Parents of High School Juniors - Hold On To Your Hats

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Following up on 15:12, I have read that schools are now looking for lopsided students with a "passion." After a few decades of experience with well-rounded kids, they have started to conclude that these well-rounded kids may not be the most successful.

Has anybody else heard this?


see, here's the problem with this though. It's common knowledge now. It's made it onto forums like this, in books etc. So everybody is packaging their application to follow the current fashion. Many essays now start out "I have a passion for," or "my passion is."
You think the admissions people haven't caught on to this? Having a "passion" gives on no advantge in the application process really, since most "in the know" applicants (their parents actually) will profess to having one.
Anonymous
from the NPR interview this great quote from one of the committee members: "We're trying to separate the James Browns from the James Taylors."
I really love that, and can understand the point completely. One thing that gives me optimism about the process is the James Taylors cannot ever be James Browns, no matter how hard they try or are packaged. I think it is great the admissions panels at these schools are trying to keep people off balance as to exactly what they are looking for - otherwise everybody will package their application to reflect what they think the college wants and then all you get is a bunch of James Taylors.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:from the NPR interview this great quote from one of the committee members: "We're trying to separate the James Browns from the James Taylors."
I really love that, and can understand the point completely. One thing that gives me optimism about the process is the James Taylors cannot ever be James Browns, no matter how hard they try or are packaged. I think it is great the admissions panels at these schools are trying to keep people off balance as to exactly what they are looking for - otherwise everybody will package their application to reflect what they think the college wants and then all you get is a bunch of James Taylors.



I don't think a "James Taylor" should attempt to be a "James Brown". I think a student should look for a school that fits the student, not jump through hoops trying to fit the mold of a particular school. Despite what the snooty status conscious posters in this forum would have you believe there are MANY good colleges out there. A student should look for a place where they can thrive, grow and truly experience the privilege and gift of education.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:from the NPR interview this great quote from one of the committee members: "We're trying to separate the James Browns from the James Taylors."
I really love that, and can understand the point completely. One thing that gives me optimism about the process is the James Taylors cannot ever be James Browns, no matter how hard they try or are packaged. I think it is great the admissions panels at these schools are trying to keep people off balance as to exactly what they are looking for - otherwise everybody will package their application to reflect what they think the college wants and then all you get is a bunch of James Taylors.



I don't think a "James Taylor" should attempt to be a "James Brown". I think a student should look for a school that fits the student, not jump through hoops trying to fit the mold of a particular school. Despite what the snooty status conscious posters in this forum would have you believe there are MANY good colleges out there. A student should look for a place where they can thrive, grow and truly experience the privilege and gift of education.


yes, of course I agree. (who wouldn't?).
The James Taylors can go to places like University of Maryland. The James Browns can go to places like, Williams, Amherst etc.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:from the NPR interview this great quote from one of the committee members: "We're trying to separate the James Browns from the James Taylors."
I really love that, and can understand the point completely. One thing that gives me optimism about the process is the James Taylors cannot ever be James Browns, no matter how hard they try or are packaged. I think it is great the admissions panels at these schools are trying to keep people off balance as to exactly what they are looking for - otherwise everybody will package their application to reflect what they think the college wants and then all you get is a bunch of James Taylors.



I don't think a "James Taylor" should attempt to be a "James Brown". I think a student should look for a school that fits the student, not jump through hoops trying to fit the mold of a particular school. Despite what the snooty status conscious posters in this forum would have you believe there are MANY good colleges out there. A student should look for a place where they can thrive, grow and truly experience the privilege and gift of education.


yes, of course I agree. (who wouldn't?).
The James Taylors can go to places like University of Maryland. The James Browns can go to places like, Williams, Amherst etc.






You do know that James Brown was a wife beater, right?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:To 9:34

I know you did not ask me but I would like to chime in. This is actually the third time that I have heard this statement (or something similar What we heard (and it may be the schools that we applied to) is that most of the top colleges still want the “well rounded” kids for the liberal arts disciplines, but want the singularly driven kids in the applied science disciplines. Just recently, a friend of mine was telling that a local “elite” private school had 11 kids apply to a certain school in California. Only one got in and that particular kid was not as well rounded as the others but was an absolute beast in science/math. So maybe there is some truth to it.



The Math/Science beasts at the "local elite" I am familiar with were not the ones lucky enough to be goin' west. Only two going and both have family connections to the school.
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