bear2034 said:

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From @WSJopinion: America faces a formidable range of calamities. Every one of them can be traced wholly or in large part to a single source: the corruption of higher education by radical political activists, writes John Ellis. https://t.co/RsBfi76zWx

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) December 5, 2023

Your kid may learn to hate you while they're gone.

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Which is probably a good thing

dimitrig said:

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bear2034 said:

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From @WSJopinion: America faces a formidable range of calamities. Every one of them can be traced wholly or in large part to a single source: the corruption of higher education by radical political activists, writes John Ellis. https://t.co/RsBfi76zWx

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) December 5, 2023

Your kid may learn to hate you while they're gone.

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Which is probably a good thing

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White House Shames University Presidents Over Anti-Semitism Hearing: 'Unbelievable That This Needs to Be Said'

https://www.mediaite.com/news/white-house-shames-university-presidents-over-anti-semitism-hearing-unbelievable-that-this-needs-to-be-said/

JUST IN: Columbia University has announced classes will be remote for the rest of the year as anti-Israel protests rock the school.

There are now growing calls for tuition refunds for the $70k a year college now that it has practically turned into an online school.

"It’s vital… pic.twitter.com/PdeYnG9cA6

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 23, 2024

Looks like this may be a trend and not just an isolated incident?

tequila4kapp said:

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I've got a kid who's bright and hard working. >4.0 GPA with IB courses, etc. Which in modern times guarantees nothing. She wants sun (ie leaving the PNW) and probably something in the sciences / pre-med.

How do I get from point A to point B for her? What resources do people use? Furd, Cal and UCLA are the obvious ones in CA but with things as competitive as they are I'm basically counting on them not happening. What's a solid next tier?

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Do extra curricular activities, and I'm not talking about sports teams. Enroll in summer education programs that show an interest. Consult with professors at target departments and ask a bunch of questions about their focus, the type of students they like teaching, maybe they give advice that can get you in. More importantly, maybe it illuminates the student.

My kid did a 3-week UC Davis surgery program /camp that seems to have done something for her admissions.

concordtom said:

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tequila4kapp said:

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I've got a kid who's bright and hard working. >4.0 GPA with IB courses, etc. Which in modern times guarantees nothing. She wants sun (ie leaving the PNW) and probably something in the sciences / pre-med.

How do I get from point A to point B for her? What resources do people use? Furd, Cal and UCLA are the obvious ones in CA but with things as competitive as they are I'm basically counting on them not happening. What's a solid next tier?

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Do extra curricular activities, and I'm not talking about sports teams. Enroll in summer education programs that show an interest. Consult with professors at target departments and ask a bunch of questions about their focus, the type of students they like teaching, maybe they give advice that can get you in. More importantly, maybe it illuminates the student.

My kid did a 3-week UC Davis surgery program /camp that seems to have done something for her admissions.

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Strongly agree that anything that shows a gift and a passion for a certain academic area and is something extra, outside of high school offerings is a plus, as admissions departments try and differentiate between all the kids who have 4.0+ GPAs.

Big C said:

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concordtom said:

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tequila4kapp said:

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I've got a kid who's bright and hard working. >4.0 GPA with IB courses, etc. Which in modern times guarantees nothing. She wants sun (ie leaving the PNW) and probably something in the sciences / pre-med.

How do I get from point A to point B for her? What resources do people use? Furd, Cal and UCLA are the obvious ones in CA but with things as competitive as they are I'm basically counting on them not happening. What's a solid next tier?

---

Do extra curricular activities, and I'm not talking about sports teams. Enroll in summer education programs that show an interest. Consult with professors at target departments and ask a bunch of questions about their focus, the type of students they like teaching, maybe they give advice that can get you in. More importantly, maybe it illuminates the student.

My kid did a 3-week UC Davis surgery program /camp that seems to have done something for her admissions.

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Strongly agree that anything that shows a gift and a passion for a certain academic area and is something extra, outside of high school offerings is a plus, as admissions departments try and differentiate between all the kids who have 4.0+ GPAs.

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My fourth daughter had done the summer science class. All four got straight A's, as reasonably many AP's as our school would offer, and high 1410-1430 SAT, which is like 94th percentile. But it was the fourth kid who got the best admissions (including Cal). I dunno. She actually , I lied, got a B in a math class as a junior. The tears! Hers. Mom and I didn't say a word.
Admissions, I've decided, are a crapshoot. Make the best of what the spin of the wheel gives you and DONT TAKE IT PERSONAL ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

FORTUNE, the Fates, plays a role. Just accept it. Like when that truck barely missed wiping you out on the highway.

Congrats! My pain: My daughter got into Cal but chose U$C. It worked out for her well, however, and they treated me good down there in my Cal hat. Maybe we were not perceived as a threat.

*Immediate entry into Business School clinched it.

I suppose if you grow up 5 miles from Berkeley (your kid) you kinda wanna go somewhere else! Could totally see that.
For us, we left Concord for the country life in Placer County 12 years ago, so now Berkeley is JUST far enough away and different enough to feel like her own place.
All the Cal legacy stuff was actually a negative for her. I didn't think she'd do it, choose Cal, but grandma quietly arranged a 1 on 1 with a department head who shared some of Cal's glories and that won her over.

Glad that SC worked out. That's all you want, for any kid. They don't always launch well. You could be 5th generation Harvard and it be the totally wrong thing for someone.

concordtom said:

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Well, I just learned… it's official - after a lengthy process, my kid has chosen Cal Berkeley, and she'll room with her band friend of the last 4 years.
I may not be a Bear, but I'm born of them, and now I've raised one.

Go ahead, even all my haters, give it to me!

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Congrats. Sometimes it skips a generation.

oski003 said:

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concordtom said:

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Well, I just learned… it's official - after a lengthy process, my kid has chosen Cal Berkeley, and she'll room with her band friend of the last 4 years.
I may not be a Bear, but I'm born of them, and now I've raised one.

Go ahead, even all my haters, give it to me!

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Congrats. Sometimes it skips a generation.

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Sometimes it does!

concordtom said:

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Well, I just learned… it's official - after a lengthy process, my kid has chosen Cal Berkeley, and she'll room with her band friend of the last 4 years.
I may not be a Bear, but I'm born of them, and now I've raised one.

Go ahead, even all my haters, give it to me!

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Congratulations.

Quick update as we continue to wait for decisions to roll in…

Admitted to several "not elite" academic schools…think our former P12 friends. Pretty big academic $ offered by ASU. Also admitted to UC Santa Cruz. I'm not up to speed on how competitive admissions is there or how well it's regarded.

Declined at Texas (Prof friend at UT tells me they hit >95k applications).

Waitlisted at Clemson. Really thought she'd get in there. Go figure.