Starting a "nonprofit" in high school

[Anonymous]

A unifying theme among ED admits from our Big 3 school (those that have posted their ED to social media) seems to be that they "started a nonprofit." One or two I have seen seem fulsome and ongoing. Others, not so much.

Is this the latest "angle" parents in the DMV are encouraging?

Good works, even if done for a short period of time, are still worthwhile. And not all efforts will be successful. But anecdotally, it is curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A unifying theme among ED admits from our Big 3 school (those that have posted their ED to social media) seems to be that they "started a nonprofit." One or two I have seen seem fulsome and ongoing. Others, not so much.

Is this the latest "angle" parents in the DMV are encouraging?

Good works, even if done for a short period of time, are still worthwhile. And not all efforts will be successful. But anecdotally, it is curious.

Yes, you'll have to start one in middle school from now on to distinguish yourself.

[Anonymous]

I have seen this too. Kind of gross imo. But if good works are being done I guess less so than other things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A unifying theme among ED admits from our Big 3 school (those that have posted their ED to social media) seems to be that they "started a nonprofit." One or two I have seen seem fulsome and ongoing. Others, not so much.

Is this the latest "angle" parents in the DMV are encouraging?

Good works, even if done for a short period of time, are still worthwhile. And not all efforts will be successful. But anecdotally, it is curious.

It isn't just nonprofits. Kids are packaged as "entrepreneurs" as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A unifying theme among ED admits from our Big 3 school (those that have posted their ED to social media) seems to be that they "started a nonprofit." One or two I have seen seem fulsome and ongoing. Others, not so much.

Is this the latest "angle" parents in the DMV are encouraging?

Good works, even if done for a short period of time, are still worthwhile. And not all efforts will be successful. But anecdotally, it is curious.

It isn't just nonprofits. Kids are packaged as "entrepreneurs" as well.

Yeah -- seeing this a lot. And I agree with the prior poster who described it as "gross." It's worse than much of the 'voluntourism' out there. In this case, the kids generally are using the experience for an admissions edge.

[Anonymous]

What do you need to back this up?

My Big3 daughter's friends all have "non-profits" clubs at school but all they do is make up a name and and put it on their resume.
They never even met as a club.

What do the successful ones actually do?

[Anonymous]

I can't believe the colleges don't see right through this. My guess is they do, and just go

[Anonymous]

There is very little verification on what you put on the apps....but you never know when you might get caught.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe the colleges don't see right through this. My guess is they do, and just go

Perhaps they do. But many of the ED admits to highly selective schools that are seniors at our DC private ALL have started one of these types of organizations.

They all have websites, with very similar elements. Best of all, one of them is an organization supporting girls who start organizations. That's rich.

[Anonymous]

As with many trends in the admissions world, this was more unique and may have had more of an impact 10+ yrs ago. These days, college admission officers are very aware that it has become a tactic. They are not stupid.

I agree with the PPs that starting a nonprofit for the purpose of admissions is gross and, frankly, a waste of time.

[Anonymous]

This could not be any more cynical. The parents of these kids should shut it down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you need to back this up?

My Big3 daughter's friends all have "non-profits" clubs at school but all they do is make up a name and and put it on their resume.
They never even met as a club.

What do the successful ones actually do?

I know three boys you who set up a food relief program for laid off service workers in resort town in the first year of COVID. They got off the ground within less than a month. Frankly, IDK if they ever got nonprofit status, but they tried to meet a real need in a desperate time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe the colleges don't see right through this. My guess is they do, and just go

Perhaps they do. But many of the ED admits to highly selective schools that are seniors at our DC private ALL have started one of these types of organizations.

They all have websites, with very similar elements. Best of all, one of them is an organization supporting girls who start organizations. That's rich.

I'm going to have my kid start an organization supporting girls who start organizations that support girls who start organizations. Harvard here we come.

In all seriousness, I'm bummed colleges fall for this. All of these faux 501c3s are done and dusted by the time the kid graduates from high school.

[Anonymous]

DD didn't set up a nonprofit, but started a tutor/instruction program for elementary aged kids via Zoom when folks were in lockdown, Her research internship was cancelled and she needed an activity. It wasn't huge and she was the only employee. Was also a learning experience for her as she talked about how she had to adapt lessons based on age, computer experience, etc, - factors she hadn't anticipated in much depth.

I doubt she would have done this if it had been a "normal" spring/summer.

[Anonymous]

At our school, this started last year and has really accelerated with this year’s senior class. And not just non-profits, but also starting small businesses. Personally don’t like that colleges are rewarding kids starting something and ditching it once apps are done vs. helping established non-profits or learning to work at a typical summer job.