These essay topics sound boring and have been done a million times. Does she have any interests to talk about? Any other type of journey?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looking at t20 colleges

We live in nyc and kid attended under-resourced public schools k-8 and then private for HS

She has a few essays in prelim stage. But hard to know what colleges will be looking for. In the past, I would have said the story. And one essay mentions that “distance traveled” in a way that’s organic and appropriate.

The other doesn’t, although it’s interesting and good. We’ll likely be full pay but I’d like to at least throw our css in, just in case things change.

I don’t really know how colleges would know we’re full pay our Neighborhood and schools are mixed. But she could drop some bits to make her some well off.

Which is more compelling these days. Can’t have it both way n

Yes - thats part of the question. Landscape doesn’t help much in a lot of Brooklyn for example.

Then this is a question for counselor who is familiar with brooklyn full pay candidates who may appear to poor?

All I will say is that the world is very different after this last cycle. I know way too many people who tried to have it both ways (with CSS/FAFSA just in case) and then got WL at 8 schools never to be chosen off the WL. Play the long game now. These schools not only want full pay, they actually NEED full pay.
Harvard announced a hiring freeze (like Northwestern and Cornell did in the spring). Things are not just going to get better. Different IPs come into play (institutional priorities). Two equal candidates from a school, one looks wealthier than the other - both do not add to "diversity" or have any other hooks. Who do you think gets into a private college?

We already know Michigan OOS openly favors full-pay kids from private HS. Not surprising given their financial situation as well.

If the question is, how do we showcase wealth in an application? That's been answered here before - I can find the post if you want.
It includes:
- don't include SSN in the Common App
- include titles for parents jobs where they indicate a high level of prestige or wealth (C-Suite, Managing Partner, Founder) etc - even if slightly misleading
- include top-tier parent college info (many will tell you to omit) esp for the graduate level
- include ECs that signify wealth or that paying tuition is not a problem (but don't write essays about it)

What is the reason not to include SSN?

Sara H from Application Nation says not to complete SSN if you don't need aid:
https://www.saraharberson.com/blog/trickiest-questions-common-app

OP said she wants to apply for aid just in case they get it though. Sounds like a donut hole family who was poor when OP's kid was younger.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looking at t20 colleges

We live in nyc and kid attended under-resourced public schools k-8 and then private for HS

She has a few essays in prelim stage. But hard to know what colleges will be looking for. In the past, I would have said the story. And one essay mentions that “distance traveled” in a way that’s organic and appropriate.

The other doesn’t, although it’s interesting and good. We’ll likely be full pay but I’d like to at least throw our css in, just in case things change.

I don’t really know how colleges would know we’re full pay our Neighborhood and schools are mixed. But she could drop some bits to make her some well off.

Which is more compelling these days. Can’t have it both way n

Yes - thats part of the question. Landscape doesn’t help much in a lot of Brooklyn for example.

Then this is a question for counselor who is familiar with brooklyn full pay candidates who may appear to poor?

All I will say is that the world is very different after this last cycle. I know way too many people who tried to have it both ways (with CSS/FAFSA just in case) and then got WL at 8 schools never to be chosen off the WL. Play the long game now. These schools not only want full pay, they actually NEED full pay.
Harvard announced a hiring freeze (like Northwestern and Cornell did in the spring). Things are not just going to get better. Different IPs come into play (institutional priorities). Two equal candidates from a school, one looks wealthier than the other - both do not add to "diversity" or have any other hooks. Who do you think gets into a private college?

We already know Michigan OOS openly favors full-pay kids from private HS. Not surprising given their financial situation as well.

If the question is, how do we showcase wealth in an application? That's been answered here before - I can find the post if you want.
It includes:
- don't include SSN in the Common App
- include titles for parents jobs where they indicate a high level of prestige or wealth (C-Suite, Managing Partner, Founder) etc - even if slightly misleading
- include top-tier parent college info (many will tell you to omit) esp for the graduate level
- include ECs that signify wealth or that paying tuition is not a problem (but don't write essays about it)

What is the reason not to include SSN?

Sara H from Application Nation says not to complete SSN if you don't need aid:
https://www.saraharberson.com/blog/trickiest-questions-common-app

Thank you both for the SSN explanation. Makes sense!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looking at t20 colleges

We live in nyc and kid attended under-resourced public schools k-8 and then private for HS

She has a few essays in prelim stage. But hard to know what colleges will be looking for. In the past, I would have said the story. And one essay mentions that “distance traveled” in a way that’s organic and appropriate.

The other doesn’t, although it’s interesting and good. We’ll likely be full pay but I’d like to at least throw our css in, just in case things change.

I don’t really know how colleges would know we’re full pay our Neighborhood and schools are mixed. But she could drop some bits to make her some well off.

Which is more compelling these days. Can’t have it both way n

Yes - thats part of the question. Landscape doesn’t help much in a lot of Brooklyn for example.

Then this is a question for counselor who is familiar with brooklyn full pay candidates who may appear to poor?

All I will say is that the world is very different after this last cycle. I know way too many people who tried to have it both ways (with CSS/FAFSA just in case) and then got WL at 8 schools never to be chosen off the WL. Play the long game now. These schools not only want full pay, they actually NEED full pay.
Harvard announced a hiring freeze (like Northwestern and Cornell did in the spring). Things are not just going to get better. Different IPs come into play (institutional priorities). Two equal candidates from a school, one looks wealthier than the other - both do not add to "diversity" or have any other hooks. Who do you think gets into a private college?

We already know Michigan OOS openly favors full-pay kids from private HS. Not surprising given their financial situation as well.

If the question is, how do we showcase wealth in an application? That's been answered here before - I can find the post if you want.
It includes:
- don't include SSN in the Common App
- include titles for parents jobs where they indicate a high level of prestige or wealth (C-Suite, Managing Partner, Founder) etc - even if slightly misleading
- include top-tier parent college info (many will tell you to omit) esp for the graduate level
- include ECs that signify wealth or that paying tuition is not a problem (but don't write essays about it)

What is the reason not to include SSN?

DP, but I think the logic is that you must include SSN if applying for aid, so not including it is a clear indicator that you don’t plan to submit FAFSA or CSS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looking at t20 colleges

We live in nyc and kid attended under-resourced public schools k-8 and then private for HS

She has a few essays in prelim stage. But hard to know what colleges will be looking for. In the past, I would have said the story. And one essay mentions that “distance traveled” in a way that’s organic and appropriate.

The other doesn’t, although it’s interesting and good. We’ll likely be full pay but I’d like to at least throw our css in, just in case things change.

I don’t really know how colleges would know we’re full pay our Neighborhood and schools are mixed. But she could drop some bits to make her some well off.

Which is more compelling these days. Can’t have it both way n

Yes - thats part of the question. Landscape doesn’t help much in a lot of Brooklyn for example.

Then this is a question for counselor who is familiar with brooklyn full pay candidates who may appear to poor?

All I will say is that the world is very different after this last cycle. I know way too many people who tried to have it both ways (with CSS/FAFSA just in case) and then got WL at 8 schools never to be chosen off the WL. Play the long game now. These schools not only want full pay, they actually NEED full pay.
Harvard announced a hiring freeze (like Northwestern and Cornell did in the spring). Things are not just going to get better. Different IPs come into play (institutional priorities). Two equal candidates from a school, one looks wealthier than the other - both do not add to "diversity" or have any other hooks. Who do you think gets into a private college?

We already know Michigan OOS openly favors full-pay kids from private HS. Not surprising given their financial situation as well.

If the question is, how do we showcase wealth in an application? That's been answered here before - I can find the post if you want.
It includes:
- don't include SSN in the Common App
- include titles for parents jobs where they indicate a high level of prestige or wealth (C-Suite, Managing Partner, Founder) etc - even if slightly misleading
- include top-tier parent college info (many will tell you to omit) esp for the graduate level
- include ECs that signify wealth or that paying tuition is not a problem (but don't write essays about it)

What is the reason not to include SSN?

The SSN is only required for Financial Aid. If you complete it, the numbers are XX'd out for the AO. If you don't complete, it just says blank. Its a soft way that they can tell if you applied for aid or not.
Discussed here (link below) and on YCBK podcasts recently as well.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1221854.page

The WL point is a good one - assuming this kid isn't applying ED.

WL this year were crazy. And no, if you need aid, you weren't getting a phone call or email.

Expect the chaos with WL next year, if many of these international kids who can't get visas (is anyone reading their accounts - crazy) decide to defer. At Harvard, they have to notify the school in 10 days that they are deferring for one calendar year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looking at t20 colleges

We live in nyc and kid attended under-resourced public schools k-8 and then private for HS

She has a few essays in prelim stage. But hard to know what colleges will be looking for. In the past, I would have said the story. And one essay mentions that “distance traveled” in a way that’s organic and appropriate.

The other doesn’t, although it’s interesting and good. We’ll likely be full pay but I’d like to at least throw our css in, just in case things change.

I don’t really know how colleges would know we’re full pay our Neighborhood and schools are mixed. But she could drop some bits to make her some well off.

Which is more compelling these days. Can’t have it both way n

Yes - thats part of the question. Landscape doesn’t help much in a lot of Brooklyn for example.

Then this is a question for counselor who is familiar with brooklyn full pay candidates who may appear to poor?

All I will say is that the world is very different after this last cycle. I know way too many people who tried to have it both ways (with CSS/FAFSA just in case) and then got WL at 8 schools never to be chosen off the WL. Play the long game now. These schools not only want full pay, they actually NEED full pay.
Harvard announced a hiring freeze (like Northwestern and Cornell did in the spring). Things are not just going to get better. Different IPs come into play (institutional priorities). Two equal candidates from a school, one looks wealthier than the other - both do not add to "diversity" or have any other hooks. Who do you think gets into a private college?

We already know Michigan OOS openly favors full-pay kids from private HS. Not surprising given their financial situation as well.

If the question is, how do we showcase wealth in an application? That's been answered here before - I can find the post if you want.
It includes:
- don't include SSN in the Common App
- include titles for parents jobs where they indicate a high level of prestige or wealth (C-Suite, Managing Partner, Founder) etc - even if slightly misleading
- include top-tier parent college info (many will tell you to omit) esp for the graduate level
- include ECs that signify wealth or that paying tuition is not a problem (but don't write essays about it)

What is the reason not to include SSN?

Gross

No, you can’t have it both ways. Are you wealthy, OP? Are you full pay or FA at your private?

^ agree w this

But also agree w op that kid should have one “story”. We all contain multitudes. But you want your kid to be reducible in this case: “here’s the Brooklyn kid who started the soccer shoe swap and has a 4.0 at Dominican academy”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looking at t20 colleges

We live in nyc and kid attended under-resourced public schools k-8 and then private for HS

She has a few essays in prelim stage. But hard to know what colleges will be looking for. In the past, I would have said the story. And one essay mentions that “distance traveled” in a way that’s organic and appropriate.

The other doesn’t, although it’s interesting and good. We’ll likely be full pay but I’d like to at least throw our css in, just in case things change.

I don’t really know how colleges would know we’re full pay our Neighborhood and schools are mixed. But she could drop some bits to make her some well off.

Which is more compelling these days. Can’t have it both way n

Yes - thats part of the question. Landscape doesn’t help much in a lot of Brooklyn for example.

Then this is a question for counselor who is familiar with brooklyn full pay candidates who may appear to poor?

All I will say is that the world is very different after this last cycle. I know way too many people who tried to have it both ways (with CSS/FAFSA just in case) and then got WL at 8 schools never to be chosen off the WL. Play the long game now. These schools not only want full pay, they actually NEED full pay.
Harvard announced a hiring freeze (like Northwestern and Cornell did in the spring). Things are not just going to get better. Different IPs come into play (institutional priorities). Two equal candidates from a school, one looks wealthier than the other - both do not add to "diversity" or have any other hooks. Who do you think gets into a private college?

We already know Michigan OOS openly favors full-pay kids from private HS. Not surprising given their financial situation as well.

If the question is, how do we showcase wealth in an application? That's been answered here before - I can find the post if you want.
It includes:
- don't include SSN in the Common App
- include titles for parents jobs where they indicate a high level of prestige or wealth (C-Suite, Managing Partner, Founder) etc - even if slightly misleading
- include top-tier parent college info (many will tell you to omit) esp for the graduate level
- include ECs that signify wealth or that paying tuition is not a problem (but don't write essays about it)

Anonymous wrote:She should look up the origins of "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" because it is widely misunderstood and misused.

I think OP is the one using “bootstraps,” not the daughter.

OP, an essay coach may be the best way to go here. They can see the actual essays and you can tell them all the details you can’t share here. Info provided here is too vague, so responders jump to their own cynical conclusions. Those conclusions may be correct, but they might not be. DCUM is t a good source of advice in this situation, there’s too much unknown info and nuance.

Anonymous wrote:Looking at t20 colleges

We live in nyc and kid attended under-resourced public schools k-8 and then private for HS

She has a few essays in prelim stage. But hard to know what colleges will be looking for. In the past, I would have said the story. And one essay mentions that “distance traveled” in a way that’s organic and appropriate.

The other doesn’t, although it’s interesting and good. We’ll likely be full pay but I’d like to at least throw our css in, just in case things change.

I don’t really know how colleges would know we’re full pay our Neighborhood and schools are mixed. But she could drop some bits to make her some well off.

Which is more compelling these days. Can’t have it both way n

Yes - thats part of the question. Landscape doesn’t help much in a lot of Brooklyn for example.

Anonymous wrote:I think the question of “how do we signal full pay when my census tract doesn’t help” is an interesting one. ESP if you’re donut hole and want to submit css profile just in case

Where are you all getting Dalton? There are plenty of privates in nyc that aren’t Dalton.

Is that the question though? Typically AO will use Landscape for your high school.

The kid is at a private school not the local public school, which would make your question more relevant.