Anonymous wrote:Take a look at this girl I just read about. Coolidge Scholar--full scholarship anywhere she gets into--she's a current 11th grader:

- AP Scholar with Distinction.
- Three summers helping with research on sickle cell anemia and calponin.
- Intel SEFMD Science Fair Grand Award winner and has qualified for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
- Captain of the Forensics and Quiz Bowl Team.
- Co-editor of the high school newspaper.
- Founder and president of the "Leadership and Technology for Girls" club.
- Two-time DECA State Champion.
- Qualified for the 2015 National Quiz Bowl and the 2016 National History Bowl.
- 2014, finished 11th in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
- Started a nonprofit, Helping Hands Going Global, that provides necessities for children in need around the world.
- She coaches mentally and physically challenged students for the Special Olympics.
- Seshadri has been a varsity swimmer and member of the Women's State Championship team since 2014. In 2013, she won a gold and silver medal in the Junior Olympics in the freestyle and backstroke competitions.

All of that PLUS colleges know ahead of time she has no need for aid = 100% lock for Stanford or Harvard.

I'm not sure the point of this. These types kids have always existed, and they were always nearly a lock anywhere. This girl won a coveted scholarship...she's not typical of anything.
The question is whether these stats are requirements to get into HYPS. I think the requirements have always been high, but what I've observed more recently is that a lot of kids seem to have a more entrepreneurial bent these days. In other words, they started a non-profit, self-published a book, etc. I'm not on a college admissions committee, but I do hire people, and I'm a little skeptical of some of this. As Warren Buffet acknowledged when he donated his money to Gates Foundation instead of starting his own, if you actually want to accomplish a goal instead of getting recognition for having tried something, there is a lot of value in sticking with organizations that have a track record of doing it. Why start a nonprofit to give to children in need instead of volunteering with one that knows how to do so already? Knowing nothing more than you've posted, it feels like resume-padding to me.

This is a little OT, but it's very interesting when thinking beyond college admissions. I used to work in university administration for an internationally recognized public (i.e. one that is considered a coveted elite on DCUM). One of the very large corporations that donated and did research with our university told us that they preferred to hire engineers from our university's engineering department rather than HYPS schools, because the HYPS students did not make good team players. They always felt like they should be running everything rather than working with others. I thought it was an interesting perspective.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of this is impossible, it's just a combo of parents being super involved and kids buying in, i.e. motivated.

Most parents are too hands off, let their kids dick around most of the day. Or think being super dedicated to one (travel) sport with As and Bs is in any way impressive to colleges (it's not).

You are missing the point - the kids are supposed to be doing these things without the prompting or supervision of the parents.

Not at first. I'd say when they turn 16 and can drive themselves, they should be self-motivated. But from say 12-16, it's up to the parents to cultivate this level of effort and activities.

Take a look at this girl I just read about. Coolidge Scholar--full scholarship anywhere she gets into--she's a current 11th grader:

- AP Scholar with Distinction.
- Three summers helping with research on sickle cell anemia and calponin.
- Intel SEFMD Science Fair Grand Award winner and has qualified for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
- Captain of the Forensics and Quiz Bowl Team.
- Co-editor of the high school newspaper.
- Founder and president of the "Leadership and Technology for Girls" club.
- Two-time DECA State Champion.
- Qualified for the 2015 National Quiz Bowl and the 2016 National History Bowl.
- 2014, finished 11th in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
- Started a nonprofit, Helping Hands Going Global, that provides necessities for children in need around the world.
- She coaches mentally and physically challenged students for the Special Olympics.
- Seshadri has been a varsity swimmer and member of the Women's State Championship team since 2014. In 2013, she won a gold and silver medal in the Junior Olympics in the freestyle and backstroke competitions.

All of that PLUS colleges know ahead of time she has no need for aid = 100% lock for Stanford or Harvard.

Anonymous wrote:15 years ago, 19,000 kids applied to Harvard

This year, 39,500 applied.

Roughly the same number were admitted. How is not harder to get admitted today?

It's definitely harder. But by your stats it would be about twice as hard...not 10x as hard.

15 years ago, 19,000 kids applied to Harvard

This year, 39,500 applied.

Roughly the same number were admitted. How is not harder to get admitted today?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This profile isn't all that different from 20 years ago. When I got into H I had:
* 3 sports, captain in one, multiple year coach's award in another
* Major statewide competition winner 2 years running
* President of National Honor Society
* Class president
* Don't remember GPA, but it was good
* SAT: 800 V, 690 M, 800 W
* Founder of one school club, officer in others

The only thing I don't remember was counting community service hours. That seems new to me. Although if it had been a thing, I would have had a lot.

I know that admissions for HYPS+ have become somewhat more competitive. But I don't buy that it's an order of magnitude difference, or that "the profile" is an unreasonable or superhuman ask.

Wow, that's a crappy math score.

It is a crappy math score.

And the resume above is nothing - kids like that are a dime a dozen these days. Places like Harvard and Dtanford reject the vast majority of kids with this profile. Kids like this these days go someplace like Wash U

The majority of kids with those profiles were also rejected 20 years ago; that's the point. It's harder to get into these schools today, but unlikely an order of magnitude harder. Here are my stats from the 90s: 1520 SAT (can't recall ACT), Student Council President, highest or second highest GPA at a competitive private school, placed in state Chem Olympiad, 2 seasons of sports and varsity in one of them but nothing distinguishing, newspaper editor and a couple state awards for writing features, piano since 4th grade but nothing distinguishing, first student to be an asst. director for school play and musical just because I asked to do it, led an annual holiday giving program at school, started an advocacy organization within the school, art & sculpture classes throughout HS but nothing distinguishing, Odyssey of the Mind, all the APs available except one, and maybe a couple other minor things as well. I intended to major in a STEM field, and my application likely said that (I can't remember for sure). I now have a PhD in that field, also from an HYPS school. I'm also Indian-American, so very likely subject to quotas.

I got into 2 HYPS schools, waitlisted at another, and didn't apply to the fourth. While not everyone at the school I ended up going to had a resume like mine, most were more similar than not. I don't know anything about the girls listed in the OP, but I would argue that based on the list OP provided the biggest difference between them and me is that a couple of their activities seem to be centered outside of school instead of through school. My parents both worked and had 3 kids, so sending us to a private school with a lot of opportunities and activities was strategic on their part. They would never have been able to manage our having separate activities that they needed to take us to.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've posted before about my kid who surprisingly got into Stanford with no hook whatsoever. She didn't do anything at school and worked at a makeup counter. Her interests were basically shopping. Anyways, yes, she had strong scores (I think around 750 for each section) and grades that put her just above a 4.0 weighed.

What I think got her into the school was her essay, which was essentially about stores, shoppers, how people choose things, etc. She's studying symbolic systems and is working at Amazon this summer basically doing consumer interface stuff.

Long story short, it's a crapshoot. Oddly, beyond Stanford, DD was rejected at all of her reaches, was waitlisted at UVA and likely would have been heading to tech.

She's definitely different than your typical Stanford student - Elle Woods goes to Stanford.
Good for her to sticking with what she likes.
How does she like the school?

She's actually doing fantastically. Oddly, her interest in shopping led her into user interface design courses. She's probably going to be working the tech field when she graduates.

Anonymous wrote:I've posted before about my kid who surprisingly got into Stanford with no hook whatsoever. She didn't do anything at school and worked at a makeup counter. Her interests were basically shopping. Anyways, yes, she had strong scores (I think around 750 for each section) and grades that put her just above a 4.0 weighed.

What I think got her into the school was her essay, which was essentially about stores, shoppers, how people choose things, etc. She's studying symbolic systems and is working at Amazon this summer basically doing consumer interface stuff.

Long story short, it's a crapshoot. Oddly, beyond Stanford, DD was rejected at all of her reaches, was waitlisted at UVA and likely would have been heading to tech.

She's definitely different than your typical Stanford student - Elle Woods goes to Stanford.
Good for her to sticking with what she likes.
How does she like the school?

I've posted before about my kid who surprisingly got into Stanford with no hook whatsoever. She didn't do anything at school and worked at a makeup counter. Her interests were basically shopping. Anyways, yes, she had strong scores (I think around 750 for each section) and grades that put her just above a 4.0 weighed.

What I think got her into the school was her essay, which was essentially about stores, shoppers, how people choose things, etc. She's studying symbolic systems and is working at Amazon this summer basically doing consumer interface stuff.

Long story short, it's a crapshoot. Oddly, beyond Stanford, DD was rejected at all of her reaches, was waitlisted at UVA and likely would have been heading to tech.

Anonymous wrote:None of this is impossible, it's just a combo of parents being super involved and kids buying in, i.e. motivated.

Most parents are too hands off, let their kids dick around most of the day. Or think being super dedicated to one (travel) sport with As and Bs is in any way impressive to colleges (it's not).

You are missing the point - the kids are supposed to be doing these things without the prompting or supervision of the parents.

Anonymous wrote:Founded own charity means they created a 501c3 org , did legal paperwork on their own, grant writing, filed taxes for a corporation -- as a high school student? With no parental help? LOL?

If you look at , say Bethesda magazines top teens the non profits the teens have started is related to a business the parent is in.
Because of course.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don't see how one kid can have the time to do all that?!

Time management. Don't waste days away on video games, iPhone and Netflix?

God gods sake - every kid who isn't starting their own charity is not playing video games or watching endless Netflix.
Some of them might have jobs to save for college or maybe they're helping parents with a SN sibling or a million other things.

That amount of work is a miserable way to spend your teen years - it's just too much. Too much stress, too little sleep, too little time for developing normal social and emotional skills and too little time to just think I'm sure. No thanks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This profile isn't all that different from 20 years ago. When I got into H I had:
* 3 sports, captain in one, multiple year coach's award in another
* Major statewide competition winner 2 years running
* President of National Honor Society
* Class president
* Don't remember GPA, but it was good
* SAT: 800 V, 690 M, 800 W
* Founder of one school club, officer in others

The only thing I don't remember was counting community service hours. That seems new to me. Although if it had been a thing, I would have had a lot.

I know that admissions for HYPS+ have become somewhat more competitive. But I don't buy that it's an order of magnitude difference, or that "the profile" is an unreasonable or superhuman ask.

Wow, that's a crappy math score.

It is a crappy math score.

And the resume above is nothing - kids like that are a dime a dozen these days. Places like Harvard and Dtanford reject the vast majority of kids with this profile. Kids like this these days go someplace like Wash U

I mean come on - captain some sports teams and a coaches award? Big whoop.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This profile isn't all that different from 20 years ago. When I got into H I had:
* 3 sports, captain in one, multiple year coach's award in another
* Major statewide competition winner 2 years running
* President of National Honor Society
* Class president
* Don't remember GPA, but it was good
* SAT: 800 V, 690 M, 800 W
* Founder of one school club, officer in others

The only thing I don't remember was counting community service hours. That seems new to me. Although if it had been a thing, I would have had a lot.

I know that admissions for HYPS+ have become somewhat more competitive. But I don't buy that it's an order of magnitude difference, or that "the profile" is an unreasonable or superhuman ask.

Wow, that's a crappy math score.

It is a crappy math score.

And the resume above is nothing - kids like that are a dime a dozen these days. Places like Harvard and Dtanford reject the vast majority of kids with this profile. Kids like this these days go someplace like Wash U