Gilding the college-bound

[doremi]

I wonder how effective this 'packaging' can be in real life. I'd expect the admission offices to distinguish the type of credentials money can buy from those a kid will have to earn through his/her own ingenuity and weigh these differently.

I also wonder how admission offices interpret the meaning of 'leadership'. Do I have to be the president of a club what 'leads' a crowd, or can I just focus on an interest by directing/leading myself? Sadly, sometimes (as my wife would often complain about how I don't pay attention to this topic) the college application process seems to have evolved into a self-promoting/bragging contest. Maybe one day it will take into account of the number of your FB likes and twitter followers. Or maybe they do that already?

When I do college interviews, nothing screams more inauthentic than the fancy "volunteer" trip to some third world country so the kid can say they experienced poverty first hand and write their college essay on it. And ummm, most if not all college admissions people can see right through "decorating". But hey, if spending five figures to decorate your kid makes you sleep better at night, by all means

So your telling me, that you discredit people who volunteer and help people in third world countries?

To me volunteering to build a school or volunteering to dig a well for water is greater experience than someone volunteering to pick up trash at Santa Monica beach.

That is why this poor Uni High student stood NO chance of getting into Harvard.http://m.ocregister.com/articles/song-664550-school-high.html

Everything was working against her:

1) Going to Uni ... Check
2) Asian ... Check
3) Plays Cello ... Check
4) Volunteered in Africa--Guaranteed rejection by Bones ... Check

Hmmmmm....
Did this student even apply to Harvard? It says in the article that she prefers a small liberal arts college.

Also not every senior student reports where they attend college in the fall.  So TI members shouldn't rely on the facebook college decisions group or even the document posted by schools since all of that information is only there if students choose to share with fb or their school.

Last year 3 Asian (Korean) students got accepted into Harvard.  They all attended Uni and played the violin among other activities.  It's good to know the facts.

 

[WillJoy]

...
That is why this poor Uni High student stood NO chance of getting into Harvard.http://m.ocregister.com/articles/song-664550-school-high.html

Everything was working against her:

1) Going to Uni ... Check
2) Asian ... Check
3) Plays Cello ... Check
4) Volunteered in Africa--Guaranteed rejection by Bones ... Check

Charity begins at home! If you have to look as far as Africa to see suffering, you are either blind, heartless or pretentious.

 

[Happiness]

...
That is why this poor Uni High student stood NO chance of getting into Harvard.http://m.ocregister.com/articles/song-664550-school-high.html

Everything was working against her:

1) Going to Uni ... Check
2) Asian ... Check
3) Plays Cello ... Check
4) Volunteered in Africa--Guaranteed rejection by Bones ... Check

Charity begins at home! If you have to look as far as Africa to see suffering, you are either blind, heartless or pretentious.

But there aren't any lepers to help in Irvine.

 

[WillJoy]

Ahh, the magic healing power of the golden kiss from condescending Irvine brats. Where would the world be without them.