Anonymous wrote:Colleges are looking for alums who will be successful. They want evidence that you can set and accomplish goals, that you can master skills with practice, that you can deal with obstacles, and that you can stick with things. They don't consider grades and test scores to be evidence of that. Mensa chapters across the US are full of people with high IQs who have menial jobs, because lack of motivation or mental illness prevents them from using their potential. Colleges also like evidence of motivation, because they don't want kids who will flame out of school if Mom and Dad aren't standing over them with a homework planner.

That is why the kid with a string of 750 SAT scores who organized a charity drive gets into the selective college, while the kid with a string of 800s who did little else gets rejected. Colleges do like kids who have had real jobs, since they demonstrate the above mentioned qualities . (They like kids who have scored promotions, or who have a linked job /extracurricular even better).

I have observed this, and heard it from admissions officers, in my 20 years as an Ivy alumni interviewer.

Kids with 800 SATs are getting into top colleges with minimal extracurricular activities. Certainly, if they had some extracurriculars they would be more competitive, but they will land somewhere and it will be nice. But sports, activities and community service are important for getting into college for average students and its just a good thing for them to do. I would suggest that rather than just listing a bunch of activities kids should focus on things they are passionate about. It seems like OP's son is a gamer. Then why not have him compete in gamer tournaments or design a game. He could even set up a tournament for low income kids. From this colleges would see his passion and creativity.

Colleges are looking for alums who will be successful. They want evidence that you can set and accomplish goals, that you can master skills with practice, that you can deal with obstacles, and that you can stick with things. They don't consider grades and test scores to be evidence of that. Mensa chapters across the US are full of people with high IQs who have menial jobs, because lack of motivation or mental illness prevents them from using their potential. Colleges also like evidence of motivation, because they don't want kids who will flame out of school if Mom and Dad aren't standing over them with a homework planner.

That is why the kid with a string of 750 SAT scores who organized a charity drive gets into the selective college, while the kid with a string of 800s who did little else gets rejected. Colleges do like kids who have had real jobs, since they demonstrate the above mentioned qualities . (They like kids who have scored promotions, or who have a linked job /extracurricular even better).

I have observed this, and heard it from admissions officers, in my 20 years as an Ivy alumni interviewer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just lie on the applications.

How do they know he didn’t play sports outside of school or wasn’t part of some club or take lessons? They don’t.

My kid lied on his as he had zero interest in all that crap (much like yours, just liked video games) and guess what? He’s finishing his sophomore year at UVA as a biochem major. As long as you have the grades and test scores, that rest is fluff and filler that meant nothing 10-15 years ago.

And before someone is all ZOMG you raised a liar! Yep. I’d rather have a liar than a stressed out little robot that I read about on here a lot. Just lie. Simple as that.

You're dreadful and I feel sorry for your child.

Am curious if the family is SE Asian.

The "cheaters must be Asian" posts begin.. Should be fun.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just lie on the applications.

How do they know he didn’t play sports outside of school or wasn’t part of some club or take lessons? They don’t.

My kid lied on his as he had zero interest in all that crap (much like yours, just liked video games) and guess what? He’s finishing his sophomore year at UVA as a biochem major. As long as you have the grades and test scores, that rest is fluff and filler that meant nothing 10-15 years ago.

And before someone is all ZOMG you raised a liar! Yep. I’d rather have a liar than a stressed out little robot that I read about on here a lot. Just lie. Simple as that.

You're dreadful and I feel sorry for your child.

Am curious if the family is SE Asian.

I have a ton of typos above but on iPad! I see them.

1) I’m so naive! How can you lie? Don’t you need dates, duties, Coach or sponsor name?

2) I am not Pollyanna but I have always told my dc that at the end of the day all you have is your name/honor. I’m 50 so Maybe this is old - fashioned but it was how I was raised. My father was such a man of his word and that always stayed with me. I could never sanction lying. Work as hard or as little as you want and yield the consequence.

Ps. Even when people stretch the truth for these things I cringe.

3) Only gaming. I have on dc who played way to much. We had all sorts of rules, limits, etc. but there is a lot of “ mission creep” and when you have a life and other dc it gets hard to patrol. SO, a job or activity is a must!! Ours actually liked scouts so that was huge but we then send go learn guitar so that took time. After junior year we said either a club, sport, or a job. Then it was on gaming on fri- sun. Yes it’s a battle and not fun but you must demand something from him.

4) who cares if it is “ French fry flipping.” You seemed disparing but it’s not the output it’s the inout. They see he had a responsibility and met it.

5) ECs May not matter but as a means to an end but hopefully they matter as he is engaged in the world and being exposed to ideas, fun, personalities, commitment, determination, succeeds, failure, etc.

Good luck. This is hard for all of us.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I ever find out anyone has lied on their college application, I'll out you so fast to the college admissions office you won't know what hit you.

Thousands of kids bust their butts to put together competitive applications. You have some f*king gall lying because you don't agree that ECs have value.

F*k you.

What's the difference if you lie or you do it with the sole purpose of looking good on an application. Both are lies in my opinion.

Let me summarize the typical DCUM responses for you, "umm.. because, because.. like.. my kid (the liar who doesn't think he's a liar) is actually well-rounded while your's (the liar) is not. And I like spend thousands on a college coach to tell us what ECs to do, and my kid like wiped penguin ass in Madagascar... so, yeah!!"

Anonymous wrote:If I ever find out anyone has lied on their college application, I'll out you so fast to the college admissions office you won't know what hit you.

Thousands of kids bust their butts to put together competitive applications. You have some f*king gall lying because you don't agree that ECs have value.

F*k you.

What's the difference if you lie or you do it with the sole purpose of looking good on an application. Both are lies in my opinion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I ever find out anyone has lied on their college application, I'll out you so fast to the college admissions office you won't know what hit you.

Thousands of kids bust their butts to put together competitive applications. You have some f*king gall lying because you don't agree that ECs have value.

F*k you.

- Good luck outing me.
- If you are good looking I don't mind what you propose in your last sentence.

You're such a f*king idiot.

And I love f*king idiots, like you!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I ever find out anyone has lied on their college application, I'll out you so fast to the college admissions office you won't know what hit you.

Thousands of kids bust their butts to put together competitive applications. You have some f*king gall lying because you don't agree that ECs have value.

F*k you.

- Good luck outing me.
- If you are good looking I don't mind what you propose in your last sentence.

You're such a f*king idiot.

Anonymous wrote:If I ever find out anyone has lied on their college application, I'll out you so fast to the college admissions office you won't know what hit you.

Thousands of kids bust their butts to put together competitive applications. You have some f*king gall lying because you don't agree that ECs have value.

F*k you.

- Good luck outing me.
- If you are good looking I don't mind what you propose in your last sentence.