Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 17:26     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:NP I see posts like OP’s on here so often but at our school (independent feeder school not in DVM or NYC), those kinds of ECs are almost unheard of. Kids play varsity sports, do things like write for the school paper, theater, debate, and each year 25- 30 out of 100 seniors get into Ivy/top 15. I’ve never heard of anyone publishing any research let alone develop an AI service used by real corporate clients


That's because the kids at this school get in because of the wealth and accomplishments of the parents. In the normal world, students tend to need to distinguish themselves beyond theater club.


What do you mean? This parent dare not donors. These days, you need 7-8 figure donation to move the needle on admissions at a top 20
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 17:23     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:my kid likes to work on cars and had a part time job at a car repair shop. Turned that into a very good essay imo. Came across as a legit interest, and not manufactured liked woodworking or beekeeping.

be authentic

at a T10 now


My kid has a very authentic interest in woodworking. Has a wood shop in our backyard. Built all stagecrew/stagecraft for school plays and musicals. Has earned some notoriety for his skills with a wood saw and what he can make. Not inauthentic at all. Everyone at high school knew about it too.
At Ivy.

You can do these “weird” things if it’s entirely self-driven. Sometimes it is.

My spouse and I are not handy and have no idea what all the tools are.


I can assure you he didn’t get in because of the woodworking. But it’s an interesting part of the application.


Someone said the EC wasn’t authentic.
Stick to the response.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 17:22     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:my kid likes to work on cars and had a part time job at a car repair shop. Turned that into a very good essay imo. Came across as a legit interest, and not manufactured liked woodworking or beekeeping.

be authentic

at a T10 now


My kid has a very authentic interest in woodworking. Has a wood shop in our backyard. Built all stagecrew/stagecraft for school plays and musicals. Has earned some notoriety for his skills with a wood saw and what he can make. Not inauthentic at all. Everyone at high school knew about it too.
At Ivy.

You can do these “weird” things if it’s entirely self-driven. Sometimes it is.

My spouse and I are not handy and have no idea what all the tools are.


I can assure you he didn’t get in because of the woodworking. But it’s an interesting part of the application.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 17:16     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
Anonymous wrote:my kid likes to work on cars and had a part time job at a car repair shop. Turned that into a very good essay imo. Came across as a legit interest, and not manufactured liked woodworking or beekeeping.

be authentic

at a T10 now


My kid has a very authentic interest in woodworking. Has a wood shop in our backyard. Built all stagecrew/stagecraft for school plays and musicals. Has earned some notoriety for his skills with a wood saw and what he can make. Not inauthentic at all. Everyone at high school knew about it too.
At Ivy.

You can do these “weird” things if it’s entirely self-driven. Sometimes it is.

My spouse and I are not handy and have no idea what all the tools are.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 17:12     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:NP I see posts like OP’s on here so often but at our school (independent feeder school not in DVM or NYC), those kinds of ECs are almost unheard of. Kids play varsity sports, do things like write for the school paper, theater, debate, and each year 25- 30 out of 100 seniors get into Ivy/top 15. I’ve never heard of anyone publishing any research let alone develop an AI service used by real corporate clients


That's because the kids at this school get in because of the wealth and accomplishments of the parents. In the normal world, students tend to need to distinguish themselves beyond theater club.


No, they are getting in bc they are smart enough, full pay, potential (perhaps) to give, and from a feeder high school (meaning the college knows the caliber of student from that HS, knows they’ll thrive academically and socially and have their own support system - not a net drain on system ).
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 17:09     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
Publishing research and developing AI are really just relying on parents connections and resources. AOs see through it. Very nepo.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 17:05     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
Anonymous wrote:Mine just invented some. Worked perfectly


This wouldn’t work for Vandy though, or for any leadership schools. Unless you are inventing some community leadership gigs.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 17:05     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
Anonymous wrote:NP I see posts like OP’s on here so often but at our school (independent feeder school not in DVM or NYC), those kinds of ECs are almost unheard of. Kids play varsity sports, do things like write for the school paper, theater, debate, and each year 25- 30 out of 100 seniors get into Ivy/top 15. I’ve never heard of anyone publishing any research let alone develop an AI service used by real corporate clients


That's because the kids at this school get in because of the wealth and accomplishments of the parents. In the normal world, students tend to need to distinguish themselves beyond theater club.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 17:01     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This year ECs probably have less weight in college application. Top stats top rigor kids will have a better time.


What made you think this?


Def not what we saw this year.
Sure at flagships (Texas; UNC; UVA; Michigan) but not at places like Duke, Northwestern, Penn, Dartmouth, Columbia, Princeton and Stanford.

Way more than stats at our private.


Ours too- kids that made it into the Ivy+ schools had the stats (all top of graduating class, highest rigor, high SAT's and 5's on AP's) plus significant EC's with leadership and impact.
The kids who either lacked EC's (meaning real engagement/impact in their EC's), had a B or two or had slightly lower SAT scores still did great but landed in the next group of colleges, Emory, Amherst etc.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 16:59     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
Robotics, guitar, and a pt job at a restaurant.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 16:57     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
Anonymous wrote:My son got into T10. Regular extracurriculars. Two sports, both varsity all four years and was the captain of one. President of a school club. SAT tutor. Member of Marh team with a first in state award. Nothing like what parents here say. But, he had a 35 and a 1570 and was NMSF and had top grades in top rigor and was top 10% of his class. I think that last sentence is why he got in. Not the activities.


Same in our school. DCUM ECs are wild.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 16:55     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
my kid likes to work on cars and had a part time job at a car repair shop. Turned that into a very good essay imo. Came across as a legit interest, and not manufactured liked woodworking or beekeeping.

be authentic

at a T10 now
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 16:54     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
Anonymous wrote:Mine just invented some. Worked perfectly


Fly fishing and wrote a book? Stanford?
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 16:54     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
Anonymous wrote:Mine just invented some. Worked perfectly


Like what?
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2025 16:53     Subject: If your child was accepted at a Top 20 School, what were their extracurriculars?
Mine just invented some. Worked perfectly