<p>^^
well since you took the time to read my chance threat I presume (seeing how you know my list of colleges), then you know that I have the test scores, decent enough grades, and decent enough EC’s that my application won’t be thrown out (in essence) and will I guess be a “qualified applicant” although I don’t really fancy my chances we’ll see how it goes. </p>
<p>I asked because the usual answer is about stats and passions. And the elites are looking for more than stats and not necessarily “passions.” Not club titles, but leadership qualities. And some other nice attributes. In order to get past the assumptions, kids really should look at what the colleges themselves say about their values and processes. Btw, many adults read chance posts, every once in a while. </p>
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When colleges say they are interested in leaders, many students assume they are looking for captains of athletic teams, or presidents of student councils, or editors of newspapers. And sometimes they are. But more often than not, as colleges are academic institutions, they are looking for leaders in the classroom. They are looking for students who not only contribute to the classroom conversation, but dynamically lead the discussion. They are looking for students who constantly raise their hands and have thoughtful opinions. Colleges are looking for your teachers to confirm your leadership qualities in their recommendation letters with concrete examples. It’s not about leadership in EC’s, it’s leadership in the classroom that colleges are seeking. </p>
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Why is that surprising? Look at the data from a recent Harvard Freshman Survey: thttp://features.thecrimson.com/2013/frosh-survey/admissions.html
I like the scattergram as it visually indicates that no matter what your test scores, Harvard likes those 4.0 kids. So, it’s easy to see why Harvard liked the girl at your school, who most probably was a leader in the classroom as well as her EC’s.</p>
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Harvard fills more than half their class with students who had 4.0’s at their high school. So, if you’re a “qualified applicant” without a perfect GPA, is the difficulty level overrated? I don’t think so. </p>
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<p>Actually, he was caught several times. Bowdoin kicked him out for plagiarism. Then Harvard kicked him out for falsifying records. Yale caught him, too, for falsifying his admission application. It was only AFTER getting caught by all of those institutions that his parents forced his hand.</p>
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<p>What does home schooling have to do with a public school grad who has spent the better part of his adult life attempting to lie and cheat his way into prestigious universities and career opportunities?</p>
<p>Home schoolers can’t just make their records up. My son just finished his senior year of home schooling and my daughter completed 9th grade. Every year we home school I’m required to write a Letter of Intent for each child and send that, along with an Individualized Home Instruction Plan, to our district superintendent for review. I have to tell them what subjects each child is studying to make sure we’re in compliance with state law and give them a detailed list of books and other resources we intend to use. At the end of each quarter I’m legally required to send the district a report card for each child that includes a report describing what we’ve covered in each subject and assessing each child’s progress. The results of the standardized tests each child takes are submitted with the 4th quarterly. </p>
<p>Colleges required different things but, generally, they wanted copies of all the documents listed above, plus a report that explained our home school philosophy, a school profile that described our area and the resources available to us, letters of recommendation from outside (unrelated) sources, SAT scores, and a letter from our district superintendent certifying completion of state requirements. Home schooling is challenging and rewarding, and includes a host of checks and balances. We are not working in a vacuum. Please do not lump honest, hard working families with liars and cheats.</p>
<p>OP, I know local students (both home schooled and public school grads) who have been admitted to the Ivies. The best you can do is score as well as you can on standardized tests, take a rigorous course load at your high school, take a sincere interest in helping others in your community, and follow your interests. Know what you can offer the colleges you’re applying to, and what they offer that will allow you to make the best use of your talents. Make sure you line up financial and academic safeties and matches. Then do your best and take advantage of whatever opportunities you’re given…Good luck.</p>
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Because it’s such a good idea to enroll in a high-powered college without the recommended preparation. O.o</p>
<p>@austinmshauri, I know some of the homeschooling parents will object when I wrote my posting. 
My appologies to you and other families who chose homeschooling for honest reasons rather than trying to get into the top schools.</p>
<p>The reason I wrote what I wrote is that I read some stories of homeschooling kids getting into top schools and the winning strategy given was that they only do 2 things during high school time. Preparing for testings and EC.</p>
<p>As you illustrated ablove, the materials/documentations supplied are all provided by the student/family. The only real check and balance I can tell so far is standard test scores. I’m not talking about people who try to fake their ways completely into top schools. Rather I see that happening for good students who can do very well in testings and have aspirations of top schools, but may have subjects they don’t like and get the occasional Bs in school, or may not be the top students who garner glowing recommandations, etc. Going for the homeschooling route can eliminate those issues.</p>
<p>In this case, EC can be manufactured, especially since there is no school GC to provide reference. One can find a family friend to supervise and write a glowing recommendation. For testings, let’s face it, for good students, it can be much easier to get a 5 on AP English or even high score on SAT subject, than laboring for 4 years and make sure you get all As. Not to mention you can save a ton of time from classes that you can use to pad your EC instead.</p>
<p>So I do see people flocking to this route in the future.</p>
<p>FWIW, with regards to homeschooling: <a href=“Q. and A.: College Admissions - The New York Times”>http://questions.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/17/qa-college-admissions/</a>
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<p>Some homeschooling is a bit passive, sure. Some kids misuse the time, some go with a narrow curriculum. The really empowered h-s kids are super. They aren’t sitting around, watching Discovery Channel. doing an occasional museum or road trip, then prepping for the tests. These kids can be empowered to a max degree and chase their intellectual interests, test themselves. Online college courses, online lecture series, local college classes, and sometimes a higher order of material than a usual hs will assign. Many also use free time for legit peer activities and some dedicated service efforts. In some districts, the public hs are required to allow them into some sports and things like orchestra. Getting to know some of these kids, I am impressed. When they do it well,there is a maturity and perspective that is ready for college.</p>
<p>@pastwise, You are seriously misinformed about home schooling. Students in NYS can’t spend their time on just test prep and ECs. We’re required to provide a full curriculum and complete a certain percentage of it or the state can terminate our right to home school. Yearly standardized tests give districts a clear indication of both the appropriateness of the educational program and the accuracy of the grading. After all, a student who struggles with the science section of a standardized test isn’t likely to have straight A’s in biology and physics. People who are not teaching their children can be charged with educational neglect and lose custody of them. There are districts who threaten to start that ball rolling if minor infractions (like paperwork being a day overdue) occur. No checks and balances? There are plenty and we take them very seriously.</p>
<p>Our districts have copies of the majority of documents we’re required to send to colleges. It would be foolish for us to attempt to falsify those records; in fact, doing so could cause a child’s admission to be revoked and any diploma earned to be rescinded. Teaching appropriate subjects is important too. If I want my children to succeed in college, it’s important that I give them a solid foundation. It does no good to get them into a great college if they don’t have the skills to succeed once they get there. </p>
<p>I suppose anyone can manufacture ECs, but why would we? Not having homework or busy work allows us the time to participate in a variety of activities. It’s not the home schoolers I see online asking if they’ll get caught if they make up ECs and leadership positions, or wondering what will happen because they just got caught cheating on the SAT. We don’t need to manufacture records or fake recommendation letters. And we won’t be thrilled if a bunch of public school families start breaking the laws and endangering our right to home school because they’re under the mistaken impression they can game the system. </p>
<p>I read some stories of homeschooling kids getting into top schools and the winning strategy given was that they only do 2 things during high school time. Preparing for testings and EC. The wise know you can’t rely on “some stories” from who-knows-where and make them into universal truths, no matter how authoritative they seemed. If you know anything about “top schools,” you know it’s not all about stats and even a most newsworthy EC won’t get you in unless the whole is there. Don’t argue a point without having checked. As I said, some kids get all in a lather about gaming, without even knowing what’s really going on.</p>
<p>@theanaconda:</p>
<p>Your strategy is likely to get you in to a good school somewhere.</p>
<p>Mind you, my list of “good schools” extends well beyond HYPSM.</p>
<p>In my experience, the intra-school variations in alumni quality in schools ranging from Stanford & MIT to Chicago & Northwestern & CMU & JHU to the engineering/CS departments of publics known for engineering/CS like Cal & UIUC are far greater than the inter-school differences.</p>
<p>@PurpleTitan
I’m already a rising senior. Whatever " strategy" I implemented is already done. The strategy I posted here is the strategy I use plus some advice on where I went wrong. I lacked the combination of drive/willpower + work ethic to be as successful as I should have, my drive wasn’t able to overcome my poor work ethic at every moment and it cost me when my drive momentarily waned. Not to mention I had complete disregard for what my peers thought of me and made no effort to be like able which hurt me in some/ many of my EC’s, I mistake I’ll be sure not to repeat in college as it’s argued by many the sole/greatest benefit of attending an elite college is the network you gain.</p>
<p>@theanaconda: Your post reminds me of a comment Jeffrey Brenzel over at Yale has made</p>
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<p>Although it’s difficult to see the big picture when you’re applying to college, remember Jeffrey Brenzel’s observation. It doesn’t matter where you go to school, it matters what you do when you get there. Many successful people are Harvard rejects and it didn’t stop them from doing great things. It shouldn’t stop you either. Best of luck to you! </p>
<p><a href=“Famous Harvard Rejects Named by Magazine - ABC News”>http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3201481</a>
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<p>@theanaconda:</p>
<p>Yep, networks matter, but if you’ve worked as long as I have, you’ll notice that a lot of schools have useful networks (the networks of the CS folks at Cal & UIUC are pretty darn good for software jobs in Silicon Valley, for instance; in TX, few schools can beat the networks of UT-Austin and A&M in that state, etc.)</p>
<p>Also, while there’s some correlation with rankings, some schools have better or worse networks than their peers.</p>
<p>…rather than look back and note the negatives, think about the almost 6 months you do have. </p>
<p>yup i’ve looked big picture and am not stressing it much to be honest. I do want to work hard on my essays and at my internship/job because I realized I could regret it years later if I don’t, but I’ve read (and seen the numbers), it’s way more about what one does when they get to college rather than what college they get to. In fact, part of the reason I care is that it would almost be a culmination of many of my efforts for essentially my whole life. Do I want to get in and probably go to some of the super-selective schools on my list? Yes, but I don’t feel that I need to or it would hurt me much not to. I think a study was done showing that those who turned down an ivy league acceptance did just as well in life, and I think I am good enough to be an above average student ability wise at pretty much every college in the country with the possible exception of caltech so I don’t think not going to one of my reach schools will really hurt me much if at all in the long run. </p>
<p>@theanaconda:
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<p>Wow. This is sad. Respecting and valuing your peers and not acting in an unlikeable manner isn’t something you should need to work at… Without a fundamental shift in perspective, you will not be a happy person – at Harvard or elsewhere.</p>
<p>@DavidSonDaughter
Wow that didn’t come out the way I meant it to. It was more that you know, some people will like you and dislike you unless you make an effort otherwise, and I just acted like who I was and some people liked me for who I am (ie like my friends) and some didn’t. I didn’t question why I should act in a different way to please others; I guess I just bought into what’s drilled at school which is be who you are. Turns out that doesn’t work if you want to gain real success in life in the real world every job assessment/promotion etc is based largely on subjective factor which can be influenced by whether the person likes you or not, and if your natural personality doesn’t make everyone like you. I pretty much never tried to be disrespectful to others or make them dislike me; I just never made an effort to be liked by others because I honestly could care less what other people say/think unless it’s constructive legitimate advice or it affects me (which I didn’t realize that everyone’s opinion can impact me). Whatever, I was a naive 14-16 year old; lesson learned, keep your individuality to yourself if it’s not liked by everyone.
In essence if someone disliked me I didn’t particularly care and I never tailored my actions or words based on whether I thought people would like them or not (again I wasn’t offensive or disrespectful to people).
P.S I was happy enough with my friends and such who liked me for who I am in high school; just not successful enough.</p>
<p>@DavidSonDaughter:</p>
<p>Remember that you are talking to a teen of the male gender. Are you saying that all male teens you have met were smooth and polite and considerate of all other people? In your experience, were the male teens who were not that way unhappy people?</p>
<p>Teens do mature over time, you know.</p>