Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Admissions reader here. The admissions officer who ran my regional committee would message me about parts of essays or letters of rec that were interesting/funny/unusual all the time.

Before you ask, I can't disclose the college.

This is great to hear!

+1
Yes, AOs/readers often spend only 5-7 minutes on an app, but the stuff that can be automated is often already processed--the app is sorted by rigor score, SAT, GPA etc. and the reader is focusing on the ECs, the essays and confirming the automated data. It doesn't take that long to read a short essay and set of activities and know when parts stand out after reading hundreds.

Anonymous wrote:I watched a presentation from a tippy top exclusive school admission officer talking about how students' extracurriculars were judged.

She said in particular they valued leadership positions that were hardest to fake and really meant something, that were elected or appointed positions, especially if it came at the end of several years involvement. Varsity team captain, student body president, and Boy Scout Senior Patrol Leader of a large troop especially if they could write something meaningful about the experience.

As someone who has had to move a kid halfway through high school, this is a sore spot for me. And one I would add to this thread:

Moving in high school should be considered the disadvantage that it is. You don’t get leadership positions and awards when you’re the new kid. Not to mention the adjustment to a whole new environment and culture that might come with it. But it’s not one of the disadvantages that gets any compassion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask if a test prep class was taken. I’d really like that industry to be shut down

That would be unfair to kids with LDs who need to learn techniques for taking a test designed for brains unlike their own, even though they are brilliant.

This! The process will never be fair to everyone. Obviously, those with the $$ to get test prep, essay help, college counselors will benefit. No way to make it "illegal". This is life. Not everyone has the same advantages.

Btw, most admission officers can tell the essays that were not actually written by a HS senior. We used a college counselor for the process. But ours did NOT write the essays (as I have heard of many who do). She was just a guide; helped DC brainstorm and guide her through the process. But the essays were all the work of my DC and definately sound like my DC. And that's what I wanted, just a bit of guidance but that the real work was done by my kid. Yes, I recognize we are privileged being able to afford this. But there will always be those in life who have more privileges than others.

OTOH, my oldest did everything themselves with only guidance from me and HS English teacher. 26 ACT/3.5 UW gpa. So good student but not targeting T20-T50 schools. DC got into all but 1 school they applied to and that school was a T10 school so obviously with those stats DC was not going to get accepted, but they wanted to apply so we let them. Most schools were T60-100 and a few were T120-140. DC got into all, got merit at all of the privates, including 75% tuition at a ~T120. DC ended up where they needed to be and didn't need outside assistance (as it's not really needed at this level).
Next DC had stats for T20 possibility, and was aiming a bit higher. So hired College counselor to guide us and it definately helped. But if needed I could have accomplished most of what the CC did myself and just used 3-4 hours of outside help for essay brainstorming (mostly so I didn't have to nag teen). I chose to eliminate the stress for myself and just allow CC to manage everything but it wasn't required

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Top college adcoms pick whoever they want for whatever reason they want and they seem extraordinarily successful in building the class they want and executing the mission of their organizations.

So why should it change?

One reason could be the increase of anxiety, depression, and suicide in teens who are trying to do all and be all to compete. Another could be that they shouldn’t be rewarding people who lie and cheat. Another might be that there’s always room for improvement.

Explain what could change that would affect any of the things you mention, and how it would change them?

I agree with the mental health concerns but also wonder how this would change them. For example, how would verifying anyone using an essay coach change this? My understanding is that there is already a trend against founding non-profits. There were kids in DCs class who founded one that REALLY provided goods and services for 18 months in a resort community to essential workers as well as those laid off. They were all rejected ED. I know a kid who legit discovered that regular blood testing misses a form of anemia, usually found in girls, and created a test for it. Rejected by HYPSM. The non-profit students - all strong stats. The STEM test kid - over the top stats. IDK how anything you are proposing here would change the situation.

I watched a presentation from a tippy top exclusive school admission officer talking about how students' extracurriculars were judged.

She said in particular they valued leadership positions that were hardest to fake and really meant something, that were elected or appointed positions, especially if it came at the end of several years involvement. Varsity team captain, student body president, and Boy Scout Senior Patrol Leader of a large troop especially if they could write something meaningful about the experience.

Anonymous wrote:Admissions reader here. The admissions officer who ran my regional committee would message me about parts of essays or letters of rec that were interesting/funny/unusual all the time.

Before you ask, I can't disclose the college.

This is great to hear!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Top college adcoms pick whoever they want for whatever reason they want and they seem extraordinarily successful in building the class they want and executing the mission of their organizations.

So why should it change?

One reason could be the increase of anxiety, depression, and suicide in teens who are trying to do all and be all to compete. Another could be that they shouldn’t be rewarding people who lie and cheat. Another might be that there’s always room for improvement.

Explain what could change that would affect any of the things you mention, and how it would change them?

Transparency in what they actually want.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask if a test prep class was taken. I’d really like that industry to be shut down

That would be unfair to kids with LDs who need to learn techniques for taking a test designed for brains unlike their own, even though they are brilliant.

LD could be noted. But all the solutions require more nuance than a message board can offer.

That opens the door to claims of discrimination based on medical status. You can volunteer the information, but colleges probably can't ask that.

Admissions reader here. The admissions officer who ran my regional committee would message me about parts of essays or letters of rec that were interesting/funny/unusual all the time.

Before you ask, I can't disclose the college.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Top college adcoms pick whoever they want for whatever reason they want and they seem extraordinarily successful in building the class they want and executing the mission of their organizations.

So why should it change?

One reason could be the increase of anxiety, depression, and suicide in teens who are trying to do all and be all to compete. Another could be that they shouldn’t be rewarding people who lie and cheat. Another might be that there’s always room for improvement.

It won't change. Colleges can do what they want.

However, it's up to us as parents to make sure our teens don't get anxiety, depression, etc. from the college process. It's not healthy to push push push your teen to get into a T20 college. Let them do their best, strive for excellences and let them be a TEEN who follows their own interests. Pick EC that interest your kid and they'd want to do even if it isn't for a college app. As parents we need to get over the concept that our kid needs to attend a T20 to be successful. It's not true. Look yourself at work. How many of your colleagues went to T20 schools? Probably not many yet they are all successful adults.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don’t have the time to do that kind of checking . Even at a Slac the average application gets only a five min read at most. The college counselor at your school should be the one doing a Veracity check.

Not the point of this thread. The solution is too difficult to resolve on an internet chat forum.

It’s a direct response to OP’s suggestion so very much the point of this thread.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask if a test prep class was taken. I’d really like that industry to be shut down

That would be unfair to kids with LDs who need to learn techniques for taking a test designed for brains unlike their own, even though they are brilliant.

LD could be noted. But all the solutions require more nuance than a message board can offer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LoL
OP most state schools get over 30,000 apps per year for freshman if you think they are reading them all and essays I have a great bridge or crappy piece of land to sell you.

Even small Lacs do not read them all there is no way they can be that detailed

Signed admin

We can start a new thread on negligence if you’d like. “It’s too hard to do a good job” is a bad optic.

How much of an application fee would you be willing to pay to ensure that the school was adequately staffed to be able to carefully read, verify and deliberate every application?

I am all for changing that somehow. But again, nothing will be resolved on an internet chat forum and that is not the purpose of this thread. You’re beginning to troll and it’s not defending the process at all.

Anonymous wrote:Ask if a test prep class was taken. I’d really like that industry to be shut down

That would be unfair to kids with LDs who need to learn techniques for taking a test designed for brains unlike their own, even though they are brilliant.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LoL
OP most state schools get over 30,000 apps per year for freshman if you think they are reading them all and essays I have a great bridge or crappy piece of land to sell you.

Even small Lacs do not read them all there is no way they can be that detailed

Signed admin

We can start a new thread on negligence if you’d like. “It’s too hard to do a good job” is a bad optic.

How much of an application fee would you be willing to pay to ensure that the school was adequately staffed to be able to carefully read, verify and deliberate every application?