Anonymous
02/09/2026 10:24
Subject: Signs of an overcoached application
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Overly coached students will have:
Manufactured passion
Strategic essays
Carefully planned extracurriculars all tied around their niche interest
Extracurriculars will be loaded with numbers —xxx dollars, xxx hours. Everything will be impact impact impact.
This seems to work according to the Game podcast.
The thing is, something may work until it doesn’t work anymore, as top schools begin to be flooded with too many who have followed the same recipe!
That’s a different birdwatching and soon nonprofits issue. Right now, the formula works.
Blacksmith forges in the backyard have been big the last few years, birdwatching, & becoming a certified “master gardener” is one I have heard a lot of this year!
Anonymous
02/09/2026 10:05
Subject: Signs of an overcoached application
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Overly coached students will have:
Manufactured passion
Strategic essays
Carefully planned extracurriculars all tied around their niche interest
Extracurriculars will be loaded with numbers —xxx dollars, xxx hours. Everything will be impact impact impact.
This seems to work according to the Game podcast.
The thing is, something may work until it doesn’t work anymore, as top schools begin to be flooded with too many who have followed the same recipe!
That’s a different birdwatching and soon nonprofits issue. Right now, the formula works.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 09:34
Subject: Signs of an overcoached application
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:If ECs only marginally have something to do with the intended major, that is an obvious sign of coaching.
Disagree for my own kid. She didn't know what she wanted to do/major in until summer before her senior year. Her ECs reflected her personal interests, which didn't have a direct tie to her major.
Curious what major? What schools did she get into?
Anonymous
02/09/2026 09:33
Subject: Signs of an overcoached application
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Overly coached students will have:
Manufactured passion
Strategic essays
Carefully planned extracurriculars all tied around their niche interest
Extracurriculars will be loaded with numbers —xxx dollars, xxx hours. Everything will be impact impact impact.
This seems to work according to the Game podcast.
The thing is, something may work until it doesn’t work anymore, as top schools begin to be flooded with too many who have followed the same recipe!
Anonymous
02/09/2026 09:30
Subject: Signs of an overcoached application
Anonymous wrote:If ECs only marginally have something to do with the intended major, that is an obvious sign of coaching.
Disagree for my own kid. She didn't know what she wanted to do/major in until summer before her senior year. Her ECs reflected her personal interests, which didn't have a direct tie to her major.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 09:29
Subject: Signs of an overcoached application
Anonymous wrote:Overly coached students will have:
Manufactured passion
Strategic essays
Carefully planned extracurriculars all tied around their niche interest
Extracurriculars will be loaded with numbers —xxx dollars, xxx hours. Everything will be impact impact impact.
This seems to work according to the Game podcast.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 09:26
Subject: Signs of an overcoached application
Anonymous wrote:Overly coached students will have:
Manufactured passion
Strategic essays
Carefully planned extracurriculars all tied around their niche interest
Extracurriculars will be loaded with numbers —xxx dollars, xxx hours. Everything will be impact impact impact.
my kids application - now at Princeton.
I dont know how you can read is manufactured passion .. his essays were strategic (ie written to gain admission, not for .. fun), his extracurriculars were both carefully planned or took a lot of time (you can't get into some of those summer programs without applying way in advance, it takes a lot of planning), and he did use a lot of numbers to show impact.
no coaches at all. he did read reddit.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 09:21
Subject: Signs of an overcoached application
Anonymous wrote:It's easy to tell during interviews. The kids who come so polished with pat down answers. Or they bring up stuff they would have only known by looking me up online. I don't ding these kids because they are just doing what they are told. Everything is confirmed when they hand me their resume at the end. Even their thank you email after the interview is coached. Of course, it's good to edit for grammar and content, but it doesn't need to reemphasize all the main points again. It's like someone told them to remind the interviewer of this and this and this. It's not something a normal teen would think to say or write.
The interviews where the kids are natural are more enjoyable. They talk about their families, home life, what they like to do that wasn't conveyed on their app. They might be nervous at first which is normal. My school (top 5) makes it a point to let us know that these are kids and for some it might be their first interview with an adult. They don't get docked for being normal teenagers.
they come prepared for the interview. why would anyone bing anyone for that?
Anonymous
02/09/2026 08:10
Subject: Signs of an overcoached application
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:If ECs only marginally have something to do with the intended major, that is an obvious sign of coaching.
Nonsense. It's perfectly normal for kids to have a wide range of interests. I'd say that on the contrary, the applications where everything dovetails too much are suspect - but that's just the applications that get selected! Which is why families in the know engineer their kids' applications to make everything fit smoothly. The families who don't know submit normal apps in which kids explore various interests in a natural fashion. They don't get an admissions boost.
It's the strategically packaged apps who get the boost.
Let's all be clear on that.
The moment we stop pretending these things are so important—and stop packaging students for colleges—the sooner the next generation can focus on finding real, authentic success.
+100 and base admissions mostly on academics, with less importance on hobbies.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 07:18
Subject: Re:Signs of an overcoached application
A college class.is like a box of chocolates(sorry Forrest Gump) they want a mix of different types, so if you're spiky in your niche, then they have, say.the history kid, or the pre vet kid, or the writer, etc. If you play to a spike, that makes sense. That's why many are wary of the 200th econ jock or 150th poly sci girl who wants to.make the world a better place (although nothing wrong with these, but can't be entire class).
Anonymous
02/09/2026 06:37
Subject: Signs of an overcoached application
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Overly coached students will have:
Manufactured passion
Strategic essays
Carefully planned extracurriculars all tied around their niche interest
Extracurriculars will be loaded with numbers —xxx dollars, xxx hours. Everything will be impact impact impact.
This actually works.
Does it though? I’m not sure it does.
Of course it works. They give a roadmap as to what they want. Follow it. Anyone who says this doesn’t work is 100% incorrect.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 05:32
Subject: Signs of an overcoached application
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Overly coached students will have:
Manufactured passion
Strategic essays
Carefully planned extracurriculars all tied around their niche interest
Extracurriculars will be loaded with numbers —xxx dollars, xxx hours. Everything will be impact impact impact.
This actually works.
Does it though? I’m not sure it does.
+1 AOs aren't idiots. They value authenticity in applications, and a little humor doesn't hurt.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 00:56
Subject: Signs of an overcoached application
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The absurdity never ends—pushing kids to learn calculus in middle school to look like geniuses, or forcing them into niche sports and obscure hobbies just to appear “passionate” or unique. And for what? Colleges often don’t improve your financial future or social mobility if you’re not going to contribute much to yourself or society. All that time and effort—basically wasted. So meaningless.
Students take calculus in 11th or 12th grade. Not middle school.
Quite a few do take it in middle school. Look at mathacademy's history
No, very few students take calculus in middle school. Making an argument based on a false premise isn’t persuasive.
Anonymous
02/08/2026 23:52
Subject: Signs of an overcoached application
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Overly coached students will have:
Manufactured passion
Strategic essays
Carefully planned extracurriculars all tied around their niche interest
Extracurriculars will be loaded with numbers —xxx dollars, xxx hours. Everything will be impact impact impact.
This actually works.
Does it though? I’m not sure it does.
Anonymous
02/08/2026 23:17
Subject: Signs of an overcoached application
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The absurdity never ends—pushing kids to learn calculus in middle school to look like geniuses, or forcing them into niche sports and obscure hobbies just to appear “passionate” or unique. And for what? Colleges often don’t improve your financial future or social mobility if you’re not going to contribute much to yourself or society. All that time and effort—basically wasted. So meaningless.
Students take calculus in 11th or 12th grade. Not middle school.
Quite a few do take it in middle school. Look at mathacademy's history
That’s a supplement class not actual school.
😂