Is Study Abroad considered Pay to Play?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you kidding me? Who thinks like this? You study abroad to learn a language and/or broaden your horizons, not to strengthen some college app. Sheesh.

Especially ludicrous is the conviction that we've gotten inside the heads of AOs and we know that they reject such programs.

Yeah that would be ludicrous. Except who is doing that exactly? Some people have talked to AOs, or to consultants who make their living talking to AOs, or - wait for it - read one of the dozens of books written by former AOs... not exactly metaphysics, just read a book.

who the hell cares what an "AO" thinks?

Ummmm... someone applying to college, maybe?

[Anonymous]

It shows them you havecmoney, which they like.

It may show your kid is mature, since they have lived apart from family.

It is not an EC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you kidding me? Who thinks like this? You study abroad to learn a language and/or broaden your horizons, not to strengthen some college app. Sheesh.

Especially ludicrous is the conviction that we've gotten inside the heads of AOs and we know that they reject such programs.

Yeah that would be ludicrous. Except who is doing that exactly? Some people have talked to AOs, or to consultants who make their living talking to AOs, or - wait for it - read one of the dozens of books written by former AOs... not exactly metaphysics, just read a book.

who the hell cares what an "AO" thinks?

Ummmm... someone applying to college, maybe?

well that is just sad.

[Anonymous]

None of this stuff, alone, gets you into a particular college, and none of it keeps you out. It can help you seem more compelling depending on how you apply yourself and what you do with it. Make choices that make sense for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It shows them you havecmoney, which they like.

It may show your kid is mature, since they have lived apart from family.

It is not an EC.

How would you count a summer program? Would you not list it on common app?

[Anonymous]

The "pay to play" angle is interesting. I do not know the answer, but I do know that students who spend their Junior year of high school abroad do well in the college admissions process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It shows them you havecmoney, which they like.

It may show your kid is mature, since they have lived apart from family.

It is not an EC.

How would you count a summer program? Would you not list it on common app?

I would probably include it as an activity but low on the list (there are 10 slots if I recall, i'd put it at 8 -10 unless there are more compelling entries.)

[Anonymous]

are you talking about summer program or actually spending a semester of high school abroad? if it's the latter i think that would be something interesting on an application but certainly not something to do just for an application. it's also hard to do these days with AP exams and SAT tests all starting in junior year. if it's a summer program there is nothing wrong with doing one and it could be a great opportunity but again only do it if a student wants to not for the application and yes, most of them cost $$ and colleges are aware that only some kids have that kind of opportunity..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It shows them you havecmoney, which they like.

It may show your kid is mature, since they have lived apart from family.

It is not an EC.

How would you count a summer program? Would you not list it on common app?

I would probably include it as an activity but low on the list (there are 10 slots if I recall, i'd put it at 8 -10 unless there are more compelling entries.)

Would these (hypotheticals) be more compelling (and hence higher up the ec list) than a summer in Madrid learning Spanish or in Lyon learning more French?: NHS treasurer? Volleyball varsity team? Soup kitchen volunteer 1x per week? CIT?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It shows them you havecmoney, which they like.

It may show your kid is mature, since they have lived apart from family.

It is not an EC.

How would you count a summer program? Would you not list it on common app?

I would probably include it as an activity but low on the list (there are 10 slots if I recall, i'd put it at 8 -10 unless there are more compelling entries.)

Would these (hypotheticals) be more compelling (and hence higher up the ec list) than a summer in Madrid learning Spanish or in Lyon learning more French?: NHS treasurer? Volleyball varsity team? Soup kitchen volunteer 1x per week? CIT?

my opinion on this (as a parent, not anyone who has insider knowledge) is that it really depends on the kid and how they are presenting themselves. my understanding (backed up at least a little bit my own kid's experience with the admissions process) is that the highly competitive schools value the "story" that the activities/essays/letters come together to tell. So any single activity isn't all that important, they've seen a gazillion other kids who did debate or volunteered or played the violin or did a language school abroad. but they way they talk about what is important to them in the essays and refer to activities listed elsewhere in chart is the more relevant part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are free or close-to-free study abroad programs like Rotary or NSLI-Y.

NSLI-Y kids do well in college admissions, not necessarily because of NSLI-Y but because the kids that are selected for that program typically are strong, motivated students. Rotary and NSLI-Y are great programs