Best advice you got from a private college admissions counselor?

[Anonymous]

^^^NP. True work experience helps kids stand out. So few have real jobs. I don't believe one bit that what the poster said about Wake Forest is true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First generation college is considered an asset.

Rather than activities that she's not interested in, encourage her to get a part-time job. Many strong schools consider that a considerable plus.

Such as...? Wake Forest advises not to include work experience and the other good schools I’ve looked at rate it as barely considered.

Why would this be? I would think paid employment would rank in the same category as participating in a sport or any other extracurricular. I can't imagine why it would be barely considered.

I’m a Wake Alum and this seems... very off. If it’s true, I’m a pissed off alum who is about to send them a note explaining why I’m not donating this year. So please link to this in their recruiting. If a Sidwell counselor said a wealthy kid working as an intern in a make work position for daddy will be treated less seriously by Wake than a student in competitive research program, that’s one thing. But if the school itself says there is little to no value in kids who need to help support their family or take care of a sibling doing so so don’t bother to mention it, that is not pro humanitata.

It’s school with a lot of wealthy kids. But I’ve never felt like “Work Forest” discounted the importance of a work ethic. And they at least pay lip service to recruiting 1st gen kids who may need to work or care for siblings. If that’s BS, I want to know.

What about middle class kids who work, but aren't doing so to help support the family? Do they view paid employment in the same way as being involved in debate or playing volleyball?

[Anonymous]

I think "service" trips where work is done overseas are largely ignored but real jobs are nit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about middle class kids who work, but aren't doing so to help support the family? Do they view paid employment in the same way as being involved in debate or playing volleyball?

My understanding from a former local Harvard admissions interviewer is that work, even for the middle class kid, is definitely looked at positively. Responsibility, not afraid to get their hands dirty, etc. Plus there is no teacher quite like experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First generation college is considered an asset.

Rather than activities that she's not interested in, encourage her to get a part-time job. Many strong schools consider that a considerable plus.

Agree to this. First gen college is a plus. Nothing wrong with part time jobs. Kids with fake activities are a dime a dozen.

[Anonymous]

Work of any type job shows responsibility, reliability, and accountability, and ability to get along with others.

It does not have to be something glamorous.

[Anonymous]

Many, many, many kids in America work from age 16 on to pay for their gas money and car insurance.

Part time work is a plus.

Honestly I would not want my kids to go to a college
that did not value real work.

Fake jobs....like secretary at Dad's office I suspect would have no value.

[Anonymous]

Many corporate CEOs have worked fast food jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many, many, many kids in America work from age 16 on to pay for their gas money and car insurance.

Part time work is a plus.

Honestly I would not want my kids to go to a college
that did not value real work.

Fake jobs....like secretary at Dad's office I suspect would have no value.

Why the side swipe insult attempt at secretaries? My kids' "secretary at Dad's office" makes $125,000 before bonuses.

[Anonymous]

OP, Most of America does not use private college admissions
counselors. In fact ever since the Lori Loughlin admissions
counselor scandal honestly they now have a pretty sleazy/sketchy overpriced reputation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many, many, many kids in America work from age 16 on to pay for their gas money and car insurance.

Part time work is a plus.

Honestly I would not want my kids to go to a college
that did not value real work.

Fake jobs....like secretary at Dad's office I suspect would have no value.

Why the side swipe insult attempt at secretaries? My kids' "secretary at Dad's office" makes $125,000 before bonuses.

Not a side swipe at secretarys. I've done plenty of admin work. Having kid do clerical at Dad's office is essentially a "make work" job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many, many, many kids in America work from age 16 on to pay for their gas money and car insurance.

Part time work is a plus.

Honestly I would not want my kids to go to a college
that did not value real work.

Fake jobs....like secretary at Dad's office I suspect would have no value.

Why the side swipe insult attempt at secretaries? My kids' "secretary at Dad's office" makes $125,000 before bonuses.

Not a side swipe at secretarys. I've done plenty of admin work. Having kid do clerical at Dad's office is essentially a "make work" job.

You said “secretary.” But good walk back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many, many, many kids in America work from age 16 on to pay for their gas money and car insurance.

Part time work is a plus.

Honestly I would not want my kids to go to a college
that did not value real work.

Fake jobs....like secretary at Dad's office I suspect would have no value.

Why the side swipe insult attempt at secretaries? My kids' "secretary at Dad's office" makes $125,000 before bonuses.

Np - you are choosing to be offended. There is nothing disrespectful about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First generation college is considered an asset.

Rather than activities that she's not interested in, encourage her to get a part-time job. Many strong schools consider that a considerable plus.

Such as...? Wake Forest advises not to include work experience and the other good schools I’ve looked at rate it as barely considered.

This is not necessarily the case for all "good schools." I watched a video interview on Khan Academy (from I believe the dean of admissions at Stanford) and she said to definitely list jobs or family responsibilities, especially if they interfered with your ability to join an activity.

My much-younger cousin got into UC Berkeley with few activities and mostly work experience (but an awesome GPA and ACT). I think most would consider UC Berkeley a lot more prestigious than Wake Forest.

[Anonymous]

Colleges ABSOLUTELY value paid work experience. It is a plus for any kid, and if a kid must work to help family, the absence of other "volunteer" extracurricular positions will NOT count against them. I suspect the info re Wake is incorrect.

- a former admissions counselot