Lessons learned: 2025-2026

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any new wisdom you gathered in the last few weeks?

It appears to be an extremely difficult year for girls. Unless you have a ton of unusual or uncommon awards in an uncommon major.

Without something extremely uncommon / unusual or an early decision application from a feeder private school, being test optional is a kiss of death (even at Vandy).

Beware and be strategic with early decision for girls.

Why for girls? Yes they are the majority at most colleges but it's not that they are taking spaces that a "boy" would want.

Girl applications are generally stronger. And there are more of them. They all somehow look very similar to each other. Harder for them to stand out in a crowded pile. Once you become an admissions reader and you start seeing it, it’s hard to unsee it.

The key for girls is doing different things (not the same things Everybody else is doing). Going their own way. There’s so many of them. At some schools 2 or 3x the number of boys, it is easier for boy applicants.

There are a couple of good podcasts about the phenomena. Check out from a lot of feeder, private high schools and count the number of boys versus girls committed to T20 privates. Girls often end up at the top public flagship options after RD.

What do these everyone-looks-the-same girl profiles look like?

The two common ones I’ve seen a lot are: pre-med and poli sci/pub policy. Journalism/writing as well.

Premed:
CNA/EMT
Health club at school - founder or officer
Red Cross club/volunteer
Summer program
Research
Feminine hygiene drives/women’s public health awareness
Women’s mental health EC

Poli Sci/Pub Pol:
Stuco Pres
Model UN/Debate (and awards)
Political internship
Canvassing for local issues/grassroots
School board liaison or similar
Summer program
Women’s political issues
Voter access drives or similar
Teen incarceration or wrongful incarceration types of ECs/research

lol this is so accurate. And I say this as a parent of a 9th grader who wants to do pre-med and is looking at all of these activities. If anyone has better ideas for how to stand out, would love to know!

Start a new post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My adhd fall birthday girl is so screwed.

Why? Just help them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people are conflating different tiers of schools here. There is a difference between admission to a T10 and admission to a T30. I don’t think people have been saying you need to be something beyond average excellent to get into schools like Michigan, USC or Rice. And others, like Emory, take more than 30 percent of their ED1 applicants

Nope, not conflating anything. (And honestly you’re slicing the baloney pretty thin with this “T10 is different” thing.)

Our HS sends average-excellent kids to Ivies, Northwestern, Hopkins pretty much every year.

Well, others are because I see mention of a lot of schools that aren’t T10 in suppprt of this point. Further a few Ivies aren’t top 10 either, so you probably are as well.

I’m talking about Northwestern, Hopkins, Yale, Brown, Penn.

There’s a lot of overlap in essay strategy/app narrative for Yale, NU and Brown - all very interdisciplinary and multiple academic interests, less pre professional focus, multiple coordinated spikes.

Very different Ime from a Penn or a Cornell.

Interesting bc we see star/top (male) kids get into Yale/Brown/Northwestern while being shut out of other schools. Now it makes sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Women are competing with women candidates. Men are competing with other men.

At our private non-DMV, the women are doing really well but they are extremely motivated, organized and prepped for this since grade 9. The boys seem to be a year or more behind developmentally.

ED/REA applications have been successful for girls so far at DC's small private at Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Columbia, Northwestern, Dartmouth, Penn, Wellesley, Barnard, Michigan etc.

How could that possibly be unless your private school has a very diverse economic student body (like many parochial schools).

You don't see boys at Sidwell or GDS or STA or Maret or really any private schools with large %ages of UMC kids being "a year or more behind developmentally".

Is your DC at a private school and do you have first-hand experience in one of the schools you name? It sounds like you don't.

It's common for male executive function to lag female executive function developmentally. This can be googled. The male students typically "peak" later than female students. Even if they are wealthy or UMC. This has nothing to do with parachial schools or being "diverse". White males from wealthy backgrounds also lag female students developmentally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Women are competing with women candidates. Men are competing with other men.

At our private non-DMV, the women are doing really well but they are extremely motivated, organized and prepped for this since grade 9. The boys seem to be a year or more behind developmentally.

ED/REA applications have been successful for girls so far at DC's small private at Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Columbia, Northwestern, Dartmouth, Penn, Wellesley, Barnard, Michigan etc.

How could that possibly be unless your private school has a very diverse economic student body (like many parochial schools).

You don't see boys at Sidwell or GDS or STA or Maret or really any private schools with large %ages of UMC kids being "a year or more behind developmentally".

+1

Is your DC at a private school and do you have first-hand experience in one of the schools you name? It sounds like you don't.

It's common for male executive function to lag female executive function developmentally. This can be googled. The male students typically "peak" later than female students. Even if they are wealthy or UMC. This has nothing to do with parachial schools or being "diverse". White males from wealthy backgrounds also lag female students developmentally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Women are competing with women candidates. Men are competing with other men.

At our private non-DMV, the women are doing really well but they are extremely motivated, organized and prepped for this since grade 9. The boys seem to be a year or more behind developmentally.

ED/REA applications have been successful for girls so far at DC's small private at Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Columbia, Northwestern, Dartmouth, Penn, Wellesley, Barnard, Michigan etc.

How could that possibly be unless your private school has a very diverse economic student body (like many parochial schools).

You don't see boys at Sidwell or GDS or STA or Maret or really any private schools with large %ages of UMC kids being "a year or more behind developmentally".

Is your DC at a private school and do you have first-hand experience in one of the schools you name? It sounds like you don't.

It's common for male executive function to lag female executive function developmentally. This can be googled. The male students typically "peak" later than female students. Even if they are wealthy or UMC. This has nothing to do with parachial schools or being "diverse". White males from wealthy backgrounds also lag female students developmentally.

Boys lag for chronological age, but rich ones are commonly held back in kindergarten so that they won’t lag in school—and if they still lag, they’re counseled out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any new wisdom you gathered in the last few weeks?

It appears to be an extremely difficult year for girls. Unless you have a ton of unusual or uncommon awards in an uncommon major.

Without something extremely uncommon / unusual or an early decision application from a feeder private school, being test optional is a kiss of death (even at Vandy).

Beware and be strategic with early decision for girls.

My kids attend an all-boy school. It’s not been all sunshine and roses. Def a worse year than for my older son’s 2024 class. This was the highest amount of applications per school, even over last year so it tracks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any new wisdom you gathered in the last few weeks?

It appears to be an extremely difficult year for girls. Unless you have a ton of unusual or uncommon awards in an uncommon major.

Without something extremely uncommon / unusual or an early decision application from a feeder private school, being test optional is a kiss of death (even at Vandy).

Beware and be strategic with early decision for girls.

Why for girls? Yes they are the majority at most colleges but it's not that they are taking spaces that a "boy" would want.

Girl applications are generally stronger. And there are more of them. They all somehow look very similar to each other. Harder for them to stand out in a crowded pile. Once you become an admissions reader and you start seeing it, it’s hard to unsee it.

The key for girls is doing different things (not the same things Everybody else is doing). Going their own way. There’s so many of them. At some schools 2 or 3x the number of boys, it is easier for boy applicants.

There are a couple of good podcasts about the phenomena. Check out from a lot of feeder, private high schools and count the number of boys versus girls committed to T20 privates. Girls often end up at the top public flagship options after RD.

What do these everyone-looks-the-same girl profiles look like?

The two common ones I’ve seen a lot are: pre-med and poli sci/pub policy. Journalism/writing as well.

Premed:
CNA/EMT
Health club at school - founder or officer
Red Cross club/volunteer
Summer program
Research
Feminine hygiene drives/women’s public health awareness
Women’s mental health EC

Poli Sci/Pub Pol:
Stuco Pres
Model UN/Debate (and awards)
Political internship
Canvassing for local issues/grassroots
School board liaison or similar
Summer program
Women’s political issues
Voter access drives or similar
Teen incarceration or wrongful incarceration types of ECs/research

What kind of research and summer programs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any new wisdom you gathered in the last few weeks?

It appears to be an extremely difficult year for girls. Unless you have a ton of unusual or uncommon awards in an uncommon major.

Without something extremely uncommon / unusual or an early decision application from a feeder private school, being test optional is a kiss of death (even at Vandy).

Beware and be strategic with early decision for girls.

Why for girls? Yes they are the majority at most colleges but it's not that they are taking spaces that a "boy" would want.

Girl applications are generally stronger. And there are more of them. They all somehow look very similar to each other. Harder for them to stand out in a crowded pile. Once you become an admissions reader and you start seeing it, it’s hard to unsee it.

The key for girls is doing different things (not the same things Everybody else is doing). Going their own way. There’s so many of them. At some schools 2 or 3x the number of boys, it is easier for boy applicants.

There are a couple of good podcasts about the phenomena. Check out from a lot of feeder, private high schools and count the number of boys versus girls committed to T20 privates. Girls often end up at the top public flagship options after RD.

What do these everyone-looks-the-same girl profiles look like?

The two common ones I’ve seen a lot are: pre-med and poli sci/pub policy. Journalism/writing as well.

Premed:
CNA/EMT
Health club at school - founder or officer
Red Cross club/volunteer
Summer program
Research
Feminine hygiene drives/women’s public health awareness
Women’s mental health EC

Poli Sci/Pub Pol:
Stuco Pres
Model UN/Debate (and awards)
Political internship
Canvassing for local issues/grassroots
School board liaison or similar
Summer program
Women’s political issues
Voter access drives or similar
Teen incarceration or wrongful incarceration types of ECs/research

lol this is so accurate. And I say this as a parent of a 9th grader who wants to do pre-med and is looking at all of these activities. If anyone has better ideas for how to stand out, would love to know!

They should do what they want to do and be passionate about doing it. My premed daughter at a Top 5 ranked school did the stuff that a PP is complaining is typically boring girl. I mean, that list is so comprehensive that it encompasses most things anyway. What would be NOT stereotypically female? Starting a right wing manosphere podcast focused on dungeons and dragons? It's not worth making your daughter miserable to force her into some mold of someone she's not to make her "stand out."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My adhd fall birthday girl is so screwed.

Fall birthday means she's old for the class -- why is that worse? Seems like spring/summer birthday is the worst because they are the most immature, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My adhd fall birthday girl is so screwed.

Fall birthday means she's old for the class -- why is that worse? Seems like spring/summer birthday is the worst because they are the most immature, no?

DP, but our school district uses a September 30 cutoff so the youngest kids have September birthdays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any new wisdom you gathered in the last few weeks?

It appears to be an extremely difficult year for girls. Unless you have a ton of unusual or uncommon awards in an uncommon major.

Without something extremely uncommon / unusual or an early decision application from a feeder private school, being test optional is a kiss of death (even at Vandy).

Beware and be strategic with early decision for girls.

Why for girls? Yes they are the majority at most colleges but it's not that they are taking spaces that a "boy" would want.

Girl applications are generally stronger. And there are more of them. They all somehow look very similar to each other. Harder for them to stand out in a crowded pile. Once you become an admissions reader and you start seeing it, it’s hard to unsee it.

The key for girls is doing different things (not the same things Everybody else is doing). Going their own way. There’s so many of them. At some schools 2 or 3x the number of boys, it is easier for boy applicants.

There are a couple of good podcasts about the phenomena. Check out from a lot of feeder, private high schools and count the number of boys versus girls committed to T20 privates. Girls often end up at the top public flagship options after RD.

Wow. Truer words were never spoken. I have seen this stark difference when comparing my kids all girls’ school matriculations compared to the brother school, and the two schools have similar SAT averages and academic rigor. Can you name these podcasts? I would be interested to listen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any new wisdom you gathered in the last few weeks?

It appears to be an extremely difficult year for girls. Unless you have a ton of unusual or uncommon awards in an uncommon major.

Without something extremely uncommon / unusual or an early decision application from a feeder private school, being test optional is a kiss of death (even at Vandy).

Beware and be strategic with early decision for girls.

This is such hogwash. My DD is having great success. People make college admissions seem much harder than it really is. It’s likely because the PP above may be strictly referring to Ivy adjacent colleges - where most everyone is rejected. Boy and girls alike.

The best advice, year in and out, is have a balanced list.

Don’t apply to Vanderbilt, Penn, Duke, Northwestern and your state school, and then cry about how you only got into your state school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any new wisdom you gathered in the last few weeks?

It appears to be an extremely difficult year for girls. Unless you have a ton of unusual or uncommon awards in an uncommon major.

Without something extremely uncommon / unusual or an early decision application from a feeder private school, being test optional is a kiss of death (even at Vandy).

Beware and be strategic with early decision for girls.

This is such hogwash. My DD is having great success. People make college admissions seem much harder than it really is. It’s likely because the PP above may be strictly referring to Ivy adjacent colleges - where most everyone is rejected. Boy and girls alike.

The best advice, year in and out, is have a balanced list.

Don’t apply to Vanderbilt, Penn, Duke, Northwestern and your state school, and then cry about how you only got into your state school.

Ofc. What did you think this was about?

Everyone here is talking about T20 and Ivy+.

There is no strategy or coordination needed for strong applicants outside of that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any new wisdom you gathered in the last few weeks?

It appears to be an extremely difficult year for girls. Unless you have a ton of unusual or uncommon awards in an uncommon major.

Without something extremely uncommon / unusual or an early decision application from a feeder private school, being test optional is a kiss of death (even at Vandy).

Beware and be strategic with early decision for girls.

Why for girls? Yes they are the majority at most colleges but it's not that they are taking spaces that a "boy" would want.

Girl applications are generally stronger. And there are more of them. They all somehow look very similar to each other. Harder for them to stand out in a crowded pile. Once you become an admissions reader and you start seeing it, it’s hard to unsee it.

The key for girls is doing different things (not the same things Everybody else is doing). Going their own way. There’s so many of them. At some schools 2 or 3x the number of boys, it is easier for boy applicants.

There are a couple of good podcasts about the phenomena. Check out from a lot of feeder, private high schools and count the number of boys versus girls committed to T20 privates. Girls often end up at the top public flagship options after RD.

What do these everyone-looks-the-same girl profiles look like?

The two common ones I’ve seen a lot are: pre-med and poli sci/pub policy. Journalism/writing as well.

Premed:
CNA/EMT
Health club at school - founder or officer
Red Cross club/volunteer
Summer program
Research
Feminine hygiene drives/women’s public health awareness
Women’s mental health EC

Poli Sci/Pub Pol:
Stuco Pres
Model UN/Debate (and awards)
Political internship
Canvassing for local issues/grassroots
School board liaison or similar
Summer program
Women’s political issues
Voter access drives or similar
Teen incarceration or wrongful incarceration types of ECs/research

This is interesting because nearly all of my DD’s friends have a non premed hard science/math/engineering profile instead. Maybe this is another common one on the rise.