Extracurricular activities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The list is just so blah. Was there any national recognition in any activity or was he in a travel team or anything special? Being a club officer is a dime a dozen, unless it’s actually a hard club to get into like editor in chief of the school newspaper. This list doesn’t make your child different from anybody else. A lot of kids here have already been published or have gone over and beyond in their respective activities. Some arbitrary “feeding the homeless” is not enough.

OP here. That's why I asked. Thanks.

Agree with PP that the list is fine but will not advantage the applicant in vis-a-vis other applicants to top 20 schools. Just for example my kid was accepted to an Ivy last year with (1) twelve community college credits in his academic area of interest during HS, (2) multiple cash prizes for contents in that same academic area of interest, (3) 1580 SAT and 4.0 UW GPA, (4) college run summer program in the same academic area, (5) varsity and club team sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The list is just so blah. Was there any national recognition in any activity or was he in a travel team or anything special? Being a club officer is a dime a dozen, unless it’s actually a hard club to get into like editor in chief of the school newspaper. This list doesn’t make your child different from anybody else. A lot of kids here have already been published or have gone over and beyond in their respective activities. Some arbitrary “feeding the homeless” is not enough.

OP here. That's why I asked. Thanks.

Agree with PP that the list is fine but will not advantage the applicant in vis-a-vis other applicants to top 20 schools. Just for example my kid was accepted to an Ivy last year with (1) twelve community college credits in his academic area of interest during HS, (2) multiple cash prizes for contents in that same academic area of interest, (3) 1580 SAT and 4.0 UW GPA, (4) college run summer program in the same academic area, (5) varsity and club team sport.

This just screams privilege.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The list is just so blah. Was there any national recognition in any activity or was he in a travel team or anything special? Being a club officer is a dime a dozen, unless it’s actually a hard club to get into like editor in chief of the school newspaper. This list doesn’t make your child different from anybody else. A lot of kids here have already been published or have gone over and beyond in their respective activities. Some arbitrary “feeding the homeless” is not enough.

OP here. That's why I asked. Thanks.

Agree with PP that the list is fine but will not advantage the applicant in vis-a-vis other applicants to top 20 schools. Just for example my kid was accepted to an Ivy last year with (1) twelve community college credits in his academic area of interest during HS, (2) multiple cash prizes for contents in that same academic area of interest, (3) 1580 SAT and 4.0 UW GPA, (4) college run summer program in the same academic area, (5) varsity and club team sport.

This just screams privilege.

That is odd because we received financial aid from the Ivy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The list is just so blah. Was there any national recognition in any activity or was he in a travel team or anything special? Being a club officer is a dime a dozen, unless it’s actually a hard club to get into like editor in chief of the school newspaper. This list doesn’t make your child different from anybody else. A lot of kids here have already been published or have gone over and beyond in their respective activities. Some arbitrary “feeding the homeless” is not enough.

OP here. That's why I asked. Thanks.

Agree with PP that the list is fine but will not advantage the applicant in vis-a-vis other applicants to top 20 schools. Just for example my kid was accepted to an Ivy last year with (1) twelve community college credits in his academic area of interest during HS, (2) multiple cash prizes for contents in that same academic area of interest, (3) 1580 SAT and 4.0 UW GPA, (4) college run summer program in the same academic area, (5) varsity and club team sport.

This just screams privilege.

That is odd because we received financial aid from the Ivy.

+1. Community college classes are just $175 per credit -- definitely not only for the privileged. Even club sports will offer "scholarship" money for those who need it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The list is just so blah. Was there any national recognition in any activity or was he in a travel team or anything special? Being a club officer is a dime a dozen, unless it’s actually a hard club to get into like editor in chief of the school newspaper. This list doesn’t make your child different from anybody else. A lot of kids here have already been published or have gone over and beyond in their respective activities. Some arbitrary “feeding the homeless” is not enough.

OP here. That's why I asked. Thanks.

Agree with PP that the list is fine but will not advantage the applicant in vis-a-vis other applicants to top 20 schools. Just for example my kid was accepted to an Ivy last year with (1) twelve community college credits in his academic area of interest during HS, (2) multiple cash prizes for contents in that same academic area of interest, (3) 1580 SAT and 4.0 UW GPA, (4) college run summer program in the same academic area, (5) varsity and club team sport.

This just screams privilege.

That is odd because we received financial aid from the Ivy.

+1. Community college classes are just $175 per credit -- definitely not only for the privileged. Even club sports will offer "scholarship" money for those who need it.

Most club sports will not. Trust me, I know. And 12 community college credits is over $2k. Summer programs are very expensive as well, and before you tell me that there are scholarships, some kids need to work during the summers.
I don’t know this persons story, but I agree that this seems like the stereotypical white kid in Great Falls type resume.

Most of us who qualify for significant need based aid have kids applying with school based clubs and sports and a job on the weekends and summers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The list is just so blah. Was there any national recognition in any activity or was he in a travel team or anything special? Being a club officer is a dime a dozen, unless it’s actually a hard club to get into like editor in chief of the school newspaper. This list doesn’t make your child different from anybody else. A lot of kids here have already been published or have gone over and beyond in their respective activities. Some arbitrary “feeding the homeless” is not enough.

OP here. That's why I asked. Thanks.

Agree with PP that the list is fine but will not advantage the applicant in vis-a-vis other applicants to top 20 schools. Just for example my kid was accepted to an Ivy last year with (1) twelve community college credits in his academic area of interest during HS, (2) multiple cash prizes for contents in that same academic area of interest, (3) 1580 SAT and 4.0 UW GPA, (4) college run summer program in the same academic area, (5) varsity and club team sport.

Wow! This is really impressive. Not being snarky, it sounds like you have a smart son. What kind of contests did he participate in?

[Anonymous]

Most of this stuff doesn’t matter, in part, because the Common App provides so little space to highlight it. You might think a varsity sport means a lot, but it doesn’t, unless you’re being recruited. After all those hours of practice and games, it’s just a single line on the activities resume. In fact, it would be easy to skip over it. If a student can bring the activity into their essays, you’ll highlight it more.

[Anonymous]

Unless you’re applying to a Top25 college, activities are a check-the-box exercise. AOs just want to see that you’ve done something other than academics. That said, the decision to admit is based on everything else. A student would have to a humdinger of an activity that was well-highlighted in their essays, recommendations, and awards to make a meaningful admission impact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:looks fine, it is all in how you describe it... my DS wrote his humorously to kind of jazz up a bit of lack of depth in his activities. His only "special" EC was his sport which he is the top ranked athlete on his HS team. Otherwise, pretty commonplace activities plus a PT job.

This will be my kid - but not the top ranked on the team. Although, consistently on HS team sports all seasons. Is totally resistant to things like academic competitions or clubs just to play the college game. They have very high grades and scores (clear HYPSMC-level) but not the off the charts EC's at all. I hope they end up happy with how "opting out of the EC part of the game" lands them. As long as they like where they end up, I'm happy with that. They may not want to go to HYPSMC anyway, if they are filled with the uber-EC types.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The list is just so blah. Was there any national recognition in any activity or was he in a travel team or anything special? Being a club officer is a dime a dozen, unless it’s actually a hard club to get into like editor in chief of the school newspaper. This list doesn’t make your child different from anybody else. A lot of kids here have already been published or have gone over and beyond in their respective activities. Some arbitrary “feeding the homeless” is not enough.

OP here. That's why I asked. Thanks.

Agree with PP that the list is fine but will not advantage the applicant in vis-a-vis other applicants to top 20 schools. Just for example my kid was accepted to an Ivy last year with (1) twelve community college credits in his academic area of interest during HS, (2) multiple cash prizes for contents in that same academic area of interest, (3) 1580 SAT and 4.0 UW GPA, (4) college run summer program in the same academic area, (5) varsity and club team sport.

Wow! This is really impressive. Not being snarky, it sounds like you have a smart son. What kind of contests did he participate in?

He won several writing competitions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sheesh. Tiger moms ruining things for everyone else.

Only silver and bronze? Where's the gold?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sheesh. Tiger moms ruining things for everyone else.

Only silver and bronze? Where's the gold?

What is a canadiate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sheesh. Tiger moms ruining things for everyone else.

Only silver and bronze? Where's the gold?

What is a canadiate?

"Canidiate"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sheesh. Tiger moms ruining things for everyone else.

he went straight from high school to the Navy- probably the black sheep

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The list is just so blah. Was there any national recognition in any activity or was he in a travel team or anything special? Being a club officer is a dime a dozen, unless it’s actually a hard club to get into like editor in chief of the school newspaper. This list doesn’t make your child different from anybody else. A lot of kids here have already been published or have gone over and beyond in their respective activities. Some arbitrary “feeding the homeless” is not enough.

OP here. That's why I asked. Thanks.

Agree with PP that the list is fine but will not advantage the applicant in vis-a-vis other applicants to top 20 schools. Just for example my kid was accepted to an Ivy last year with (1) twelve community college credits in his academic area of interest during HS, (2) multiple cash prizes for contents in that same academic area of interest, (3) 1580 SAT and 4.0 UW GPA, (4) college run summer program in the same academic area, (5) varsity and club team sport.

This just screams privilege.

That is odd because we received financial aid from the Ivy.

+1. Community college classes are just $175 per credit -- definitely not only for the privileged. Even club sports will offer "scholarship" money for those who need it.

Most club sports will not. Trust me, I know. And 12 community college credits is over $2k. Summer programs are very expensive as well, and before you tell me that there are scholarships, some kids need to work during the summers.
I don’t know this persons story, but I agree that this seems like the stereotypical white kid in Great Falls type resume.

Most of us who qualify for significant need based aid have kids applying with school based clubs and sports and a job on the weekends and summers.

Hey now. My “stereotypical white kid in Great Falls” works every weekend during the school year and all summer. Stay in your lane.
DP