Do smart kids without extracurriculars get into top schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend has a daughter who has always been smart and gifted. Family never pushes her to do anything she doesn’t want to do. She has no extracurricular activities besides enjoying writing and drawing. I don’t think she has any competitions or awards. Both parents attended public state schools.

Can a girl like this get into any top schools? UVA?

Is she good at creative writing? Lots of 'activities' especially volunteer work would be impossible to verify

Agree. All the volunteer work is totally made up…at least at our private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Writing and drawing are extracurriculars. There are ways to explain those. She may also be involved in things you are not aware of.

My understanding is that essays are much more important than the activity list.

OMG, no! Who told you this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend has a daughter who has always been smart and gifted. Family never pushes her to do anything she doesn’t want to do. She has no extracurricular activities besides enjoying writing and drawing. I don’t think she has any competitions or awards. Both parents attended public state schools.

Can a girl like this get into any top schools? UVA?

Is she good at creative writing? Lots of 'activities' especially volunteer work would be impossible to verify

Agree. All the volunteer work is totally made up…at least at our private.

Yep. It's pretty much all a farce.

[Anonymous]

She could just create a website that says she provides online drawing lessons or story time to underprivileged youth and she’s all good.

[Anonymous]

OP most of the Canadian top colleges are not remotely interested in EC. They look at grades and SAT results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Writing and drawing are extracurriculars. There are ways to explain those. She may also be involved in things you are not aware of.

My understanding is that essays are much more important than the activity list.

+1

ECs can be anything. Writing and drawing does count as activities if she just spend hours each week doing it at home outside of an official club or job. Also, in our experience the transcript, HS recommendations, and essays count much more than EC/activities unless the EC/activities are truly extraordinary which most are just run of the mill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Writing and drawing are extracurriculars. There are ways to explain those. She may also be involved in things you are not aware of.

My understanding is that essays are much more important than the activity list.

+1

ECs can be anything. Writing and drawing does count as activities if she just spend hours each week doing it at home outside of an official club or job. Also, in our experience the transcript, HS recommendations, and essays count much more than EC/activities unless the EC/activities are truly extraordinary which most are just run of the mill.

Yes,but for top tier schools, some degree of extraordinary is important for ECs. Maybe realize the drawing/writing by submitting to various competitions or publications or generating a compelling portfolio. Also, kid should consider some way to give back -- maybe help with arts at a kids or senior center.

[Anonymous]

Frankly, this kid seems refreshing for not getting caught up in the BS activities around them. Except for a few, most kids are doing activities for college so kids who like writing and art who are not caught up in the rat race may end up being happier. So many useless non- profits are shut down as soon as the kid gets into college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, no. She'll get into a great school, but not top 10.

NP. I asked this on DCUM before and was told to forget about top 50 schools...

[Anonymous]

Why didn't she join a couple of academic or artistically-oriented clubs at school, plus a little volunteering? I know several kids like her who had one or two activities at school, like orchestra/band, speech and debate, academic decathlon, chess club, and math team ... they all did fine.

[Anonymous]

If she’s doing something great with that writing and drawing, a top school is possible. But, if she’s just journaling and doodling, she can go to a very good, but not top, public or 30-60 private. Remember, schools first want great academics. Sure, the very best schools also want leaders and exceptional talent, but better-than-average colleges have lots of smart kids without major ECs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, no. She'll get into a great school, but not top 10.

Many state schools want to see SOMETHING that contributes to the community. What does she do with her spare time? There are hundreds of thousands of applicants who work, care for a grandparent or sibling, play sports, theater, music, whatever. Is her common app for activities going to be blank? Volunteer blank? Leadership blank?

if so, she will be in for a very rough ride. There are plenty of kids who are "gifted" and get "good grades" who also do productive things with their non-academic time and have something to show for it. That is her competition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These things that are mentioned are stupid unless you are a studying to be a politician or volunteer company they are worthless for future employers. We really need to make it all skills based from gpa, courses and sat/act.

Nope. There are plenty of employers who want to hire people who will participate in office clothing drives, or days with Habitat for Humanity, or on the softball team that plays on the mall. No one, and I mean NO ONE, wants to hire someone who just punches the clock and isn't part of the team.

[Anonymous]

No.

This was my son. He was accepted to schools in the 30% acceptance rate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Public university yes. Ivy no.

I wouldn't count on the higher tier publics like Michigan or UC schools without any ECs.