How to be different

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are some ways for a stem kid to separate themselves from the thousands of other high schoolers who do research, aime, “internships”, isef, etc?

Sports. Not an individual sport, but a true team sport where you have to be committed to the team and your teammates.

Shows ability to put others before yourself and also shows ability to maintain high academic success while spending hours per week doing something completely non-academic.

Really, any time consuming activity that is totally different from STEM. But sports fills this need particularly well.

Forgot to add to above, this is what my child did and he went to and graduated from a highly ranked STEM school and is working successfully in a STEM field now. His team sport experiences set him apart from many others and they have been useful to him through college and even now in his work.

if your kid is in the working world, he applied to college A LONG TIME AGO. Things have gotten even more competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have an interest most stem kids don’t have.
Get licensed to be a paramedic?
Fisheries & wildlife?
Birding?

Any more tips on birding?

My kid is an avid birder and successful STEM admit to a top LAC. He included things in his activities section like (quantified) engagement on I-Naturalist and wrote his essay about birding.

[Anonymous]

Birding, knitting or crocheting (especially as a boy and joining a group with old people) are the two ECs that I know actual kids did. All 3 kids are at Ivies this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Birding, knitting or crocheting (especially as a boy and joining a group with old people) are the two ECs that I know actual kids did. All 3 kids are at Ivies this year.

My DD crochets. EVERYONE in her school does it. It is not niche.

[Anonymous]

Drug dealer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Drug dealer

Seriously. This will be the next thing AOs are looking for: show us you are not afraid of breaking the rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Birding, knitting or crocheting (especially as a boy and joining a group with old people) are the two ECs that I know actual kids did. All 3 kids are at Ivies this year.

I guess this is what it takes to major in CS these days...

[Anonymous]

Huh, my high school junior’s in the middle of an embroidery project. Look out, Harvard!

[Anonymous]

My favorite odd EC was the kid who won the world championship in punning. So hilarious and different, while also showing they can think on their feet.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._Henry_Pun-Off

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are some ways for a stem kid to separate themselves from the thousands of other high schoolers who do research, aime, “internships”, isef, etc?

Sports. Not an individual sport, but a true team sport where you have to be committed to the team and your teammates.

Shows ability to put others before yourself and also shows ability to maintain high academic success while spending hours per week doing something completely non-academic.

Really, any time consuming activity that is totally different from STEM. But sports fills this need particularly well.

Forgot to add to above, this is what my child did and he went to and graduated from a highly ranked STEM school and is working successfully in a STEM field now. His team sport experiences set him apart from many others and they have been useful to him through college and even now in his work.

if your kid is in the working world, he applied to college A LONG TIME AGO. Things have gotten even more competitive.

Yes, it was about seven years ago. Colleges are still looking for kids who can do their academic work while spending a LOT of time doing non-academic activities each day. AOs, and hiring managers, are well aware of the amount of time that a team sport can take up and how important it is for a kid to learn how to cooperate and know when to put the needs of others before their own.

In STEM, involvement in team sports is not as common, so it helps to set an applicant apart to AOs who typically understand the extent of commitment required and the positive skills developed by kids who have several years of playing a team sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fencing?

Have you seen the fencing teams at these schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every boy with a 1500 sat and a 40” vertical jump can get into any school they want

Geez we get it, it's volleyball season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Birding, knitting or crocheting (especially as a boy and joining a group with old people) are the two ECs that I know actual kids did. All 3 kids are at Ivies this year.

My DD crochets. EVERYONE in her school does it. It is not niche.

True.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are some ways for a stem kid to separate themselves from the thousands of other high schoolers who do research, aime, “internships”, isef, etc?

Sports. Not an individual sport, but a true team sport where you have to be committed to the team and your teammates.

Shows ability to put others before yourself and also shows ability to maintain high academic success while spending hours per week doing something completely non-academic.

Really, any time consuming activity that is totally different from STEM. But sports fills this need particularly well.

Forgot to add to above, this is what my child did and he went to and graduated from a highly ranked STEM school and is working successfully in a STEM field now. His team sport experiences set him apart from many others and they have been useful to him through college and even now in his work.

if your kid is in the working world, he applied to college A LONG TIME AGO. Things have gotten even more competitive.

Yes, it was about seven years ago. Colleges are still looking for kids who can do their academic work while spending a LOT of time doing non-academic activities each day. AOs, and hiring managers, are well aware of the amount of time that a team sport can take up and how important it is for a kid to learn how to cooperate and know when to put the needs of others before their own.

In STEM, involvement in team sports is not as common, so it helps to set an applicant apart to AOs who typically understand the extent of commitment required and the positive skills developed by kids who have several years of playing a team sport.

Stereotyping STEM kids much? There are plenty of kids out there interested in stem that play sports and have ECs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Birding, knitting or crocheting (especially as a boy and joining a group with old people) are the two ECs that I know actual kids did. All 3 kids are at Ivies this year.

My DD crochets. EVERYONE in her school does it. It is not niche.

Maybe so, but do the AOs know this? Parents realize it, but the AOs who don’t have teens might think this sounds really creative and niche. The AOs fall for the parent created non-profits and the nepo or pay-to-play research projects, so they don’t really seem to be up on what goes on at these high schools.