College Selection?

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Originally Posted by Adolf Allerbush

Not required, but if you have a good SAT/ACT score does it help?

My nieces, on in college the other a senior in HS, elected not to take the SAT or ACT because in their pre-tests their scores were dogshit. their GPAs are good, so they banked, or are banking, on it being enough in combination with their extracurriculars. that's my only perspective on this so far...I haven't heard of people electing to take the SAT because it would increase their chances so I have to assume it doesn't. If that's the case why would anyone take the test?

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Yes, good test scores help, I'm sure.

The colleges who went SAT-optional years ago did so in part to game the US News rankings. If you make it optional, who submits their scores? Then, when you submit the average SAT score of your freshman class to US News, how does it look?

Plus, you get to put out some high-minded press release. Furthermore, it's easier to admit the braindead children of your WASP-y alumni/donors on the basis of their 3.5 at some prep school and a sterling essay that was obviously written by someone else. It's amazing more schools weren't in on this scam sooner.

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Originally Posted by Sirshredalot

Yes, good test scores help, I'm sure.

The colleges who went SAT-optional years ago did so in part to game the US News rankings. If you make it optional, who submits their scores? Then, when you submit the average SAT score of your freshman class to US News, how does it look?

Plus, you get to put out some high-minded press release. Furthermore, it's easier to admit the braindead children of your WASP-y alumni/donors on the basis of their 3.5 at some prep school and a sterling essay that was obviously written by someone else. It's amazing more schools weren't in on this scam sooner.

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The rankings game is an interesting cat and mouse scenario. The US News discounts your score by 15% if you don't hit a certain threshold of scores being submitted, but it just depends whether that helps you more than it hurts you.

There is so much great advice here. I’m running out the door but wanted to let y’all know that this is all appreciated. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by MarcusBrody

The rankings game is an interesting cat and mouse scenario. The US News discounts your score by 15% if you don't hit a certain threshold of scores being submitted, but it just depends whether that helps you more than it hurts you.

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I didn't realize they were applying that penalty now. I was thinking way back to my undergrad days.

My alma mater extended the test optional policy for another year. They must figure there's no way they're falling beneath that threshold and taking the 15 percent hit.

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Originally Posted by Sirshredalot

I didn't realize they were applying that penalty now. I was thinking way back to my undergrad days.

My alma mater extended the test optional policy for another year. They must figure there's no way they're falling beneath that threshold and taking the 15 percent hit.

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As shown in the Times link above, schools routinely and effectively cheat the USNWR rankings, though at least Temple got caught at it. These anecdotal reports in the thread probably mean more than those fancy rubrics.

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Originally Posted by Sirshredalot

I didn't realize they were applying that penalty now. I was thinking way back to my undergrad days.

My alma mater extended the test optional policy for another year. They must figure there's no way they're falling beneath that threshold and taking the 15 percent hit.

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The threshold had been 75%, but with the pandemic and the admission flexibility it brought, it was dropped to 50%, so they had some breathing room to self-select test takers, but still avoid the penalty adjustment on the scores.

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Originally Posted by MarcusBrody

The threshold had been 75%, but with the pandemic and the admission flexibility it brought, it was dropped to 50%, so they had some breathing room to self-select test takers, but still avoid the penalty adjustment on the scores.

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Oh, there's no way they're dropping to sub-50 percent. That's a no-brainer for the admissions office.

Thanks for the context. I'm interviewing a high school kid in 5 minutes. Always nice to have the insider's perspective.

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USNWR college rankings are just that, rank. That's been known for some time.


Other resources for college evaluation include:
https://www.princetonreview.com/coll.../best-colleges
https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/profiles/site?method=ranking

These require more thought, are not strictly ordered and the nsf site allows sifting through lots of different measurements.

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Originally Posted by BmillsSkier

Does anyone here speak English, or even Ancient Greek?

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Cacator cave malum, aut si contempseris, habeas Iovem iratum.

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Originally Posted by dunfree

Cacator cave malum, aut si contempseris, habeas Iovem iratum.

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You have irritable bowel syndrome?

Anyone having experience getting a college student their first credit card? I'm trying to help my nephew navigate this, he'll be a freshman in the fall. Looking for something with a tiny credit limit (like $200/month) and a not-too-predatory rate, though I'll yell at him about not carrying a balance.

Do these cards have any level of parental access? There won't be anyone co-signing, but it might be good to have the ability to make sure he's not running amuck with V-bucks or whatever.

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Originally Posted by dan_pdx

Anyone having experience getting a college student their first credit card? I'm trying to help my nephew navigate this, he'll be a freshman in the fall. Looking for something with a tiny credit limit (like $200/month) and a not-too-predatory rate, though I'll yell at him about not carrying a balance.

Do these cards have any level of parental access? There won't be anyone co-signing, but it might be good to have the ability to make sure he's not running amuck with V-bucks or whatever.

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We got our kids CC through their credit union - low limits, decent rates. We have drilled it into their skulls to NOT carry a balance, though - so the rate is irrelevant. Should help them build credit slowly and learn how to be responsible with the card.

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Originally Posted by dan_pdx

Anyone having experience getting a college student their first credit card? I'm trying to help my nephew navigate this, he'll be a freshman in the fall. Looking for something with a tiny credit limit (like $200/month) and a not-too-predatory rate, though I'll yell at him about not carrying a balance.

Do these cards have any level of parental access? There won't be anyone co-signing, but it might be good to have the ability to make sure he's not running amuck with V-bucks or whatever.

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If he has a bank account I would start there. My oldest got a Discover card with a low limit when he first started school but I don't think we could access his account info. I can't second the thought of NOR RUNNING A BALANCE enough with college kids.

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Originally Posted by skaredshtles

We got our kids CC through their credit union - low limits, decent rates. We have drilled it into their skulls to NOT carry a balance, though - so the rate is irrelevant. Should help them build credit slowly and learn how to be responsible with the card.

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Yeah, it needs to constantly be stated that the card is not a means to buy things that you don't currently have money for. Instead, it's a means to not have to use cash, to build credit, to simplify your spending (pay monthly vs as you go), to be less susceptible to theft/loss (easier/safer to carry a card than $100), etc. Balances must get paid in full every month.

Most banks/CUs will let you open a low limit card if you load it up first. At least in my experience as an immigrant-with-no-credit-history.

What was the outcome of this thread? I'm a Texas A&M and Queen's (Ontario) alum for engineering/business and my insight is that your degree means shit and it's entirely about the network you get out of it.

Thanks all, seems my sister has found something at Navy Fed Credit Union that looks like a good choice; it's a starter card that requires a cash deposit up to the value of the credit limit initially, then if things go well for several months, the training wheels come off and it becomes a normal low-limit credit card.

Will definitely make the point about carrying a balance. Maybe I'll show him some spreadsheets, that should be a good bonding activity

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Originally Posted by dan_pdx

Thanks all, seems my sister has found something at Navy Fed Credit Union that looks like a good choice; it's a starter card that requires a cash deposit up to the value of the credit limit initially, then if things go well for several months, the training wheels come off and it becomes a normal low-limit credit card.

Will definitely make the point about carrying a balance. Maybe I'll show him some spreadsheets, that should be a good bonding activity

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That’s exactly what I had 30 years ago. Good find.

One interesting thing is that since so many kids run their lives with Venmo it's fairly easy for them to understand the idea of credit/fake money being backed by real money. In that regard they are way ahead of their parent's generation.

First credit card I got as a college student I immediately went out and bought $1,500 worth of rock climbing equipment. Had no plan to pay it back any time soon. Still one of the best decisions I ever made.

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Originally Posted by yeahman

First credit card I got as a college student I immediately went out and bought $1,500 worth of rock climbing equipment. Had no plan to pay it back any time soon. Still one of the best decisions I ever made.

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I get this; when I moved right after college I bought a few things for my new house when I had no money. I made the conscious decision that having those things for 6 months and paying a small premium was better than saving up for 6 months and going without. But it's super easy for a young adult with no sense of finances to make that argument to themself about everything they buy, and before they know it, they're burdened with tons of debt.

I recall my first weeks of upstate college in the mid 80s and my first ever ATM card.
Never used or even saw one before. Previously all banking was done face to face with a teller or the drive up tube machine.

Now
You just walk up, put the card in, push buttons and get beer money?!?! Any time of the day or night?!?!
Amazing and life changing. (Liver damage and weight gain)

Bumping this with an update!

She got accepted (Early Decision) to Colorado College. She loves the school and we are super happy for her.

She applied with a ~3.9/4.2 gpa (unweighted/weighted). She’s a strong applicant with tons of great experience (athletics, volunteering, leadership). She’s a strong applicant who only had 3- B’s in her entire HS transcript, and all of those were during covid-homeschool in Spanish.

In a way I wish she would’ve applied to a couple of reach-schools (Brown, Cornell, etc) but she loves Colorado and CC feels like a great fit.

She feels a little silly to not be going to a a D1/2 running school, but I think she made the right decision. She had a few offers from D1 schools, but she doesn’t want running to necessarily shape her college experience.

We couldn’t be more proud (or relieved).

Annnnd she’s only a 5-6 hour drive from home!


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Originally Posted by Tech Tonics

Annnnd she’s only a 5-6 hour drive from home!

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Are you sure that's far enough?

Congrats TT, that's gotta be a cool step watching your kid make a big life decision and put some thought into it.

Awesome! As long as she's in an environment that that allows her to thrive in multifarious ways, it's gonna be a great ride!

Congratulations to everyone! Sounds like she’s got a good head on her shoulders.
Bonus for the parentals in having her relatively close.
Mine is doing applications now and those east coast schools don’t sound so good to mom and dad. But it’s also not our journey so we’ll see what happens.