<p>My kid is a junior and we were going along the lines of 1) write the recruiter a thank-you note after the orientation/talk and 2) update that recruiter should something really big happen (like being named class president, yada yada)....she hasn't had the occasion to write any follow-up notes, well, because nothing big has happened. :)</p>
<p>But then I was traveling this week on business & spoke with a mom who has a kid at NYU and another who graduated from uChicago..she's also part of the hyper-competitive NYC school world. And she said that you need to steadily & consistently send letters, calls, even gifts (the counselor at NYU, for example, has a paper mache sculpture that a successful candidate sent him). And this sort of jives with another story I heard about a kid who got into Northwestern but after sending steady poems, notes, even a song. Both these moms say that kids MUST stand out and there's no way to do that in a stack of 40,000 resumes. </p>
<p>BrownParent, that’s exactly what I said. But this parent then told me, “yes, that’s what people tell you…but if you don’t already have an IN at the college or truly truly stellar academics/sports, you have to come up with something. Otherwise you’re just another very talented overachiever…in an ocean of them…”</p>
<p>Each person has to find his/her own style in dealing with this sort of thing. It is important, especially at some schools, often the smaller selective but not ueber selective schools, to show interest, especially if you are not from that area. Admissions officers at some such school specifically told my son to drop them lines a few time, and touch base, because they want that. But to be overly contrived and push to the point of being obnoxious is risking becoming a feature on one of those admissions fun sites or examples of what not to do. </p>
<p>The main thing is that the personality of the kid should determine this sort of thing. A quick hello, and update a few times is fine, but the emails and notes should reflect the nature of the kid. Some are naturals for sending a flood of things, doing a song and dance as they are exuberant and want to do this sort of thing, so in such a case, well, that’s your kid. No way in the world would I have ever been able to push one of mine to do that because that 's not them, and frankly I wouldn’t be able to pull it off either. </p>
<p>My one son found it difficult to even come up with one missive and needed help. When he won an award at the end of the sports season, a quite prestigious one that came as a surprise, yes, I told him to let the admissions directors know as some had specifically told him to do so. it stuck in his craw to do so, but he did wirte a short note very much in character of the way, he was. His coach heard me telling him something about it, and immediately offered to send a note as well,to the colleges, which I thought was very nice. My one son found out that an admissions director that he met and chatted with was at a local girls’ high school meeting with those students, and he dropped by to say hi, and was ever so warmly welcomed. So you look for ways to reach out and stay in touch that fit the way you are.</p>
<p>I’ll reiterate what BrownParent said: No no NO!
This will get the student noticed as an obnoxious kid with helicopter, overbearing parents. A thank you note is appreciated (polite, considerate kid: check). Sending an email to ask a question or two is not only okay, but recommended. Asking for an interview is okay, too.
However, PESTERING the Admissions office is counterproductive.
As for the papier mach</p>
<p>^^These items are noted because they show the lack of judgment by overbearing parents. Frankly it insults the professionalism of the admissions officers. “I’m supposed to favor your little angel because YOU sent me a box of Godivas?”</p>
<p>Among admissions officers, these SMH stories are bandied about… Yes they are noticed…</p>
<p>Seriously, no one is getting in because they barraged the admissions office with pointless mail. Sending songs and poems does not give you an in. An “in” would be a trustee pushing for you maybe or your family donated a building. I’m sure other parents will comment, I seriously doubt you will find one with a kid who sent mail like that. Just personally, my daughter did get into Chicago and Brown and never sent anything at all except her application. She had very good academics-- not stellar, good scores–not perfect, okay she had a very well developed EC. Spend your efforts on making yourself a great applicant–become an engaged person, be a student who teachers will love to write recommendations for. Make a really great application that tells a great story, that’s how you stand out. Not by gimmicks as mentioned here:
[Welcome</a> to Forbes](<a href=“http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml]Welcome”>Welcome to Forbes)</p>
<p>I have to admit there is one fun story told in The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process at a Premier College (read this for a better idea of what it takes) that was about a kid who was waitlisted who sent a postcard to admissions every day with a reason he should be admitted. This was appreciated and he did get off the waitlist. That was Carter Bays, co-creator of How I Met Your Mother, and I bet the postcards were clever. But that is done now. And that was a waitlist.</p>
<p>It is true that competition is overwhelming at a handful of top colleges. Sure apply to some if you like them, but spend time on fit and putting together a balanced list of colleges. Learn about the hidden gems.</p>
<p>I’ve read too many articles about college admissions recently to remember what I read where, but one admissions officer at a highly competitive school mentioned the pies (yes, plural!) that an applicant had sent in. His comment on this? They ate the pies, but the applicant still wasn’t admitted!</p>