What activities are considered "impressive" to potential schools

[Anonymous]

I think consistent paid work matters. Kids who show that they are willing to earn some money, even if doing something non-glamorous, and to do it consistently. It’s not necessarily a passion or pointy, though I know it helped my kid relative to peers.

[Anonymous]

Lots of posters in this forum overfocus on impressiveness. Every time I chime in about my two kids at a T10 with ordinary activities (one speech and debate, one robotics, both with hobbies), no positions but leadership by action/anecdotes, I get quizzed, "well are they hooked? Must be!" etc.

Some people just can't believe it's true that not every part of the app is a competition for external achievement or why their kid's activity descriptions and hours might sound sus to an AO.

Sound like a genuine kid that people want to be around. There is no need to stretch the truth or turn an introvert into an extrovert. Be involved, but most of all, be kind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gymnastics captain
AND Lead Cheerleader
AND Math team captain
AND Debate co-captain
AND Faculty award for top student in HS

In at two of HYP

lol. We had a kid with a similar profile at the school. Captain of everything. Didn’t get into any T20s. End up at a T20 liberal arts school.

The faculty award is likely notable. The HS faculty has done the admissions committee work for them and selected this student as the top student in that particular class for that year. Particularly if the college is aware of the high school and of this particular recognition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gymnastics captain
AND Lead Cheerleader
AND Math team captain
AND Debate co-captain
AND Faculty award for top student in HS

In at two of HYP

lol. We had a kid with a similar profile at the school. Captain of everything. Didn’t get into any T20s. End up at a T20 liberal arts school.

The faculty award is likely notable. The HS faculty has done the admissions committee work for them and selected this student as the top student in that particular class for that year. Particularly if the college is aware of the high school and of this particular recognition.

It would depend on if it was awarded before college applications are due. At our high school some of the top honors are based on work through the end of junior year or early in senior year so that they can be used for college applications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my DC was able to nurture and cultivate an interest in helping special needs children, and in applications expressed an authenticate interest in becoming a special ed teacher - backed up by ECs and even a fairly faux internship. Wove the essays around this theme and landed at a T20. DC changed mind about career interests and now on IB track

This teacher-to-business route is used by many ORM female applicants.

They use their camp counselor experience, their tutoring experience, their great writing/English-related ECs, and co-founding peer mentoring clubs in HS to create a strong "education" narrative. Usually, major: education (or sociology of education). Works well, especially at Vanderbilt ED.

key for Vandy is to ensure ur teacher or gc recommendation vouches for the special needs/teaching interest. Has to come across as sincere and authentic, or adcom will sniff it out immediately. Then you apply to the Peabody school TO and admittance rate is probably in the 30%-40% range. Then switch over to HOD major before classes start - easy peezy because HOD is within Peabody - then ur golden. HOD is the de facto business major at Vandy, and certainly the path to MBB

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of posters in this forum overfocus on impressiveness. Every time I chime in about my two kids at a T10 with ordinary activities (one speech and debate, one robotics, both with hobbies), no positions but leadership by action/anecdotes, I get quizzed, "well are they hooked? Must be!" etc.

Some people just can't believe it's true that not every part of the app is a competition for external achievement or why their kid's activity descriptions and hours might sound sus to an AO.

Sound like a genuine kid that people want to be around. There is no need to stretch the truth or turn an introvert into an extrovert. Be involved, but most of all, be kind.

Yup. Listen to this poster, people. “Normal” kids get into these schools. Don’t buy into the arms race ginned up by college counselors whose livelihoods depend on selling a secret formula for admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my DC was able to nurture and cultivate an interest in helping special needs children, and in applications expressed an authenticate interest in becoming a special ed teacher - backed up by ECs and even a fairly faux internship. Wove the essays around this theme and landed at a T20. DC changed mind about career interests and now on IB track

This teacher-to-business route is used by many ORM female applicants.

They use their camp counselor experience, their tutoring experience, their great writing/English-related ECs, and co-founding peer mentoring clubs in HS to create a strong "education" narrative. Usually, major: education (or sociology of education). Works well, especially at Vanderbilt ED.

key for Vandy is to ensure ur teacher or gc recommendation vouches for the special needs/teaching interest. Has to come across as sincere and authentic, or adcom will sniff it out immediately. Then you apply to the Peabody school TO and admittance rate is probably in the 30%-40% range. Then switch over to HOD major before classes start - easy peezy because HOD is within Peabody - then ur golden. HOD is the de facto business major at Vandy, and certainly the path to MBB

Yes, this works at Northwestern SESP too, as LOC is in that school as well (MBB major). You can switch the summer before classes start.
The LORs are very important, as are the essays for NU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A normal summer job. And I'm not kidding.

Found this to be true, also. With all the passion projects and extracurriculars, many kids don't have time for a part-time summer job, so it stands out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A normal summer job. And I'm not kidding.

Found this to be true, also. With all the passion projects and extracurriculars, many kids don't have time for a part-time summer job, so it stands out.

How did you find it to be true? Meaning: how did you learn that an EC of a summer job helps make a kid stand out in college admissions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A normal summer job. And I'm not kidding.

Found this to be true, also. With all the passion projects and extracurriculars, many kids don't have time for a part-time summer job, so it stands out.

How did you find it to be true? Meaning: how did you learn that an EC of a summer job helps make a kid stand out in college admissions?

DP. My guess is that AOs think of this from a common sense perspective. A job shows the person is responsible and hardworking. A job is a very respectable EC. People who look down their noses at a teenage job are exactly not what AOs are looking for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A normal summer job. And I'm not kidding.

Found this to be true, also. With all the passion projects and extracurriculars, many kids don't have time for a part-time summer job, so it stands out.

How did you find it to be true? Meaning: how did you learn that an EC of a summer job helps make a kid stand out in college admissions?

DP. My guess is that AOs think of this from a common sense perspective. A job shows the person is responsible and hardworking. A job is a very respectable EC. People who look down their noses at a teenage job are exactly not what AOs are looking for.

So it’s not that the person found this to be true… But that the person guesses this is true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A normal summer job. And I'm not kidding.

Found this to be true, also. With all the passion projects and extracurriculars, many kids don't have time for a part-time summer job, so it stands out.

How did you find it to be true? Meaning: how did you learn that an EC of a summer job helps make a kid stand out in college admissions?

lol People like to make up bs on this anonymous forum. With a straight face ("Found this to be true..." "And I'm not kidding...").

It really doesn't. Part time jobs or summer jobs are a dime a dozen. Just take a look at any college admitted students profile page, you will see jobs are very common activities. It's more common than varsity captain or club founder.

Arts acheivement, research publication, music performance at a high level, much much rarer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my DC was able to nurture and cultivate an interest in helping special needs children, and in applications expressed an authenticate interest in becoming a special ed teacher - backed up by ECs and even a fairly faux internship. Wove the essays around this theme and landed at a T20. DC changed mind about career interests and now on IB track

This teacher-to-business route is used by many ORM female applicants.

They use their camp counselor experience, their tutoring experience, their great writing/English-related ECs, and co-founding peer mentoring clubs in HS to create a strong "education" narrative. Usually, major: education (or sociology of education). Works well, especially at Vanderbilt ED.

key for Vandy is to ensure ur teacher or gc recommendation vouches for the special needs/teaching interest. Has to come across as sincere and authentic, or adcom will sniff it out immediately. Then you apply to the Peabody school TO and admittance rate is probably in the 30%-40% range. Then switch over to HOD major before classes start - easy peezy because HOD is within Peabody - then ur golden. HOD is the de facto business major at Vandy, and certainly the path to MBB

I think this shows the kid is very sleazy and maybe MBB is the right fit for them. I hope my kid never does this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A normal summer job. And I'm not kidding.

Found this to be true, also. With all the passion projects and extracurriculars, many kids don't have time for a part-time summer job, so it stands out.

How did you find it to be true? Meaning: how did you learn that an EC of a summer job helps make a kid stand out in college admissions?

lol People like to make up bs on this anonymous forum. With a straight face ("Found this to be true..." "And I'm not kidding...").

It really doesn't. Part time jobs or summer jobs are a dime a dozen. Just take a look at any college admitted students profile page, you will see jobs are very common activities. It's more common than varsity captain or club founder.

Arts acheivement, research publication, music performance at a high level, much much rarer.

"Research" has jumped the shark, just as "founding a nonprofit" before it.

Again, activities nees not be all about the awars mentality. Save being best, highest, etc for your grades and scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A normal summer job. And I'm not kidding.

Found this to be true, also. With all the passion projects and extracurriculars, many kids don't have time for a part-time summer job, so it stands out.

How did you find it to be true? Meaning: how did you learn that an EC of a summer job helps make a kid stand out in college admissions?

lol People like to make up bs on this anonymous forum. With a straight face ("Found this to be true..." "And I'm not kidding...").

It really doesn't. Part time jobs or summer jobs are a dime a dozen. Just take a look at any college admitted students profile page, you will see jobs are very common activities. It's more common than varsity captain or club founder.

Arts acheivement, research publication, music performance at a high level, much much rarer.

"Research" has jumped the shark, just as "founding a nonprofit" before it.

Again, activities nees not be all about the awars mentality. Save being best, highest, etc for your grades and scores.

I'd agree on the research part, though admitted students pages still discuss it as of class 2029. My guess is that it's fading out.

Just study those public highlights in the admitted student profile, get a sense of what is "impressive" or what is not.

But describing jobs as "a breath of fresh air" is just far from the truth. If you are bored, go read a book.