Tagged With "Rigor"
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
I agree with all of the above. A few 8th-grade Bs shouldn't matter, anyway, I'd think that you would work with the HS counselor who is writing the school letter, to explain those online-year Bs. Even in a big public HS, you can talk to the counselor about such things. I'm puzzled by your listing only 4 classes; at my son's HS, each student had to take 8 every semester. My son did the weight-lifting class for PE every year all year, which got in the work he needed for baseball. What kind of...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
My 2022 was a very good student low 90s grades in a HA private HS, took 3 AP classes and had a <1300 SAT score. He was very good position baseball player with HA D1 looks and after his injury ended up going to a HA D3. His current coach told him he flew through admissions and did not require "help". Academically I think your son is fine but his chances improves a lot if he runs like a college sprinter, drops tanks or throws gas.
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
Has he identified specific schools that he's interested in? The High Academics don't do things the exact same way. It really would be helpful to identify specific schools. If the coach for one of these schools really likes him I doubt a couple of 8th grade B's will hurt anything. Don't think of the GPA thing as higher is better. Plenty of people with perfect GPAs get rejected by these schools. It's more of a threshold. Is he within range on his GPA/Standardized tests for that school?
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
b4j1h9, We'll make you a deal. If you tell us a little bit more about his baseball ability, skills and recruiting status, I guarantee you will get some guidance and answers to your Ivy/HA rigor question for recruiting purposes. The Ivy/HA athletic admission process is a bundled package and it depends on many things. We need to understand his athletic rigor as well. Make sense?
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
This post belongs on a college admissions board - not a baseball forum. If he is good enough at baseball to go to an Ivy - they will lay it all out in recruitment. If a B in 8th grade is going to prevent him from going to the college he wants - I think you should assess whether it is a college worth spending a quarter million dollars at A sophomore is currently experiencing anxiety over whether he is taking enough classes to get into an Ivy - that is not healthy. I can assure you he would...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
Does he want to play any baseball at the next level - or just be a student? Orthopedic Surgeon and PT are a good bit different. The PT route probably requires somewhat less intense academic focus during the college years.
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
b4 - I don't think adding Physics adds much. I'd recommend the lower stress/higher GPA option. Others may have a different take; there are more than a few Ivy parents lurking and posting here. Pls feel free to PM me for more info
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Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
Long time lurker. Sorry for this long, overly detailed post all about rigor. My '25 is interested in Ivy and high academic schools. He's planning his junior year schedule and wants it to be rigorous enough. His counselor said it "should'' be fine, but my son still is a bit unsure. And he just found out two B's from 8th grade (COVID virtual year) are on his high school transcript, so that has him feeling even more anxious. Potential junior year schedule: (80 minute classes) (ACE is dual...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
My son is an Ivy League pitcher, so I'll attempt an answer; please remember that every individual is different and this posting won't apply to every situation. While the HC can advocate for his recruits, each player still needs to be voted on by the full admission committee and needs to meet the general standard for each school. These are the general course recommendations for high school applicants (quoted) The study of English for four years: close and extensive reading of the classics of...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
Thank you all for the responses. To summarize my long post (paralysis by analysis, I know), I just wanna make sure admissions won't see his transcript and say, "OMG he took gym when he could have taken more STEM classes?! Not Ivy league material!!" And surgeon/PA are just a couple possibilities among a dozen plus mostly science related majors. I just wanted to be clear—in regards to physics—that an engineering major won't be happening. Also, his school does block scheduling (80 minute...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
In our kid's situation, he took HS math as an 8th grader, and it IS on the HS transcript and had it not been for COVID, wouldve been counted toward GPA and class rank. Too bad, as it wouldve helped. I believe the OP is in similar situation but agree with all they should not stress about it, as most get an academic proverbial "pass" from that pandemic time period anyway. My understanding is that many schools, including IVIES either suspended consideration of standardized SAT and ACT test...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
Let me make it simple for you. SKIP the IVY and ANY pricey option if he truly wants go into healthcare at ANY level. Dominate at your sound state option and save the $$$ for medical school. They keep ADDING allopathic medical schools anyway, making it less competitive. Unless you have the means, you're talking 60-70K/ yer TUITION for IVY, and ANOTHER 19-70K/ year for medical school. You will be potentially 580K+ in the hole (not including room and board) before truly starting in an industry...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
It helps much more when you include the baseball stats - otherwise it seems like you're seeking admissions advice. The two Ivys that recruited mine told him he needed a 27 and Bs. I can assure you he was not taking any honors or AP courses. He would have been their best recruit so maybe that factors into it, but he did get as far as sending transcripts and test scores over and they didn't seem to have an issue with anything. Athletes have a different admissions pathway than regular students.
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
After your last post I wouldnt sweat "rigor". If MIT and Caltech were on your radar, that would certainly change things. Besides, whats not to like about a southpaw pumping 86 as a sophomore? Also, as a pitcher, Id take physics these days as a priority so I could (begin to) understand baseball nerd talk like "seam shifted wake" and laminar flow...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
@b4j1h9 , Your son's guidance councelor should have access to the Naviance tool that details the admissions history of his high school and other high school to specific colleges. You can see GPA, rigor, and SAT/ACT scores in the Naviance tool. This is a good guideline to address your concerns. In my son's experience it was about rigor. He had 4 Ivys recruit him and two offered. It is a numbers game and you do have to cast a wide net. They want to see your son challenge himself and succeed in...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
Some HA schools will not be flexible with the grades and SAT/ACT scores. I believe Cal Tech, MIT were already mentioned. I would add JHU (from son's experience) and U Chicago from another posters experience.
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
Son was a position player at W&M. PM if you have any questions. Fenway and I both live in the Richmond area and can be of help if you head this way south. Each school should have their admission requirements as regard to HS class minimums listed on their website. RHP_Parent listed them nicely for the Ivies. The W&M coach was all over son about completing his language requirement in high school. Trying to meet the requirement in a HA college could be unnecessarily difficult.
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
Foreign language is what I see as the hole in the OP's schedule. Even Ivies don't all explicitly require them, but they more or less expect them. And, just as a note, in our school system, if you take a class in middle school that gets high school credit, such as Algebra or Spanish 2, it DOES show up on your transcript and is included in the GPA. A school counselor can confirm this.
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
Just went through this with our 24 RHP. The point above about the baseball skill set seems worth repeating. If your son is likely to be a top recruit at one of the ivies that prioritizes winning, rigor will matter a lot less than you might expect. We were really surprised by the reactions to son’s unexceptional transcript. On the other end of the spectrum, even a top recruit at the ivies that focus a lot less on winning should assume that he’ll get little to no bump from baseball. For...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
I have a good bit to say on this topic as I use to be a member of a Health Care professional admissions board. First, the grades that he received in the 8th grade will not reflect on his permanent high school transcript that is sent to colleges and Universities. Second, if your son wants to pursue a career in the health care profession, then he will need to apply to graduate programs such as Medical School, Dental School, Optometry School, or Physical Therapy School. This may be a shock to...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
The schools he's interested in: Ivy, Northeastern, W&M, Richmond, Davidson, Northwestern, Georgetown, Binghamton, Patriots. If D1 isn't in the cards, he'll switch gears to D3. Stating the obvious but those are ALL different kind of experiences both culturally and athletically. All great schools, of course, but different. eg Northeastern is a large urban school, Bing a large school in an AMAZING new facility, but a bit isolated in central NY. Davidson is wonderful, but very small,...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
@Wechson is making a fantastic point here. It is great to start with a large list of colleges, and then whittle it down to what fits you. As the OP will discover, his listed schools are so different from each other. Know thy self. My son and I had long talks about this topic, after all you are going to spend 4 years of your life somewhere and invest a lot of money in your education. You have to be comfortable with your surroundings and baseball is just one part of the equation. My son was...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
Such great info. Thank you again everyone. I was so green coming into this process I thought, "He should go to a college that has a grad school because he'll have so many college credits coming out of high school that he'll be able to graduate early and start grad school while still playing ball!" Then I found out some schools (e.g. Ivy) don't accept the credits and others limit it to only a few. (And I've learned Ivy League doesn't have grad school athletes.) Then I found out many schools...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
Lots of good info here. Ivies have more flexibility on GPA and test scores than other HA's. RHP Parent gave a great description of what is required. Test optional does not typically apply to baseball players, so prepare for and take the test. He'll want to take it fall of junior year for the first time and peak for the test in spring of junior year. The grades will all depend on the target major. My son wants to major in math and physics. He's had straight B's and B+'s in HS on level...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
As the ivy coaches will tell you, if you can't get into my school you can't play baseball for me. So I do think this is a relevant topic for the board, if baseball is a goal there. Bullet points: If you seriously want to go Ivy, you need to. * take as rigorous a course load as possible that gives you the time to do the extra curricular required to show a well rounded student - everyone has a 4.0 unweighted including 95% of those that don't get accepted. The difference is what else you bring...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
Can someone expound on the foreign language "requirement"? I get the impression that four years might include such classed taken in college, but not necessary if taken in high school. If correct, I assume this requirement is in the graduation requirements as opposed to admissions requirements. Thoughts?
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
W&M had a 4 year language requirement. So did my college, when I went. Son took 4 years in HS. I took 2 years in HS, but then had to take 2 years in college. Some colleges may take 3 + 2 (of different languages). I would check with each college and not have an unexpected surprise.
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
I often preach this too, but this admittedly is easier said than done especially at a young age. I think as parents many of us feel that ideally "finding oneself" at least to some extent, exploring & trying different things; WAITING to make BIG life choices and making a better, more informed decision is prudent. HOWEVER, modern life seems to reward and behoove those who have a firm inkling sooner. Historically, it's my understanding MANY employers and industries love engineering majors.
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
Responding again.... I don't mean to rain on your son's parade about Ivy league schools, but keep in mind that there are some instances where you are actually better off being in a local school than an Ivy league program. This is especially true if you are in the deep south. I can assure you, if your son wants to go to Medical school and you live in the South East, there are a lot of school that will would probably be better for your son's admissions hopes than an Ivy League school. Every...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
His school team heads south for spring break in a few weeks, so we'll take some detours by Davidson, Richmond, and W&M. We'll try to visit the Northeast schools around his travel ball schedule. Our "wide net" will shrink after that (Georgetown, GWU, Columbia, and Penn are some of the more likely casualties) Recommend checking out W&L if you're in that neck of the woods. Will say if he finds Lehigh remote then this may feel like the hinterlands. That said, it's truly a special place...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
We're from upstate NY. I think NC is about as far south as he'd want to go. His preferred campus criteria are mostly yet to be determined. He doesn't think he wants a big city; on the flip side, we went by Lehigh a couple summers ago and he said, "Jeez, this is the middle of nowhere." So my guess is most of the campus criteria he'll want are in the Goldilocks zone. His school team heads south for spring break in a few weeks, so we'll take some detours by Davidson, Richmond, and W&M.
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
I will add if you have the resources, visit the campus. The HA D3 school my son ended up going to wasn't even on his radar. We stopped by during the pandemic year since it was sort of close to the other schools to the other schools. We just happen to run into the head of admissions and gave a great overview of the school and facilities. Kid absolutely was thrilled about the close walking distance proximity of the dorms, classes and facilities. He connected the kid with the baseball...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
Just one simple rule: money matters. The wealthier the school (and Ivies are among the wealthiest in the country), you get: (1) much more need-based financial aid, and (2) more money for academics, research, travel, etc. Also, in a smaller school (i.e. Ivy and smaller), there are many more opportunities for doing research, working with professors, etc. That is why going to those schools changes the nature of your education, and why having those degrees is viewed positively for many post-grad...
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Re: Ivy/High Academic Schools and Rigor
100% agree. These elite schools have a strong alumni who will connect stident and a solid track record of placing students in internships relative to other academic institutions.