Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 21:14     Subject: colleges for gifted yet social kids
Anonymous wrote:my DD is very smart and a very hard worker- straight A's, 35 ACT Score, great extracurricular activities etc... but not really the intellectual type. She is a social butterfly, loves sports, would rather talk about tik tok or go shopping than read etc... Once you get to know her you can tell she is smart and interested in the world, but it isn't her surface level personality. She would rather be at a party than studying on any weekend night.

She should have no problem getting into most schools. I am thinking because of her personality she would be happiest at a school like Duke,or Vanderbilt that seems to have a lot of student-life balance. UVA may be too big.

Any insight? Anyone have any experience with a kid like this at an ivy league or smaller school? Trying to help her guide her college search, and she didn't love the idea of many of the options her school college counselor gave her, but does want to go to a top school.


What were the options suggested by the counselor? FWIW, your DD doesn't sound much different than many high-achieving HS students. This is basically my DD as well as her friends. They like their straight As, high test scores, and weekend parties. Some are now at T10, T20 schools, but not all as not everyone is going to get into one of those schools. Your DD's school counselor may have simply suggested realistic options. Or have insight that the school's profile doesn't necessarily cut it with Duke and Vanderbilt. That's not to say that your DD shouldn't aim for one of them, but that she should have a list reflecting reaches, targets (many are now reaches), and likelies.

GL with the search.

Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 21:13     Subject: colleges for gifted yet social kids
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Gotta love the breezy “she should have no problem getting into most schools” line, lol. Ah, to be so innocent.

How about where we tell you where NOT to go. Schools where kids are very academic: Chicago, Swarthmore, Carleton, Reed, MIT, what else DCUM?


I fear what’s coming for OP….her kid is so basic and she has no idea…


Indeed. It's would be a big mistake for (almost) anyone to think they'll have no problem at the most selective schools.
Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 21:07     Subject: Re:colleges for gifted yet social kids
Other schools she might like of varying levels of selectivity: Emory, Davidson, Dartmouth, Georgetown (basically most T30s), Elon, Tulane, UNC Chapel Hill, Santa Clara, USC, etc.
Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 20:43     Subject: colleges for gifted yet social kids
Avoid SLACs. Make sure to apply ED to a school that hopefully gives a decent bump for ED.

Honestly I think this is the kind of kid you don’t need to worry about because they will be successful in college and in life. You are lucky.

Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 20:37     Subject: colleges for gifted yet social kids
Anonymous wrote:Just not Tufts, Rice, Chicago or Princeton. Kids there are not anti social but probably more socially awkward than your DD. If she gets into Duke, Vanderbilt, or other Ivy, I am sure she will find her social fit. Even Harvard. Good Luck!!!!


My friend who went to Rice had a huge social life there. There was a ton of drinking
Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 20:31     Subject: colleges for gifted yet social kids
Maybe honors at a public state school.
Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 20:10     Subject: colleges for gifted yet social kids
Anonymous wrote:Just not Tufts, Rice, Chicago or Princeton. Kids there are not anti social but probably more socially awkward than your DD. If she gets into Duke, Vanderbilt, or other Ivy, I am sure she will find her social fit. Even Harvard. Good Luck!!!!


I’ll add William & Mary to the list of places where kids take their academics seriously.
Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 19:51     Subject: colleges for gifted yet social kids
Anonymous wrote:Gotta love the breezy “she should have no problem getting into most schools” line, lol. Ah, to be so innocent.

How about where we tell you where NOT to go. Schools where kids are very academic: Chicago, Swarthmore, Carleton, Reed, MIT, what else DCUM?


I fear what’s coming for OP….her kid is so basic and she has no idea…
Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 19:47     Subject: colleges for gifted yet social kids
So which schools suggesting by her college counselor is she pooh-poohing? What does she have against them?
Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 19:41     Subject: colleges for gifted yet social kids
Just not Tufts, Rice, Chicago or Princeton. Kids there are not anti social but probably more socially awkward than your DD. If she gets into Duke, Vanderbilt, or other Ivy, I am sure she will find her social fit. Even Harvard. Good Luck!!!!
Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 19:39     Subject: colleges for gifted yet social kids
Gotta love the breezy “she should have no problem getting into most schools” line, lol. Ah, to be so innocent.

How about where we tell you where NOT to go. Schools where kids are very academic: Chicago, Swarthmore, Carleton, Reed, MIT, what else DCUM?
Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 19:37     Subject: colleges for gifted yet social kids
Every kid is gifted now.
Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 19:35     Subject: colleges for gifted yet social kids
Yup, mine are also gifted by test scores and social.
Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 19:31     Subject: Re:colleges for gifted yet social kids
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:She’s not that gifted. My kids also scored 35 ACT and have straight As in APs/honors and they are extremely social kids. Two are total jocks too.


When I say gifted I mean it as an IQ of Gifted level, in Mensa etc... Not just a way to describe her.




Yes. Mine received the designations. I’m telling you lady there are 1000s of kids like this in MoCO, Arlington, Ffx, NW, Loudoun, etc.

The DMV is Lake Wobegon.

I’m guessing you didn’t grow up in this area. My Midwestern husband was culture shocked by it.
Anonymous
Post 02/14/2023 19:30     Subject: Re:colleges for gifted yet social kids
Very unlikely to get into Duke or Vanderbilt without more. Would have a shot at UVA as others have said. Maybe Wake Forest for something smaller.