Reply to Parents: if you could go back to your kid’s freshman year, what would you do differently?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I would have figured out a "narrative" starting freshman year. Have my kid apply for relevant awards. Or I would have hired a college consultant to figure it all out for me.

I wasn't really attuned to the process until summer after junior year, which was way too late in retrospect. My kid had the grades and scores for an Ivy, but was a little short on "wow" ECs. Coming from NYC, you need the wow.[/quote]

Same, my kid figured out her path in Junior year and started being involved with great ECs, but before that spent all of her time on travel/HS soccer. Not a recruited athlete and it’s one line in the common app. Thankfully she has the grades and test scores for T25 but the ECs that kids have are hard to match.

Travel soccer took so much time, effort and money. What a waste.[/quote]

I'm the PP who asked for advice about our DC#2. I totally relate.

Both our kids LOVE their travel sports, but neither has ever had an interest in playing in college, except at the club level. So all that time and effort on their sport provides zero value in the application process.

Even so, for DC#1 it was the highlight of their high school years, and those experiences shaped and supported them in ways will will always appreciate. (We also didn't mind the travel . . . most of the time . . . ) My guess is DC#2 will have a similar experience. Different sport, but an equally lovely group of kids and families, and a great non-academic outlet for DC#2, as well.

So my big question is how your DD "compensated" for this in her applications. I'm so flad to hear that T25 worked out for her - what else did you cobble together for ECs or a narrative?

And more specifically, what would you have done instead if you could do it over? DC#2 will not be dropping their travel sport, so are there some other things you would have added earlier in the process if you knew? If so, what?

Thanks, from one travel parent to another! I truly do get the tradeoffs involved.[/quote]

+1. I have the same questions, if PP is willing to come back and elaborate. Thanks![/quote]

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