Just figured I'd share because it might benefit lots of folks here...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:T10 schools are their own thing. You need to kill AP chem even if you want to be in women’s studies. Partly bcs they don’t believe you won’t switch after you get in.

And then you need strength in your area.

After t20, sure, I think Op is right.

But also, pretty sure everyone here knows the EIC the yearbook who is also on cheer and also class Pres turns no heads. That was two generations ago.

Actually, not true for our private and my DD, who applied to women's studies. We don't have AP classes, but kid was in regular/honors chem and not advanced. Got into 1 T10 (WL at another - and got called off WL in early May), and 3 other T20/25.....
Maybe because it's a private school? Who knows.

Just don't think you can make these blanket statements for all high schools in America.

Private HS have their own rules, though. And colleges know that. Some are known to be massive humanities feeders.
Let me guess? Saint Ann's in NY?
https://saintannsny.org/divisions-and-offices/college-office/class-college-admission/

Is this the whole class?

That's the school that doesn't give grades. Novel concept and look at the placement outcomes.
https://saintannsny.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/SchoolProfile24-25.pdf

That is an extremely expensive, exclusive small private high School. Nothing against it but it's clearly got to be full of students with access to extensive resources that would have significant advantages when it comes to getting a strong education. A school like that is hardly a typical or a useful comparison for the vast majority of American high School students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:T10 schools are their own thing. You need to kill AP chem even if you want to be in women’s studies. Partly bcs they don’t believe you won’t switch after you get in.

And then you need strength in your area.

After t20, sure, I think Op is right.

But also, pretty sure everyone here knows the EIC the yearbook who is also on cheer and also class Pres turns no heads. That was two generations ago.

Actually, not true for our private and my DD, who applied to women's studies. We don't have AP classes, but kid was in regular/honors chem and not advanced. Got into 1 T10 (WL at another - and got called off WL in early May), and 3 other T20/25.....
Maybe because it's a private school? Who knows.

Just don't think you can make these blanket statements for all high schools in America.

Private HS have their own rules, though. And colleges know that. Some are known to be massive humanities feeders.
Let me guess? Saint Ann's in NY?
https://saintannsny.org/divisions-and-offices/college-office/class-college-admission/

Is this the whole class?

That's the school that doesn't give grades. Novel concept and look at the placement outcomes.
https://saintannsny.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/SchoolProfile24-25.pdf

That is an extremely expensive, exclusive small private high School. Nothing against it but it's clearly got to be full of students with access to extensive resources that would have significant advantages when it comes to getting a strong education. A school like that is hardly a typical or a useful comparison for the vast majority of American high School students.

Agree. Only caveat is to compare against other private high schools (realizing how poorly they do in comparison). Could it be the lack of grades at St. Ann's?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:T10 schools are their own thing. You need to kill AP chem even if you want to be in women’s studies. Partly bcs they don’t believe you won’t switch after you get in.

And then you need strength in your area.

After t20, sure, I think Op is right.

Yes. With all majors open to all admitted students, humanities kids need to have evidence they can be reasonably successful as a stem major if they chose it after they arrived. Top10 deans have gone on record and stated this.

So, how do we explain kids who get into T10 without the most rigor offered at their schools? Are they all hooked? Have something special (institutional priority)?

Yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:T10 schools are their own thing. You need to kill AP chem even if you want to be in women’s studies. Partly bcs they don’t believe you won’t switch after you get in.

And then you need strength in your area.

After t20, sure, I think Op is right.

Yes. With all majors open to all admitted students, humanities kids need to have evidence they can be reasonably successful as a stem major if they chose it after they arrived. Top10 deans have gone on record and stated this.

So, how do we explain kids who get into T10 without the most rigor offered at their schools? Are they all hooked? Have something special (institutional priority)?

Yes

Or private school. I'm clearly the only bothered by what I'm seeing here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:T10 schools are their own thing. You need to kill AP chem even if you want to be in women’s studies. Partly bcs they don’t believe you won’t switch after you get in.

And then you need strength in your area.

After t20, sure, I think Op is right.

Yes. With all majors open to all admitted students, humanities kids need to have evidence they can be reasonably successful as a stem major if they chose it after they arrived. Top10 deans have gone on record and stated this.

My sons did really well in admissions (unhooked Ivies)- they are equally as good in STEM as English/History/languages- As in all subjects, 5s all AP exams and 35/36 in all ACT sections.

They had all core subjects represented and no “easy” APs.

I think for the reach liberal arts/Ivies this is true. It seems kids able to excel in STEM even if they didn’t like it and vice versa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:T10 schools are their own thing. You need to kill AP chem even if you want to be in women’s studies. Partly bcs they don’t believe you won’t switch after you get in.

And then you need strength in your area.

After t20, sure, I think Op is right.

Yes. With all majors open to all admitted students, humanities kids need to have evidence they can be reasonably successful as a stem major if they chose it after they arrived. Top10 deans have gone on record and stated this.

My sons did really well in admissions (unhooked Ivies)- they are equally as good in STEM as English/History/languages- As in all subjects, 5s all AP exams and 35/36 in all ACT sections.

They had all core subjects represented and no “easy” APs.

I think for the reach liberal arts/Ivies this is true. It seems kids able to excel in STEM even if they didn’t like it and vice versa.

Why did they choose an Ivy, out of curiosity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:T10 schools are their own thing. You need to kill AP chem even if you want to be in women’s studies. Partly bcs they don’t believe you won’t switch after you get in.

And then you need strength in your area.

After t20, sure, I think Op is right.

Yes. With all majors open to all admitted students, humanities kids need to have evidence they can be reasonably successful as a stem major if they chose it after they arrived. Top10 deans have gone on record and stated this.

My sons did really well in admissions (unhooked Ivies)- they are equally as good in STEM as English/History/languages- As in all subjects, 5s all AP exams and 35/36 in all ACT sections.

They had all core subjects represented and no “easy” APs.

I think for the reach liberal arts/Ivies this is true. It seems kids able to excel in STEM even if they didn’t like it and vice versa.

Sounds like a Yale or Brown kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh. Any college admissions officer would say that the kid who stands out at elite colleges is the one who took AP Chem while at the same time taking doing the independent music thing.

This actually isn't true. In most cases, the kid who stands out is the one with a unique story. Right now, a lot of kids have the same (overachieving, overtaxed) story.

but hasn't this been true for 10 years now? this is what they call the spike. this is why kids start fake NFPs or write AI-generated self published books on amazon. makes them sound deep into a passion! and colleges were falling for the NFPs for a while - and the books now.

Yes, but the point (I think) is, don't actually do all the other STEM AP stuff if you are deep into colonial women's history. Do the minimal amount of necessary and then do buckets and buckets of extra on the colonial history front? So yes its a spike, but showing initiative to double up on history electives could help and you don't need AP physics...Honors might be enough?

There's a guy on FB (private counselor) who has a whole thing that goes through why this is a better strategy and shows "passion" and drive. And helps not make you look like a bot.

There is no AO that gives a shit about passion projects. We don't even use that term in the admissions office. This passion project idea is just born out of the college consulting industry, with consultants who are trying to sell that this is a golden ticket. And it's smart, I suppose, because they take advantage of an incredibly opaque process with students that don't know any better. But when I was reading files, when I was in committees, I can assure you, most students did not have a passion project, and if a student did, barely any mention of it came up in the discussion of the student's admissibility.

The college consulting industry is pushing that because ...
The rigor, the gpa, the test score are determined by the kids themselves. There is nothing much consultants can do to enhance that profile, other than recommedning private tutors. And rigor, gpa, test score are the most important part of the application.
That leave the consultants' value in doubt. For kids that are weak in stats, they have to do something to have the appearance that they are adding value (same for high stats kids). Passion project, intersection woodoo, expensive packages of summer programs, these are things they try to sell.

What is ... an intersection woodoo?

An admissions narrative focused on the intersection of two seemingly unrelated academic fields.
Learned about it here. This was a good thread I've bookmarked. Helpful if you have a rising senior, imo.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/15/1260246.page#29550730

Helpful. I had no idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That confirms what I see on Reddit from AO, who posts long threads.


https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/1ltg9o8/aos_what_have_been_the_most_memorable/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/1el2epb/ama_im_tom_i_worked_in_highlyselective_admissions/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/13impgn/im_irena_former_stanford_admissions_officer/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingIvyLeague/comments/1lrz8t4/heres_what_they_dont_tell_you_about_college/

Thanks for these.
Did that Stanford AO mix up her < and > signs?