If my kid has really strong academic credentials in STEM

[Anonymous]

If he takes up new extra-curriculars, maybe focus on ones that show community involvement, helping underprivileged communities, etc., to get more bang for his buck! Can he recruit his friends to help set up a Geek squAd type service for the less computer savvy folks, like at the local library. My 80 year old mom bugs my DC to get her computer savvy friend (he’s going to RPI, MIT said no) over to help put apps on her iPad and organize her desktop, troubleshoot technical stuff. Let your son use his skills to help people!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My magnet kid, 1580 SAT (800 math), 10+ APs, including 5 in calc , straight As, 4.9 wgpa with zero STEM related activities, but has others, was shut out at T15 for CS. Got into UMD.

CS is super tough. IMO, your kid needs more STEM related activities. We went the too well rounded route, and I don't think that helped.

OP here, I think that more STEM activities might help him get into T15 CS, or at least increase the very low odds to slightly less low odds.

I don't know that I see a benefit to T15 over UMD for this particular kid though, so in my mind he's fine as he is, and doesn't "need" more STEM.

But I also want him steering the ship, and right now he's saying that maybe he wants to shift to more STEM EC's. I'm fine with him shifting, but if he does then I want it based on reality. The idea that he won't get in "anywhere" is clearly absurd, so I'm trying to figure out what the actual impact could be.

Let him do what he loves!! Because ultimately, it would suck to do ECs “just to get into college” and then not get into where you want. I read let him do what he wants and dig deep into theater and have fun. Schools love the well balanced kid. However, maybe have him do a 2-3 week summer camp in coding/some engineering to demonstrate some interest. But let him focus on what he loves for ECs. Worked for my DD —in at all targets, WL at one reach and first year abroad at another reach, and refracted at t10. But I don’t think the ECs caused that—to think the 5% acceptance rates caused it.

I am the one encouraging him to do what he loves! I just also want to include actual information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If he takes up new extra-curriculars, maybe focus on ones that show community involvement, helping underprivileged communities, etc., to get more bang for his buck! Can he recruit his friends to help set up a Geek squAd type service for the less computer savvy folks, like at the local library. My 80 year old mom bugs my DC to get her computer savvy friend (he’s going to RPI, MIT said no) over to help put apps on her iPad and organize her desktop, troubleshoot technical stuff. Let your son use his skills to help people!

"let"? So, basically OP as the parent would have to push her DS to "help people".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he takes up new extra-curriculars, maybe focus on ones that show community involvement, helping underprivileged communities, etc., to get more bang for his buck! Can he recruit his friends to help set up a Geek squAd type service for the less computer savvy folks, like at the local library. My 80 year old mom bugs my DC to get her computer savvy friend (he’s going to RPI, MIT said no) over to help put apps on her iPad and organize her desktop, troubleshoot technical stuff. Let your son use his skills to help people!

"let"? So, basically OP as the parent would have to push her DS to "help people".

NP. Good grief. Can we not dismember people for semantics? How is that helpful?