Anonymous wrote:Girl we know like this:

Rejected GW, Georgetown, UVA

Admitted: VT (double legacy)

This tracks with what I would assume. What do you think about W&M? If student is As and end up with 9 APs, but minimum ECs. Part time job, club sport that’s it. Does W&M put a lot on ECs?

Does she draw well? If so, consider entering the Scholastic contest. https://www.artandwriting.org/ If she's up to it, she might put together enough stuff to attend National Portfolio Day. https://nationalportfolioday.org/ (I know she isn't interested in arts schools, but it might give her some good feedback about which if any of her drawings, etc. are good. )

Also take a look at the arts supplement pages of some college admissions offices. I think the Common App has a place to do one.Do not submit one unless her stuff really is good--which is why attending something like National Portfolio Day can help you figure out if is good.

Also enter some local art contests.

She's got some time, so if it's a sincere interest, have her take an art course at a local arts school. She's got time to do it next summer. If she's good, that can help her put together a portfolio or arts supplement and/or get a LOR from someone who can vouch that her stuff is good.

There are plenty of good schools that don’t consider anything other than high school grades and SAT for admissions. Upitt, penn state, jmu come to mind. You don’t need to force your daughter to do stupid ECs, especially if she wants to become a dentist. I don’t care if my dentist sings or dances

Anonymous wrote:Why not a part time job at a fast food chain? Will show resilience and character.

No...when you suggest that it sounds like more for your needs than her. She needs to do some clubs, volunteer, etc.

Apply to Pitt and Delaware and hope for merit?

If she is interested in being a dentist, get her an internship with a dentist. Best case she is likely doing filing but she gets to see more of how it works and it ties together her story.

I once met a kid who wanted to be a dentist and did a dentist's without borders type program in a developing country. They obviously were very limited in what they could do but it was a good experience. I'm generally not a fan of these types of programs but in this case it might make sense.

Worst case she should get a job, especially next summer. Work as a counselor at a day camp. Be a waitress. Work in a library. Anything.

Anonymous wrote:Just make some up. They don't call and verify.

This. 100%

Anonymous wrote:Drawing is an EC! is she self-taught? does she doodle? I would absolutely list that and how she learned to do it. In the challenges section, I would put a brief sentence saying there was no transportation available to after school activities on account of her parents' work schedules. My dd had very few ECs but got super involved in an online music community/chatroom and ended up spinning that into a "club/social media" type activity because a few of the girls there posted when low-level artists went on tour and then they started getting tagged in promotional posts. She also put down that she babysat for her younger brother. Does she bake/cook? Does she babysit? Don't worry about ECs - for most kids who don't have something exceptional with leadership they end up not being worth much.

+1; social media is also an EC activity.

She has plenty of time to put together an extracurricular profile that will be fine. Kids with mediocre stats need to have great ECs but kids with great stats just need okay ECs. Her job this summer is to figure out a plan for things she is really into. There are plenty of options that she can do even if she likes to be at home. She can take focused online courses and do weekend in person activities that fit with those. Volunteer/intern in the field she likes. She will be fine.

The simplest solution is to apply to Oxbridge. They just don’t care about any EC.

OP’s kid isn’t a two-dimensional person who should be judged on grades and EC’s alone. (Although I know we’re dealing with college admissions 2025 here). Maybe she has a personal strength or perspective that would be highlighted in recommendation letters and come out in her essays. Not everyone is a joiner and sometimes non-joiners can be more comfortable in their own skin. Some people are non-joiners, but they stand out for their kindness, sense of humor and sensitivity. OP’s kid will be fine and will land in a good place for her.

Anonymous wrote:I agree that drawing or helping at home can be activities and she can explain that there wasn’t a late bus and she didn’t have transportation.

I would go for the larger universities that only spend 10 minutes on your application. They are mostly looking at grades and she has great grades.

This is good advice.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Girl we know like this:

Rejected GW, Georgetown, UVA

Admitted: VT (double legacy)

VT does not track legacy, fyi.

They did when this child applied. She is a rising junior and she graduated from HS in the spring of 2023.

I agree that drawing or helping at home can be activities and she can explain that there wasn’t a late bus and she didn’t have transportation.

I would go for the larger universities that only spend 10 minutes on your application. They are mostly looking at grades and she has great grades.

Anonymous wrote:Girl we know like this:

Rejected GW, Georgetown, UVA

Admitted: VT (double legacy)

VT does not track legacy, fyi.