Anonymous wrote:There's no real win in fighting to be the filler student that get admitted to a T10/20/30 just so the real talent all have a high class rank.
That only helps if you already are a child of privilege going to work for Daddy's company, or be a trust fund kidult, who needs the elite degree to fit in socially.
Anonymous wrote:I am NOT recommending this book - I have not read it and I think the very concept is a nightmare.
But this book answers OP question:
What High Schools Don't Tell You (And Other Parents Don't Want You to Know): Create a Long-Term Plan for Your 7th to 10th Grader for Getting into the Top Colleges
https://www.amazon.com/What-Schools-Other-Parents-toKnow/dp/0452289521
In order to succeed in the fiercely competitive college admissions game, you need a game plan—and you have to start young. In this empowering guide, Elizabeth Wissner- Gross, a nationally sought-after college “packager,” helps parents of seventh to tenth graders create a long-term plan that, come senior year, will allow their kids to virtually write their own ticket into their choice of schools.
Parents should start by helping their kids identify their academic passions, then design a four-year strategy based on those interests. The book details hundreds of opportunities available to make kids stand out that most high school guidance counselors and teachers simply don’t know about or don’t think to share. This indispensable guide should be required reading for any parent whose child dreams of attending one of the country’s top colleges.
Again, I disapprove of the idea of this book and offer it up at your own risk.
Anonymous wrote:I am NOT recommending this book - I have not read it and I think the very concept is a nightmare.
But this book answers OP question:
What High Schools Don't Tell You (And Other Parents Don't Want You to Know): Create a Long-Term Plan for Your 7th to 10th Grader for Getting into the Top Colleges
https://www.amazon.com/What-Schools-Other-Parents-toKnow/dp/0452289521
In order to succeed in the fiercely competitive college admissions game, you need a game plan—and you have to start young. In this empowering guide, Elizabeth Wissner- Gross, a nationally sought-after college “packager,” helps parents of seventh to tenth graders create a long-term plan that, come senior year, will allow their kids to virtually write their own ticket into their choice of schools.
Parents should start by helping their kids identify their academic passions, then design a four-year strategy based on those interests. The book details hundreds of opportunities available to make kids stand out that most high school guidance counselors and teachers simply don’t know about or don’t think to share. This indispensable guide should be required reading for any parent whose child dreams of attending one of the country’s top colleges.
Again, I disapprove of the idea of this book and offer it up at your own risk.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why do people do this to their children? Posts like this honestly have me wondering…
Why? If a kid is interested and ambitious and a parent wants to help them, I don’t see a problem.
Kids should do the activities they are interested in, not package their life for a college. It's fine to be ambitious about activities. It's screwed up to be ambitious about college and as a result stop pursuing their actual passions.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why do people do this to their children? Posts like this honestly have me wondering…
Why? If a kid is interested and ambitious and a parent wants to help them, I don’t see a problem.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:You can't invent their passion
Pretty sure most of the Ivy admits invented their passions, or their parents, or their expensive college counselor from NY whom they hired in upper elementary did
Nope. We are squarely middle class and couldn't afford a counselor. Both at Ivies with multiple T10 admits. I shared my love/knowledge of arts, helped brainstorm on activities, and acted as chaffeur. There were things my kids couldn't pursue because we just couldn't afford it. There were times when I said that if they wanted to stick with something, they needed to make more of an effort practicing if we were paying for pricey lessons (and getting a discount from the teacher), but that they didn't need to stick with it if they didn't want to. I gave them ideas on how to take their talents out of the box a little, but they chose what they wanted to pursue.
Oh ok, well besides your perfect kids that are the exception, there are plenty more that had actives and hobbies highly curated by parents and paid help
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:You hire a $20,000 college coach to market your kid. Sad but true.
I'll pay you $1000 to give me your marketing package plan after your kid matriculates.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What is a spike? Did you just invent this term?
No, OP didnt invent this term. It's been around for several years now.
Not really - the term is pointy.
NP
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DD is a freshman who has always been “well rounded”- does a few ECs well, but not exceptionally so (I.e. at a national level). However, we are aiming for T20s and I’ve heard that to get in without a hook, students need a “spike”.
If this is true, how should we get around this? Should we focus on one EC and drop the others? Should we tie them together to create a strange niche?
Thanks.
Your use of “we” instead of “she” is something to reflect on.
T20 schools are lottery ticket schools, plenty of spiky kids get denied (and some kids with no spikes get in). College admissions has become a wild ride and while there’s nothing wrong with aiming high/reach, you should also focus on other schools as well - statistically no matter how amazing the student is, there are only so many spots to go around at a T20.
Anonymous wrote:DD is a freshman who has always been “well rounded”- does a few ECs well, but not exceptionally so (I.e. at a national level). However, we are aiming for T20s and I’ve heard that to get in without a hook, students need a “spike”.
If this is true, how should we get around this? Should we focus on one EC and drop the others? Should we tie them together to create a strange niche?
Thanks.
Anonymous wrote:You hire a $20,000 college coach to market your kid. Sad but true.