ECs That Actually Impress College Admissions Officers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something real that is supported by the rest of the application. It can be elaborate or simple but authenticity would be my key focus and something that lasts longer than one academic year or summer.

If you actually looked up these ventures, they still exist and function.

Not everything is fabricated.

Maya Penn launched Maya’s Ideas at the age of eight, producing eco-friendly, upcycled clothing and accessories. By the time she reached high school, the project had grown into a recognised brand with a genuine environmental mission.

https://mayasideas.com/

The parents did this, not the child.

You are cynical.

But she is correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something real that is supported by the rest of the application. It can be elaborate or simple but authenticity would be my key focus and something that lasts longer than one academic year or summer.

If you actually looked up these ventures, they still exist and function.

Not everything is fabricated.

Maya Penn launched Maya’s Ideas at the age of eight, producing eco-friendly, upcycled clothing and accessories. By the time she reached high school, the project had grown into a recognised brand with a genuine environmental mission.

https://mayasideas.com/

The parents did this, not the child.

You are cynical.

But she is correct.

Ditto. One parent recently posted on this forum "the trick is to curate a narrative for the kid that appears natural and not contrived. Hiring a private consultant will help with that." I'm also a shameless parent like many here who do as much as they can for their kids. I see nothing wrong with the approach and commend that parent for being honest about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid has one very time consuming EC outside of their varsity sport and full time summer job. It is off the charts high EQ, absurdly analog, deeply genuine, and they got involved at age 11. It is not in any way academic or award winning.

I’d love to offer it as an example, but I’m afraid the group (which we love and respect) would be flooded with box-ticking people messing things up by joining/volunteering for the wrong reasons.

I’m 100% certain it is why he had tremendous success with high school applications. The schools made it plain. It scales in responsibility with age, so he will just keep going with it. It’s something he discovered himself and had to beg us to allow him to get started.

My point? I don’t think I/we/they could have gamed this. Listen to your kids and let them run with something nutty if they want it. It can’t hurt. And it might become the detail that makes them shine.

I was worried about investing too much time in a quiet, non academic organization that has existed forever. I was wrong.

No idea yet how it will pan out for college admissions. And I don’t care anymore. My kid found themself in service to others. The irony is that a few years back, I could easily have been the OP. Sometimes the kids are smarter than the parents. Thank goodness.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I like the organic way your kid went about it. I'm confused though by "tremendous success with high school applications" versus "how it will pan out for college admissions." Is your kid in college now?

He had tremendous success admitted into elite private high schools. Will see how it goes with college admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid has one very time consuming EC outside of their varsity sport and full time summer job. It is off the charts high EQ, absurdly analog, deeply genuine, and they got involved at age 11. It is not in any way academic or award winning.

I’d love to offer it as an example, but I’m afraid the group (which we love and respect) would be flooded with box-ticking people messing things up by joining/volunteering for the wrong reasons.

I’m 100% certain it is why he had tremendous success with high school applications. The schools made it plain. It scales in responsibility with age, so he will just keep going with it. It’s something he discovered himself and had to beg us to allow him to get started.

My point? I don’t think I/we/they could have gamed this. Listen to your kids and let them run with something nutty if they want it. It can’t hurt. And it might become the detail that makes them shine.

I was worried about investing too much time in a quiet, non academic organization that has existed forever. I was wrong.

No idea yet how it will pan out for college admissions. And I don’t care anymore. My kid found themself in service to others. The irony is that a few years back, I could easily have been the OP. Sometimes the kids are smarter than the parents. Thank goodness.

This is exactly what a parent would say about a manufactured activity. Nicely done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something real that is supported by the rest of the application. It can be elaborate or simple but authenticity would be my key focus and something that lasts longer than one academic year or summer.

If you actually looked up these ventures, they still exist and function.

Not everything is fabricated.

Maya Penn launched Maya’s Ideas at the age of eight, producing eco-friendly, upcycled clothing and accessories. By the time she reached high school, the project had grown into a recognised brand with a genuine environmental mission.

https://mayasideas.com/

The parents did this, not the child.

You are cynical.

But she is correct.

Ditto. One parent recently posted on this forum "the trick is to curate a narrative for the kid that appears natural and not contrived. Hiring a private consultant will help with that." I'm also a shameless parent like many here who do as much as they can for their kids. I see nothing wrong with the approach and commend that parent for being honest about it.

Sometimes it's not even curating. Simply presenting these ideas to the kids would be helpful. They may be inspired by these ideas and develop something on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something real that is supported by the rest of the application. It can be elaborate or simple but authenticity would be my key focus and something that lasts longer than one academic year or summer.

If you actually looked up these ventures, they still exist and function.

Not everything is fabricated.

Maya Penn launched Maya’s Ideas at the age of eight, producing eco-friendly, upcycled clothing and accessories. By the time she reached high school, the project had grown into a recognised brand with a genuine environmental mission.

https://mayasideas.com/

The parents did this, not the child.

You are cynical.

But she is correct.

Ditto. One parent recently posted on this forum "the trick is to curate a narrative for the kid that appears natural and not contrived. Hiring a private consultant will help with that." I'm also a shameless parent like many here who do as much as they can for their kids. I see nothing wrong with the approach and commend that parent for being honest about it.

One of my kids had a narrative. The other did not. They both got their top choice to highly selective colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something real that is supported by the rest of the application. It can be elaborate or simple but authenticity would be my key focus and something that lasts longer than one academic year or summer.

If you actually looked up these ventures, they still exist and function.

Not everything is fabricated.

Maya Penn launched Maya’s Ideas at the age of eight, producing eco-friendly, upcycled clothing and accessories. By the time she reached high school, the project had grown into a recognised brand with a genuine environmental mission.

https://mayasideas.com/

The parents did this, not the child.

You are cynical.

But she is correct.

Ditto. One parent recently posted on this forum "the trick is to curate a narrative for the kid that appears natural and not contrived. Hiring a private consultant will help with that." I'm also a shameless parent like many here who do as much as they can for their kids. I see nothing wrong with the approach and commend that parent for being honest about it.

Sometimes it's not even curating. Simply presenting these ideas to the kids would be helpful. They may be inspired by these ideas and develop something on their own.

That is exactly what I did. I encouraged in ways they could expand and develop areas of interest. I saw the interest - which was genuine. I just suggested what could be done with it to go deeper. Example: oh you have this interest but your school doesn't have a club for it. What do you think about starting one?

[Anonymous]

NP, A strip that detects drugs created by a HS student? There are plenty on Amazon. The kid didn't do the chemistry to create it, the kid found a novel way to hide it in straws, bracelets, etc. This I can believe. Can they turn it into a product? Not without help - Adults have this challenge after graduating with an MBA. Who gave the kid seed money?

What I am really skeptical about is when a kid in claims to do advanced chemistry/biology to detect cancer, drugs, ... But they are busy studying for their AP Bio test. Even Mush doesn't embellish his childhood that much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something real that is supported by the rest of the application. It can be elaborate or simple but authenticity would be my key focus and something that lasts longer than one academic year or summer.

If you actually looked up these ventures, they still exist and function.

Not everything is fabricated.

Maya Penn launched Maya’s Ideas at the age of eight, producing eco-friendly, upcycled clothing and accessories. By the time she reached high school, the project had grown into a recognised brand with a genuine environmental mission.

https://mayasideas.com/

The parents did this, not the child.

You are cynical.

But she is correct.

Ditto. One parent recently posted on this forum "the trick is to curate a narrative for the kid that appears natural and not contrived. Hiring a private consultant will help with that." I'm also a shameless parent like many here who do as much as they can for their kids. I see nothing wrong with the approach and commend that parent for being honest about it.

Sometimes it's not even curating. Simply presenting these ideas to the kids would be helpful. They may be inspired by these ideas and develop something on their own.

That is exactly what I did. I encouraged in ways they could expand and develop areas of interest. I saw the interest - which was genuine. I just suggested what could be done with it to go deeper. Example: oh you have this interest but your school doesn't have a club for it. What do you think about starting one?

bravo! then that’s how it should be described by junior on his college app -“ I did this passion project because my mom encouraged me to do it and suggested ways I could go deeper!” This is the point folks - it all reeks of privilege and entitlement no matter how you try to justify - and you typically need a professional to hide the manufactured part or mommy and daddy’s prompting/coersion will be subtly exposed. I luv the rationales on this string, I guarantee every parent example is delusional. Some hit the lottery and got junior through the admission wickets - and now telling us all how “authentic” their ec is - bleh

[Anonymous]

summing it up - it’s a game, so play it, eyes wide open - but don’t act holier than thou

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something real that is supported by the rest of the application. It can be elaborate or simple but authenticity would be my key focus and something that lasts longer than one academic year or summer.

If you actually looked up these ventures, they still exist and function.

Not everything is fabricated.

Maya Penn launched Maya’s Ideas at the age of eight, producing eco-friendly, upcycled clothing and accessories. By the time she reached high school, the project had grown into a recognised brand with a genuine environmental mission.

https://mayasideas.com/

The parents did this, not the child.

You are cynical.

But she is correct.

Ditto. One parent recently posted on this forum "the trick is to curate a narrative for the kid that appears natural and not contrived. Hiring a private consultant will help with that." I'm also a shameless parent like many here who do as much as they can for their kids. I see nothing wrong with the approach and commend that parent for being honest about it.

One of my kids had a narrative. The other did not. They both got their top choice to highly selective colleges.

Same here. But the one without the narrative had off the charts intellectual vitality in the most unique essays….DC got AO notes about them. School CCO commented on them. Their Ivy AO sought them out to discuss….

The one with the narrative didn’t get that. Still at a similar school.

Without a narrative you do need something else to stand out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:summing it up - it’s a game, so play it, eyes wide open - but don’t act holier than thou

Yep. And we’re all playing by reading this forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something real that is supported by the rest of the application. It can be elaborate or simple but authenticity would be my key focus and something that lasts longer than one academic year or summer.

If you actually looked up these ventures, they still exist and function.

Not everything is fabricated.

Maya Penn launched Maya’s Ideas at the age of eight, producing eco-friendly, upcycled clothing and accessories. By the time she reached high school, the project had grown into a recognised brand with a genuine environmental mission.

https://mayasideas.com/

The parents did this, not the child.

You are cynical.

But she is correct.

Ditto. One parent recently posted on this forum "the trick is to curate a narrative for the kid that appears natural and not contrived. Hiring a private consultant will help with that." I'm also a shameless parent like many here who do as much as they can for their kids. I see nothing wrong with the approach and commend that parent for being honest about it.

One of my kids had a narrative. The other did not. They both got their top choice to highly selective colleges.

Same here. But the one without the narrative had off the charts intellectual vitality in the most unique essays….DC got AO notes about them. School CCO commented on them. Their Ivy AO sought them out to discuss….

The one with the narrative didn’t get that. Still at a similar school.

Without a narrative you do need something else to stand out.

Wait, why didn’t your kid with the intellectual vitality have a narrative? Isn’t that how they had very unique essays — a narrative? So what was it that made them stand out (without a narrative)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something real that is supported by the rest of the application. It can be elaborate or simple but authenticity would be my key focus and something that lasts longer than one academic year or summer.

If you actually looked up these ventures, they still exist and function.

Not everything is fabricated.

Maya Penn launched Maya’s Ideas at the age of eight, producing eco-friendly, upcycled clothing and accessories. By the time she reached high school, the project had grown into a recognised brand with a genuine environmental mission.

https://mayasideas.com/

The parents did this, not the child.

You are cynical.

But she is correct.

Ditto. One parent recently posted on this forum "the trick is to curate a narrative for the kid that appears natural and not contrived. Hiring a private consultant will help with that." I'm also a shameless parent like many here who do as much as they can for their kids. I see nothing wrong with the approach and commend that parent for being honest about it.

Sometimes it's not even curating. Simply presenting these ideas to the kids would be helpful. They may be inspired by these ideas and develop something on their own.

That is exactly what I did. I encouraged in ways they could expand and develop areas of interest. I saw the interest - which was genuine. I just suggested what could be done with it to go deeper. Example: oh you have this interest but your school doesn't have a club for it. What do you think about starting one?

bravo! then that’s how it should be described by junior on his college app -“ I did this passion project because my mom encouraged me to do it and suggested ways I could go deeper!” This is the point folks - it all reeks of privilege and entitlement no matter how you try to justify - and you typically need a professional to hide the manufactured part or mommy and daddy’s prompting/coersion will be subtly exposed. I luv the rationales on this string, I guarantee every parent example is delusional. Some hit the lottery and got junior through the admission wickets - and now telling us all how “authentic” their ec is - bleh

I'm being a supportive and involved parent and yes (gasp! the horror!) I suggested an idea to my kid on how they could develop an interest that they would not have thought of on their own, given their limited life experience. I did not do the work for the kid. The kid liked the idea, took it, and ran with it. I was simply a cheerleader. Odd that is sooooo triggering to you that you had to call me delusional. But some people just like to snipe at others' success I guess. When you see a kid who got something your kid did not, I'm sure it's far far easier to say their parents coerced them (that's the right spelling btw- maybe learn to properly spell your insults next time). I'm sure it's rather hard for you to admit that a kid just may have had something yours did not.

By the way, I have suggested other things to kid that kid did not do. It's up to the kid to do something, or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Something real that is supported by the rest of the application. It can be elaborate or simple but authenticity would be my key focus and something that lasts longer than one academic year or summer.

If you actually looked up these ventures, they still exist and function.

Not everything is fabricated.

Maya Penn launched Maya’s Ideas at the age of eight, producing eco-friendly, upcycled clothing and accessories. By the time she reached high school, the project had grown into a recognised brand with a genuine environmental mission.

https://mayasideas.com/

The parents did this, not the child.

You are cynical.

But she is correct.

Ditto. One parent recently posted on this forum "the trick is to curate a narrative for the kid that appears natural and not contrived. Hiring a private consultant will help with that." I'm also a shameless parent like many here who do as much as they can for their kids. I see nothing wrong with the approach and commend that parent for being honest about it.

One of my kids had a narrative. The other did not. They both got their top choice to highly selective colleges.

Same here. But the one without the narrative had off the charts intellectual vitality in the most unique essays….DC got AO notes about them. School CCO commented on them. Their Ivy AO sought them out to discuss….

The one with the narrative didn’t get that. Still at a similar school.

Without a narrative you do need something else to stand out.

Wait, why didn’t your kid with the intellectual vitality have a narrative? Isn’t that how they had very unique essays — a narrative? So what was it that made them stand out (without a narrative)?

Oldest child; didn’t realize needed to be pointy.

Had many many mini spikes and interested in weird esoteric things about general knowledge (unrelated to major) - the kind of kid with a thirst for information and knowledge who is intellectually restless, and it shows.