How important are “leadership” and awards?

[Anonymous]

My kid will end up with SATs in the mid to high 1400 range, maybe a 3.9 unweighted GPA with pretty good rigor (7 or 8 APs), and can probably get a couple decent but not amazing rec. He does a number of activities -- acting in several school productions each year, creative writing, volunteering over the summers, a couple of clubs. He has ADHD and he puts a lot of himself into these activities because he loves them, but honestly is not motivated enough to go for leadership positions or awards.

He’s probably targeting LACs but not sure how competitive a kid like this is. He is smart and interesting but still immature in many ways. I’m interested in thoughts from parents of kids like this and how things have worked out for them.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't worry about it. Usually its a popularity contest and favorites with the teachers.

[Anonymous]

He’s gonna be fine and have plenty of options, especially at liberal arts colleges which tend to favor boys.

For real. You’re good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He’s gonna be fine and have plenty of options, especially at liberal arts colleges which tend to favor boys.

For real. You’re good.

Outside of the tippy-top ones, yes.

[Anonymous]

There are many ways to demonstrate leadership. It's not just about titles. You can show leadership in classroom discussion, by recommending and implementing a change, taking the initiative and exploring a new interest and topic- and doing something with it. Its about impact vs titles and awards.

[Anonymous]

Wake Forest would be a good fit if ED. Leadership and award are not that important for WF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid will end up with SATs in the mid to high 1400 range, maybe a 3.9 unweighted GPA with pretty good rigor (7 or 8 APs), and can probably get a couple decent but not amazing rec. He does a number of activities -- acting in several school productions each year, creative writing, volunteering over the summers, a couple of clubs. He has ADHD and he puts a lot of himself into these activities because he loves them, but honestly is not motivated enough to go for leadership positions or awards.

He’s probably targeting LACs but not sure how competitive a kid like this is. He is smart and interesting, but still immature in many ways. I’m interested in thoughts from parents of kids like this and how things have worked out for them.

For kids like this, if really into writing, try and apply to summer programs (Kenyon, Iowa, Bard, Interlochen, 92Y, etc) - even the Simon's Rock 1-week summer thing in August is good.
Add in a school-based writing EC (if you join in 11th, you can add 11 and 12 on Common App and that shows longevity) - school newspaper (opinion?) or literary magazine, TA for English classes, peer editor/mentor, tutor for middle school English.
Possibly related jobs/volunteer/internship: library, bookstore, publishing house, social media manager for small companies/orgs.

Then: Apply as an English major. Maybe the acting was Shakespeare or Greek plays - voila, you tie it all into a love for Literature.

Golden boy application....
Even works for Yale and Brown.

[Anonymous]

LACs like people who will be engaged in their school and community. Just being engaged like he is doing is perfect. With those stats he will have many, many options.

Leadership can’t be forced and comes naturally over time. Not sure what grade he’s in, but assuming he’s a junior, he will very likely be a much more mature and evolved person by this time next year when applying to colleges. That was the case for my boys.

The transformation with boys from age 16 to 18 can be remarkable.

[Anonymous]

You have to look at it as the full picture of the student and what the school is looking for. My kids didn’t have some extraordinary leadership but they did have longevity in their interests, had summer jobs and worked, good grades in challenging classes and within range for where they ended up (low reach and more like t20-25) and had good essays that you understood more of who they were. Also, as much as schools might say major doesn’t matter, they did better at schools where they weren’t going for the more competitive majors but their potential major referenced in why school x still made sense with classes they had taken and activities.

There is a lot of info out there on having a brand and narrative- I don’t mean in a fake and phony way, but authentically what is it and why is it a match for the school. Colleges are building a class. For my kids, how the admission officer may have envisioned my kids contributing to the college community is probably accurate (even if not the exact same as high school) and how my kids have taken advantage of being at their chosen school is lining up with why they wanted to go there. I will also add, one of my kids has ADHD and didn’t have formal leadership roles. For all the reasons listed above, they were able to still do okay with college admissions. The bigger challenge was getting organized enough for college applications. We had an outside college counselor for that and to guide essay and even with that it wasn’t easy but was the likely reason they had their stuff together enough to apply EA and get merit to the college they now attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid will end up with SATs in the mid to high 1400 range, maybe a 3.9 unweighted GPA with pretty good rigor (7 or 8 APs), and can probably get a couple decent but not amazing rec. He does a number of activities -- acting in several school productions each year, creative writing, volunteering over the summers, a couple of clubs. He has ADHD and he puts a lot of himself into these activities because he loves them, but honestly is not motivated enough to go for leadership positions or awards.

He’s probably targeting LACs but not sure how competitive a kid like this is. He is smart and interesting, but still immature in many ways. I’m interested in thoughts from parents of kids like this and how things have worked out for them.

For kids like this, if really into writing, try and apply to summer programs (Kenyon, Iowa, Bard, Interlochen, 92Y, etc) - even the Simon's Rock 1-week summer thing in August is good.
Add in a school-based writing EC (if you join in 11th, you can add 11 and 12 on Common App and that shows longevity) - school newspaper (opinion?) or literary magazine, TA for English classes, peer editor/mentor, tutor for middle school English.
Possibly related jobs/volunteer/internship: library, bookstore, publishing house, social media manager for small companies/orgs.

Then: Apply as an English major. Maybe the acting was Shakespeare or Greek plays - voila, you tie it all into a love for Literature.

Golden boy application....
Even works for Yale and Brown.

+1
Strong authentic narratives are easy for males who are into writing in theater

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:LACs like people who will be engaged in their school and community. Just being engaged like he is doing is perfect. With those stats he will have many, many options.

Leadership can’t be forced and comes naturally over time. Not sure what grade he’s in, but assuming he’s a junior, he will very likely be a much more mature and evolved person by this time next year when applying to colleges. That was the case for my boys.

The transformation with boys from age 16 to 18 can be remarkable.

Yes, he is a junior. This is so good to hear. I keep reminding myself that it will be a good while before we actually send him off!