Anonymous wrote:The “humanities” boys I knew with very strong grades and ECs in debate and model un and as editors of the school paper still had a very hard time breaking into Top 15 schools. Some did, but many didn’t. It’s not a sure path at all.

+1. Humanities kid with similar profile. Did not even bother with T-15 applications. But I think being male may have helped with merit aid at some female-heavy T-50 to T-100’s??

William & Mary

It depends what liberal arts. My son is in international affairs, and I don't think that's a gender-skewed field at all.

The “humanities” boys I knew with very strong grades and ECs in debate and model un and as editors of the school paper still had a very hard time breaking into Top 15 schools. Some did, but many didn’t. It’s not a sure path at all.

bump for those interested.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FFS, some of our males are actually very interested in the humanities.

It's pissing me off that so many pps are trying to game the system by falsely claiming to want to major in them.

NP I was assuming they were actually interested in humanities. I hope this is not just strategy. At this tier, it won't work. They need genuine interest and supporting activities.

Also, I'd add Vassar.

I think ppl genuinely are interested in humanities (male) and not stem/engineering…

Also, we know there’s a bump up for these kids at some schools. So we should use that to our advantage. I know we are thinking about this for our son.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Joking aside… what are you teaching your kids if you encourage them this way? That their honest effort at being the best of who they are will not generate a result that is good enough to make you proud? That the ends justifies the means? How can they feel safe taking risks when all that matters is the result?

The system is so opaque and broken it invites efforts to game it.

Stop trying to justify cheating.

Anonymous wrote:

Joking aside… what are you teaching your kids if you encourage them this way? That their honest effort at being the best of who they are will not generate a result that is good enough to make you proud? That the ends justifies the means? How can they feel safe taking risks when all that matters is the result?

The system is so opaque and broken it invites efforts to game it.

Anonymous wrote:FFS, some of our males are actually very interested in the humanities.

It's pissing me off that so many pps are trying to game the system by falsely claiming to want to major in them.

NP I was assuming they were actually interested in humanities. I hope this is not just strategy. At this tier, it won't work. They need genuine interest and supporting activities.

Also, I'd add Vassar.

Vasser

PP - As the parent of two humanities kids I know some other schools for which this is true. I wish these discrepancies would encourage parents to be more open minded and allow their kids to major in whatever interests them, even the (gasp) humanities. But that is not the spirit in which this thread was propagated.

If the major relates to, say, English, the quality of the essays themselves will also be heavily scrutinized.

I do think the schools know this is happening. I was sitting in a session where the student literally raised his hand and asked the AO if he can apply as a humanities major and then transfer. The answer in that case was a hard “no” (Berkeley).

To make this work for a highly selective school a student would need to fake enthusiasm for recommendations, fake enthusiasm for the interview, fake enthusiasm and get stellar grades in numerous humanities courses, fake enthusiasm for summer activities, etc. etc. If your kid is this strong an actor, maybe he should be applying to Juilliard instead!

Joking aside… what are you teaching your kids if you encourage them this way? That their honest effort at being the best of who they are will not generate a result that is good enough to make you proud? That the ends justifies the means? How can they feel safe taking risks when all that matters is the result?

Anonymous wrote:FFS, some of our males are actually very interested in the humanities.

It's pissing me off that so many pps are trying to game the system by falsely claiming to want to major in them.

+100

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless your kid’s transcript and resume indicate a strong interest (I.e. entire high school career) in the humanities, this will not work. Colleges well aware of this trick.

Yeah, but once you get past the top 20 or so LACs, they are all desperate for people and will completely ignore this, especially for a high stats boy.

I think you mean top 50 or so.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless your kid’s transcript and resume indicate a strong interest (I.e. entire high school career) in the humanities, this will not work. Colleges well aware of this trick.

Yeah, but once you get past the top 20 or so LACs, they are all desperate for people and will completely ignore this, especially for a high stats boy.

We did not find this to be true.