Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 15:09     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:National Merit Scholarship can get free rides from several colleges if prestige and ranking doesn't matter.


OP said her kid has an 1100-1200 SAT score. Maybe switching to ACT would help; who knows. I had suggested she have her kid checked for possible processing issues. That could explain the difference between the high grades/rigor and low standardized test score.

Bottom line is OP’s kid realistically can’t expect to get a “large merit scholarship” at a “good school” unless the kid ups their standardized score or EC game. Alternatively, in-state schools often provide a good value and may be more economical than an OOS or private even with substantial merit. Good luck OP.


What school is giving merit for any ECs? I would assume the ECs would also have to be something specific, like band or the like that the school offers. However, that is more like a stipend because you have to play in the college band.


Don’t the top merit scholarships (Stamps, presidential scholarships and the like) involve interviews? I believe in addition to academic rigor the schools look at the leadership traits and motivation of kids to which they award top scholarships.


Ok…I guess I separate merit aid where you don’t have to do anything special to get it vs scholarships requiring essays/interviews etc.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 15:04     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:National Merit Scholarship can get free rides from several colleges if prestige and ranking doesn't matter.


OP said her kid has an 1100-1200 SAT score. Maybe switching to ACT would help; who knows. I had suggested she have her kid checked for possible processing issues. That could explain the difference between the high grades/rigor and low standardized test score.

Bottom line is OP’s kid realistically can’t expect to get a “large merit scholarship” at a “good school” unless the kid ups their standardized score or EC game. Alternatively, in-state schools often provide a good value and may be more economical than an OOS or private even with substantial merit. Good luck OP.


What school is giving merit for any ECs? I would assume the ECs would also have to be something specific, like band or the like that the school offers. However, that is more like a stipend because you have to play in the college band.


Don’t the top merit scholarships (Stamps, presidential scholarships and the like) involve interviews? I believe in addition to academic rigor the schools look at the leadership traits and motivation of kids to which they award top scholarships.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 14:54     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:National Merit Scholarship can get free rides from several colleges if prestige and ranking doesn't matter.


OP said her kid has an 1100-1200 SAT score. Maybe switching to ACT would help; who knows. I had suggested she have her kid checked for possible processing issues. That could explain the difference between the high grades/rigor and low standardized test score.

Bottom line is OP’s kid realistically can’t expect to get a “large merit scholarship” at a “good school” unless the kid ups their standardized score or EC game. Alternatively, in-state schools often provide a good value and may be more economical than an OOS or private even with substantial merit. Good luck OP.


What school is giving merit for any ECs? I would assume the ECs would also have to be something specific, like band or the like that the school offers. However, that is more like a stipend because you have to play in the college band.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 14:47     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:National Merit Scholarship can get free rides from several colleges if prestige and ranking doesn't matter.


OP said her kid has an 1100-1200 SAT score. Maybe switching to ACT would help; who knows. I had suggested she have her kid checked for possible processing issues. That could explain the difference between the high grades/rigor and low standardized test score.

Bottom line is OP’s kid realistically can’t expect to get a “large merit scholarship” at a “good school” unless the kid ups their standardized score or EC game. Alternatively, in-state schools often provide a good value and may be more economical than an OOS or private even with substantial merit. Good luck OP.

OP here. You’re exactly right. DC has issues with processing and doesn’t do well in big tests but has almost all As. What’s the ACT like? Is it really all that different?
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 14:40     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
Anonymous wrote:That 1100-1200 is an SAT score? So your kid is a junior but might retake next Fall?

I'd say pretty much forget about activities. It's too late to establish a track record of deep, sustained interest that will impress the applications readers.

If your goal is a scholarship you definitely want to push up that SAT score. Not going to get much with a 1200.


First OP needs to get to the bottom of why the SAT score doesn’t align with GPA and rigor.

OP, there are schools that will “buy” a high GPA (with or without rigor), but they might not be the tier you are hoping for.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 12:34     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
That 1100-1200 is an SAT score? So your kid is a junior but might retake next Fall?

I'd say pretty much forget about activities. It's too late to establish a track record of deep, sustained interest that will impress the applications readers.

If your goal is a scholarship you definitely want to push up that SAT score. Not going to get much with a 1200.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 12:31     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
Anonymous wrote:National Merit Scholarship can get free rides from several colleges if prestige and ranking doesn't matter.


OP said her kid has an 1100-1200 SAT score. Maybe switching to ACT would help; who knows. I had suggested she have her kid checked for possible processing issues. That could explain the difference between the high grades/rigor and low standardized test score.

Bottom line is OP’s kid realistically can’t expect to get a “large merit scholarship” at a “good school” unless the kid ups their standardized score or EC game. Alternatively, in-state schools often provide a good value and may be more economical than an OOS or private even with substantial merit. Good luck OP.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 11:54     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
National Merit Scholarship can get free rides from several colleges if prestige and ranking doesn't matter.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 11:53     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
Anonymous wrote:DC has no interest in activities, and never really has. Has maybe 1-2 that are mostly just on paper. No real hobbies either.

Course rigor and GPA are both very high, but test scores are middling (1100-1200).

Better to encourage SAT prep or activities? Both? Neither? DC is very resistant to parental suggestions.

Goal is a large merit scholarship at a good college (T10/Ivies not of much interest.)


Large merit scholarships from T100 schools require good GPA in rigorous courses and high SAT scores, ECs not as important.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 11:52     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:First, ignore any posters who uses "YMMV." It's just so annoying.

Second, they're not handing out large merit scholarships to kids who have nothing other than good grades. Not gonna happen.


Ha that was me! My point was that OP's not working with much, therefore my suggestions might not pan out for her but I was trying to help. Your post didn't offer any alternative useful suggestions. But sure, OP's kid can get a run of the mill teen job, leave nine slots of the common app activity section blank and let us know how it goes!


For most colleges it will go fine…not top 20 and not many in 30-50…but after that most colleges don’t care about any of the EC stuff.


The OP said her goal is a large merit
scholarship at a good college. Logic would suggest that a kid would really need to distinguish themself to get a large merit scholarship. But YMMV!!
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 11:50     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
Has he tried the ACT? He needs higher test scores for good merit and some kids do better on the ACT than the SAT.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 10:49     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
Anonymous wrote:DC has no interest in activities, and never really has. Has maybe 1-2 that are mostly just on paper. No real hobbies either.

Course rigor and GPA are both very high, but test scores are middling (1100-1200).

Better to encourage SAT prep or activities? Both? Neither? DC is very resistant to parental suggestions.

Goal is a large merit scholarship at a good college (T10/Ivies not of much interest.)


What does he do with his time?
I agree with PPs that a job is a good idea + family volunteering. Beyond that formal activities are not really needed. For the app activity list include the "on paper" things. Include informal hobbies. My DD listed drawing/painting as her most time consuming activity because she does that for at least an hour a day year-round.

If he really does nothing, then he's likely spending too much time online/gaming so that needs to be limited.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 10:45     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:First, ignore any posters who uses "YMMV." It's just so annoying.

Second, they're not handing out large merit scholarships to kids who have nothing other than good grades. Not gonna happen.


Ha that was me! My point was that OP's not working with much, therefore my suggestions might not pan out for her but I was trying to help. Your post didn't offer any alternative useful suggestions. But sure, OP's kid can get a run of the mill teen job, leave nine slots of the common app activity section blank and let us know how it goes!


For most colleges it will go fine…not top 20 and not many in 30-50…but after that most colleges don’t care about any of the EC stuff.
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 10:40     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
Anonymous wrote:First, ignore any posters who uses "YMMV." It's just so annoying.

Second, they're not handing out large merit scholarships to kids who have nothing other than good grades. Not gonna happen.


Ha that was me! My point was that OP's not working with much, therefore my suggestions might not pan out for her but I was trying to help. Your post didn't offer any alternative useful suggestions. But sure, OP's kid can get a run of the mill teen job, leave nine slots of the common app activity section blank and let us know how it goes!
Anonymous
Post 03/23/2024 09:22     Subject: If DC has no interest in activities…
Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks, all. DC is interested in getting a job. Does it matter if it’s retail and not related to anything “rigorous”?


Totally fine. Just a regular teen job