@artie1, the point I was driving at is that expressed by @colorado_mom. The students I know who have been admitted to very selective schools did not have a ton of extra curriculars. The common thread is that they all spent their time doing something they really enjoyed rather than chasing resume fillers. Not only did that seem to be a successful choice as far as college admissions this year, but it allowed these guys to be, as you say, teenagers as well.