<p>Post #178 - I just noticed that I misposted her test score back in the quoted post - 2380, not 2280. 
Not that it makes a big difference, but just noticed it.</p>
<p>I think the criticism of the white posters complaining about the admission of the URM is unwarranted. Many of these people come from areas of different races. White, lilly white, off whiteâŠ</p>
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<p>I am afraid that this separation tends to overlook a third group that does not truly belong in either named groups. There is quite more than pluggers, drones, and brown-nosers, and more than free spirited underachievers who live in a parallel world of the so-called brilliance some tend to label as intellectualism. In the third group, there are hard workers that happen to make studying appear easy. The same people who find the time to be active in group activities and participate in sports, and often grabbing the MVP awards to accompany the high class rankings. The same people who stay on top of assignments and deliver the goods when due without fail. The same people who do have time to be creative inside and outside the schools. The same people who do not have to fabricate a scorecard when applications come due. </p>
<p>The same people who end up ⊠impressing the adcoms because EVERYTHING in their âdossierâ appears genuine with plenty of confirmation by teachers, coaches, or counselors. And yes, at most high schools, those kids have been known to others from day one. The same way the pluggers and free spirits are.</p>
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Would you carry this generalization into college level as well? What about graduate school?</p>
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I agree with you. I think that we often have a problem in these discussions with the meaning of the word âstudy.â The kids you are talking about do their homework, but they donât actually âstudyâ all that much, except when thereâs a test coming up, because they donât need to. They learn most of the material during class and by doing the assigned homework. Thatâs why they have time for all those other things.</p>
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Probably, although there werenât too many âgrindsâ at my college or professional school. Memorization and regurgitation were not highly rewarded at those schools (as opposed to high school).</p>
<p>^I shudder at such a broad generalization. Knowing what your opinion of myself would no doubt be makes me, well⊠laugh actually.</p>
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Iâd probably prefer that my doctor not be too âinnovativeâ in medical school. At least not the first couple years. </p>
<p>I donât think memorization and regurgitation is rewarded much at Caltech, but Iâve heard they still spend a lot of time studying. Those dummies.</p>
<p>Memorization and regurgitation were not highly rewarded at those schools as opposed to high school<br>
Lots of what is rewarded in the hs context is not what adcoms are looking for. As Iâve said before, the CA is not about a lateral move to another hs or a better or more selective one. Itâs the leap to college- and while hs performance indicates a lot, so do other qualities that either come through or not. You donât get a seat because at your hs you were top dog or perceived well. You further your chances when you show adcoms your potential to succeed at their colleges. Thatâs more than hs grades and titles.
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<p>Kids in a hs may know who seems smarter, who gets the best grades, who answers more questions in class, etc. But even top kids are still 17-18. Being top may mean they can perform in hs level work, turn in A papers in hs, etc. Does not mean they know how to write a good CA. Or have even considered what is supposed to show through. Often, kids treat the questions as if they were some random survey in the hs. </p>
<p>The talk about brilliance vs drudgery seems like just our subjective responses. So what if we think Billy is naturally brilliant, while Bobby plugs and plugs? Billy will have to show he has the ability to meet the collegeâs expectations, academically and out of the classroom. Bobby will have to do the same.</p>
<p>HS is not all about memorizing and regurgitating. Itâs also about engaging in discussion, showing higher level thinking skills, and thinking outside the box. Kids in HS who memorize and regurgitate are smart. Kids who lead and think outside of the box stand out dramatically in and out of the classroom.</p>
<p>Question: How and why does a student become a âstealth achiever?â</p>
<p>There has been a fair amount of discussion here and elsewhere on CC about students whose stellar and/or national-level ECâs are unknown to their classmates. </p>
<p>I am curious how and why this happens. Why wouldnât the student share the news with friends? Why wouldnât the friends be happy to hear about it? QMP would have been happy to hear about friendsâ success.</p>
<p>Not to pick on the particular example of the entomologist, but if a student goes off to a Davidson THINK program of about 3 weeks, and friends are trying to get together with the student for parties/sleepovers/other events during that time, does the student just say sheâs on vacation? Or âUh, Iâm at Comic Con.â âFor three weeks!?â "Uh . . . " Or the studentsâ friends are all Chua-kids, and there are no parties and no sleepovers?</p>
<p>Is there some reason that the students want to keep the information to themselves? I wouldnât consider it bragging for a student to share happy news of national-level recognition with a few good friends.</p>
<p>Is this a question of the size of the school, or the socio-economic level?</p>
<p>Also, wow, the âventile,â somewhere upthread (not sure whether this term was introduced by xiggi, or earlier by someone else). Do they get special coffee at Starbucks?</p>
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<p>In 2005 Espenshade and Chung found a preference for blacks equivalent to 230 SAT points and one for legacies of 160 points, both on a 1600 SAT scale. Neither preference is âslightâ, considering that the standard deviation of SAT scores on a single section is about 100 points.</p>
<p>Here we go again. Espenshade was a limited sample, claimed it as such and said it wouldnât be wise to base generalizations on that.</p>
<p>And, the point, two girls, is that even when what is practiced in hs is beyond rote, the higher order of thinking- the ability to present well for that college- often does not come through in the CA.</p>
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<p>OK, admissions insider, can you tell us whether you think the edge is now higher or lower at your school and at similar ones?</p>
<p>But it will come through loud and clear in the letters of rec</p>
<p>@quantmech - on the stealth achiever.</p>
<p>My son fits into that category and it is a weird thing. He can ace a big test or win an award and wonât even mention it to us.
He did do three different high-end summer programs and none of his friends knew - he just said he was out for a part of the summer. I donât know if they just thought he was on vacation.
I asked him about it and his answer was just that âwe talk about different things than grades or programs or SATsâ
He goes to a competitive school so maybe his time with friends is about what it should be: a respite from discussing any competitive things.</p>
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<p>Since students and parents often learn about opportunities from other students and parents, I would answer such questions directly and not discourage my children from doing so either.</p>
<p>quantmech - on a sidenote, are quantmech professors nuts or just this one?</p>
<p>[Prof</a> strips, shows Hitler, 9/11 images to teach quantum mechanics | Technically Incorrect - CNET News](<a href=âhttp://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57570063-71/prof-strips-shows-hitler-9-11-images-to-teach-quantum-mechanics/]Profâ>Prof strips, shows Hitler, 9/11 images to teach quantum mechanics - CNET)</p>
<p>âI am curious how and why this happens. Why wouldnât the student share the news with friends? Why wouldnât the friends be happy to hear about it? QMP would have been happy to hear about friendsâ success.â</p>
<p>Because itâs nobody elseâs business. Yâall may live in a nicer place than I do, but there are too many gossipy parents in our neck of the woods who love to run around telling everyone their kid is a genius. We donât talk about what our kids do for the summer, what their grades are, or how they did on the SAT. Heck, my kid didnât even tell people heâd applied ED some place until he showed up with the sweatshirt on the day after his acceptance.</p>
<p>@beliavsky</p>
<p>His friends are knowledgeable and motivated enough to know what programs are out there. Talking about the one you got into when it is far too late for anyone to apply isnât helping anyone learn about what is out there.</p>
<p>I donât discourage him from saying anything to his friends.</p>
<p>I think it is great that he can hang out with friends and talk about things other than grades, programs, SATs, âchance me for Ivy Xâ, etc. Wow. Kids, in a highly academic environment, sitting around talking about girls, some post on Reddit, Superman vs. Spiderman, global warming, the elections etc is cool in my book.</p>