Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 23:18     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If I were an AO I would say there are not enough hours in a day to do all of those things to the level you are saying and would call BS.

Sounds like a kid curating a resume for college and not being a normal kid. And the fact that you are asking this question is further proof of that. At some point it is all too much and sounds very phony.

Chill the F out.


Thank you! Parent of an another junior and was not feeling great after reading the original post!


This is unfortunately the amount of activities the very top schools expect absent a national level of achievement in a specific niche.


Not true. These are the same parents who are convinced a kid must do 15+ APs, take Calculus as a sophomore, etc. Get out of your DMV public school echo chamber. It is scary.
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 23:02     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If I were an AO I would say there are not enough hours in a day to do all of those things to the level you are saying and would call BS.

Sounds like a kid curating a resume for college and not being a normal kid. And the fact that you are asking this question is further proof of that. At some point it is all too much and sounds very phony.

Chill the F out.


Thank you! Parent of an another junior and was not feeling great after reading the original post!


This is unfortunately the amount of activities the very top schools expect absent a national level of achievement in a specific niche.


So true. Instead of whining about it, why not adapt to it. Find high impact activities like federal judge internship. I know some kid got an internship at FBI, now in at an ivy.
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 22:57     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If I were an AO I would say there are not enough hours in a day to do all of those things to the level you are saying and would call BS.

Sounds like a kid curating a resume for college and not being a normal kid. And the fact that you are asking this question is further proof of that. At some point it is all too much and sounds very phony.

Chill the F out.


Thank you! Parent of an another junior and was not feeling great after reading the original post!


This is unfortunately the amount of activities the very top schools expect absent a national level of achievement in a specific niche.
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 22:56     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:Boy, varsity athlete playing year-round (but doesn't want to play in college), public school 3.9 UW/4.3 W (not VA or MD), 1520 SAT, 11 APs total by graduation, humanities kid, founded & president of school debating club, Model UN, several seasons of coaching kids teams in youth sports, has worked in construction over the summer (when not doing sport), doing internship with federal judge, volunteers w/Special Olympics. History or Econ as potential major.

Not a whole lot of time to do much else, but is there any EC that's obviously missing? He is hoping for a top 20, SLAC or mid-sized. Double egacy at Ivies but obviously a long shot.


Do you mind sharing how a high schooler gets this gig? Sound super prestigeous to work in a federal judge's chamber. Thanks!
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 22:51     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Thanks for sharing. I am stealing / copying the idea of construction job. Better yet, for my DD! Extra level of uniqueness. Excellent lived experience.
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 22:47     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:If I were an AO I would say there are not enough hours in a day to do all of those things to the level you are saying and would call BS.

Sounds like a kid curating a resume for college and not being a normal kid. And the fact that you are asking this question is further proof of that. At some point it is all too much and sounds very phony.

Chill the F out.


Thank you! Parent of an another junior and was not feeling great after reading the original post!
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 22:40     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:Boy, varsity athlete playing year-round (but doesn't want to play in college), public school 3.9 UW/4.3 W (not VA or MD), 1520 SAT, 11 APs total by graduation, humanities kid, founded & president of school debating club, Model UN, several seasons of coaching kids teams in youth sports, has worked in construction over the summer (when not doing sport), doing internship with federal judge, volunteers w/Special Olympics. History or Econ as potential major.

Not a whole lot of time to do much else, but is there any EC that's obviously missing? He is hoping for a top 20, SLAC or mid-sized. Double egacy at Ivies but obviously a long shot.


spend time retaking SAT to 1560-1580. would mean a whole lot more than any additional EC.
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 19:48     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
My advice: do a deep dive into the legacy school (institutional priorities, kids that have been accepted years past from your school, admissions blogs, etc), pull up the supplemental essay prompts from the past 5 years or so. See if your son would be excited to answer them or if he has stuff to actually write about. I would try to make the legacy school a fit bc your son meets the academic benchmark and has the ECs - just need to bring it all together. The LORs and essays will play a big part. If after a deep dive, you guys decide he's not a fit for the legacy school, then do this for the next school.

Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 17:01     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
mom you have some work to do to make junior’s application seem more authentic (PP’s “manufactured” comment nailed it). Nothing pops to convey passion. Maybe you and junior lean into the Special Olympics angle and have him target UVA or Vandy for special ed - which he can always change if he decides to pursue another path (wink wink)
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 16:45     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:bravo on the manufactured construction job angle, with the right prompt AI can spin this into an incredibly authentic essay topic about the life lessons it taught.


Agree - this is the most curated human being I have ever seen. This kid sounds like a robot. And the mom is even worse. No thanks.
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 16:43     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Nope
Kid will be fine
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 16:42     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
bravo on the manufactured construction job angle, with the right prompt AI can spin this into an incredibly authentic essay topic about the life lessons it taught.
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 16:39     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
Anonymous wrote:I would first change the “we” to “he” in the title of this thread.


Amen. This parent seems cray cray. Looks like you could use a cupcake.
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 16:37     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
I would first change the “we” to “he” in the title of this thread.
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2025 16:36     Subject: Thoughts on ECs for junior--do we need anything else?
he seems perfect - what an absolutely incredible young man!