Tricks and “lifehacks” that help getting into a better college

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3:2 engineering programs.

Is there a path from community college to this? From my beginning research, it looks like DC could do 2 years NOVA (earning an AS), 2 years Longwood, 2 years UVA.

Why not go straight from NOVA to UVA? https://admission.virginia.edu/transfer/guaranteed-transfer-admission

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Community college -> top instate flagship. Works in VA, CA, FL and TX at least.

NP here - can you explain? Is this just applying to a top flagship as a transfer, or is there more to this? Does this give you a better chance of admission?

See above for UVA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3:2 engineering programs.

Is there a path from community college to this? From my beginning research, it looks like DC could do 2 years NOVA (earning an AS), 2 years Longwood, 2 years UVA.

Why not go straight from NOVA to UVA? https://admission.virginia.edu/transfer/guaranteed-transfer-admission

The fact that this program has been around for 20+ years & continues to exist despite how competitive freshmen admissions are should tell you that, for whatever reason, this program is not as easy as it looks to complete. Because if any material number of students were completing it, it wouldn’t exist anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get an admin staff job at a top university. Preferably the lowest level job that still considers you an employee of the university (cleaning & food service are contracted out, so not those).

Or, get a graduate degree from a top university that considers children whose parents completed a grad degree from that a school a legacy.

Thank you for this! I have a graduate degree from a uni in the UK, and by a strange coincidence I think I CAN get a job at one or two very well known universities around where I live. Should I do it by the time my kid is a junior in HS?

You should ensure it would actually lead to an admissions benefit before taking a job there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get an admin staff job at a top university. Preferably the lowest level job that still considers you an employee of the university (cleaning & food service are contracted out, so not those).

Or, get a graduate degree from a top university that considers children whose parents completed a grad degree from that a school a legacy.

Thank you for this! I have a graduate degree from a uni in the UK, and by a strange coincidence I think I CAN get a job at one or two very well known universities around where I live. Should I do it by the time my kid is a junior in HS?

Too late

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your child is in high school already, it’s too late to do any of this, but:

-Train your child in an expensive, niche sport
-Have somebody with an elite pedigree adopt your child so they can be a legacy
-Send your child to really good private school for k-8, then to a very middling public high school, and supplement with tutoring & private college counseling

such as?

Squash, rowing (particularly women's), fencing, golf, men's volleyball, women's Ice Hockey, Sailing, women's equestrianism/polo

[Anonymous]

If there is a HS class that is required for graduation but you know you won’t get a good grade in it, take it your senior year so hopefully you get in ED somewhere before it drags down your GPA.

Even better, at some schools you can meet a graduation requirement with a summer school class that is not included in your GPA (because it’s presumed that it may be easier to get a top grade).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Top medical & law schools don’t really care where you went to undergrad. Top PhD programs are snobby, in that the level of research experience they expect from applicants can only be obtained at top undergrad schools.

Not true, I had multiple research opportunities my first semester as a freshman at a (R1) satellite state schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok we all know about the straightforward things like good grades and extracurricular achievements, right?
What are some other things that aren’t obvious, may not be exactly ethical (but are legal!) and maybe cumbersome but that help?
So far I have thought about:
- quitting jobs and becoming low income for 6 years (2 years before college and 4 years of college)
- moving to a state that sends few people to certain colleges
- homeschooling
- giving the kid a Hispanic last name and not checking the race on application (no lying involved so..)
- transferring kid to a mediocre but safe high school

I mean I know most of these sound crazy but let’s entertain the thoughts?

Number one would be to make sure the kid comes from a good family. It might be too late for your kids, OP.

Come on don’t be a bore

It’s “boor”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have DC attend a high FARMS HS with wide economic differences. Your DC can take all honors/weighted GPA/challenging courses and exist in a bubble - all neighbors and peers went private. Bonus for personal achievements like scouting, school leadership, advisory boards. DC will graduate at top of class and be a standout, unlike peers at nearby higher achieving HS who’ll be shocked at being wait listed or rejected.

Big fish, small pool.

Ha. Saw this backfire on many in our neighborhood. The Ivy and top university admits all went to the minorities. The school had 240 valedictorians out of a 660 size class. The quotas of kids for each college were taken up by non-white.

[Anonymous]

It is actually not that easy to be a recruited fencer, especially if you are male. Please don’t take up fencing just to get into college. The sport is too hard and too expensive for someone who doesn’t genuinely want to be there. And coaches can tell which kids are just in it until college and which one genuinely want to fence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:choosing a less common major on the common app

True but only to a certain extent. You need to back it up with your curricular and extracurriculars. I don't think colleges will buy it when a kid who does mainly CS classes and clubs declares Latin as his major

Not to mention, at most schools like that you cannot simply transfer into the CS programs. If you aren't in as direct admit don't count on getting in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3:2 engineering programs.

Is there a path from community college to this? From my beginning research, it looks like DC could do 2 years NOVA (earning an AS), 2 years Longwood, 2 years UVA.

Why not go straight from NOVA to UVA? https://admission.virginia.edu/transfer/guaranteed-transfer-admission

Because my DC won't be able to complete all of the UVA Engineering pre-reqs at NOVA. DC is a late bloomer, academically. Has anyone done the progression described above - 2 years NOVA (earning an AS), 2 years Longwood, 2 years UVA?

[Anonymous]

I am currently pregnant. The baby will be half white and half Middle Eastern, so technically white for US census purposes. I plan to check the Hispanic box from birth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is actually not that easy to be a recruited fencer, especially if you are male. Please don’t take up fencing just to get into college. The sport is too hard and too expensive for someone who doesn’t genuinely want to be there. And coaches can tell which kids are just in it until college and which one genuinely want to fence.

XC is cheap, however.