High School Awards...do they matter??

Parents Forum
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<p>What awards DO matter??</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Awards that come from a competition (the higher the level the better), such as state and national band competitions or state and national science competitions.</p></li>
<li><p>Awards that come from a long committment to something, such as becoming an Eagle Scout.</p></li>
<li><p>Awards that recognize a deep involvement with a cause, such as a community award for promoting recycling or a national award for conservation of a particular animal or area.</p></li>
<li><p>Awards that reward your artistic talent, such as a gallery showing or a local film festival or an acting or singing award.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Probably some others as well?? Help out, you guys....</p>

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<p>The whole application process really stinks. I've gotten several awards from my community over the past few weeks (one being from the Rotary Club), but the application process is already done! Oh well. I still love my awards! :)</p>

<p>As it's been stated earlier, the harder it is to get an award, the more it will be worth.</p>

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<p>Also:
-Awards from competitive activities such as Speech and Debate, especially from tournaments on the national cirucuit.</p>

<h2>-Awards from taking exams such as the American Mathematics Competition, the AIME, etc. Also math awards from regional/state "Mathlete" competitions</h2>

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<p>-also winning an essay competition that is outside h.s. is very much valued</p>

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<p>For those of you who think that my child has infected others because he has not missed one day of school - well you are WRONG - living in the balmy South, with palm trees swaying and 300+ days of sunshine does count for something - no erratic weather changes - shorts and short sleeve shirts daily. I compare this to the days we lived in the frozen NE tundra and my s suffered from colds, flus and viruses on a constant basis.</p>

<p>Say YES to sunshine......</p>

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<p>Jamimom: I'd agree, except none of my awards were on the Georgetown app. There's absolutely no room to put it on there. On the common app, however, was a different story.</p>

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<p>Another negative thread saying that something my D has achieved is worthless. She goes to a rather large high school where she is 1 or 2 out of a class of 350-375, but you all have ruled that being val or sal doesn't matter. She is gifted, but being gifted is a "joke". She is National Honor Society President, but you all have said that is just political. She has won awards for being the top student in World History, American History, Speech, Spanish, and English and now you tell me those awards are meaningless. I guess based on CC, she should just give up and head for community college. Luckily, we have some good ones in the area.</p>

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<p>Hey, I never said that! ;)</p>

<p>Seriously, being the valdictorian or the saludictorian in such a large class is quite an honor. Also, her other other awards that she has gotten don't look shabby at all to me!</p>

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<p>Val and sal matter a lot. I have never said that. The % of kids getting into top schools who are val & sal are greater than any other rank. It just doesn't guarantee anything. Being an officer shows leadership, and her awards are certainly significant. I have two girls with low SAT1s but with very high class ranks, top student awards and membership in many things that do not make the lists, and they got into some great schools. Without major hooks. It is the whole package that matters and some serendipity as well. Your daughter is to be congratulated, and I doubt you will find a parent who will disagree with that. What we are saying is that a dearth of such awards is not going to eliminate kids from consideration from top schools or programs. And for the very top schools, often more is needed to gain admissions, such as national recognition rather than school, community or even state recognition. Not to say that there are not kids who get in even at that level, but when you look at some of the lists of talents of an accepted class (I remember the one from Georgetown clearly), it is clear that being a leader in the school is not at all unusual from the number of club presidents, team captains, yearbook/newpaper/magazine editors. </p>

<p>And though I have seen many posts saying that NHS membership should not even be put on the apps, I disagree. It is an honor. If you are laden with even greater accolades that take up the whole space, you might want to leave it off, but it is nor superfluous in my opinion from most kids' apps. Most of the kids I have worked with have it listed, and any officer position is certainly worth mentioning. </p>

<p>About the only thing that would not matter is if someone is "gifted" or "talented". There has to be some tangible evidence of this gift or talent rather than a school designation or IQ test stating it as such. Most kids applying to the top schools fall in that category, and the colleges want to see what the kids have done with abilities. </p>

<p>Tlaktan, what did you put in all the spaces on the Georgetown app?From the breakdowns they provide each year of the activities and honors of the class, seems to indicate that they have a pretty throrough idea of what these kids did in highschool. IT looked like a very busy, and productive group to me. I don't remember the GT app as it has been too many years since S1 applied there.</p>

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<p>csshsm--no question, being valedictorian, particularly of a large class, is a great honor. Its just that the very top schools get literally thousands of apps from students ranked #1, and in order to be #1, one usually has the highest average in many courses and therefore gets many such subject awards. So, I think that in order to differentiate among the vast number of valedictorians, elite schools basically then look for how he/she might have used his/her high intellect to make an impact or stand out beyond their h.s. class.</p>

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<p>And likewise, being Pres. of Nat'l Honor Society is a nice example of leadership, but as Northstarmom described in detail in another thread, the very top schools would want to know how you excercised that leadership...eg. what ideas did you put into action, --what kind of impact did you have on the organization that you lead.</p>

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<p>I think we need to separate what is important to "us" (parents and students) and what is important in the admissions process. After I read some of those books about the inside of admissions, I felt like my child's achievements and accomplishments just weren't that "unique" or "special" when it came down to selective admissions. Those awards, however, meant a lot to us on a personal level. It is always nice to have your accomplishments noted.</p>

<p>Of particular note I remember being selected for HOBY was pooh-poohed unless you were selected for HOBY international, but to be selected from over 1,200 sophomores at our school was an honor. </p>

<p>Enjoy your child's personal triumphs and successes, but just be realistic if you are shooting for the uber selective schools as to how much these accomplishments will count in the process.</p>

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<p>


These are some very good things. Where my son will be going to school, for example, they recruit vals with extra scholarship money. This is not a minor thing. Same with NHS and a leadership position in that group. But your daughter is an incredible person - as demonstated by these positions and class rank - and will not need "awards" to demonstrate that. The awards may be recognition by the school for what she has accomplished, but the awards do not define her. She is the star here - not the awards she has.</p>

<p>It sounds to me like you should be very proud of her. Just from what you've said, I think she'll be very successful in this college endeavor. But you may be surprised at what is not necessary to list on applications when everything else (and her letters of recommendation and her essays) speak so well for her.</p>

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<p>Yikes...lost my entire post but here goes again...</p>

<p>First, I'm not sure if academic awards matter so much in college admissions but I would think they can be positive if you have them but it might not be negative if you don't. However, what is important is achievement. If you can demonstrate achievements without some official award title, that also can be positive. School wide awards are nothing to sneeze about but state or regional ones stand out more on a selective college application. Of course, national ones are quite notable. </p>

<p>Second, I concur with TexasTaxiMom (I still love that name!) that beyond college admissions, awards are a nice thing for personal recognition. It is always nice to have one's efforts affirmed and noticed. What not to like? Of course, hopefully one is doing these things for their own motivation, not outside recognition. Still, schools are primarily about academics and so it is a positive thing to have a school recognize outstanding achievement in the classroom as it sets a standard, as well as awards that can be garnered for achievements outside the classroom. In any case, the concept of rewarding those who meet a high standard of achievement is something I think can be a good thing. And I am NOT talking of college admissions in that respect. </p>

<p>Third, I just wanted to let Thumper know that when I read your initial post, I could identify a bit with the experiences your D has had at your school (though I would not call my child quiet or shy). What I mean is that sometimes a top student can be shunned in the awards. At our school, I sometimes think they go out of their way NOT to recognize a top student....almost overly politically correct type of thinking. A couple examples here that made me see parallels with your post....For the academic award ceremony a couple years ago when my older D was in tenth, I noticed that the way our school did these was that it was up to each teacher if he/she was going to do awards. I noticed that in the case of the tenth grade teachers, the only ones who opted to give out academic awards at the ceremony were teachers who taught all the non-Honors (Honors is highest level here) classes or teachers who only gave awards to their non-Honors level classes they taught. If a stranger had attended this ceremony and did not know the kids, he/she would think that the very top students in the tenth grade were honored when in fact, NONE of the top kids were given an award because the teachers of their classes did not opt to give any so the awards only went to kids in the easiest tracked classes. OF COURSE I think those kids deserve awards if the top student in their respective courses! But so do the kids who were achieving the highest in the harder tracked classes. But they were shut out completely from any academic recognition. Seemed very odd to me. </p>

<p>In her junior year, admittedly, she won many awards. Her teachers for the most part did participate and give out awards. Also here there is only one male (Dartmouth) and one female (Wellesley) Book Award to top junior boy and girl (so those kinds of awards were not dependent on which teachers participated and so my D got that but also several others, so in this respect, her story does differ from Thumper's as she won many that night. </p>

<p>Jump to senior year, kid is valedictorian, only straight A student (4.0) and this is done with unweighted grades and she was in the hardest courses. Academic award night comes up (you have to be invited and you are invited if you are gonna be given an award) and you would think the top student in the senior class might be eligible for some award of some sort? But she did not even get invited to award night. There really is an undercurrent at our school to NOT reward those at the top and to reward those "unrecognized" kids which again are VERY VERY deserving as well but it gets to a point where they do not even want to recognize or bring attention to high achievers at all. Seems odd in a way to be a top student and not up for any awards. I think she got them in junior year because some awards were black and white...like the book award and how it is given and also like she got Bausch and Lomb award, for example, which again is black and white as it goes to top junior science student. But overall, there is a leaning here to make sure we recognize the kids in the lower classes and the ones not going to college and so forth which is quite important but not to the extent of making a point to not reward the high academic achievers in the rigorous courses and so forth. While it does boggle the mind, we chalk it up as how our school is and what can ya do? </p>

<p>I think my inlaws were a bit surprised at graduation last year because this and that honor and scholarship was given out and as they were nearly done, my inlaws looked a little agape, if you ask me, how my D was not getting any awards, yet was the top senior in the class. Us? It was not surprising cause it was just more of what we were used to. But then, thankfully near the end, one award that I knew would mean a lot to her, she finally did get one.....Scholar Athlete. I'm not complaining but more sharing the experience because I hear you Thumper....because for the life of me, I can't quite understand in your D's case how six but not all seven of the straight A students were recognized or invited and I also did not get how in tenth or twelfth grades, my D was not invited either, yet was ranked first. Seems like an academic award night might include a kid like her and a kid like your D in it? </p>

<p>And so, while it may or may not matter for a college resume, it kinda matters to the kids who have achieved highly and are left scratching their heads as to how they got closed out of the academic award recognition. Do they work hard so they can get awards? Nope. They do it cause they are s self motivated. Thankfully they don't do it for awards. But recognition is ALWAYS a nice feeling. </p>

<p>Again, however, if your D does not have specific awards to list, she certainly can try to list achievements in activities she has done. Often many fine achievements have NO official award that can be named but they are still significant. Those just need to be articulated on an application. </p>

<p>Thumper....sending "kudo" awards to your high achieving daughter!</p>

<p>Susan</p>

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<p>I, too, lost a whole post here. I wanted to agree with Texastaximom on her insights. And I agree with Susan as well. Because schools have different policies on how they recognize students, the in-school awards are not consistent from school to school. But I guarantee you that a val/sal with top student designation, head of NHS is going to be considered a fine catch by most colleges. It's just the most selective schools where nearly all of the applicants have those accolades, where they are not going to have the impact.</p>

<p>I still can't get over the fact that your D being the top of her class not getting much more recognition, Susan. I remember the tale from last year, and it made me shake my head. That is really going a bit too far in de emphasizing academic achievement, in my book.</p>

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<p>Hi all...I am the OP of this thread and I want to emphasize something important....We do NOT think that these High School awards have any bearing on college admissions. DD does not do what she does to "impress those reading college applications". She does the things she does, and well, because she enjoys them. Having said that...we (and she) are disappointed that (again) despite some outstanding accomplishments, she was overlooked when it came time for these awards. DD will continue to do well, she will continue to do the things she loves, and more than likely she will continue to go unrecognized.</p>

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<p>thumper, I share your perplexity (and I never got the impression that your d was in it for the glory, btw :) ) Still, we humans certainly like shiny stuff, don’t we? And I’m no different, though my family’s checkered history with high school awards has forced some kind of perspective on me.</p>

<p>Our school’s awards night is one long evening. The kids receive invitations a few weeks ahead of time, but aren’t told what awards they’re receiving (so that the evening won’t be “anti-climactic,” as the principal says every year, mispronouncing the word EVERY TIME). There are no surprises or controversies about the quantifiable awards (best performance on the National Latin Exam or AIME or whatever), but there are inevitably hurt/angry feelings about the honorees judged “most outstanding” in each subject area. Each year there are disappointed kids and long faces in the lobby after the ceremony. My feeling is that about six people would show up for the ceremony if the awards were announced ahead of time.</p>

<p>My oldest d very much wanted the top award in AP US History. It’s a tough subject in our hs, taken by about 75 kids each year, and my d really achieved in class: set the curve for every test, A-pluses on every essay, rave evaluations from the teacher on each report card. Well – she really, really wanted it and she didn’t get it. Instead, a friend of hers, another outstanding student who had already garnered several awards that evening, received the APUSH history prize as well. My d, however, received a prize for another subject – one in which easily 20 or even 30 kids were more deserving. Really!</p>

<p>After a bit of moping (on which I shall mercifully draw the curtain), my daughter was able to see that, if it was ridiculous for her to receive the award she got, the possibility existed that it was ridiculous for her friend to receive the prize SHE got. The system is obviously flawed, not to say cockeyed, so how much credence can really be placed in the whole shebang? </p>

<p>What my family learned from this experience (well, husband will still bristle if the subject comes up) is that receiving an award for this or that doesn’t mean you actually are “The Most Outstanding” whatever-it-is; it means that you have a piece of paper or a statuette or some other shiny thing SAYING that you are. You might actually be what the inscription on the award says - and that’s nice – but it ain’t necessarily so.</p>

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<p>But not unrecognized at home! And Thumper, doing what you love is always best.</p>

<p>Our school also has department awards each year. Some departments just award it to the student with the highest gpa in those classes. Some to their "favorite." It is very rare that you will find a student recognized for not only having top grades in the department but for having demonstrated outside interests in that area--such as a student who interns, or state level science fair project, etc.... actual application and interest in the academic area, not just grades. But that would mean the teachers would have to get to know the students, and at our mega high it just never happens. </p>

<p>We tend to be cynical when it comes to the awards, after years of what we call "nose pick awards." Those would be the awards literally created so that everyone gets and award. (The name started when my son said I'm surprised they don't give a "you stopped picking your nose" award! He was only seven, but already "onto" the awards system.)</p>

<p>My boys were never recognized in any departments except Forensics, and not until senior year for each. One year my son won an essay contest sponsored by the Secretary of State's Office, and placed at FPS State Bowl in Scenario Writing. He was also president of a geneaology/historical club and won some state awards there. You might think he would win an English or History department award, but he didn't. The English award went to a girl that had a 100 in freshman English. </p>

<p>My kids mostly received what I call "data driven" awards. Everyone with a certain score get this or that. Fortunately it did not keep them from gaining acceptance to their colleges of choice. </p>

<p>I can understand your disappointment (and hers). What I enjoyed this year was that they listed all the scholarships won by our seniors, and the Ag kids finally got some notice. Many of them have won all kinds of Ag competitions, and collected quite a bit of scholarship money--but because their are no AP Ag classes they are never among the top honor graduates. Our AFJROTC is another group that never gets any press. It was only by accident that I went to a luncheon where the AFJROTC was honored. They received many awards over the year in competition, some academic awards as well, including an appointment to the Air Force Academy. Both of these subsets of students are very successful after high school, but go unrecognized during their four years at Mega High.</p>

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<p>I think that sometimes there can be an overcompensation or even a back lash against a very high achieving student. My son--who admittedly has gotten many awards in the past, received a prize this year from a science competition which included a $1000. grant to the high school for the science dept. There was never any mention of this or expression of appreciation by the principle or other high school personnel--not even to let him know how the money will be used. Also, the school has a special bulletin board to post newspaper articles about student accomplishments; while my son has had multiple significant press write-ups over the past months, not one has been posted. We haven't had senior awards night yet, but I wonder if we might see a continuation of this trend.</p>

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<p>Re attendance, I don't know how you would even list perfect attendance on your ap. If you did, it would look like you're reaching for a pat on the head because you didn't have anything more important to say. (BTW/ I had near perfect attendance in hs because I never got sick -- really -- at least after I worked through all those childhood diseases.)</p>

<p>I think that some awards that come from "outside" the school are a way for kids to "show" the school that they are good, and indeed some kids' EC's reflect their preference for EC's over make-work at school. Such awards are sometimes then acknowledged by the school at awards ceremonies but at the very least they become useful for applications. To be honest, I think it would take a special teacher to even want to have my kids in class; they'd have had to put up with a lot, while appreciating what those kids could do when they were motivated.</p>