<p>I am a parent with an 8th grader that is head over heals for Princeton with all a's & one b. She decided against all honors classes freshman year but fully plans on the for sophomore year, etc. She will play on the varsity tennis team & the country club juniors team as well. She plans on being in the choir for all of her highschool career. She is unsure about volunteer work{if it helps for Ivies?}?? But also plans on academic clubs & ECs.
Please let me know. I only want to help her in every single way possible!
Thanks,
Bfastattiffanys2</p>
<p>I am not entirely sure what your question is, sorry.
If you are asking if community service looks good for the Ivy League, then the answer will most likely be a unanimous yes. Of course it does not guarantee admission to Princeton, but a little philanthropy never hurt 
In addition, I would encourage her to continue involvement in clubs, and to stay dedicated to them for the duration of her high school career</p>
<p>Best of Luck!</p>
<p>I think that you are on the right path, and if she follows through with all that, then she is bound to get into an excellent college no doubt, but just remember that Ivy’s have tons and tons of applicants that have UW 4.0s and endless EC’s/volunteer. I would encourage her to really delve into her passions, be assertive, and make a difference in her community and in the world. Students that go beyond the said limits of high schoolers are ones that stand out on a college application. I would advise her not to do just what’s done before, but to do things differently and make high school her own because you need to stand out if you want to get into an Ivy.</p>
<p>Ivies get applicants like what you described all the time. What makes your daughter stand out from those others? What are her true passions, those things that really get her excited? Find them, then run with them.</p>
<p>Then, when the time to write essays and fill out college applications come, you have a pretty good essay topic already.</p>
<p>Colleges want you to be you, and they want you to be passionate about learning, etc. Don’t just do things to look good for college - they will be able to decipher your motive, which will hurt more than help.</p>
<p>Lastly, take note that at that level a little bit of luck is involved. As one admissions officer described it (I believe it was Amherst), “One year they are looking for a baseball player, the next they want an intellectual bookworm.” There is no predicting what spot they are looking for each applicant to fill, so there’s not much you can do beyond putting your app together to best represent you. Luck plays a HUGE role, and that’s the unfortunate truth. I was rejected from HYP, but I have several friends who got into those schools, and they truly recognize how fortunate they were.</p>
<p>That said, I applaud you and your daughter for being so proactive. That is a really good sign. Wish I were the same as I entered high school. Best of luck in your endeavors in the next four years!</p>