Ah statistics!  You gotta love 'em!  Except when you don't....

 

But if you DO like numbers, this blog post is for you!  Let me explain the concept of "reach, fit, and safety" for math lovers!

To find a reach, fit, and safety college, you have to look at "Admissions Data" found online and in books.  Little tip; just Google the school name and the words "admission data" and you'll find it. Then compare it to your child's test scores to the college test scores.  That's all well and good, except some places make it seem all mathematical and confusing, as if you needed a degree in statistics to really understand it.  For example, they may list test scores by indicating 25th/75th Percentile.  Here is an example:

Admissions Data Example

Test Scores -- 25th / 75th Percentile

SAT Critical Reading: 520 / 630
SAT Math: 520 / 625
SAT Writing: 510 / 620

ACT Composite: 22 / 28
ACT English: 22 / 29
ACT Math: 22 / 27

Let me explain what it all means, using this example.
It says say SAT Math: 520 / 625.

The lower number comes from students who are attending that college.
25% of kids attending that college scored below 520 when they took the Math SAT in high school.
25% of kids attending that college scored above 625 when they took the Math SAT in high school.
50% of kids attending that college scored between 520 and 625 when they took the Math SAT in high school.

Quick and easy solution; when they say SAT Math: 520 / 625, turn the line on the side.

25th/75th Percentile Scores 520 / 625
Means that most kids score 520 - 625.
If your child is in that range, they are a "fit" for that school when it comes to Math.

If your child scores below 520 on the SAT Math, they might still get in, but it's less likely.  That's a reach.
If your child scores between 520-625 on the SAT Math, they are likely to get in.  That's a fit.
If your child scores above 625 on the SAT Math, they are very likely to get in. That's a safety.

If you hate numbers, let me explain in words.

Reach School: The SAT or ACT score range is higher than your score OR school is highly selective, and you meet the other college requirements
Fit School: The SAT or ACT score range is about the same as yours, and you meet the other college requirements
Safety School: SAT or ACT score range is less than yours, and you exceed their requirements



Do you like getting this sort of help for homeschooling high school?  Gold Care Club members get extended answers to their most challenging high school issues.  Homeschooling is NOT the same as doing schoolwork at home.  There is LOTS of freedom!  My Gold Care Club will give you all the help you need to succeed!

For maximum benefit....

Is your child headed toward Ivy League schools?  This information may help!

The "true" Ivy League schools are Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale.

Do your research early in high school to find out exactly what they want in their applicants, and do your best to give it to them.  Here are examples of Ivy League homeschool admission policies.

Brown FAQ for Homeschoolers
I suggest thorough course descriptions and extra subject tests.

Columbia Admission for Homeschoolers
Columbia does not grant any credit for college courses taken during high school.

Princeton Admission tips for Homeschooled Students
The more you can document, the better.  A homeschooler was the 2002 Valedictorian, so I do think they understand homeschooling.

Dartmouth Answers Homeschool Questions
"There is no need to worry that we are not accustomed to home-schooled applicants." They like students to demonstrate  language proficiency with SAT 2 or AP subject tests.

Rejection can happen. There are many thousands of highly qualified students who are rejected each year - from public, private, and home-schools! So be prepared with a back up plan!  At this level, when all candidates are extremely qualified, it often seems like it was a flip-of-the-coin admission decision, with no rhyme or reason.

These colleges value homeschool education.  And yet there are no guarantees for anyone, regardless of the type of quality of their education.  Read their admission policy carefully, and weigh your options with your eyes wide open.

Homeschoolers can have GREAT success with Ivy admission, however.  It was a homeschooler who was accepted to 7 of the nations top universities in 2008.

"In what has been called the most competitive year ever for college admissions, Chelsea Link defied the odds to get accepted into Yale. Then Harvard. Then came the fat envelopes from Princeton, Columbia, University of Chicago, Stanford and Northwestern University. Making that feat still more extraordinary, Link has been home-schooled since age 5."
Read the Chicago Tribune Article

"This is the story that the teachers unions wish had never happened. This is the story that proves all their hysterical demands for more money are nothing but a sham. This is the story that makes the unions and education bureaucrats sick to their stomachs. This is the personal story of my daughter Dakota Root."  Read the original article

As you do your research, remember that Ivy League schools may be prestigious, but they are certainly NOT perfect.  I stumbled upon a recent article in Rolling Stone that confirms that for at least one student. (Confessions of an Ivy League Frat Boy: Inside Dartmouth's Hazing Abuses.)

Are Ivy league schools worse than other schools?  Don't bet on it! Are they better than other schools?  Does it matter?  It's more important to consider the FIT of the college, and only your family can determine the right fit for your student and your family.

• Homeschoolers CAN get admission into Ivy schools


• Homescholers are NOT guaranteed admission


• Ivy league schools are NOT perfect


• Do your research early


• Have a contingency plan in case of rejection

In May, my Gold Care Club webinar will be on Ivy League college applications.  If you would like to join me in the discussion, join the Gold Care Club