What to do if your kid is - gasp - well-rounded?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any colleges/universities that look favorably on a well-rounded kid these days? Excels in range of subjects (but mostly math), high rigor coursework/high test scores, sporty, awards in debate and entrepreneurship but nothing national level, some student leadership, loves being involved at school, lots of volunteer hours, well-liked by teachers. But wouldn’t naturally develop pointy areas just for purposes of developing an application narrative. He thinks that’s phony.

Ofc they do! Most colleges and people want to attract or be well-rounded people - it's more healthy and dynamic. But the very selective, top 20-30 want more narrow-focus super pointy obsessive types. So just stay away from those.

Personally, I'd want to be, befriend or partner with a well-rounded person! Living in the SF Bay area, the pointy people are awkward and not particularly interested or empathetic about things not relevant to their narrow/pointy worldview. It's exhausting and when I meet a well-rounded person it's a positive breath of fresh air!

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes…about 3950 colleges do.

It’s only like the top 50 (including SLACs in that 50) that care about much more than grades and test scores and the kid seems to do other good things with their time.

Once again, on dcum, the questioner assumes that we all know they are talking about the very few most prestigious universities that only a tiny percentage of students will attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:literally any college outside the most absurdly selective?

+1000

Step outside the T25-30 and you will find many like that

+1000

There are so many great colleges with wonderful, well-rounded kids and amazing programs. Any school in the "Top 200" will be perfectly adequate and he can have a wonderful experience. Probably lots outside of that too!

Yes, you said what I said earlier much more concisely. I got criticized for suggesting that they should like at T150 schools, which, frankly, anyone should do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few questions for the OP:
1. Top grades and stats? ***YES
2. Thoughts on major? Minor? ***OPEN, LOVES MATH, SCIENCE, LANGUAGE, BUSINESS/ECON. BUT NOT A ROBOTICS/MIT/MATH OLYMPIAD PERSON AT ALL. HE ACES MATH CLASSES BUT DOESN’T DO IT OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL
3. Any evidence for entrepreneurship? What kind? ***SCHOOL CLUB, WINNER OF LOCAL COMPETITION, GRANT APPLICATION PENDING
4. Type of environment he wants (big vs. small?) ***FROM A PARENT PERSPECTIVE, HE ISN’T FUSSY AND DOES WELL IN LOTS OF ENVIRONMENTS BUT IMO HE HAS THE MOST IMPACT IN A SMALLER ENVIRONMENT.
5. Private school, right? Did he do any independent research in HS with a faculty member? What topic? YES RIGOROUS PRIVATE, AND NO.
6. Debate all 4 years? Does he have leadership of any school clubs? WILL BE 3 YEARS DEBATE, SCHOOL CLUB LEADERSHIP.
7. Any ideas on career? Has he had any jobs or internships? ONLY VOLUNTEER WORK. HE HAS A UNIQUE VOLUNTEER POSITION FOR HIS MAIN SPORT, AS AN EXAMPLE.

This sounds like a really strong applicant to me but I just want a few more data points before suggesting schools (including some that have been mentioned).

Hard to be too specific without identifying, but maybe the above in CAPS will help enough?

I know a kid like this (sport volunteer hours, a few in school leadership, varsity athlete and top stats) who ED'd from our private to Vanderbilt, was deferred and got in RD. Maybe consider it for an ED2?
Also, Dartmouth was a great suggestion - but check your school's Naviance or SCOIR to see how ED applicants from your HS do generally (and ask your CCO). Both of those schools were previously suggested.

I'd also add Northwestern - given his multiple interests - that is a plus there with the quarter system and how very EASY it is to double major and minor. They also have a great entrepreneurship minor. https://farley.northwestern.edu/academics-resources/undergraduate-minor.html Northwestern tracks demonstrated interest, though, so make sure you do some online and in-person tours if you are serious about applying.
Rice is another good one, for all the reasons a PP suggested. Make sure to show Rice some personal interest as well (tours).

But all have different feels. Have you visited any of these schools? Perhaps the better angle is to have your kid do some online tours and schedule some in-person visits, then come back here?

His ED choice will be very important, and many of these schools' track demonstrated interest - they don't want to be a top stats kid's backup - so they'll auto-reject or WL your kid if you haven't engaged with the school in person and online. I'd get on that today, if he hasn't already.

You’re paying for a small private school. Use that resource and have the schools college counselor tell you where kids like your DS have been accepted.

Naviance data is fine, but it doesn’t tell you much about the individual applicants. You need to talk to someone who can give you more specific information - “Schools X, Y, and Z love kids like your DS who’ve applied from our school over the years. He totally fits the profile of what they’re looking for from here.”

This kind of attention and institutional knowledge is what you’re paying for. Make the most of it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of kids are well rounded but selective in what they mention on their application. He doesn’t have to mention every single thing. The issue with too much scattered stuff is that rather than well rounded you risk being forgettable or interchangeable from a lot of other applicants.

This 100%. Just posted and reading through this thread. My kid didn't mention some of the scatter/unremarkable stuff that would have distracted from the application. He is at Cornell, but was admitted to several other T25.

The application will have to be really thoughtful and will take time.

To both pp's: When you say didn't mention all the scattered stuff - I assume you mean they listed all their activities on the activity list (even if scattered) but focused on the most important activities, as related to intended major, in their supplementals. Correct?

No. I mean don’t mention stuff that doesn’t make the application stronger. It’s a judgement call.

💯

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are there any colleges/universities that look favorably on a well-rounded kid these days? Excels in range of subjects (but mostly math), high rigor coursework/high test scores, sporty, awards in debate and entrepreneurship but nothing national level, some student leadership, loves being involved at school, lots of volunteer hours, well-liked by teachers. But wouldn’t naturally develop pointy areas just for purposes of developing an application narrative. He thinks that’s phony.

All colleges, need smart, rounded, nice kids. They value teamwork, curiosity, kindness, perseverance and grit as much as winning a Math Olympiad. If your kid is in the GPA/SAT zone, don't worry about what the colleges think. Instead focus on how he should present himself in the essays. He should start putting pen to paper now, it will take many drafts, many he will throw away, but through that process there will be an aha moment when he will get it right. Also start thinking through who to ask for the recos. Focus on the controllables.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Community colleges love profiles like this.

you should be ashamed of yourself. Anyway well rounded students place well. OP needs to relax.

+1 Thanks for calling this out. I work with a young person who is smart and well-rounded. She started her education at a CC and I admire her for taking a path that ended up working out well for her.

[Anonymous]

I think the problem is “lots of volunteer hours” — comes across like the kid is checking boxes. No need for a spike, but I hope the kid is spending time on a cause that means something to him.

[Anonymous]

Kind of refreshing because most top stat kids think they have great essays, LOR and ECs. And they usually don’t.

[Anonymous]

Reed?

What are his college goals, OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are there any colleges/universities that look favorably on a well-rounded kid these days? Excels in range of subjects (but mostly math), high rigor coursework/high test scores, sporty, awards in debate and entrepreneurship but nothing national level, some student leadership, loves being involved at school, lots of volunteer hours, well-liked by teachers. But wouldn’t naturally develop pointy areas just for purposes of developing an application narrative. He thinks that’s phony.

My well-rounded DS went to Duke. Also got into schools like Vandy, Cornell, Michigan, Wash U and some SLAC.

[Anonymous]

You just have to invent a fake “pointy” narrative. It’s not that hard, just play up things that are consistent with the invented pointy narrative, and downplay those things that aren’t, making them more a hint of spice/experimentation that merely confirmed that your DC has known since they were 14–ideally even earlier— that they were destined to be [academic area X] and that no matter how much they were exposed to various temptations, nothing distracted from this single minded mission focus. It’s an utterly cynical game that nobody should feel bad about playing; none of us created this perverse system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You just have to invent a fake “pointy” narrative. It’s not that hard, just play up things that are consistent with the invented pointy narrative, and downplay those things that aren’t, making them more a hint of spice/experimentation that merely confirmed that your DC has known since they were 14–ideally even earlier— that they were destined to be [academic area X] and that no matter how much they were exposed to various temptations, nothing distracted from this single minded mission focus. It’s an utterly cynical game that nobody should feel bad about playing; none of us created this perverse system.

+1

Colleges are just encouraging you to lie, lie, and lie some more.

Give them what they want.

They ask you to write about why you want only their college, and why their college is a good fit for you? Give it them.

Interesting essays? Give it to them, no need for it to be based on anything related to you. Anything you have found interesting in something you read about, write it up as your own. Bonus points if you can hire someone to write it up for you. Just make sure they can write it in a 17 year old's voice.

Volunteering? Have someone do it for you.

About gender, since it is fluid, make it up, that is an easy way to tick the diversity box.

They are begging to be fooled, give it to them and they eat it up.

[Anonymous]

Any aspect school
Any second tier state school like Florida Startev, N C state, Miami, eucv

[Anonymous]

The “gasp” made it sound like a trolling post.

Otherwise I think your DC is T15 bound.