Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 18:27     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP -
This is a perfectly normal set of activities. He sounds like a great kid.

- Mom of Ivy and T10 college students.


t25 schools actually want nepo internships because it will show them that your kid is employable whether through your connections or their own grit… It doesn’t matter to them. At the end of the day they want employable students and even better if you’ll help them get there.


Sad as is that may be the truth. We don't see the best of best in these elite schools. Harvard remedial math. Stanford has 40% disabled kids. UCSD don't know how to do elementary school math. Half of the class at SWAP are hooked.

MC UMC end up at UMD.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 18:25     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here again. These comments are either helpful (thanks!) or hilariously unhinged and angry (also thanks for the laughs!)

I will just note that while my kid does all of these things, he doesn't do them all at the same time! Thus, the sport all year round (for love of it), debate/MUN during school year, coaching kids youth sports in town rec league during the season, construction lite during summer (mainly moving and carrying heavy things for a construction company--even legally, as he had to pay taxes, etc), volunteering when Special Olympics has their events, etc.

He's no superhuman, and actually does the activities he wants, not what his parents tell him to do. He also loves hanging out with friends and watching sports, which he sometimes does to his grades' detriment.

For those of you thinking I'm making this up--surely I could come up with a better collection of perfect activities than this? But the venom is amusing.


In other words you’ve got a lazy dud you’re trying to dress up for college applications. Amusing, indeed. Cheers and good luck, lol.


Sounds like mom is on top of extracurriculars, she’s write the essays herself where she’ll use words like “terrific” as a dead giveaway it was written by a middle aged woman.

At this point she’s doing more harm than good and landing the helicopter is past due, but at least she’ll put together a college application she can be proud of.


OP is delusional if she thinks she will pull it off. She wrote one single paragraph and almost all replies raised red flags and expressed doubt. A full application has countless details, cross references, and is reviewed by people who do it for a living. It’s not as easy as she imagines it to be.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 18:14     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here again. These comments are either helpful (thanks!) or hilariously unhinged and angry (also thanks for the laughs!)

I will just note that while my kid does all of these things, he doesn't do them all at the same time! Thus, the sport all year round (for love of it), debate/MUN during school year, coaching kids youth sports in town rec league during the season, construction lite during summer (mainly moving and carrying heavy things for a construction company--even legally, as he had to pay taxes, etc), volunteering when Special Olympics has their events, etc.

He's no superhuman, and actually does the activities he wants, not what his parents tell him to do. He also loves hanging out with friends and watching sports, which he sometimes does to his grades' detriment.

For those of you thinking I'm making this up--surely I could come up with a better collection of perfect activities than this? But the venom is amusing.


In other words you’ve got a lazy dud you’re trying to dress up for college applications. Amusing, indeed. Cheers and good luck, lol.


Sounds like mom is on top of extracurriculars, she’s write the essays herself where she’ll use words like “terrific” as a dead giveaway it was written by a middle aged woman.

At this point she’s doing more harm than good and landing the helicopter is past due, but at least she’ll put together a college application she can be proud of.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 18:09     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP -
This is a perfectly normal set of activities. He sounds like a great kid.

- Mom of Ivy and T10 college students.


+10000

What is wrong with all of the weirdos on here?

Manual labor jobs are normal for teenagers. My kid had a packing & moving job. That was paid off the books! And definitely carried more than federal limits. Lol.

Many kids do manual labor during high school and it is looked favorably upon.

And the internships? It’s like how all of our kids got their internships! Through connections. Through all of us. It’s how the world works. Wake up.

Yes, my kids are at top 20 schools. No research, pricey summer programs or nonprofits. Yes an internship through connections.

Newsflash:

t25 schools actually want nepo internships because it will show them that your kid is employable whether through your connections or their own grit… It doesn’t matter to them. At the end of the day they want employable students and even better if you’ll help them get there.

Idiots. All of you.


Fist of all, whenever people say their kid is at an Ivy or Top whatever to prove they are right, I automatically assume they are lying.

I’m sure Harvard can’t wait to admit the kid fabricating construction internships at his uncle’s small business. That’s a sign the kid is destined to do great things. How resourceful! The grit! lol

If you’re searching for the idiot take a look in the mirror.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 18:01     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP sounds nuts, but I will say that our local rec league does let high school students coach little kids soccer and basketball rec teams. Its too hard to get enough parent volunteers frankly. You have to be a junior or senior though.


How little are the kids? Around here there are no high school kids as coaches. You’re not going to leave your kid unattended during little league games, so parents are present regardless. Usually some dads step in to run drills and help with the games.

There are high school aged instructors at summer sports camps and my child is applying for next summer. Besides the age requirement, he needs background checks, training in first aid, safe sport, concussion, it’s quite involving once you get to work with other people’s children.

Not saying it’s impossible but the coaching story is suspect.


We're in northern Va. Its very common in our rec league (CYA) to have high school aged kids coaching elementary age rec soccer and basketball. Don't know about other sports. Usually its a group of 2-3-4 teenagers all coaching together, no adults.
Where do you live where its not common?


That’s the case where the kid is working under an organization. He still needs to be over 16, pass background checks.

OP’s kid coached not one, not a few, but several seasons by the time he’s a junior. The math doesn’t add up.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 17:56     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:OP -
This is a perfectly normal set of activities. He sounds like a great kid.

- Mom of Ivy and T10 college students.


+10000

What is wrong with all of the weirdos on here?

Manual labor jobs are normal for teenagers. My kid had a packing & moving job. That was paid off the books! And definitely carried more than federal limits. Lol.

Many kids do manual labor during high school and it is looked favorably upon.

And the internships? It’s like how all of our kids got their internships! Through connections. Through all of us. It’s how the world works. Wake up.

Yes, my kids are at top 20 schools. No research, pricey summer programs or nonprofits. Yes an internship through connections.

Newsflash:

t25 schools actually want nepo internships because it will show them that your kid is employable whether through your connections or their own grit… It doesn’t matter to them. At the end of the day they want employable students and even better if you’ll help them get there.

Idiots. All of you.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 17:48     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Badminton is not a sport lol
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 16:54     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
I am not quite sure what is the big deal about coaching. DC went to his badminton facility from a young age, they have all high school kids/athletes coaching the younger kids. Where we live, badminton is a popular sport. I think many badminton facilities do that. It’s quite common.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 16:42     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP sounds nuts, but I will say that our local rec league does let high school students coach little kids soccer and basketball rec teams. Its too hard to get enough parent volunteers frankly. You have to be a junior or senior though.


How little are the kids? Around here there are no high school kids as coaches. You’re not going to leave your kid unattended during little league games, so parents are present regardless. Usually some dads step in to run drills and help with the games.

There are high school aged instructors at summer sports camps and my child is applying for next summer. Besides the age requirement, he needs background checks, training in first aid, safe sport, concussion, it’s quite involving once you get to work with other people’s children.

Not saying it’s impossible but the coaching story is suspect.


We're in northern Va. Its very common in our rec league (CYA) to have high school aged kids coaching elementary age rec soccer and basketball. Don't know about other sports. Usually its a group of 2-3-4 teenagers all coaching together, no adults.
Where do you live where its not common?
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 16:39     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Tell us more about his "moving and carrying heavy things" job for a construction company.

Who owns the company? How did he get the job? What kinds of heavy things?
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 15:31     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:OP here again. These comments are either helpful (thanks!) or hilariously unhinged and angry (also thanks for the laughs!)

I will just note that while my kid does all of these things, he doesn't do them all at the same time! Thus, the sport all year round (for love of it), debate/MUN during school year, coaching kids youth sports in town rec league during the season, construction lite during summer (mainly moving and carrying heavy things for a construction company--even legally, as he had to pay taxes, etc), volunteering when Special Olympics has their events, etc.

He's no superhuman, and actually does the activities he wants, not what his parents tell him to do. He also loves hanging out with friends and watching sports, which he sometimes does to his grades' detriment.

For those of you thinking I'm making this up--surely I could come up with a better collection of perfect activities than this? But the venom is amusing.


In other words you’ve got a lazy dud you’re trying to dress up for college applications. Amusing, indeed. Cheers and good luck, lol.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 15:18     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
NP, also quite skeptical about the federal judge internship. I know of no federal internships open to HS students. Even volunteer activities with, say, the Smithsonian are mostly 18 and over, with a few exceptions for camp counselors or mentoring programs. Internships or clerkships for federal judges are typically designed for law school students.

That said OP may have an "informal" arrangement with someone she knows. These are far more common than typically acknowledged here on DCUM.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 15:13     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:OP here again. These comments are either helpful (thanks!) or hilariously unhinged and angry (also thanks for the laughs!)

I will just note that while my kid does all of these things, he doesn't do them all at the same time! Thus, the sport all year round (for love of it), debate/MUN during school year, coaching kids youth sports in town rec league during the season, construction lite during summer (mainly moving and carrying heavy things for a construction company--even legally, as he had to pay taxes, etc), volunteering when Special Olympics has their events, etc.

He's no superhuman, and actually does the activities he wants, not what his parents tell him to do. He also loves hanging out with friends and watching sports, which he sometimes does to his grades' detriment.

For those of you thinking I'm making this up--surely I could come up with a better collection of perfect activities than this? But the venom is amusing.


OP, you’re so dumb at fabricating your lies.

There’s a 35 lb OSHA limit on manual lifts for adults, and it is considered an occupational hazard, effectively barring minors from performing that work. That’s why you have forklifts on construction sites, which minors are not allowed to operate.

You also have to get a work permit, and based on your job description, there’s zero chance a high school counselor or any sane person for that matter would sign it.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 15:07     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:OP here again. These comments are either helpful (thanks!) or hilariously unhinged and angry (also thanks for the laughs!)

I will just note that while my kid does all of these things, he doesn't do them all at the same time! Thus, the sport all year round (for love of it), debate/MUN during school year, coaching kids youth sports in town rec league during the season, construction lite during summer (mainly moving and carrying heavy things for a construction company--even legally, as he had to pay taxes, etc), volunteering when Special Olympics has their events, etc.

He's no superhuman, and actually does the activities he wants, not what his parents tell him to do. He also loves hanging out with friends and watching sports, which he sometimes does to his grades' detriment.

For those of you thinking I'm making this up--surely I could come up with a better collection of perfect activities than this? But the venom is amusing.

I don't think your DC's activities are made-ups.

The ones I think fake are those that claim "impact", "depth", yours have neither.

Raised 1 million fund, generated 10 million revenue, published on high impact scientific journals, filed patents.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2026 15:06     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:What's "construction lite" mean?

When you say a kid had a part time job in construction, the implication is he is out in the yard with the day laborers laying concrete, building a deck, etc. Is that accurate?



OP has really not wanted to elaborate on this.

How did her kid get the job?