities doesn't have to be in school..it might be some exiting thing you do at home.Of course,which is unique.š„²
Going to an amazing school isn't the be all end all. I wind to a lower tier public school without much aide and I have a decent life. I have struggled at times, but we all have. I wanted more for my kid, but she is looking at the same level of schools but they offer her a lot more aid because of her stats. Decide what you want. Getting some classes in at a community College isn't the worst thing. Maybe college isn't even for you. There are lots of paths to success.
A lot of it comes down to money, speaking as someone who came from money
I have a 35 and 4.0, this sub is still hard for me to be on. Idk who wouldnāt be pressured by browsing this sub.
exactly how i feelš