Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 15:12     Subject: Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My child has made over 20k/year building apps over the last 5 years. He also has sold rights to apps and created license and use contracts for certain sales that give him income after the sale.

How can we make sure colleges notice this, and he doesn't get lost in the mix of others with generic stats like AP courses, leadership, volunteering, teacher recommendations etc.

Our child also hasn't loaded up in APs courses, only in Math and English.

On paper he could be hired by a tech company as an entry level developer (I am a hiring manager for a big tech company, I know) but I am not sure if colleges will look at this. He even has a resume that lists out all his projects and licensing agreements.


Pay taxes.


Many families forget their kid has to pay taxes on their earnings. OP, be careful with this, particularly if you plan to ask for financial aid, because your child will have to state his earnings and taxes on the CSS. I assume the same for the FAFSA.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 14:58     Subject: Re:Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If he doesn’t have the grades and rigor, the business won’t get him accepted. Agree with others it is best addressed in essays.


He has decent grades but doesn't want to load up in all ap courses, he took 2 freshman year then took more sohpmore. So rigor is defined by academic performance and how many ap courses? Are there colleges that will take more applicable skills into account?
To add please see that his SATs are mid 1500s. Maybe we don't even want him going to a place that prioritizes all those other things. What is a good fit for him?


The test optional trend has made GPAs and course rigor all the more important. A few schools require and prioritize SATs (e.g. MIT has returned to requiring test scores) but I don't know of any school where the scores will make the grades/rigor not matter.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 12:34     Subject: Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
Anonymous wrote:My child has made over 20k/year building apps over the last 5 years. He also has sold rights to apps and created license and use contracts for certain sales that give him income after the sale.

How can we make sure colleges notice this, and he doesn't get lost in the mix of others with generic stats like AP courses, leadership, volunteering, teacher recommendations etc.

Our child also hasn't loaded up in APs courses, only in Math and English.

On paper he could be hired by a tech company as an entry level developer (I am a hiring manager for a big tech company, I know) but I am not sure if colleges will look at this. He even has a resume that lists out all his projects and licensing agreements.


Pay taxes.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 12:22     Subject: Re:Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If he doesn’t have the grades and rigor, the business won’t get him accepted. Agree with others it is best addressed in essays.


He has decent grades but doesn't want to load up in all ap courses, he took 2 freshman year then took more sohpmore. So rigor is defined by academic performance and how many ap courses? Are there colleges that will take more applicable skills into account?


Yes, rigor is largely defined by academic rigor and that's AP/IB courses. Because that's what 99% of kids will be able to use to demonstrate rigor. Your kid will have to work to highlight their special talents
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 12:21     Subject: Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Disagree with PP, I think your child has done something quite uncommon and wonderful. He's not the only high schooler creating apps and selling them, but he's part of a much smaller group than my son, loaded up on APs, as you said

He definitely needs to write about his career in his essays. Something really thoughtful about how his entrepreneurship has made him grow as a person, develop a work ethic in the real world and made him ready for college and beyond.

All applications will have the space for details about his work, but the clincher is the essay, because it's the only way for him to show how he thinks about his career. He MUST include the dollar amounts and as many factual details as he can, to make convincing and show this isn't piddling money.

If he has gotten to know one or two professionals well, perhaps they can write a letter of recommendation for him, to add to the ones from his teachers.




Ok so the essay portion will speak to this? I am concerned they will be glossed over. We've also talked to him about using some of his earnings towards a college admission counselor which are sometimes in the 5k range. We just feel the admissions process is overlooking his situation. His sats are also very good in the mid 1500s. Its just odd as 30 years a go the test scores alone would guarantee admission but it seems that things have changed especially with all the test optional things going on.


It will show in the essays and possibly recommendations---ask the teacher/professionals to touch on it in their referrals.

Also, if the college offers it request an interview---that will allow your student to discuss that 1on1
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 12:21     Subject: Re:Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If he doesn’t have the grades and rigor, the business won’t get him accepted. Agree with others it is best addressed in essays.


He has decent grades but doesn't want to load up in all ap courses, he took 2 freshman year then took more sohpmore. So rigor is defined by academic performance and how many ap courses? Are there colleges that will take more applicable skills into account?


Wait, what year is he now?

I agree 100% that he can truly make the most of his essay to explain his passion for creating apps. And I don't think he needs a $5K college counselor to help him do that.

But I am confused by what grade he's in. You can't take AP English as a freshman. If he's early in high school, he could and should tack on another couple just so he doesn't get dismissed for lack of rigor. Like AP Computer Science, for starters.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 12:14     Subject: Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Disagree with PP, I think your child has done something quite uncommon and wonderful. He's not the only high schooler creating apps and selling them, but he's part of a much smaller group than my son, loaded up on APs, as you said

He definitely needs to write about his career in his essays. Something really thoughtful about how his entrepreneurship has made him grow as a person, develop a work ethic in the real world and made him ready for college and beyond.

All applications will have the space for details about his work, but the clincher is the essay, because it's the only way for him to show how he thinks about his career. He MUST include the dollar amounts and as many factual details as he can, to make convincing and show this isn't piddling money.

If he has gotten to know one or two professionals well, perhaps they can write a letter of recommendation for him, to add to the ones from his teachers.

Ok so the essay portion will speak to this? I am concerned they will be glossed over. We've also talked to him about using some of his earnings towards a college admission counselor which are sometimes in the 5k range. We just feel the admissions process is overlooking his situation. His sats are also very good in the mid 1500s. Its just odd as 30 years a go the test scores alone would guarantee admission but it seems that things have changed especially with all the test optional things going on.

In fairness, mid 1500s today would have been high 1300s 30 years ago--and not a golden ticket to the most selective schools.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 12:08     Subject: Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
Anonymous wrote:My child has made over 20k/year building apps over the last 5 years. He also has sold rights to apps and created license and use contracts for certain sales that give him income after the sale.

How can we make sure colleges notice this, and he doesn't get lost in the mix of others with generic stats like AP courses, leadership, volunteering, teacher recommendations etc.

Our child also hasn't loaded up in APs courses, only in Math and English.

On paper he could be hired by a tech company as an entry level developer (I am a hiring manager for a big tech company, I know) but I am not sure if colleges will look at this. He even has a resume that lists out all his projects and licensing agreements.


Uhhh— maybe write about it in his essay?
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 11:50     Subject: Re:Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
Were APs and honor classes available at his school and he elected to not take them (in general)? His good SAT and the business will be pluses for him, but if you think this will make him stand out above all others, try to be realistic. It MAY matter, but it may not. (Your son had a lot more time to do these things because he wasn't loaded up with harder classes.) I'm not downplaying what he has done, but I also don't think you should think this will guarantee him a spot. My own child has done something very unique and admissions counselor at highly selective university said that if it is not highlighted very clearly in the application, it WILL be easily overlooked but that if it is not overlooked, it could absolutely make the difference between admittance or denial.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 11:50     Subject: Re:Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If he doesn’t have the grades and rigor, the business won’t get him accepted. Agree with others it is best addressed in essays.


He has decent grades but doesn't want to load up in all ap courses, he took 2 freshman year then took more sohpmore. So rigor is defined by academic performance and how many ap courses? Are there colleges that will take more applicable skills into account?


They will take it all into account. Schools look for different things. May we assume he wants to go into something like business or finance? This might be less appealing if he was going to major in STEM or English.

Look for schools that have things like business incubators for start ups. Some actually give kids money to invest or start small companies. You have to do some research around that. But they are out there.


He wants to pursue computer science but does well with writing and reading. But that's a great idea, I will check out colleges that invest in small companies, maybe even look at the SBA, cibr etc
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 11:43     Subject: Re:Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If he doesn’t have the grades and rigor, the business won’t get him accepted. Agree with others it is best addressed in essays.


He has decent grades but doesn't want to load up in all ap courses, he took 2 freshman year then took more sohpmore. So rigor is defined by academic performance and how many ap courses? Are there colleges that will take more applicable skills into account?


They will take it all into account. Schools look for different things. May we assume he wants to go into something like business or finance? This might be less appealing if he was going to major in STEM or English.

Look for schools that have things like business incubators for start ups. Some actually give kids money to invest or start small companies. You have to do some research around that. But they are out there.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 11:40     Subject: Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Disagree with PP, I think your child has done something quite uncommon and wonderful. He's not the only high schooler creating apps and selling them, but he's part of a much smaller group than my son, loaded up on APs, as you said

He definitely needs to write about his career in his essays. Something really thoughtful about how his entrepreneurship has made him grow as a person, develop a work ethic in the real world and made him ready for college and beyond.

All applications will have the space for details about his work, but the clincher is the essay, because it's the only way for him to show how he thinks about his career. He MUST include the dollar amounts and as many factual details as he can, to make convincing and show this isn't piddling money.

If he has gotten to know one or two professionals well, perhaps they can write a letter of recommendation for him, to add to the ones from his teachers.


Ok so the essay portion will speak to this? I am concerned they will be glossed over. We've also talked to him about using some of his earnings towards a college admission counselor which are sometimes in the 5k range. We just feel the admissions process is overlooking his situation. His sats are also very good in the mid 1500s. Its just odd as 30 years a go the test scores alone would guarantee admission but it seems that things have changed especially with all the test optional things going on.


It will only be "glossed over" if your child does a bad job highlighting it's value/significance.

Calm down. Many students have something special/impressive. Yours certainly does, and I can understand why you are proud. But don't go overboard. NO need for your child to spend 5,000 of his hard owned dollars so someone can tell him to play it up. He seems very capable. Show him that you have faith in him.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 11:40     Subject: Re:Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If he doesn’t have the grades and rigor, the business won’t get him accepted. Agree with others it is best addressed in essays.


He has decent grades but doesn't want to load up in all ap courses, he took 2 freshman year then took more sohpmore. So rigor is defined by academic performance and how many ap courses? Are there colleges that will take more applicable skills into account?
To add please see that his SATs are mid 1500s. Maybe we don't even want him going to a place that prioritizes all those other things. What is a good fit for him?
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 11:39     Subject: Re:Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
Anonymous wrote:If he doesn’t have the grades and rigor, the business won’t get him accepted. Agree with others it is best addressed in essays.


He has decent grades but doesn't want to load up in all ap courses, he took 2 freshman year then took more sohpmore. So rigor is defined by academic performance and how many ap courses? Are there colleges that will take more applicable skills into account?
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2023 11:38     Subject: Child exceptional developer/contracts and makes 20k/year how can we make sure Colleges notice?
He could work that into his essay: what he has learned or gained from the experience. How it influenced his choice of major or career. Perhaps, how his expertise would benefit the college community he enters (like fundraising for clubs or something).

OR, he could just explain what he has accomplished in the EC (activities) section.

It is a plus...but you can't really control what they think of it (other than showing it has value for your child/the school he enters).