<p>Today during lunch, two of my friends and I had a bake sale, in hopes of contributing what little we can to Japan, after the terrible earthquake & tsunami, and now the nuclear danger. We sold brownies, snickerdoodles, handmade bracelets, ice cream, and bubble tea. Our total earnings are (by a 6.48 RMB to 1 USD conversion rate) almost $160. :D</p>
<p>Anyway, I was wondering if this is significant enough to mention to the schools I've been waitlisted at. I don't want to seem too desperate and annoying, and I know we didn't earn an incredible amount, but I'm pretty proud of our success. Also, one of the main aspects of my application that I was lacking was community service, because my school here in China doesn't offer that many opportunities to middle-schoolers. </p>
<p>So I'm pretty torn. I mean, it probably wouldn't make that big of a difference in their decision, but I need every bit of help I can get! I just don't know if emailing them again would help or hurt me. Opinions? :)</p>
<p>-aaralyn</p>
<p>P.S. April 10 is almost here! D: I'm so nervous! If no schools move me off their waitlists though, I was thinking about looking into some rolling admissions schools. The only one I've seen so far that I like is NMH. Any opinions on other ones? Please don't post lists of schools, 'cause I've seen most of those, and I'm looking for personal suggestions from prospective/current students & parents. Thanks in advance! :)</p>
<p>We loved NMH! And if you don’t need financial aid, I’d definitely consider it if I were you. If you do need financial aid, then it’s probably not your best option.</p>
<p>(Sorry, I don’t have a clue about your fundraiser-notification question. Perhaps someone else here can answer that . . .)</p>
Good for you and hope you get off waitlists soon.
See my comment below - if you do have to tell the schools, just say you bought browwnies, snickerdoodles…almost $160, so they would know you have no problem of paying once they take you off the waitlist. :D</p>
<p>
I would suggest not to mention this to school. Good deeds are special particularly when other people are not watching. Going out and telling people would turn it into something completely different.</p>
<p>btw, maybe it is a good idea to mention this to Andover though, as they are desperately looking for nice kids. :D</p>
<p>I agree completely. However, if I could change one thing about my daughter’s application, it would be that I would have insisted that she crow more about her service. We have raised our kids to look at service as simply a normal part of living in a community, not something to be touted as an accomplishment. She (and I) feel that telling people about it does indeed turn it into something different so she didn’t mention it unless specifically asked, and even then, it was understated. It’s just who she is and I am torn about whether she should have denied that part of her personality in her application by going on about her “good deeds” or not. I mean, there are things that she has done that I didn’t even find out about until long after the fact. It’s just not mentioned.</p>
<p>So, to the OP. That’s a tough call. I have no meaningful advice for you on that one, sorry. As for other schools, many people have suggested all girls schools to our family. Perhaps that would be a good option for you?</p>
<p>I’ll be the dissenting voice, here. Why not mention your good works? Not sure I would make it a stand-alone, however. But if you are planning to send an “update” of any grades/awards/honors/community service, you could easily slide it under a header and I believe it will get noticed.</p>
<p>Good Luck. A lot of us are watching to see how WLs will be handled this year and if there is any movement. Wishing you all the best,</p>
<p>@dodgersmom; Really? That’s great to hear! I actually was at the NMH reception in China because it was joint with Concord (which I applied to) and one other school–that’s how I heard about it in the first place. I am a full pay student, so I will definitely look more into that.</p>
<p>@hootoo; First off, I’d like to mention that your posts always cheer me up and I admire your sarcasm. I understand where you’re coming from and how it would seem like I raised money just to impress the AO’s, instead of honestly caring about Japan… Which I am honestly worried about because that nuclear debris is going up into the sky dangerously close to where I am. xD And wow, have you seen the videos of when the tsunami hit? It was AWFUL and definitely shows how much power water has… Anyway, thank you for your advice and humor, and unfortunately I was rejected at Andover. </p>
<p>@neatoburrito; That is a great philosophy to live by and it sounds like you have a generous and caring family. I’m currently leaning towards not telling the schools though, because like a saying I heard once says, “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.” :D</p>
<p>@redbluegoldgreen; Thanks for being brave and being the ‘dissenting voice’. But unfortunately I have already sent in an update last week with my latest report card, so I don’t think I have anything else to update them about. xD Thank you for your opinion, and I hope one of these schools moves me off their waitlist! :D</p>
<p>I agree with RBGG. It’s time to give the schools a complete picture of what you are like. If you decided to do something to help Japan, organized the bake sale yourself and then donated the proceeds, this gives a better picture of the kind of person you are. It’s not bragging. Schools like to have students that take initiative and don’t wait for someone else to organize things. If you don’t tell them, how are they supposed to know? And don’t worry - the schools are not going to think “Gee this kid is doing public service just to try and get in here”. They know that is not what motivated you.</p>
<p>@momb2k; I agree with what you’re saying about helping the schools see me better as a person. I did not actually do the whole bake sale by myself, but I did come up with the idea, decide on the prices, and order the drinks from outside of school. My homebase teacher helped me and my friends donate the money online just this afternoon and I’m very happy about it. Anyway, thank you for voicing your opinion and I will definitely keep what you said in mind.</p>
<p>Aaralyn, I think that it is great that you held a fundraiser, every small bit counts. I’m sure it was for the right reasons rather than just to ‘look good on an application’, and the whole waitlist thing puts you in a bit of an ethical predicament as to whether you should be modest or mention it. I think that it’d be in your best interest at this point to mention it though because it shows that you rise to the occasion and that although you don’t do steady community service, you to try to do your part in your community. The fact that it is after the application season might help also because it shows you did it just because it was the right thing.</p>
<p>If you haven’t already sent your waitlist letter, mention it in there in the least flaunty way possible. You could fit it in between an update on your sports (even if its just 'my track/lacrosse/softball/baseball etc season started) and academics so as to not look like you are trying to ‘flaunt’ it. Ultimately they want to see any changes in your app since they’ve read it and so recent community work definately would qualify.</p>
Perhaps someone else here can answer that . . .)</p>
I understand where you’re coming from and how it would seem like I raised money just to impress the AO’s, instead of honestly caring about Japan… Which I am honestly worried about because that nuclear debris is going up into the sky dangerously close to where I am. xD And wow, have you seen the videos of when the tsunami hit? It was AWFUL and definitely shows how much power water has… Anyway, thank you for your advice and humor, and unfortunately I was rejected at Andover. 
</p>
I’m currently leaning towards not telling the schools though, because like a saying I heard once says, “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.” :D</p>