Advice for my HS Freshman...

7,674 Views | 53 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by 94chem
NomadicAggie
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I graduated from A&M back in 98, and now I have a son who is starting high school this year and is already set on going to A&M for college. It's still a ways away, and who knows, maybe he'll change his mind, but for now he's all set on being an Aggie.

That being said, he has a clean slate right now. For those of you who have a son or daughter who have recently gone through the process, what would your advice be for putting my son in the best position possible for admission? I know top 10% is important, and he might be able to get there, but I'm not sure. Outside of making the best possible grades and ACT/SAT score, what other things should he focus on? Sports, service opportunities, etc.

I can't believe we're here already at this point, and I just want to help him as much as I can.

Thanks!
Prexys Moon
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my son is a junior now. wants to go to A&M, Aggie parents, ballgames, blah blah blah. After freshman year he was barely top 10 percent. After fall sophmore year he fell some more. He signed up for prepscholar- online SAT prep program. He took SAT in November and made 1220. Did prepscholar for 30-40 minutes every night, did their practice tests, took SAT in March and made 1330. Studies old tests for May test and made 1370. As long as he can stay top 25 percent, he will be auto admit.

Competition for top 10 percent is fierce at any high school. Lots of people (usually teachers kids) who know which teachers and classes to take and not take. Very easy to think you are doing well and working hard and get your rank and you're not top 10. My advice- do prepscholar- or similar program- and start prepping for SAT NOW. Prepping for SAT is also prepping for PSAT, btw. Get that 1360.

Obviously the goal should be top 10 percent...but at a lot of high schools that's really tough. Top 25 percent is a lot more doable.


and in case you don't know, top 25 percent and 1360 is same as being top 10 percent..you are auto admit.
histag10
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Dont try to do as many different things as possible to pad his application, have him do a few things, and stick with them for the long haul. Extracurriculars and community service are great, but so is showing commitment and follow through.
NomadicAggie
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Thanks for the replies!
tcfitz3
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Don't overlook Galveston. It is an extension of main campus. 30 hours there and a 2.75, and you can transfer to CS. Small classes, great students, Aggie rings & diplomas, and sports passes. Easier admission standards than CS and later application deadline. Check it out.
msc71
HECUBUS
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Is College Really Harder to Get Into Than It Used To Be? - The Atlantic

https://www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/360114/

I doubt that 1360 number can last. Our 6A public school has a 1330 average.
JT88
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If at all possible, eliminate all doubt by either being top 1O% or top-quartile with qualifying SAT.


Or be prepared to wait out a long Spring waiting for an admissions decision (while being actively recruited by other fine Universities).

I've seen kids in each of the three categories above and the first two are MUCH better. There are not many spots left after auto-admit.

While the SAT may change a bit, it seems a mid 1300 is a reasonable goal. These are the averages at the top 50 HS in the state of TX:

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2018/02/27/texas-public-high-schools-ranked-2016-sat-scores.html#g/429971/47

So the HS referred to above is one of the top 5 in the state.
HECUBUS
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Dp
HECUBUS
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That linked article is pretty accurate, in that the top kids are applying to ten to fifteen schools and schools on the common app benefit from that insanity.



agdad021
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At very competitive high schools there are GPA "farmers". They game plan the different scenarios to make sure that they take only the classes that give the bump in GPA and try to hold off on electives that don't have a bump until senior year. They don't take any fun classes where even an plain A can actually pull down the GPA- Tell him it is a 3 year race not 4. When the grades are in the book at the end of junior year that is when the ranking is done and set in stone. The best path is the 25% and SAT/ACT high score route . It is the same as automatic 10%. The essays are required but are are for kids on the bubble for review and for some scholarships but it is truly a red light green light if you have the 10% or 25% ACT/SAT stats. Apply as early as possible - especially for business majors since Mays is first come first serve . The time slots to log in for housing are also based on when you made a deposits after acceptance . Good luck - FYI the rules can change like engineering going to review for applicants two years ago.
HECUBUS
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Boy do they game the system.

Top ten percent is max AP and high A+'s.

Our's played around his first two years, then got serious his junior year once he figured out what he was interested in. We never worried about top ten percent, I don't think they need any more stress.

I met a kid who barely graduated from his high school. He didn't get into any schools he wanted. He took some classes at ACC, got a 4.0, transferred to tu, got a 4.0 and got hired at Intel as a EE. That kid gave too much to the HS soccer team. He turned out okay though.

Archie86
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You need to know and be in the know on how to manipulate GPA. Class rank actually starts in 8th grade, sometimes even 7th, with Algebra 1 and HS Spanish. in addition, must maximize advanced courses like Pre-AP, AP, and Dual Credit. All else being the same, a student with one more advanced course can make a huge difference in GPA.

Now, on the flip side a B in an advanced course is equivalent to an A in an on level course.

Kids with parents who do not know the GPA racket are at a huge disadvantage and are solely dependent on fair and honest guidance counselors. Probably not a problem in big schools, but very political in small schools. Let's just say some students garner special privileges.
Lone Stranger
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Ditto to the general comments here. In any competitive high school you need to look at the student handbook and see what crazy set of rules goes into which classes count for extra points to GPA. In our district, dual credit doesn't count for a GPA boost but Honors, pre AP and AP classes all get a GPA boost and it is the same regardless of the class. In a neighboring district, Honors and pre-AP aren't worth as much boost as dual credit and AP classes.

The top 25% is even a challenge to make at our school so about 1/3 of the high school are farming/managing their GPA. In my daughters class several years ago the top 5% were all national merit types. 36% of the class was summa cum laude with over 4.0 GPA's for their high school career when they graduated. Our high school even created honors sections (multiple extra competition requirements outside of school) of orchestra, band, etc to entice students with the GPA boost.

Recently overhead: My son is on the bubble for top 25% but not quite there. We found out there are about 30 kids that have about the same GPA as him and the counselors said the number of students in the class tends to drop from soph to jr year due to drop outs which means the number of top 25% students goes down. It doesn't look good. Another Parent: Why did you let him play football and baseball the last 2 years.....didn't you realize that would drag his GPA down compared to the classmates that were getting extra GPA points over regular activities? Original Parent: Crap....you are right....we hadn't even thought about that.
dcAg
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Become an Eagle Scout.
JT88
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Lots of good reasons to become an Eagle Scout. But maybe not as favorable a nod now is in the past?
NomadicAggie
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Wow, fantastic information. Thank you again.

With regard to the standardize testing, I'm still trying understand the whole SAT and/or ACT requirement. Is it better to focus more on one test than the other? When I was applying to college 25 years ago, it was almost all SAT, with only some Midwestern schools using the ACT. It seems from this discussion the SAT is still the focus, but just curious where to focus his practice efforts.

Thanks again everyone!
AgOutsideAustin
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Both tests are accepted by A&M and they are a little different according to my kid. Have your kid take both because one good score from either test is all you need.
JT88
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What AOA said.

Take both. Pick one to really work on.

When your child takes the PSAT as a sophomore, pay attention to the results - they count for nothing other than giving you an idea of whether National Merit might be in the offing when they take it for real as a Junior. The PSAT is an otherwise meaningless test (except maybe as a practice for the SAT) excepting for a small number who make National Merit Scores. A&M loves them some National Merit Scholars - like head of the line for merit-based aid.
agAngeldad
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Given this advice numerous times with great success

Activities, clubs, volunteer and test score. Do not underestimate the value of letters of recommendation from old ags as well as teachers, principals and community.
In your tamu portal to up load data. Upload Awards, letters of recommendations, community service and a well written resume. Things that make your ag set apart from the normal joe. Many get in not in top 10, but that are leaders, volunteers and involved.

Pm me if you want examples. Good luck
histag10
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JT88 said:

What AOA said.

Take both. Pick one to really work on.

When your child takes the PSAT as a sophomore, pay attention to the results - they count for nothing other than giving you an idea of whether National Merit might be in the offing when they take it for real as a Junior. The PSAT is an otherwise meaningless test (except maybe as a practice for the SAT) excepting for a small number who make National Merit Scores. A&M loves them some National Merit Scholars - like head of the line for merit-based aid.


Not head of the line for merit based aid. National Merit Scholars are guaranteed a certain dollar amount in scholarships. Some of these are internal to A&M, and some of them are from National Merit Corp (and the student's sponsor). The internal to A&M scholarships do not take away dollars from the general pool of scholarships students apply to during admissions or every year they attend A&M.

There are several categories of scholarships that A&M has. Most of A&M's scholarships are also donor dependent- meaning the donor who endowed the scholarship has chosen the criteria to use. Now, there are also the extreme high dollar scholarships from foundations that A&M partners with. Some of these require NMS status, some do not.

But to clarify, National Merit Scholars do not move to the front of the line for merit based scholarships. All scholarship applications are reviewed through a holistic process for all scholarships.

If you have a student applying to A&M, fill out the scholarship application when you fill out your admissions application. I cannot stress this enough. If you select no, you do not want to fill out the scholarship application, you will not have another opportunity to apply for A&M scholarships for that first year. Roughly 50% of admissions applicants fill out the scholarship application.

If you have questions regarding scholarships at A&M or the application process, email scholarships@tamu.edu.
JT88
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Thanks for expanding on the merit-based aid discussion. I think lots of people who are new to the process misunderstand the PSAT as the 'practice SAT'. And it may be that is all it turns out to be sometimes. But if a student's sophomore scores hint that they might be in the hunt, is there any other one-day performance (talking about the PSAT as a Junior) that has as much of a positive upside financial-aid-wise as making a NMS qualifying score on the PSAT?
Muy
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AgOutsideAustin said:

Both tests are accepted by A&M and they are a little different according to my kid. Have your kid take both because one good score from either test is all you need.
Not sure I agree with this. Our son is a sophomore now and went to a private school with only 66 kids in his graduating class. So making the top 10% was ridiculous, and the school (being focused on college prep) emphasized that the ACT and SAT are so very different that it's best for the kids to take both pre-tests, figure out which they gravitated more towards, and focus all of their effort on prepping for that one exam.
Ranger1743
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I went to A&M for free on National Merit. If you can swing it it's the best way to pay for college. My advice is to take the test sophomore year. If he's within 30 points of the NM threshold, he should commit whole-hog (8-10 hours/ week for months) to improve as much as possible. I bumped my score from 185 to 225 by studying several hours a week all summer long. Granted my high school had a very good test prep program offered for free if your were within striking distance of NM.
Token
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+1 on national merit scholarship. Focus on the PSAT and get the score needed to be national merit. My year (2005) it was around 210 and getting that full ride changed my life

And obviously finish in the top 10% of your class
94chem
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210 is not a PSAT score.

I went up 220 points between soph and Jr year. Just made myself some vocab review cards to practice the night before the test. The National Merit scholly was worth $5K when I got it. Now it's worth $42K.

Now you have to maintain a 3.5 GPA. That wasn't easy at all in chemistry when I was there. I guess a 3.5 is like a C student now. A&M has to play the grade inflation game because lots of idiotic big companies have ridiculous non-negotiable gpa requirements.
fish_rich
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My son is also a freshman and our oldest so we told him he has to maximize all grades now. Told him to take advantage of every opportunity for bonus points if they are offered. He took Spanish 1 & 2, Algebra 1, and geometry all in middle school. So he gets credit for the courses for high school but the grade isn't factored into class rank. I kind of wish they could have been weighted courses and factored in because he had great grades in all those classes. He also took the SAT in 7th grade and was honored at a state ceremony so we are hoping maybe he has a shot at being a national merit scholar. It does make me nervous though because his goal is to get a degree in engineering from A&M and it is so competitive now.
tcfitz3
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I was one of a handful of National Merit Scholars when I went, and I was showered with scholarships "back in the day," and boy was it sweet. Now I work with incoming NMS, all of whom know it is VERY competitive. Good for kids to know about the competition, as it will help them once they are in CS. It's become such a great academic school with a lot of awesome students. Share this thread with your interested students and hope they are up to competing.
msc71
Token
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94chem said:

210 is not a PSAT score.

I went up 220 points between soph and Jr year. Just made myself some vocab review cards to practice the night before the test. The National Merit scholly was worth $5K when I got it. Now it's worth $42K.

Now you have to maintain a 3.5 GPA. That wasn't easy at all in chemistry when I was there. I guess a 3.5 is like a C student now. A&M has to play the grade inflation game because lots of idiotic big companies have ridiculous non-negotiable gpa requirements.
it was my score lol. It was out of 240. Go look up the psat scoring scale

https://blog.prepscholar.com/the-new-psat-redesigned-in-2015-complete-guide
94chem
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"The redesigned PSAT is scored on a scaled between 320 and 1520. "

Still don't see it. Apparently the SAT has gone back to the 1600 scale?
HECUBUS
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We have one of those, only had to encourage that one to have fun. He's now a senior and his experience has taught us a few things for the second one.

It's a big pie, grades and test scores are necessary, but not sufficient. Start thinking about college essays ASAP. Take visits freshman summer. Schools tell you what they want in the essays on these visits. Make sure your kid does something worthy of an essay before their senior year. Find internships and college research opportunities ASAP. Sports will not help you get in unless you plan to play in college. Sports are great for the kids if they enjoy them. Ours love sports.

If your not doing sports dive into ECs freshman year as everyone else does and they are more competitive than sports. HS goes by quickly,

Mostly, the kids have to find their motivation. Just like sports, don't get in the way. They will do best when they are doing what they want for themselves.
94chem
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"Make sure your kid does something worthy of an essay before their senior year. "

It's nice when actual life instead of fabricated BS pads the resume. Unfortunately many of the parents don't know the difference either.
HECUBUS
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Sadly life doesn't always happen before senior year and if they are in sports, it doesn't have a chance. Our senior gets some great EC stuff Spring of senior year. Too bad he missed two years in sports. Luckily, he found great stuff last summer. We had no idea what his essays were going to be about. They wisely keep parents out of the essay process. I was able to guess after the fact, because one experience did have a big impact.
Dark Helmet
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94chem said:

"Make sure your kid does something worthy of an essay before their senior year. "

It's nice when actual life instead of fabricated BS pads the resume. Unfortunately many of the parents don't know the difference either.


My admissions essays to A&M and that school in Austin were exactly the same. I remember them word-by-word all these years later (16).

"Your institution is required by Texas state law to accept me."

If you want to guarantee your kid will go to A&M, game the system. I was lucky and went to a crappy high school where I didn't even have to go to class and I still was ranked top ten. I just showed up for football practice and would turn in all my assignments once a week.
HECUBUS
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One of my son's friends outside the top 25%, not in the most advanced classes with a 1400 SAT on his second attempt just got his acceptance into engineering today. He applied two weeks ago.

Spoke to the parent, just got accepted, did not get into engineering. Thought that seemed unusual.
HECUBUS
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So one more variable, counselors. Our kid has at least a week our two before his first application gets in. Everything on his part has been in for weeks, his applications apparently will be a month later than the other counselors.

It was the luck of the alphabet that got our's the counselor that showed up in the middle of September. I just found out.

I don't know what you can do if you want their application to get in early, and I don't know if a month early helps.
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