Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Interesting episode today on The Game podcast - and why the stats (GPA/test scores) are ceiling and generally not dispositive of how T10/T20 will determine admission. Esp for a large public HS. Those metrics won't determine admission. He talks about the most common/cliché activities in elite admissions, which basically don't make a difference.
So yes, a high stats kid could ABSOLUTELY get shut out in RD - and its not yield management - it's that nothing stood out other than stats.
This is why the major is important - esp if the profile (resume, ECs, awards, optional electives) can be as important as stats in determining admission to T20 in RD.
Something needs to be fundamentally different (or uncommon) about your kid in RD to have an exceptional RD run.
This was our experience last cycle, where my very unique kid (niche academic interests, niche ECs) had an exceptional RD run.
Back here now for my junior, who is not so unique and differentiated. Definitely a concern.
The 6 cliche and overly common activities were these (they are not unique and not compelling):
- Sports (including club) if not recruited
- Summer programs (vast majority are a waste), and other than a handful, none are elite
- Music (at a non-exceptional level), especially if not relevant to your academic hook
- Service (including tutoring)
- STEM activities (including robotics)
- Business (DECA, FBLA, business clubs/competitions, and summer programs)
This guy is just following Charlie Munger who he quotes often:
Once Charlie Munger was in Minnesota and he was buying a fishing lure. And he looked at it and he said, My god, it's pink and green and do fish really take this lure? And the old-timer behind the counter said,
"Well Mister, I don't sell to fish".
The anecdote illustrates a key business principle: you need to market and sell a product based on what the customer wants, not necessarily what the end-user (the fish, in this case) might prefer, or what you, as the seller, might think makes logical sense.
So this guy is just selling to parents who are desperate for a formula that gets their kid into Ivies.
DC is at a HYPSM, and is more a well rounded kid who excelled in academics and played a sport for 2 seasons, instrument for 2 seasons and bit of this and that. Over represented minority from a public HS in a popular major.
The few of DC's suite mates and most friends that we know of are all well rounded. All UMC, some public and some private HS's. A sample size of around 10 but it seems so different from what this guy keeps talking about.
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