Do unhooked ever get into to 20 schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From a counselor I follow:

“It's the time of year where parents and kids are combing over their applications in their minds after being rejected or waitlisted at their top choice universities. I see a deep stream of posts listing stats, and pointing to those stats as proof the admissions officers really messed up.

Stats are only a filter to get your foot through the door.
As this former Yale admissions officer explains, they "agonize" over sentences in a personal statement. Proof that my declaration that the personal statement is the single most important part of the college application post-covid. If your essay does not make them feel something powerful and deep for you, you are not getting in.

I work with students one on one to craft powerful and moving creative nonfiction stories for their personal statement essays.

They also search for students like needles in the haystack, who are self-aware and understand the importance of how their presence impacts others.

They also search for students with texture. The biologist who also dives deep into gender studies, the computer scientist who is fascinated with solving the logistical problems of the Dyson sphere, the mathematician who is an award-winning poet, the journalist who is obsessed with Strauss and plays the instruments that get her to the deepest place she can reach inside his music.

I will point out that Brown in particular also has these kinds of criteria in their admissions decisions.

Diversify - spend time cultivating more than one of your artistic or academic passions.

Stats are only a yard stick. It takes much more to grab the attention of T20 admissions officers and get invited into 3rd round deliberations.”

And "If your essay does not make them feel something powerful and deep for you" in the 45 seconds they read the essay, you are doomed. So definitely hire this counselor, who makes sure "AO's feel something powerful and deep for you".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, my kid sounds exactly like yours and wants to ED to Duke.

Wow! So it can happen! Congratulations on Duke. My sister went there and had the best experience. So regular kid with out all the extra bells and Regenoeron competition or X Writers Workshop or Math Olympiad can get into Duke?

Regular kids. Sure. Excellent stats and full pay. Regular only on this board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From a counselor I follow:

“It's the time of year where parents and kids are combing over their applications in their minds after being rejected or waitlisted at their top choice universities. I see a deep stream of posts listing stats, and pointing to those stats as proof the admissions officers really messed up.

Stats are only a filter to get your foot through the door.
As this former Yale admissions officer explains, they "agonize" over sentences in a personal statement. Proof that my declaration that the personal statement is the single most important part of the college application post-covid. If your essay does not make them feel something powerful and deep for you, you are not getting in.

I work with students one on one to craft powerful and moving creative nonfiction stories for their personal statement essays.

They also search for students like needles in the haystack, who are self-aware and understand the importance of how their presence impacts others.

They also search for students with texture. The biologist who also dives deep into gender studies, the computer scientist who is fascinated with solving the logistical problems of the Dyson sphere, the mathematician who is an award-winning poet, the journalist who is obsessed with Strauss and plays the instruments that get her to the deepest place she can reach inside his music.

I will point out that Brown in particular also has these kinds of criteria in their admissions decisions.

Diversify - spend time cultivating more than one of your artistic or academic passions.

Stats are only a yard stick. It takes much more to grab the attention of T20 admissions officers and get invited into 3rd round deliberations.”

And "If your essay does not make them feel something powerful and deep for you" in the 45 seconds they read the essay, you are doomed. So definitely hire this counselor, who makes sure "AO's feel something powerful and deep for you".

Didn't use that counselor (but someone else) and think that's why my DC got into 4 T20s last cycle test optional. Everyone who read the essay said it made them gasp/cry or some other reaction.

I don't think its bad advice. The personal essays (and the supps really) are VERY important at any private T20.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From a counselor I follow:

“It's the time of year where parents and kids are combing over their applications in their minds after being rejected or waitlisted at their top choice universities. I see a deep stream of posts listing stats, and pointing to those stats as proof the admissions officers really messed up.

Stats are only a filter to get your foot through the door.
As this former Yale admissions officer explains, they "agonize" over sentences in a personal statement. Proof that my declaration that the personal statement is the single most important part of the college application post-covid. If your essay does not make them feel something powerful and deep for you, you are not getting in.

I work with students one on one to craft powerful and moving creative nonfiction stories for their personal statement essays.

They also search for students like needles in the haystack, who are self-aware and understand the importance of how their presence impacts others.

They also search for students with texture. The biologist who also dives deep into gender studies, the computer scientist who is fascinated with solving the logistical problems of the Dyson sphere, the mathematician who is an award-winning poet, the journalist who is obsessed with Strauss and plays the instruments that get her to the deepest place she can reach inside his music.

I will point out that Brown in particular also has these kinds of criteria in their admissions decisions.

Diversify - spend time cultivating more than one of your artistic or academic passions.

Stats are only a yard stick. It takes much more to grab the attention of T20 admissions officers and get invited into 3rd round deliberations.”

And "If your essay does not make them feel something powerful and deep for you" in the 45 seconds they read the essay, you are doomed. So definitely hire this counselor, who makes sure "AO's feel something powerful and deep for you".

Didn't use that counselor (but someone else) and think that's why my DC got into 4 T20s last cycle test optional. Everyone who read the essay said it made them gasp/cry or some other reaction.

I don't think its bad advice. The personal essays (and the supps really) are VERY important at any private T20.

It's not the emotional response itself, per se -- it's that an emotional connection to the applicant can be a very powerful x factor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If multiple kids with a similar profile are applying to one school ED, just DO NOT apply to that school. The odds of getting into Vanderbilt, even when a strong candidate, are low and even lower if 5-10 other kids from the class are EDing there. My advice to my kid was to ED to a high target they would have a much better shot at during ED compared to RD.

. Don't have all the intel but anecdotally many kids peers applied to Vandy ED and none got in from our MCPS Public. Only a few from area privates from what I can see online. And as per discussion above 0 Duke. With that said, the other admits are stellar and beats any area privates that I can see. Just not those 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, DD got in "unhooked" to one of HYP and several other T20s. Was also rejected by rest of HYP and several other T20s. No legacy, family $, is overrepresented minority. What she had going for her --

Top 3-5/600 ranked in well regarded large public -- not valedictorian (school sent multiple kids to HYP, Stanford, MIT, all the top ranked kids landed well)

Near perfect test scores across SATs and APs

Spiky dedication in sport she has been doing since age 5 but no national level awards or recruited athlete.

Good essays and LORs but not sure if they were really standout.

Being female is a hook for top colleges, especially in the STEM fields.

All biosciences are female-dominated. Be careful what you call STEM.

[Anonymous]

My oldest son got into multiple unhooked- 3 T10s and 3 T20s. He’s at an Ivy (2024 HS).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My oldest son got into multiple unhooked- 3 T10s and 3 T20s. He’s at an Ivy (2024 HS).

^ oh and didn’t use a private counselor or essay coach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My older one was a recruited athlete with much lower grades so we are in different territory with my younger son's who is a junior with: 4.0, SAT 1510, a few strong activities & leadership roles within common clubs found in his public school but no app or national awards or huge spike. Full pay. Undecided but probably economics & history. Lot's of AP's with 4s and 5s, part time job. Wants to ED at Vanderbilt (like the rest of his class). Seems like a very typical public school profile. Is this a wasted ED?

Choose history not economics. And find a particular niche in history to be excited about - not just history generally. What are his historical interests?
Do something history this summer?
https://www.wm.edu/as/niahd/precol/
https://www.nationalhistoryacademy.org/

You don’t “apply for history” at Vanderbilt. That’s not a thing. Probably at any school, but definitely not at Vanderbilt

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, DD got in "unhooked" to one of HYP and several other T20s. Was also rejected by rest of HYP and several other T20s. No legacy, family $, is overrepresented minority. What she had going for her --

Top 3-5/600 ranked in well regarded large public -- not valedictorian (school sent multiple kids to HYP, Stanford, MIT, all the top ranked kids landed well)

Near perfect test scores across SATs and APs

Spiky dedication in sport she has been doing since age 5 but no national level awards or recruited athlete.

Good essays and LORs but not sure if they were really standout.

Hook in bold

What? No, being Asian is not a hook

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My older one was a recruited athlete with much lower grades so we are in different territory with my younger son's who is a junior with: 4.0, SAT 1510, a few strong activities & leadership roles within common clubs found in his public school but no app or national awards or huge spike. Full pay. Undecided but probably economics & history. Lot's of AP's with 4s and 5s, part time job. Wants to ED at Vanderbilt (like the rest of his class). Seems like a very typical public school profile. Is this a wasted ED?

Choose history not economics. And find a particular niche in history to be excited about - not just history generally. What are his historical interests?
Do something history this summer?
https://www.wm.edu/as/niahd/precol/
https://www.nationalhistoryacademy.org/

You don’t “apply for history” at Vanderbilt. That’s not a thing. Probably at any school, but definitely not at Vanderbilt

Correct.
You don't apply for a major. You are a history applicant.
Your application is "read" (in committee) as an applicant for a history major - or whatever major you list. Ofc, you aren't assigned to history when admitted....but your ECs are likely not compelling for your application if it doesn't tell a story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From a counselor I follow:

“It's the time of year where parents and kids are combing over their applications in their minds after being rejected or waitlisted at their top choice universities. I see a deep stream of posts listing stats, and pointing to those stats as proof the admissions officers really messed up.

Stats are only a filter to get your foot through the door.
As this former Yale admissions officer explains, they "agonize" over sentences in a personal statement. Proof that my declaration that the personal statement is the single most important part of the college application post-covid. If your essay does not make them feel something powerful and deep for you, you are not getting in.

I work with students one on one to craft powerful and moving creative nonfiction stories for their personal statement essays.

They also search for students like needles in the haystack, who are self-aware and understand the importance of how their presence impacts others.

They also search for students with texture. The biologist who also dives deep into gender studies, the computer scientist who is fascinated with solving the logistical problems of the Dyson sphere, the mathematician who is an award-winning poet, the journalist who is obsessed with Strauss and plays the instruments that get her to the deepest place she can reach inside his music.

I will point out that Brown in particular also has these kinds of criteria in their admissions decisions.

Diversify - spend time cultivating more than one of your artistic or academic passions.

Stats are only a yard stick. It takes much more to grab the attention of T20 admissions officers and get invited into 3rd round deliberations.”

And "If your essay does not make them feel something powerful and deep for you" in the 45 seconds they read the essay, you are doomed. So definitely hire this counselor, who makes sure "AO's feel something powerful and deep for you".

Didn't use that counselor (but someone else) and think that's why my DC got into 4 T20s last cycle test optional. Everyone who read the essay said it made them gasp/cry or some other reaction.

I don't think its bad advice. The personal essays (and the supps really) are VERY important at any private T20.

It's not the emotional response itself, per se -- it's that an emotional connection to the applicant can be a very powerful x factor.

This is it. Essays are an opportunity for the applicant to connect to the AO as, and I hate to say it this way but it is the best I can do, their authentic self. And then the AO can decide if the school benefits from admitting them.

My DS was not Top 20 level, but his essays, which were candid and matter of fact, got him admitted to nearly all Top 30 to 50 schools to which he applied.

There was no melodrama, just this is who I am and what I have experienced. Maybe, it is different for Top 20, but I doubt it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From a counselor I follow:

“It's the time of year where parents and kids are combing over their applications in their minds after being rejected or waitlisted at their top choice universities. I see a deep stream of posts listing stats, and pointing to those stats as proof the admissions officers really messed up.

Stats are only a filter to get your foot through the door.
As this former Yale admissions officer explains, they "agonize" over sentences in a personal statement. Proof that my declaration that the personal statement is the single most important part of the college application post-covid. If your essay does not make them feel something powerful and deep for you, you are not getting in.

I work with students one on one to craft powerful and moving creative nonfiction stories for their personal statement essays.

They also search for students like needles in the haystack, who are self-aware and understand the importance of how their presence impacts others.

They also search for students with texture. The biologist who also dives deep into gender studies, the computer scientist who is fascinated with solving the logistical problems of the Dyson sphere, the mathematician who is an award-winning poet, the journalist who is obsessed with Strauss and plays the instruments that get her to the deepest place she can reach inside his music.

I will point out that Brown in particular also has these kinds of criteria in their admissions decisions.

Diversify - spend time cultivating more than one of your artistic or academic passions.

Stats are only a yard stick. It takes much more to grab the attention of T20 admissions officers and get invited into 3rd round deliberations.”

And "If your essay does not make them feel something powerful and deep for you" in the 45 seconds they read the essay, you are doomed. So definitely hire this counselor, who makes sure "AO's feel something powerful and deep for you".

Didn't use that counselor (but someone else) and think that's why my DC got into 4 T20s last cycle test optional. Everyone who read the essay said it made them gasp/cry or some other reaction.

I don't think its bad advice. The personal essays (and the supps really) are VERY important at any private T20.

It's not the emotional response itself, per se -- it's that an emotional connection to the applicant can be a very powerful x factor.

This is it. Essays are an opportunity for the applicant to connect to the AO as, and I hate to say it this way but it is the best I can do, their authentic self. And then the AO can decide if the school benefits from admitting them.

My DS was not Top 20 level, but his essays, which were candid and matter of fact, got him admitted to nearly all Top 30 to 50 schools to which he applied.

There was no melodrama, just this is who I am and what I have experienced. Maybe, it is different for Top 20, but I doubt it.

I would think essays (together with letters and exotic ECs and awards) don’t matter nearly as much below the top 20-30. Of course, they still have to be okay.

[Anonymous]

If your kid wants to ed at vandy, I would spend a lot of time on the website looking at departmental offerings. I'd definitely lean into history. If I remember correctly, there were some new majors offered at vandy, I think one new major was related to us history with a justice lens? Take a look and see if your kid can align/connect his classes, ec and upcoming summer with that angle. And mention this interest in the essay. Last cycle, the essay topic was related to their motto of dare to grow. Think about how you can lean into that. I'll also add that the kids to get into vandy from our private are full pay, very social/good leadership, and strong stats. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

ND, Georgetown, WashU ED ,Emory ED, Vandy ED, Rice ED. The publics.