<p>I really think it is unhealthy to think about college (beyond course choices) during the first two years of high school- for parent or kid, and doing things for the sake of admissions can be unhealthy too. Recognizable, prestigious awards aren’t necessary to get into a good school either.</p>
<p>Your daughter already has some note-worthy achievements. Let her enjoy high school and figure out who she is. She can explore writing, or politics, or whatever else she is interested in right now, and over the next few years her interests may grow in these areas, or they may change entirely.</p>
<p>First, I think the Jack Cooke Kent Scholars is a big deal. That’s a wonderful accomplishment! Congratulations to your daughter! That may be your ticket to a lot of colleges.</p>
<p>Second, if your D is interested in Vandy, the great thing is that they have tremendous f. aid.</p>
<p>Third, I would encourage you to follow your daughter’s passions and interests. Don’t try to find activities that “look good”. Let your daughter follow what she loves and it will naturally develop. Ask her questions. Take an interest inventory. Then help her find resources that let her go deeply into what she loves.</p>
<p>She could have a ball this year volunteering for local campaigns and that could lead to many things.</p>
<p>My 10th grader is just getting started with speech and debate because he enjoys political philosophy. If you can find a club, that might be something your daughter will enjoy.</p>
<p>Don’t quench her love of learning and exploring! :-)</p>
<p>Oh and I agree that serving others is a win-win situation. My son was a math/physic tutor and a violin teacher and loved helping others in these areas. It was his job (he got paid in all these areas) but it was also his service (he did a lot of community service in these areas) because he loved helping others become proficient or even successful in these areas.</p>
<p>There is a book, “What It Really Takes to Get Into the IVies” (I many not have the title exactly right) that is dated, written by a former Ivy admissions director. What is useful about the book is that it puts accomplishments into the perspective of what the highly selective colleges see in the majority of the applications they get. There is a particularly valuable chart listing and evaluating awards and accomplishments. </p>
<p>A lot of it is truly a “what have you been doing lately” thing as well. Your child has a great start, but keeping it up is important. For most kids, it doesn’t matter what activities they are doing. Unless there is an activity that is hugely desired by colleges, the particular ones your student is seekiing admissions to, it really only matters that they are doing something. That they are active in the arts, on a number of sports teams, are student council reps, officers are all within the checklist category. If the school orchestra needs that instument, the student is a recruited athlete, gains recognition on a nationally regarded basis for some activity, that’s a whole other story. Few kids are in the latter categroy and those things can be “hooks” at the right school. At a school that has no hocky team or doesn’t put much weight or interested in the sport, prowess in it is a yawn. A school that has a conservatory program with an orchestra comprised of music performance majors, is not going to care about the playing skills of even an oboe player or harpist who isn’t applying the the school of music.</p>