Related, if you've won the lottery recently, what numbers did you pick?

Anonymous wrote:Only people we know without a hook who got into HYPS were a valedictorian, a salutatorian with research experience, a young woman with amazing music accomplishments (got into Columbia-Juilliard too) in the top 5%, and a top mathematician (nationally recognized) in the top 5%. MIT accepts 1-2 students a year and they’re always unhooked, but geniuses similar to the fourth example.

Top 5% of what? Certainly not if all high school graduates.

Anonymous wrote:It's a game that needs to be played according to the rules, if you want to win. My child told me which of their school graduates were accepted to HYPSM besides legacies and athletes: winners of USAMO, USACO and the like, those with a published research (they were hooked up with a college professor at the beginning of high school by their parents, helped them to "research" something and had their name on the publication later), a kid whose parents started and managed a non-profit but made it appear as if it was fully their child's project, a kid who was a co-captain of a very popular club where he did nothing at all (the 2nd co-captain did all the work), etc.

Is this school TJ? Or similar?
I’ve never heard of USAMO, USACO so I guess my kid doesn’t stand a chance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a game that needs to be played according to the rules, if you want to win. My child told me which of their school graduates were accepted to HYPSM besides legacies and athletes: winners of USAMO, USACO and the like, those with a published research (they were hooked up with a college professor at the beginning of high school by their parents, helped them to "research" something and had their name on the publication later), a kid whose parents started and managed a non-profit but made it appear as if it was fully their child's project, a kid who was a co-captain of a very popular club where he did nothing at all (the 2nd co-captain did all the work), etc.

I hope you didn’t pass on your bitterness

My child was also accepted to a few reaches. Just wanted to share the facts that my child observed firsthand.

Anonymous wrote:It's a game that needs to be played according to the rules, if you want to win. My child told me which of their school graduates were accepted to HYPSM besides legacies and athletes: winners of USAMO, USACO and the like, those with a published research (they were hooked up with a college professor at the beginning of high school by their parents, helped them to "research" something and had their name on the publication later), a kid whose parents started and managed a non-profit but made it appear as if it was fully their child's project, a kid who was a co-captain of a very popular club where he did nothing at all (the 2nd co-captain did all the work), etc.

I hope you didn’t pass on your bitterness

It's a game that needs to be played according to the rules, if you want to win. My child told me which of their school graduates were accepted to HYPSM besides legacies and athletes: winners of USAMO, USACO and the like, those with a published research (they were hooked up with a college professor at the beginning of high school by their parents, helped them to "research" something and had their name on the publication later), a kid whose parents started and managed a non-profit but made it appear as if it was fully their child's project, a kid who was a co-captain of a very popular club where he did nothing at all (the 2nd co-captain did all the work), etc.

Obviously I don't know what got my unhooked kid in (aside from some excellent luck) but for sure it wasn't perfect stats, she didn't have those. I really believe that the academic rigor/stats piece is the first hoop applicants jump through to be seriously considered and once they're on the other side of that it's all the "holistic admissions" stuff. So you've got to have the good stats, but once it's established you have that you are evaluated on other metrics. And that is very personal to the kid, how they have used their time in high school, how they bring together different parts of their life and things they have accomplished into their "story" and how that is supported by their essays/LOR. So I don't think any other kid's story is going to help yours get in - they need to lean into what they love, dedicate time and energy to meaningful activities outside of the classroom, and be able to articulate why their interests are a good fit for the school. I think the "fit" piece is actually really important in these super-reach schools for the unhooked kid.

This is dumb. Please stop. There are plenty of kids who get into these schools who aren't "perfect". They don't want that. They want self starters, people who are interesting, those who are giving and community oriented, etc. They see your kid beyond the test scores.

Anonymous wrote:Only people we know without a hook who got into HYPS were a valedictorian, a salutatorian with research experience, a young woman with amazing music accomplishments (got into Columbia-Juilliard too) in the top 5%, and a top mathematician (nationally recognized) in the top 5%. MIT accepts 1-2 students a year and they’re always unhooked, but geniuses similar to the fourth example.

And plenty have gotten in with hooks - URM, Legacy + String Student, Development, Athlete, but that’s not worth noting because if you’re not one, it won’t help.

Only people we know without a hook who got into HYPS were a valedictorian, a salutatorian with research experience, a young woman with amazing music accomplishments (got into Columbia-Juilliard too) in the top 5%, and a top mathematician (nationally recognized) in the top 5%. MIT accepts 1-2 students a year and they’re always unhooked, but geniuses similar to the fourth example.

Anonymous wrote:I know that many many kids with perfect test scores and grades get rejected, but If your DC was accepted to HYPSM in the past few years, can you share what their SAT/ACT score was if submitted, which HYPSM accepted to and if they had a hook (legacy, athlete, URM, geographic diversity etc)?

4.0 Unweighted
Near perfect SAT score.
No hook

Anonymous wrote:For data point to see if my kid (who doesn’t have perfect/super high test scores) even has a tiny chance at being considered/accepted

A random person’s anonymous anecdote tells you nothing.

Do kids without perfect test scores get in? Yes.

Can you use someone else’s experience to somehow help your kid in this process? No, not really.

For data point to see if my kid (who doesn’t have perfect/super high test scores) even has a tiny chance at being considered/accepted

What do you plan to do with this information?

I know that many many kids with perfect test scores and grades get rejected, but If your DC was accepted to HYPSM in the past few years, can you share what their SAT/ACT score was if submitted, which HYPSM accepted to and if they had a hook (legacy, athlete, URM, geographic diversity etc)?