Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 21:56     Subject: How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Elite private + excellent grades + scores - all set. It's only lowly public school kids who need a spike.


Take a look at some of these private HS kids:

https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/s/8UqXHSuGjM

https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/s/lnzGAcrjM8

https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/s/HVbI16YaSa

https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/s/kF6oJotAFc


These profiles are refreshing. Not overdone.
Is it that bc they are private school kids? Is private school a hook now?


Private high school has always been a hook.


Hook is a well defined term in this context and you don’t get to expand it. See also full pay — also not a hook.


Yes, a hook is defined as anything that takes spots away from the rich white private school kids who deserve the spots from birth.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 21:54     Subject: How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Elite private + excellent grades + scores - all set. It's only lowly public school kids who need a spike.


Take a look at some of these private HS kids:

https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/s/8UqXHSuGjM

https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/s/lnzGAcrjM8

https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/s/HVbI16YaSa

https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/s/kF6oJotAFc


These profiles are refreshing. Not overdone.
Is it that bc they are private school kids? Is private school a hook now?


Private high school has always been a hook.


Hook is a well defined term in this context and you don’t get to expand it. See also full pay — also not a hook.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 21:52     Subject: Re:How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
Anonymous wrote:Pointy is such an old old metric.

That went away.

Do what you love, dabble if you have to. Be authentic.

My 2024 was well rounded. Played a sport, had a summer job, did some community service, was a member of a club….routine

He got into 2 Ivies, 2 10s and several T20s. He also didn’t use an essay coach or private counselor.

Be authentic


Is he Black?
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 21:51     Subject: How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What elite private has that many APs?


Lots


In DC, no. This DC …. Urban Moms. If you’re posting from Chicago or Los Angeles, you should probably say so.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 21:36     Subject: How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Elite private + excellent grades + scores - all set. It's only lowly public school kids who need a spike.


Take a look at some of these private HS kids:

https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/s/8UqXHSuGjM

https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/s/lnzGAcrjM8

https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/s/HVbI16YaSa

https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/s/kF6oJotAFc


These profiles are refreshing. Not overdone.
Is it that bc they are private school kids? Is private school a hook now?


Private high school has always been a hook.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 10:30     Subject: Re:How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
Pointy is such an old old metric.

That went away.

Do what you love, dabble if you have to. Be authentic.

My 2024 was well rounded. Played a sport, had a summer job, did some community service, was a member of a club….routine

He got into 2 Ivies, 2 10s and several T20s. He also didn’t use an essay coach or private counselor.

Be authentic
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 10:26     Subject: How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
What’s their IQ? The 150+ kids tend to do really well.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 09:49     Subject: How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am so reluctant to be one of those people that jumps on op, and yet…get it together op!


Your kid sounds very smart and like a great kid. No, that doesn’t mean he has great chances for an ivy bc there aren’t enough seats for anyone save kushners to have a “great chance.”

Yes, pointy-ness may be a deciding factor for a tiny fraction of the pointy kids who apply but it’s not some unfair advantage-the schools from whatever reason have decided they want more rodeo clowns and hot air balloon pilots, that’s their call.

Your son is smart enough to have a chance and the ability to do well there probably-that means he will do great wherever he lands.

You need to get your head out of your A ss and stop focusing on highly rejective schools before you infect your son with your prestige fixated nonsense. Seriously-do better.





The quality of the private school matters.
At most privates you don’t need to be that pointy. Just have a defined interest and show (minor) alignment with major.


Your arrogance is palpable.


I don’t think it’s arrogant. I think it’s true. Not all private schools are the same. They have their own matriculation trends.

Read the “levels” thread and the other private/public thread linked for Peet’s sake.
If a 3.5uw from an elite NY private gets you into Vanderbilt ED, the “quality” of that private is determinative in T20 outcomes.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 09:40     Subject: How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am so reluctant to be one of those people that jumps on op, and yet…get it together op!


Your kid sounds very smart and like a great kid. No, that doesn’t mean he has great chances for an ivy bc there aren’t enough seats for anyone save kushners to have a “great chance.”

Yes, pointy-ness may be a deciding factor for a tiny fraction of the pointy kids who apply but it’s not some unfair advantage-the schools from whatever reason have decided they want more rodeo clowns and hot air balloon pilots, that’s their call.

Your son is smart enough to have a chance and the ability to do well there probably-that means he will do great wherever he lands.

You need to get your head out of your A ss and stop focusing on highly rejective schools before you infect your son with your prestige fixated nonsense. Seriously-do better.





The quality of the private school matters.
At most privates you don’t need to be that pointy. Just have a defined interest and show (minor) alignment with major.


Your arrogance is palpable.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 09:38     Subject: How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Look at it this way OP - your kid has as good a chance as any top student, but the odds are still low because of the number of applicants. Your kid will get a good look and that's better than most can expect.


This. He's earned the right to apply, but so did the other 95% who get rejected.


... and those other 95% are present at other schools, along with thousands of brilliant kids who didn't apply to Ivy, so don't fear that your kid will be the "only smart kid" at his college. That's ignorant and sets him up for failure.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 09:37     Subject: How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
Exhausting UK boosters would say applying through UCAS is the solution 😆
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 09:37     Subject: How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
Anonymous wrote:I’m so tired of hearing the word “pointy.” My kid is a kind person with terrific all-around grades 3.95 unweighted from an elite private with top scores 1580 SAT and five AP 5s going into senior year, with another 4 APs by the end of senior year.

Lots of interesting extracurriculars including leadership positions but no national level awards and no specialized research. nothing that makes him pointy.

Any parents of non pointy kids out there who can share how their kids did? Are Ivies out of reach for him?


What is his narrative? Interests? Major?
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 09:37     Subject: How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
Anonymous wrote:Look at it this way OP - your kid has as good a chance as any top student, but the odds are still low because of the number of applicants. Your kid will get a good look and that's better than most can expect.


This. He's earned the right to apply, but so did the other 95% who get rejected.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 09:36     Subject: How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
Anonymous wrote:What elite private has that many APs?


Lots
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2025 09:35     Subject: How do brilliant but non pointy kids do?
Your kid will do great regardless and will need to focus on putting together some kind of narrative around interests and write interesting essays.