So many fake nonprofits and businesses

[Anonymous]

And . . . Crimson.

[Anonymous]

As a professor myself and having known many undergraduate students, I can think of vanishingly few who would have been capable of incorporating a nonprofit in HS (or even in college). Making money at a self-starting job (what's the difference between providing goods/services for pay on a private basis vs. running a 'business' anyway?), ok. But more than that is generally going to have to be dressed up by adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh my. Glad my second rate public school circle does not do this.

+1
I come to these threads to reassure myself being in a non striving circle is SO SO much better for my family’s mental health!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a professor myself and having known many undergraduate students, I can think of vanishingly few who would have been capable of incorporating a nonprofit in HS (or even in college). Making money at a self-starting job (what's the difference between providing goods/services for pay on a private basis vs. running a 'business' anyway?), ok. But more than that is generally going to have to be dressed up by adults.

I assume you mean actually creating a functioning NPO…incorporating one is super simple and can be done in about 5 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a professor myself and having known many undergraduate students, I can think of vanishingly few who would have been capable of incorporating a nonprofit in HS (or even in college). Making money at a self-starting job (what's the difference between providing goods/services for pay on a private basis vs. running a 'business' anyway?), ok. But more than that is generally going to have to be dressed up by adults.

I kind of think young people get slighted…I can think of vanishingly few people of any age that can create a meaningful NPO that serves a unique purpose in the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The whole college admissions is BS and a game.

From these fake nonprofits to hiring college consultants, including essay reviewers and, in some cases, writers.

It's just all BS.

The only measurable factors are the grades and test scores. Yea, you can hire tutors for them, but you, the student, still has to take the tests and do the work.

Agreed so what do you do for a kid who wants to go to a top school when everyone else's parents are piling on the BS?

There's not much evidence that the BS works.

Then why do so many people hire college consultants?

They do more than just make up these fake businesses though.

The key is a cohesive narrative that whines through the entire set of 4yr coursework, summer jobs/experiences, recommenders letters, and the college counseling office letter. Along with all of the essays. It’s seamless. That’s what you’re paying for. Also potentially access to internships or similar types of prestigious jobs.

If you can’t use your own network to procure them for your offspring.

It’s easy to do all of this if you are a stay at home parent, and have a fabulous network.

That's why it's all BS. Most kids don't have this kind of connection, and they aren't putting the work in by themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The whole college admissions is BS and a game.

From these fake nonprofits to hiring college consultants, including essay reviewers and, in some cases, writers.

It's just all BS.

The only measurable factors are the grades and test scores. Yea, you can hire tutors for them, but you, the student, still has to take the tests and do the work.

Agreed so what do you do for a kid who wants to go to a top school when everyone else's parents are piling on the BS?

There's not much evidence that the BS works.

Then why do so many people hire college consultants?

They do more than just make up these fake businesses though.

The key is a cohesive narrative that whines through the entire set of 4yr coursework, summer jobs/experiences, recommenders letters, and the college counseling office letter. Along with all of the essays. It’s seamless. That’s what you’re paying for. Also potentially access to internships or similar types of prestigious jobs.

If you can’t use your own network to procure them for your offspring.

It’s easy to do all of this if you are a stay at home parent, and have a fabulous network.

That's why it's all BS. Most kids don't have this kind of connection, and they aren't putting the work in by themselves.

They don't have the connections, skills, or the time so you know that a parent is doing it on their behalf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The whole college admissions is BS and a game.

From these fake nonprofits to hiring college consultants, including essay reviewers and, in some cases, writers.

It's just all BS.

The only measurable factors are the grades and test scores. Yea, you can hire tutors for them, but you, the student, still has to take the tests and do the work.

Agreed so what do you do for a kid who wants to go to a top school when everyone else's parents are piling on the BS?

There's not much evidence that the BS works.

Then why do so many people hire college consultants?

They do more than just make up these fake businesses though.

The key is a cohesive narrative that whines through the entire set of 4yr coursework, summer jobs/experiences, recommenders letters, and the college counseling office letter. Along with all of the essays. It’s seamless. That’s what you’re paying for. Also potentially access to internships or similar types of prestigious jobs.

If you can’t use your own network to procure them for your offspring.

It’s easy to do all of this if you are a stay at home parent, and have a fabulous network.

If you are a SAHM parent with a "fabulous network", then you are likely a wealthy SAHM parent that would much prefer to pay $50k+ to a consultant to do this in a much more efficient manner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid started a lawn business
😂

That sounds believable at least.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My teen actually has started a modestly profitable business (not huge amounts of money but a legit side hustle, profit is about 2k per month currently) and I don’t even know that he’ll mention it because we all assume admissions people would think it was bogus.

Put it as an activity in the common app - just like others might put in a job.
If you want to expand on it - do so as a header in the additional information section so that you are not as limited by character count
OR use the Coalition App - this allows 100 more characters in the description.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I doubt it. At a recent school info session, we were handed a document new from 2024 that showed how many non profit starters there were who were admitted ED and EA so far.

Drives me nuts. So many of these non profits serve absolutely no one.

Is it me, or do many of them seem to specialize in providing sick kids with stuffed animals?

I know 2 kids who are doing period products.
Both have parent's who make 7 figures. I would prefer for them to cut a check than to push their kids go fund me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of your kids getting into selective colleges, what is your kids intended major? My kid wants to do CS, so he is hands down learning coding, creating passion project apps etc.. Not much time left for anything else.

Do you think opening a pet or lawn business would help with CS major admission at a selective university?

I can answer this question for you because I know these people.

Cs, engineering, or some kind of biomedical study.

All of these amazing outside the box thinking kids all have the same major.

I'd actually like to thank you all for helping make my own kids' essay on fanfiction and deviantart commissions look unique.

[Anonymous]

I know a dozen kids who’ve done this and in all but one case at least one parent is a lawyer and they all make over $500,000 a year. In the one non lawyer family, the parents started it when the kids were young children and the kids just helped with the ONE beneficiary of the org.

This kind of thing makes my blood boil.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents, please stop passing off your work as your child's. Your $3M new startup is not going to put Google out of business. If we can see through this, don't you think the AOs do?

If AOs were that smart, they wouldn't be AOs would they?

[Anonymous]

College is too accessible and easy to get loans so there is an over supply of candidates, this is why you have to resort to these things as the ones who can afford it subsidize those that can't