Isn't top private school (as written in OP) a hook?

I know a bunch of Yale and Princetons this past year--about 3 each. Unhooked. DC privates.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, a kid at my kid's school got into Princeton. Asian male, CS major, drum major in band, student council president, first place team in a STEM team competition, took an additional math class outside of school. Affluent suburban public high school. The funny thing is that now his mom is going to hang a shingle and become a college counselor touting her kid at Princeton as evidence that she knows something about getting kids into elite schools.

good for her

private HS - know two into Yale last year. One is legacy, one unhooked (beyond private). Very strong student with awards in area of interest, nice kid, best-in-class LOR I'm sure.

Yes, a kid at my kid's school got into Princeton. Asian male, CS major, drum major in band, student council president, first place team in a STEM team competition, took an additional math class outside of school. Affluent suburban public high school. The funny thing is that now his mom is going to hang a shingle and become a college counselor touting her kid at Princeton as evidence that she knows something about getting kids into elite schools.

DD is at S. No hook, regular kid, 1560

DS in at two of HYPSM.

No hook. Sort of a reverse hook in every which way possible - Over-represented minority, in over-represented major, over-represented gender, a stereotype for the race in many ways in a popular major.

Public STEM magnet school.

Top stats in an extremely demanding curriculum in a school known for extreme rigor. No major awards. Simple research at a local university without any publications or even submitting to a competition.

I know one though I don't know the kid well enough to guarantee that there wasn't a hook. An aunt/uncle is an alum but not prominent enough to move the needle much. Good private but not a feeder. I haven't seen the kid in a while but they were never knock your socks off smart.

Nope. The one Yale kid I know had all the stats and grades at a stem magnet, recognized math, science and music awards and research for the last two years of HS. Sorry, OP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know any normal smart kids who got into Yale, Princeton or Stanford?

I'm talking about no hooks, not legacy/donor/athlete/URM. No extraordinary ECs, no obscure under-subscribed majors. Just a normal very good student with top grades and scores who got in from a top private or public school full pay or with aids.

Usually a top private means a hook.

A top private isn't a hook to HYPSM

Not from our school.

Yale: legacy, wealthy.

Princeton: minority (black or LatinX) or athletes

Stanford: (LatinX), legacy or Olympic-level talent

I know one at least. Wasian kid, would have been a faculty brat at one of the HYP but chose another instead. So no legacy or hook at the matriculating institution. I am not sure about extraordinary ECs but wasn't an internationally renowned anyone in anything. Just solid ECs.

But OP, what were you hoping to achieve with this post?

With AIDS????

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know any normal smart kids who got into Yale, Princeton or Stanford?

I'm talking about no hooks, not legacy/donor/athlete/URM. No extraordinary ECs, no obscure under-subscribed majors. Just a normal very good student with top grades and scores who got in from a top private or public school full pay or with aids.

Usually a top private means a hook.

Does anyone know any normal smart kids who got into Yale, Princeton or Stanford?

I'm talking about no hooks, not legacy/donor/athlete/URM. No extraordinary ECs, no obscure under-subscribed majors. Just a normal very good student with top grades and scores who got in from a top private or public school full pay or with aids.