Started non profit, genuinely kind kid, research driven with publication, 12+ APs, great test scores. Got into a bunch of ivies as well unhooked.

National awards in ice skating and equestrian (different ppl)

None from our high school which routinely sends 20% to Ivy league + MIT. Stanford admits are always hooked.

The kids we know are super pointy and unbearably overconfident with max rigor.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Grinders.
People who focus on being productive and gaining accolades every minute of every hour of the day.
2 in DCs class got in REA that way.

The unhooked Sidwell admit in my kid’s recent class fits this description. Plus they had a gripping essay topic.

"Unhooked Sidwell" - that must be the joke if the day. 60k/year Sidwell tuition

Anonymous wrote:Grinders.
People who focus on being productive and gaining accolades every minute of every hour of the day.
2 in DCs class got in REA that way.

The unhooked Sidwell admit in my kid’s recent class fits this description. Plus they had a gripping essay topic.

Stanford is probably the most difficult college to get in without hooks. Almost impossible to get in even for top students with max stats. Last year only 4 MCPS students got in. Same for Harvard. Their admission is different than the merit-based colleges like MIT, CMU, JHU.

"Stanford to continue legacy admissions through 2026 despite state ban."

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/09/10/mcps-students-college/

Anonymous wrote:My (recruited athlete) son’s freshman roommate was a UMC Asian guy who was brilliant at math and had won state and maybe national competitions. He was also really funny and laid back—I imagine his application conveyed his personality well. There was a guy on their hall who was a white kid from Oregon, not first gen, whose primary EC was working as an assistant at the local morgue.

Ahaha, sorry, couldn't help myself.
In hindsight, that would have made a stunning EC for any kid, too bad we didn't think of it earlier.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our babysitter's mother's uncle's son's friend was admitted uncooked.

Good. Hope he didn't get steamed later.

He had a lot of raw talent.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Grinders.
People who focus on being productive and gaining accolades every minute of every hour of the day.
2 in DCs class got in REA that way.

You mean high achievers?

Yes but only in specific activities that have an established ranking system and public relations effort. High achievement on things the well-known judges don't care about don't matter.

Not in a hobby that doesn't turn into a trophy.

Top grades and perfect SATs, lots of writing competitions, English major

Anonymous wrote:Our babysitter's mother's uncle's son's friend was admitted uncooked.

Good. Hope he didn't get steamed later.

Anonymous wrote:Grinders.
People who focus on being productive and gaining accolades every minute of every hour of the day.
2 in DCs class got in REA that way.

You mean high achievers?

I know several kids from TJ got into Stanford with YoungArts awards on top of great academic stats.

Yeah, I know two females who were admitted with no hooks — one last year one this year. Tons of activities, top grades and test scores rigorous coursework, very personable engaging people.