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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The key to it all is conveying sincerity. That a kid is doing what they do out of true interest and not because some overpriced consultant is telling them to do it. This is hard to tease out. It is why more schools should do interviews as a decent interviewer can figure it out (though a bad interviewer will gush over phony kids). With the huge influx of applications, I wonder whether AO's have time to sort through this.

I do alumni interviewing. And I despise packaged kids. I am generally very easy going but this is what I push on. If a kid does some summer service trip, I try to figure out whether it was meaningful or just drinking beers and hooking up (I generally hate these). If a kid did an internship, I ask how they got it. I had one kid go on and on about a huge project they did for their school junior year that was being implemented senior year. I asked how it was going (halfway through senior year) and they had no idea. Clearly it wasn't important to them.

I long for the days of the well-rounded kid. Not the serial joiner who has no depth. But not to be shamed to be doing a lot of things at the "very good" level but none at the "world class" level. Nice normal kids who will try a lot of things out in college and be a good part of the community. Unfortunately, schools seem to feel otherwise.[/quote]

Authenticity and sincerity is so subjective and subject to cultural differences.  
I have seen a borderline racist inclination to view activities engaged in by kids with some skin colors as authentic and passionate while the same activities done by other kids who are identical in every way other than skin color is viewed as contrived and manufactured.[/quote]

As soon as someone uses the term "robotic" to describe an applicant, you know they've got it in for Asians.

And for the poster who didn't want "weird" kids to get into college, and the one who said to beware of those who change their majors immediately... my kids are autistic. They are weird. They are also never going to pretend to be what they're not, since their autism makes that impossible. They cannot lie. Their interests are genuine, and they won't change majors, because that would not be possible for them. In all my years of observing college admissions, I think higher education tends to encourage esoteric interests and therefore, the autistic high functioning people among us. Which is a GOOD thing, otherwise there wouldn't be anyone to study snail mucin for their wound-healing properties... :-) (one of my kids' interests).

[/quote]

By saying this is only about Asians, you are stereotyping Asians. Kind of ironic.

I wrote some of the posts above. And I am actually writing from diverse experiences, including with my own child. They are an upper middle class white kid. Fairly social, outgoing, likes sports, plenty of friends, etc. Far from the most popular kid but not a nerd either. Super smart. But in a lot of situations, particularly with adults, they freeze up and become robotic and boring. If asked about something that really, truly excites them, they would not bring this across. So I have been coaching them who to lighten up, express passion, and show who they truly are. This will serve them well in college admissions, but more importantly, it will serve them well in life. Ironically, my other child is not as smart but is much, much better at this.

So please lighten up. College isn't just about academics. It is about fun. It is about conversations about esoteric topics, as well as about who would win a fight between superman and batman. It is about getting slightly drunk. Perhaps this is a very American way to look at the world. But last time I looked, most of you want to send your kids to school in America.[/quote]

Thank you!! Brava!
I couldn't agree with this any more.[/quote]

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