Craziest “pointy” narratives that worked this cycle

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve just seen ppl taking an interest to an extreme (interested in x, take x to the farthest place you can imagine a well resourced teen)….

I think it can work if authentic and aligned with intended major. Even if kid drops 50% of the interest in college.

examples? most kids who take an obscure interest to an extreme are neurodivergent, or just really into a specialized activity that is really more about money, like dressage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this is not the beginning of this approach.

I live in Brooklyn a stone's throw from St Ann's and my own kids are at a "top tier" HS in Manhattan. Lots of blogs, NFPs, YouTube channels and podcasts started in junior year and abandoned 12 months later.

But I've also seen plenty of these kids get into HYP - yay! - and graduate and then, because they don't have another consultant (yet) they end up being SAT tutors themselves.

Not sure this is the outcome you want for your kids

And then their connections get them a real job and then go on and the circle of affluent NYC life continues. Yeah, it doesn't change that much.

As former New Yorker, I still have a lot of friends there with kids, some at BFS and St Anne's, etc. I think I envy that world more than I like to admit to myself, but I'm also relieved not to have to deal with it. So much that is done because everyone else is doing it.

I don't think the shifts that have abandoned elite schools to the very wealthy and the very poor have been all that great for academic thought, also. Lots of armchair revolutionary kids who suffer no consequences, and kids with genuine grievances who have some of the worst examples of capitalism living next door.

THIS.

Also, the PP who commented about it trickling down to the "not as rich"... so true. I have seen this first hand (and was even guilty getting caught up in it myself for a hot second until a gave myself a proverbial slap across the face). We live really well but we aren't multiple homes and private plane rich and honestly, we have no business getting caught up in all this. Not to mention, DC's private has a great group of college counselors.

These independent companies are getting paid by very wealthy families with kids who have the kind of resources and free time to start three NFP's that a lot of regular teens don't have and likely, would be getting into top tier schools anyway (even if it meant falling up) because the schools see donation written all over them. In some cases they might be part of the tipping point of a certain kid getting in but let's be real - their percentage of acceptance is mostly wholey based on the wealth of the families and the access it affords these students to begin with. These companies get to take "credit" for the admission and it drives more parents to flock to them to drop six figures on years long programs around blogs and b.s.

Nah. Pre varsity blues maybe. Now?

There’s a lot more $$$ than you can imagine and very wealthy ppl (think NW btw $50-200 million) get dinged all the time. Billionaires and celebrities are diff tho.

They’ll be fine and end up at NYU; BC; Wake; Tulane etc….but you are not getting into T25 just bc you have deep pockets bc schools see “donation”. The rest has to be there - and fully baked out.

Not true, obviously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can college admissions officers fall for this cr*p? A blog? Seriously?

You can’t fake 500 blog posts over 3-4 years.

The article described how the blog was basically ghost written. But sure, if a teen produced that volume of quality content over years and actually gained a social media followinf, that would be something. If it’s basically a Livejournal ca 2020, not so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s really commonplace. But extremely hard to execute well.

+1. I give kudos to any student who is so devoted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this is not the beginning of this approach.

I live in Brooklyn a stone's throw from St Ann's and my own kids are at a "top tier" HS in Manhattan. Lots of blogs, NFPs, YouTube channels and podcasts started in junior year and abandoned 12 months later.

But I've also seen plenty of these kids get into HYP - yay! - and graduate and then, because they don't have another consultant (yet) they end up being SAT tutors themselves.

Not sure this is the outcome you want for your kids

And then their connections get them a real job and then go on and the circle of affluent NYC life continues. Yeah, it doesn't change that much.

As former New Yorker, I still have a lot of friends there with kids, some at BFS and St Anne's, etc. I think I envy that world more than I like to admit to myself, but I'm also relieved not to have to deal with it. So much that is done because everyone else is doing it.

I don't think the shifts that have abandoned elite schools to the very wealthy and the very poor have been all that great for academic thought, also. Lots of armchair revolutionary kids who suffer no consequences, and kids with genuine grievances who have some of the worst examples of capitalism living next door.

THIS.

Also, the PP who commented about it trickling down to the "not as rich"... so true. I have seen this first hand (and was even guilty getting caught up in it myself for a hot second until a gave myself a proverbial slap across the face). We live really well but we aren't multiple homes and private plane rich and honestly, we have no business getting caught up in all this. Not to mention, DC's private has a great group of college counselors.

These independent companies are getting paid by very wealthy families with kids who have the kind of resources and free time to start three NFP's that a lot of regular teens don't have and likely, would be getting into top tier schools anyway (even if it meant falling up) because the schools see donation written all over them. In some cases they might be part of the tipping point of a certain kid getting in but let's be real - their percentage of acceptance is mostly wholey based on the wealth of the families and the access it affords these students to begin with. These companies get to take "credit" for the admission and it drives more parents to flock to them to drop six figures on years long programs around blogs and b.s.

Nah. Pre varsity blues maybe. Now?

There’s a lot more $$$ than you can imagine and very wealthy ppl (think NW btw $50-200 million) get dinged all the time. Billionaires and celebrities are diff tho.

They’ll be fine and end up at NYU; BC; Wake; Tulane etc….but you are not getting into T25 just bc you have deep pockets bc schools see “donation”. The rest has to be there - and fully baked out.

Not true, obviously.

Go ahead. You can hate “all” the rich ppl. Class warfare and all - isn’t that the point of all these articles? Ogle and hate the wealthy?

But I think some of this shows a lack of understanding about how it works when you are wealthy but not famous…..

They don’t just open doors for someone bc they can make a 7 figure donation after kid gets in. It’s not working like that.

And if your legacy, you’ve already made that donation anyway.

IMO these counselors are trying to create a story for extremely privileged but qualified kids to push them over that line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this is not the beginning of this approach.

I live in Brooklyn a stone's throw from St Ann's and my own kids are at a "top tier" HS in Manhattan. Lots of blogs, NFPs, YouTube channels and podcasts started in junior year and abandoned 12 months later.

But I've also seen plenty of these kids get into HYP - yay! - and graduate and then, because they don't have another consultant (yet) they end up being SAT tutors themselves.

Not sure this is the outcome you want for your kids

And then their connections get them a real job and then go on and the circle of affluent NYC life continues. Yeah, it doesn't change that much.

As former New Yorker, I still have a lot of friends there with kids, some at BFS and St Anne's, etc. I think I envy that world more than I like to admit to myself, but I'm also relieved not to have to deal with it. So much that is done because everyone else is doing it.

I don't think the shifts that have abandoned elite schools to the very wealthy and the very poor have been all that great for academic thought, also. Lots of armchair revolutionary kids who suffer no consequences, and kids with genuine grievances who have some of the worst examples of capitalism living next door.

THIS.

Also, the PP who commented about it trickling down to the "not as rich"... so true. I have seen this first hand (and was even guilty getting caught up in it myself for a hot second until a gave myself a proverbial slap across the face). We live really well but we aren't multiple homes and private plane rich and honestly, we have no business getting caught up in all this. Not to mention, DC's private has a great group of college counselors.

These independent companies are getting paid by very wealthy families with kids who have the kind of resources and free time to start three NFP's that a lot of regular teens don't have and likely, would be getting into top tier schools anyway (even if it meant falling up) because the schools see donation written all over them. In some cases they might be part of the tipping point of a certain kid getting in but let's be real - their percentage of acceptance is mostly wholey based on the wealth of the families and the access it affords these students to begin with. These companies get to take "credit" for the admission and it drives more parents to flock to them to drop six figures on years long programs around blogs and b.s.

Nah. Pre varsity blues maybe. Now?

There’s a lot more $$$ than you can imagine and very wealthy ppl (think NW btw $50-200 million) get dinged all the time. Billionaires and celebrities are diff tho.

They’ll be fine and end up at NYU; BC; Wake; Tulane etc….but you are not getting into T25 just bc you have deep pockets bc schools see “donation”. The rest has to be there - and fully baked out.

Not true, obviously.

Go ahead. You can hate “all” the rich ppl. Class warfare and all - isn’t that the point of all these articles? Ogle and hate the wealthy?

But I think some of this shows a lack of understanding about how it works when you are wealthy but not famous…..

They don’t just open doors for someone bc they can make a 7 figure donation after kid gets in. It’s not working like that.

And if your legacy, you’ve already made that donation anyway.

IMO these counselors are trying to create a story for extremely privileged but qualified kids to push them over that line.

+1. I agree that there is some class warfare going on in admittance and rankings. The public college parents love to hate on the private college parents. I know plenty of kids who are admitted to ivies because of who their parents are, and of those, some include how much they donated (an insane amount that 99% of us could never fathom, in a million years).

The latter group is more tiny than you know. Good for them for being able to play that game, because I sure can not. They are paying for underprivileged students, who otherwise would be shut out, to go to that school. Just because that donation was not for your kid or my kid, doesn't mean it is wrong. These colleges can not survive without the rich parents paying. I myself an grateful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this is not the beginning of this approach.

I live in Brooklyn a stone's throw from St Ann's and my own kids are at a "top tier" HS in Manhattan. Lots of blogs, NFPs, YouTube channels and podcasts started in junior year and abandoned 12 months later.

But I've also seen plenty of these kids get into HYP - yay! - and graduate and then, because they don't have another consultant (yet) they end up being SAT tutors themselves.

Not sure this is the outcome you want for your kids

And then their connections get them a real job and then go on and the circle of affluent NYC life continues. Yeah, it doesn't change that much.

As former New Yorker, I still have a lot of friends there with kids, some at BFS and St Anne's, etc. I think I envy that world more than I like to admit to myself, but I'm also relieved not to have to deal with it. So much that is done because everyone else is doing it.

I don't think the shifts that have abandoned elite schools to the very wealthy and the very poor have been all that great for academic thought, also. Lots of armchair revolutionary kids who suffer no consequences, and kids with genuine grievances who have some of the worst examples of capitalism living next door.

THIS.

Also, the PP who commented about it trickling down to the "not as rich"... so true. I have seen this first hand (and was even guilty getting caught up in it myself for a hot second until a gave myself a proverbial slap across the face). We live really well but we aren't multiple homes and private plane rich and honestly, we have no business getting caught up in all this. Not to mention, DC's private has a great group of college counselors.

These independent companies are getting paid by very wealthy families with kids who have the kind of resources and free time to start three NFP's that a lot of regular teens don't have and likely, would be getting into top tier schools anyway (even if it meant falling up) because the schools see donation written all over them. In some cases they might be part of the tipping point of a certain kid getting in but let's be real - their percentage of acceptance is mostly wholey based on the wealth of the families and the access it affords these students to begin with. These companies get to take "credit" for the admission and it drives more parents to flock to them to drop six figures on years long programs around blogs and b.s.

Nah. Pre varsity blues maybe. Now?

There’s a lot more $$$ than you can imagine and very wealthy ppl (think NW btw $50-200 million) get dinged all the time. Billionaires and celebrities are diff tho.

They’ll be fine and end up at NYU; BC; Wake; Tulane etc….but you are not getting into T25 just bc you have deep pockets bc schools see “donation”. The rest has to be there - and fully baked out.

Not true, obviously.

Go ahead. You can hate “all” the rich ppl. Class warfare and all - isn’t that the point of all these articles? Ogle and hate the wealthy?

But I think some of this shows a lack of understanding about how it works when you are wealthy but not famous…..

They don’t just open doors for someone bc they can make a 7 figure donation after kid gets in. It’s not working like that.

And if your legacy, you’ve already made that donation anyway.

IMO these counselors are trying to create a story for extremely privileged but qualified kids to push them over that line.

OK, enjoy paying your 1.5mil to an admissions consultant to set up a fake “pointy” narrative then! Boo hoo.

[Anonymous]

There is a kid on YouTube who is an adopted boy from Ethiopia who really likes to crochet. He has a huge online following and has been on the Today show etc. He designs patterns and has an endorsement deal with one of the yarn companies. I don’t think he is doing it to get into Harvard but I am sure he would if he applied. He also donates most of the money he earns to an orphanage in Ethiopia. That to me is a “pointy narrative”, passion project. And it is really sincere, not manufactured.

[Anonymous]

I suspect that swing dancing might work. There is a great documentary about the swing dancing comm. There are also a couple of little kids who are ballroom dancers who have huge online followings and who have won a lot of competitions. Most kids who do this activity though have parents who are dancers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a kid on YouTube who is an adopted boy from Ethiopia who really likes to crochet. He has a huge online following and has been on the Today show etc. He designs patterns and has an endorsement deal with one of the yarn companies. I don’t think he is doing it to get into Harvard but I am sure he would if he applied. He also donates most of the money he earns to an orphanage in Ethiopia. That to me is a “pointy narrative”, passion project. And it is really sincere, not manufactured.

The question is, did he have to take it to that extreme? Would it be OK if he just had that passion project, had a club at school? Teachers knew about it and did some thing in his community? Why does everything have to be so so big?

This whole notion of impact I think has gotten out of control. They’re 17 years old. Do they really need to run an international operation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this is not the beginning of this approach.

I live in Brooklyn a stone's throw from St Ann's and my own kids are at a "top tier" HS in Manhattan. Lots of blogs, NFPs, YouTube channels and podcasts started in junior year and abandoned 12 months later.

But I've also seen plenty of these kids get into HYP - yay! - and graduate and then, because they don't have another consultant (yet) they end up being SAT tutors themselves.

Not sure this is the outcome you want for your kids

And then their connections get them a real job and then go on and the circle of affluent NYC life continues. Yeah, it doesn't change that much.

As former New Yorker, I still have a lot of friends there with kids, some at BFS and St Anne's, etc. I think I envy that world more than I like to admit to myself, but I'm also relieved not to have to deal with it. So much that is done because everyone else is doing it.

I don't think the shifts that have abandoned elite schools to the very wealthy and the very poor have been all that great for academic thought, also. Lots of armchair revolutionary kids who suffer no consequences, and kids with genuine grievances who have some of the worst examples of capitalism living next door.

THIS.

Also, the PP who commented about it trickling down to the "not as rich"... so true. I have seen this first hand (and was even guilty getting caught up in it myself for a hot second until a gave myself a proverbial slap across the face). We live really well but we aren't multiple homes and private plane rich and honestly, we have no business getting caught up in all this. Not to mention, DC's private has a great group of college counselors.

These independent companies are getting paid by very wealthy families with kids who have the kind of resources and free time to start three NFP's that a lot of regular teens don't have and likely, would be getting into top tier schools anyway (even if it meant falling up) because the schools see donation written all over them. In some cases they might be part of the tipping point of a certain kid getting in but let's be real - their percentage of acceptance is mostly wholey based on the wealth of the families and the access it affords these students to begin with. These companies get to take "credit" for the admission and it drives more parents to flock to them to drop six figures on years long programs around blogs and b.s.

Nah. Pre varsity blues maybe. Now?

There’s a lot more $$$ than you can imagine and very wealthy ppl (think NW btw $50-200 million) get dinged all the time. Billionaires and celebrities are diff tho.

They’ll be fine and end up at NYU; BC; Wake; Tulane etc….but you are not getting into T25 just bc you have deep pockets bc schools see “donation”. The rest has to be there - and fully baked out.

Not true, obviously.

Go ahead. You can hate “all” the rich ppl. Class warfare and all - isn’t that the point of all these articles? Ogle and hate the wealthy?

But I think some of this shows a lack of understanding about how it works when you are wealthy but not famous…..

They don’t just open doors for someone bc they can make a 7 figure donation after kid gets in. It’s not working like that.

And if your legacy, you’ve already made that donation anyway.

IMO these counselors are trying to create a story for extremely privileged but qualified kids to push them over that line.

OK, enjoy paying your 1.5mil to an admissions consultant to set up a fake “pointy” narrative then! Boo hoo.

Ha. I didn’t hire one if these.
Just think you are clueless. You’ll see (or not). No difference to me.

If you do have real questions though on how wealth can smooth out this college admissions process (which I do agree with) happy to answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's very common among the 1% and despite everyone here saying "AOs are smart! they know! they see right through this" the fact is, they don't.

I think it will work for a while. Teen tours also worked for a lot longer than we remember. Colleges scoff they can see through that and I wish someone would say: "you didn't for 20 years so let's not be so smug! and now you love the passion project some adult made up for the kids"

I agree. It worked for someone who got into Penn by founding a nonprofit focused on girls in Asia. Read the bios of these kids on Reddit. They all started a non-profit.

Read the Coca Cola scholar bios. Half of them seemed contrived.

Listen, you don't want your kid to be one of those kids. Yale can f right off. It's not worth it.

Seemed? They *are*!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve just seen ppl taking an interest to an extreme (interested in x, take x to the farthest place you can imagine a well resourced teen)….

I think it can work if authentic and aligned with intended major. Even if kid drops 50% of the interest in college.

examples? most kids who take an obscure interest to an extreme are neurodivergent, or just really into a specialized activity that is really more about money, like dressage.

I can think of quite a few others. Read bios on Reddit or CC. Some are beyond detailed/niche and not fancy /$$$

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a kid on YouTube who is an adopted boy from Ethiopia who really likes to crochet. He has a huge online following and has been on the Today show etc. He designs patterns and has an endorsement deal with one of the yarn companies. I don’t think he is doing it to get into Harvard but I am sure he would if he applied. He also donates most of the money he earns to an orphanage in Ethiopia. That to me is a “pointy narrative”, passion project. And it is really sincere, not manufactured.

The question is, did he have to take it to that extreme? Would it be OK if he just had that passion project, had a club at school? Teachers knew about it and did some thing in his community? Why does everything have to be so so big?

This whole notion of impact I think has gotten out of control. They’re 17 years old. Do they really need to run an international operation?

Way to miss the point. He didn’t become an Ethiopian orphan with a crochet obsession as a college admissions ploy. That’s just who he is. If you take the attitude that your kid needs to be in the rat race instead of being themselves, that’s what you’ll get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a kid on YouTube who is an adopted boy from Ethiopia who really likes to crochet. He has a huge online following and has been on the Today show etc. He designs patterns and has an endorsement deal with one of the yarn companies. I don’t think he is doing it to get into Harvard but I am sure he would if he applied. He also donates most of the money he earns to an orphanage in Ethiopia. That to me is a “pointy narrative”, passion project. And it is really sincere, not manufactured.

The question is, did he have to take it to that extreme? Would it be OK if he just had that passion project, had a club at school? Teachers knew about it and did some thing in his community? Why does everything have to be so so big?

This whole notion of impact I think has gotten out of control. They’re 17 years old. Do they really need to run an international operation?

Way to miss the point. He didn’t become an Ethiopian orphan with a crochet obsession as a college admissions ploy. That’s just who he is. If you take the attitude that your kid needs to be in the rat race instead of being themselves, that’s what you’ll get.

I think he did the media tour for college admissions…