Making up things in common app activities and awards

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I interview for Princeton. Twice caught highly qualified applicants in what I believe were falsehoods — explained in detail why in my report. One asserted something about their EC that was off (I happened to know something about the recognition described); the other asserted something about their enthusiasm for the school that did not add up. My spouse interviews for another highly selective school and came home one day grey, for he suspected the candidate had made up an entire financial and family situation. In all three cases we carefully explained our reasoning in our reports. The candidates were not admitted. Perhaps they would not have been admitted regardless, but the suspicion they generated didn’t help their cause.

Well, you suck if you had no absolute proof. You reported someone bc his enthusiasm for the school didn’t add up? This goes for the idiot interviewer who thought an applicant should have been forced to disclose his tax return.

+1! And thanks, I am glad I am not the only person who thought those posters were…. (Forbidden word)

Well now we know some of the cheater mommies and daddies hanging around DCUM.

I spent a lot of time thinking through what happened and also discussed both situations with our association. I cannot go into specifics, but in both cases the individuals made a very specific assertion as to their accomplishments. I simply reported the assertion in the report and the reason the assertion did not add up to me. It is up to the reader of the report to judge.

I did not do this lightly. I generally see my job is to help applicants illustrate sides of themselves that can help their candidacy.

Your words were that his enthusiasm for the school didn’t add up. That sounds like you approached this lightly. And, has anyone ever said this is part of your job? Your job is more in name only as an interviewer in everyone’s eyes but your own.

Sorry you feel the need to attack me so personally. I had wanted to participate in forums like these because they had been so helpful to me in the past, and I had wanted to pay it forward. But your nastiness has convinced me not to bother.

I don’t see myself as nasty at all. And how did I attack you
personally? You don’t like the light shining on your words…that poor kid…

DP. Here's the problem. You want to make yourself an equal arbiter to a situation about which you know very little. All you have (by your own admission) are words. What you are missing is that PP didn't disclose a detailed account (abd didn't claim to), so you really have no means to judge her. "Shine" the "light" as much as you like, but you won't see anything more because it simply wasn't shared. PP shared some limited info, she is not on trial, even though you want her to be. I appreciated the insight that interviewers are paying attention.

Also, it looks like you are stuffing the thread with your posts. Find a more productive hobby?

k

Wrong- she could have clarified that her suspicions were supported by facts, even if she didn’t disclose specifics. She did not. Also wrong: many people have posted about how wrong she is/was.

[Anonymous]

Curious about wording for newfound interests:

If you say you are a birder and joined a group at a few state parks junior year, worked in an arboretum for the summer, is it a stretch to add in some seasonal volunteering with senior citizens (if only done for a few weeks)?

Thinking kid writes EC essay about this….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious about wording for newfound interests:

If you say you are a birder and joined a group at a few state parks junior year, worked in an arboretum for the summer, is it a stretch to add in some seasonal volunteering with senior citizens (if only done for a few weeks)?

Thinking kid writes EC essay about this….

You’d need to disclose in the a activities section the commitment: volunteering with senior citizens 3 hours a day, 4 days a week for 2 weeks a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious about wording for newfound interests:

If you say you are a birder and joined a group at a few state parks junior year, worked in an arboretum for the summer, is it a stretch to add in some seasonal volunteering with senior citizens (if only done for a few weeks)?

Thinking kid writes EC essay about this….

You’d need to disclose in the an activities section the commitment: volunteering with senior citizens 3 hours a day, 4 days a week for 2 weeks a year.

Hmmm. You can slightly play with that wording tho.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious about wording for newfound interests:

If you say you are a birder and joined a group at a few state parks junior year, worked in an arboretum for the summer, is it a stretch to add in some seasonal volunteering with senior citizens (if only done for a few weeks)?

Thinking kid writes EC essay about this….

Title should be “Old Birds”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious about wording for newfound interests:

If you say you are a birder and joined a group at a few state parks junior year, worked in an arboretum for the summer, is it a stretch to add in some seasonal volunteering with senior citizens (if only done for a few weeks)?

Thinking kid writes EC essay about this….

Title should be “Old Birds”

lol
Perfect

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious about wording for newfound interests:

If you say you are a birder and joined a group at a few state parks junior year, worked in an arboretum for the summer, is it a stretch to add in some seasonal volunteering with senior citizens (if only done for a few weeks)?

Thinking kid writes EC essay about this….

Great one. As I mentioned on another thread, birding has been mentioned to my DC as a possible pointy activity for colleges. Ivies liked this activity last year!

[Anonymous]

My 15 year old son just started knitting lessons and is joining the knitting circle at the local senior center this fall. Hoping it makes for a great essay by the time college apps roll around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 15 year old son just started knitting lessons and is joining the knitting circle at the local senior center this fall. Hoping it makes for a great essay by the time college apps roll around.

Fake

[Anonymous]

Process question:

Does the school counselor sign off on the application/list of ECs (making it harder to lie)? Or does the student submit the application directly and the counselor doesn’t see the whole thing, just the part they fill out and submit with school profile?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Process question:

Does the school counselor sign off on the application/list of ECs (making it harder to lie)? Or does the student submit the application directly and the counselor doesn’t see the whole thing, just the part they fill out and submit with school profile?

Our school sees a draft. Not final version.
Student submits application’s directly and school doesn’t see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious about wording for newfound interests:

If you say you are a birder and joined a group at a few state parks junior year, worked in an arboretum for the summer, is it a stretch to add in some seasonal volunteering with senior citizens (if only done for a few weeks)?

Thinking kid writes EC essay about this….

Check Reddit. So many birding stories in college apps. It might be the new beekeeping so perhaps overdone?

Cicada carcass collecting is a really timely thing this summer.

[Anonymous]

Our school requires a sit down with the college counselor to go over the activities list prior to submission. Yes, they make them edit it if there is some exaggeration going on. This is a local private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Process question:

Does the school counselor sign off on the application/list of ECs (making it harder to lie)? Or does the student submit the application directly and the counselor doesn’t see the whole thing, just the part they fill out and submit with school profile?

I dont think this happens at public schools. I’m a teacher and club sponsor. The counselors or colleges never verify anything with me. I’ve posted this before but I’ve never been contacted to verify hours or engagement in over 20 years. No, we don’t have a website for clubs that lists members or officers.

[Anonymous]

Read through this entire post. There’s a lot of good information here.

The reality is that no one is reviewing this stuff. However, if something stands out, seems truly unusual, or does not match up with the general narrative that is in the application or supported by the letter of recommendations, it will get more scrutiny.

In my opinion, a little embellishment is normal. Kids actually tend not to talk up there accolades and activities enough. And they don’t see how important or relevant an extracurricular might be to the larger narrative.

Help your kids with these activity lists and the wording to show impact. It should not just be a regurgitation. Should be very meticulous and well thought out. There is a lot of good advice on how to do this on Reddit.