Turn your wealth and privilege into a college admissions story

[Anonymous]

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2025/07/charity-founded-by-kids-in-potomac-hopes-to-make-swimming-more-accessible-and-safer/


Step 1. Mommy and Daddy buy expensive toys.

Step 2. Give away used toys when Mommy and Daddy buy newer expensive toys

Step 3. File some paperwork

Step 4. Brag about it to the paper.

Step 5, HARVARD, BABY!

[Anonymous]

That actually seems like a nice organization. Niche, not trying to be just another rubber stamp charity in an overcrowded market. It’s not saving the world, but it’s doing a nice thing for kids who can’t afford water-related equipment otherwise. I hope they stick with it even after they get into Harvard.

[Anonymous]

I've seen their posters up at many, many meets and have never seen a single donated item in any of their collection boxes. The cause is a good idea but let's be real - how many teens who have expensive stuff are saying (and I quote): “My parents are able to buy me all this expensive swim equipment, like fins, swimsuits, goggles, caps, and I realized that not everyone has that,” Jay Cole said. “I’ve raced people who don’t have the same level of equipment as a lot of these high level swimmers do.”

No competitive athlete is thinking - let's even the playing field. I'm fairly certain he has never - ever - looked at another swimmer in his heat and thought, "wow, his tech suit or goggles or cap (the only equipment ever used during a race) are far beneath mine. Poor kid."

[Anonymous]

This is a common idea (kid plays sport; creates project to gather and distribute used sports equipment in poor areas).

It’s easy and it can work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That actually seems like a nice organization. Niche, not trying to be just another rubber stamp charity in an overcrowded market. It’s not saving the world, but it’s doing a nice thing for kids who can’t afford water-related equipment otherwise. I hope they stick with it even after they get into Harvard.

They donated it to poor kids in Baltimore. That's fine but do you really think kids in Baltimore are competing in tech suits? Most of them don't even have access to a decent pool or know how to swim. A better idea would be to organize volunteers and give swim lessons to poor kids. Easier to collect expensive items and get corporate sponsors through mom and dad.

[Anonymous]

Slightly better than all of the girls posing with little black kids in Africa and posting on insta.

[Anonymous]

I’d rather have my kid volunteer with already-established charities- more to get them out of the house, away from their phones, and learn to work with others in a non-school setting.

[Anonymous]

So what should UMC kids do instead? Let me guess, they should do nothing and only apply to the lowest ranked schools opening up spots for the less privileged.

[Anonymous]

My kid goes to school with a kid who had an article like this written about them. To be clear, not these kids (never heard of them).

My kid said that the kid they know does indeed have the charity, but that their mom runs it. Not a huge surprise, but disappointing.

[Anonymous]

Done over and over

Old news

Kids giving cleats and uniforms to poor in Africa

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what should UMC kids do instead? Let me guess, they should do nothing and only apply to the lowest ranked schools opening up spots for the less privileged.

Refuse to participate in this fake nonsense and aim for and be happy with their state flagship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what should UMC kids do instead? Let me guess, they should do nothing and only apply to the lowest ranked schools opening up spots for the less privileged.

Refuse to participate in this fake nonsense and aim for and be happy with their state flagship.

So UMC kids should all never apply or aim to the top 25 schools? Even if they are at a school 10x more rigorous and they’ve excelled at the most rigorous courses, they should ONLY go their state flagship. Wait, what about all the kids who aren’t wealthy who want to go to the state flagship?? OK, let require all UMC kids to ONLY go to the lowest ranked state school. Yeah, that’s a great idea.

You should realize that if only less privileged people and less academically capable students fill all the top 25 schools, they will cease to be top 25.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what should UMC kids do instead? Let me guess, they should do nothing and only apply to the lowest ranked schools opening up spots for the less privileged.

Get a job and donate the proceeds to an established charity. Volunteer for an established charity.

[Anonymous]

Boring

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what should UMC kids do instead? Let me guess, they should do nothing and only apply to the lowest ranked schools opening up spots for the less privileged.

Refuse to participate in this fake nonsense and aim for and be happy with their state flagship.

So UMC kids should all never apply or aim to the top 25 schools? Even if they are at a school 10x more rigorous and they’ve excelled at the most rigorous courses, they should ONLY go their state flagship. Wait, what about all the kids who aren’t wealthy who want to go to the state flagship?? OK, let require all UMC kids to ONLY go to the lowest ranked state school. Yeah, that’s a great idea.

You should realize that if only less privileged people and less academically capable students fill all the top 25 schools, they will cease to be top 25.

NP. That actually sounds great to me. Spread around the poors and the intellectuals. Stop with the USNWR ratings!