Being uncommon

[Anonymous]

I remember my daughter's ballet school before she gave it up with 99 girls and one male dancer. I'll bet if he had some academic credentials to go along with his unique interest, he could do pretty well in college admissions.

[Anonymous]

IMO the huge takeaway is actually drop the youth club sports insanity. If your kid is super talented, do it, but not at the expense of not doing anything else. Chances are your kid is just "good" or "great" and they really need other stuff to stand out. Interesting stuff, not things at the school level like clubs.

[Anonymous]

My daughters HS in NY had a kid that was interesting. He was good looking, tall, white male with very blue collar parents with low income from a tiny house and first in his family to go to college.

He was also Valevictorian, perfect SAT, of a very large 2,000 person HS that did actual grading. Meaning numerical on score of 1-100. So it was clear he was.

He also had movie star looks. Was an adjunt professor at Columbia and was employed by a Nobel Prize window to give him advice. He was a true genious.

How smart Harvard offered him a free ride preapplication and so did Columbia.

Been to dozens and dozens of HS graduations and he was only one I saw that was special.

Our kids are not. Well unless your 17 year old is a professor in Ivy leagues, tutoring a Nobel prize winner and looks like a Movie start with a perfect SAT and GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think going against type helps.

Athletes, STEM kids, business kids, there are stereotypes

If the app shows something that surprises the AO, that may get the applicant more consideration.

Yes, a STEM kid with NHD award, or economics girl with programming award, such and such helps too. But only if the related stats are good already.

[Anonymous]

Being uncommon is misunderstood by many.

Many thought about a single flashy achievement that makes him uncommon.

But one can be uncommon because all aspects of this applicant, including academics, activities, and essays, all express the same genuine curiosity and research independence. It's clearly self-defined and internally consistent. It's that synergy that makes him uncommon.

[Anonymous]

What is uncommon to A may be not uncommon to B? Do we have any anecdotal evidence of what is and what isn’t?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IMO the huge takeaway is actually drop the youth club sports insanity. If your kid is super talented, do it, but not at the expense of not doing anything else. Chances are your kid is just "good" or "great" and they really need other stuff to stand out. Interesting stuff, not things at the school level like clubs.

Agree 100%
unless its archery, equestrian, squash, polo etc.

[Anonymous]

Real uncommon students don’t necessarily want to attend a T20 because they aren’t the same as the generic high achievers.

They don’t need prestige because of their extraordinary personal abilities, they are their own prestige.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughters HS in NY had a kid that was interesting. He was good looking, tall, white male with very blue collar parents with low income from a tiny house and first in his family to go to college.

He was also Valevictorian, perfect SAT, of a very large 2,000 person HS that did actual grading. Meaning numerical on score of 1-100. So it was clear he was.

He also had movie star looks. Was an adjunt professor at Columbia and was employed by a Nobel Prize window to give him advice. He was a true genious.

How smart Harvard offered him a free ride preapplication and so did Columbia.

Been to dozens and dozens of HS graduations and he was only one I saw that was special.

Our kids are not. Well unless your 17 year old is a professor in Ivy leagues, tutoring a Nobel prize winner and looks like a Movie start with a perfect SAT and GPA.

Who is this person. Give us a name.

[Anonymous]

Read Bill Gates’ memoir. The first few chapters describe what he was like as a kid. He got into every ivy he applied to.

Most kids don’t have the brain power or tenacity.

[Anonymous]

The blacksmith kid who got into Stanford for Medieval studies is the #1 example of uncommon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the key is being a unique combination of things and doing all of them well. I have seen this work.

Football quarterback and fashion designer who is featured in the local newspaper and sells clothing.
Basketball captain and regional orchestra flutist.
You get the idea.

Yep, the state championship winning point guard who is competitive Irish dancer and gold medal in archery

[Anonymous]

It's not about being uncommon, but rather uncommonly good at something. The reason people associate this with oddball hobbies and niche sports is because those are easier to become uncommonly good at, because less people are doing them. So, you have to be truly talented (elite level sports/music/drama) or decently talented at something no one else does. Choose your path!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Real uncommon students don’t necessarily want to attend a T20 because they aren’t the same as the generic high achievers.

They don’t need prestige because of their extraordinary personal abilities, they are their own prestige.

This is where you are so wrong. The kids at Stanford and the Ivies have crazy unique talents, gold medals, musical ability, etc. my kids friends are crazy talented in so many different areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Read Bill Gates’ memoir. The first few chapters describe what he was like as a kid. He got into every ivy he applied to.

Most kids don’t have the brain power or tenacity.

Summarize