If my kid has really strong academic credentials in STEM

[Anonymous]

Magnet high school, 4.0 unweighted, tons of rigor, SAT over 1500 (based on PSAT scores, he hasn't taken it).

But all of his EC's are either art or sports or work. Zero STEM EC's.

Where would a kid like that end up for engineering or maybe CS?

[Anonymous]

Canada doesn’t look at EC

[Anonymous]

Many big state schools don't look for STEM ecs, just that you did something with your time.

[Anonymous]

What about in the US? Can a kid like that go to UMD? VT? UMBC?

Kid’s friends are telling him that if he doesn’t do robotics and math competitions and science bowl stuff he won’t get in “anywhere”. I am pretty sure this is ridiculous but rather than just saying that I would like to be able to say “this is how it might or might not impact your school choices.” And let him make his own decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many big state schools don't look for STEM ecs, just that you did something with your time.

OP here,

He’s a busy kid. He’s just busy doing things like building the sets for the school play, working part time for a landscaper, playing a club sport and a school sport, a coaching summer swim etc . . .

What about small school options.

[Anonymous]

OP he sounds like a great kid. Being strong in both left AND right brain is less common and makes him a very compelling candidate for any level school. This is a huge strength that will serve him well in the process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many big state schools don't look for STEM ecs, just that you did something with your time.

OP here,

He’s a busy kid. He’s just busy doing things like building the sets for the school play, working part time for a landscaper, playing a club sport and a school sport, a coaching summer swim etc . . .

What about small school options.

That’s completely fine. A lot of engineering schools like to see kids do creative things too. Building sets for the school play is creative and also is relevant to engineering. He is designing and building things.
My kid got into a top engineering school without robotics club and the like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about in the US? Can a kid like that go to UMD? VT? UMBC?

Kid’s friends are telling him that if he doesn’t do robotics and math competitions and science bowl stuff he won’t get in “anywhere”. I am pretty sure this is ridiculous but rather than just saying that I would like to be able to say “this is how it might or might not impact your school choices.” And let him make his own decisions.

Wrong. DC's extracurriculars were sports only, and DC was admitted to several engineering programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP he sounds like a great kid. Being strong in both left AND right brain is less common and makes him a very compelling candidate for any level school. This is a huge strength that will serve him well in the process.

+1
My similar STEM-focused magnet kid's ECs are arts-focused plus one sport. I think LACs like to see this kind of balance, and my impression is that big state schools don't care that much once their academic thresholds are met. It might detract if he wants engineering or CS, so focus on schools that don't require you to declare an incoming major. Those tend to be more flexible in general in terms of viewing applications more holistically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about in the US? Can a kid like that go to UMD? VT? UMBC?

Kid’s friends are telling him that if he doesn’t do robotics and math competitions and science bowl stuff he won’t get in “anywhere”. I am pretty sure this is ridiculous but rather than just saying that I would like to be able to say “this is how it might or might not impact your school choices.” And let him make his own decisions.

Wrong. DC's extracurriculars were sports only, and DC was admitted to several engineering programs.

OP, I am confident they are wrong. Young teens often are! I just would rather not say “your friends are idiots” and instead say “I expect you will find some options similar to these schools, and your chances of getting into these kinds of schools may be less”.

Can I ask for examples of the kids of schools your DC got into?

[Anonymous]

Honestly, it seems like a strength rather than a weakness, but I don’t think any of us can tell you how it might play out in college admissions. We certainly can’t say that School X wants robotics but School Y would prefer engineering majors who build stage sets.

TBH my main takeaway it might be too early to assume this kid will do engineering, especially if he is a…sophomore? (No SAT yet). He sounds like he might prefer a SLAC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, it seems like a strength rather than a weakness, but I don’t think any of us can tell you how it might play out in college admissions. We certainly can’t say that School X wants robotics but School Y would prefer engineering majors who build stage sets.

TBH my main takeaway it might be too early to assume this kid will do engineering, especially if he is a…sophomore? (No SAT yet). He sounds like he might prefer a SLAC.

It’s possible he’ll change his mind. But at this point he is convinced this is what he wants, and if I say “Oh you could probably get into a school like (insert list of SLAC’s without engineering) he would be horrified and switch to robotics. Since that isn’t my goal, I am just looking for engineering options.

He loves to make stuff, from very early childhood, and he has the academic chops for engineering. So, I don’t think it’s a bad choice for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about in the US? Can a kid like that go to UMD? VT? UMBC?

Kid’s friends are telling him that if he doesn’t do robotics and math competitions and science bowl stuff he won’t get in “anywhere”. I am pretty sure this is ridiculous but rather than just saying that I would like to be able to say “this is how it might or might not impact your school choices.” And let him make his own decisions.

Which APs have they taken and which will they take? Taking the higher stem APs and scoring well is important. APs like BC Calculus( and post BC classes), AP Chemistry, AP Physics C (both), AP Biology are the key ones

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about in the US? Can a kid like that go to UMD? VT? UMBC?

Kid’s friends are telling him that if he doesn’t do robotics and math competitions and science bowl stuff he won’t get in “anywhere”. I am pretty sure this is ridiculous but rather than just saying that I would like to be able to say “this is how it might or might not impact your school choices.” And let him make his own decisions.

Which APs have they taken and which will they take? Taking the higher stem APs and scoring well is important. APs like BC Calculus( and post BC classes), AP Chemistry, AP Physics C (both), AP Biology are the key ones

+1. Unless you're looking at somewhere super-duper elite, what schools look at are: (1) whether these types of classes were taken (2) grades in these classes (3) SAT/ACT math scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many big state schools don't look for STEM ecs, just that you did something with your time.

OP here,

He’s a busy kid. He’s just busy doing things like building the sets for the school play, working part time for a landscaper, playing a club sport and a school sport, a coaching summer swim etc . . .

What about small school options.

That’s completely fine. A lot of engineering schools like to see kids do creative things too. Building sets for the school play is creative and also is relevant to engineering. He is designing and building things.
My kid got into a top engineering school without robotics club and the like.

I agree. My kid had 0 stem activities other than Math Honor Society and a science award. All her activities were theatre and music and dance. She got into several T15 listing math as a potential major (& arts). Not the same as applying for Engineering, but I think there it would be even more of an asset to have arts ECs. I totally agree about the sets. Could he take on a leadership role w/ the TD? Like Asst Designer or ATD? Good luck!