<p>My D like to travel to different countries for cultural knowledge and fun. Every summer she arrange a trip for us and couple of like minded families to different countries to go over Museums, cultural fests etc in summer.</p>
<p>She listed it on her junior questionaire and my wife put forward a point that it should not be included on the application as it may comes out as negative and may hurt the application. She thinks Ivies might not like the snobs and it might give them such feelings.</p>
<p>I thought it might comes out as positive if you detailed the reasons of visits as cultural interests and point out the changes in your life from the learning.</p>
<p>What do you think? </p>
<p>My D wants to use some of the time left in August after internship to visit either South America/ Australia.</p>
<p>um, i think i read somewhere that college admissions will view extensive travel as a sign that the student grew up in a privileged household and that as she's had more opportunities than others she would be judged harsher.i think this was from "how to win the college admission dean's heart"book something like that)but i might be completely wrong. if she has good reasons, i'm sure she'll be fine.</p>
<p>^^^: That must be what my wife had come across.
What might be good reasons? Emphasizing that she was the tour arranger so learned financial skills or Emphasizing the cultural or learning expect of it.</p>
<p>i honestly have no idea. i'm a junior myself. i mean, if she's interested in languages maybe she can emphasize how she used her language skills?? other ccer's probably have a better idea :P</p>
<p>If you want to use travel to your advantage in your application, then you need to show that you developed a passion from that experiences.
For example, going to an impoverished country to do community service is not very impressive. Especially since most colleges know that those from wealthy families can afford those expensive travel programs. However, going to an impoverished country and then coming back and doing a large fundraiser to raise money for the community you visited, writing articles about your experience, ect, is more interesting</p>
<p>I really think that you all should be less concerned with what will appeal to Ivy admissions and more concerned with the things that are important to your child. If arranging travel to different countries for your family is what your D likes to do...terrific. She should continue to do what she loves, and absolutely mention it. No, starting something in 11th grade because you believe it will "help" give her a hook is not a good idea, nor will you fool anyone. However, anything that she has been involved in over time, that she has demonstrated passion for, cannot hurt. It's all in the telling. As others in the Parents' Forum have so eloquently stated, there is no magic formula. Our children need to grow up to believe that they should do their best, work to their personal ability level and find things that enrich their lives...for them, not to impress an admissions officer. Would you suggest ignoring something that is meaningful for your D, something that she has clearly invested time in over the years, solely because you feel that it will not be helpful in admissions? I would say that devalues your D and her passions. No one can predict (and the results this year are proof positive of this) with any degree of certainty what will guarantee admissions to a college or university that is a member of the Ivy League athletic conference. Well, I suppose a 7 figure contribution would probably help, but I digress. Your D sounds like a wonderfully accomplished, interesting person. Let that shine through her applications, have a reasonable list, be upfront about any financial concerns and then sit back. What will be, will be. Be proud of your terrific kid. What she does, and who she is will define her, not what college she goes to.</p>
<p>If I were an admissions counselor, I would want to see some sort of volunteer work being performed for those less fortunate than she during those trips, or as the above poster wrote, fundraisers when she returned.</p>
<p>Arranging expensive trips for her family would not be viewed highly, I am afraid.</p>
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My D like to travel to different countries for cultural knowledge and fun. Every summer she arrange a trip for us and couple of like minded families to different countries to go over Museums, cultural fests etc in summer.
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<p>It sounds like this is one of her passions. She has done it for years, not just since the idea of college applications has come up. If she could write a good essay about how planning and experiencing this type of travel expanded her horizons: how the planning helped maximize her experience, perhaps examples of plans she had to change once she got there, as guide books and reality sometimes don't mesh. It would show how open minded and flexible she is.</p>
<p>Just the fact that she attends a prep school is going to tip them off that her parents are willing to spend money on her education. There isn't a good way to hide that she is, in fact privileged. And most kids that get into the Ivies are from similar privileged backgrounds. It's what they do with that privilege that's important. If she can show she's done something unique with that privilege, that might entice those reading her application.</p>