I was written up in the New York Times in 8th grade for my entrepreneurial interest and success (It was a Q&A). Since it was before my high school career, am I able to include it in my college application? Will it sway an admissions director if they see NYT interviewed me? Or does it not matter at all / will it not be considered because I was in 8th grade? Might be a silly question but would love everyone’s thoughts.
No, adcoms won’t care about achievements you made before high school (unless they are absolutely tremendous).
@Qwerty568 Should I still include it?
Also, I am kind of bummed as I thought that it might set me apart a little. I still have my business to show off, but sucks they won’t consider the NYT article.
Any other opinions??
Nobody cares about why you did or who interviewed you when you were 13. Let it go. You already got your answer.
Write the NY Times and ask them to do a followup?? Have you taken that 13 year old’s initiative and done anything with it?
@teenbizman1 I disagree with the previous posters. If you can somehow mention it and relate it to your current experience, I definitely think you should!
I don’t think it will help much as it was in 8th grade. Best thing you can do is mention it in an essay (how you developed your EC), but I guess if you have enough space on the Common App you could list it.
Yes, include it. If an adcom thinks it is irrelevant they will just skip over it. But I don’t see how it hurts you at all, and some might be very interested in what you had to say.
FWIW, I totally disagree with the idea expressed in post #3 that one person’s response on CC should be taken as authoritative. Other opinions do matter, despite what @Calicash thinks.
You can include it if you want. But that doesn’t mean anyone cares lol
Include it if you want, but it will likely be deemed irrelevant. Where would you even put it? The “awards” section? The extracurricular section?
@bjkmom My local paper (The Birmingham News) did an article on me (and my business) at the end of my sophomore year, Jan 30 2015, so there is somewhat of a followup out there.
The NYT article was about me and my business that I started when I was 13. It is still going strong and growing each year, so it’s not like the NYT article was the end of it, but a national publication (The NYT) carries more weight than all of the other press I have received. Was hoping to use that to my advantage.
@MidwestDad3 Thanks for your advice. I agree, I don’t think it would hurt… although it may not help either!
@Nerdyparent and @rdeng2614 I would love to at least mention it in my essay- that’s a good idea. I could relate it to how my business has grown.
@Calicash thank you for your input. I value all opinions. It hadn’t occurred to me that it might be found completely irrelevant to an adcom because my business is a huge part of who I am, and the NYT article is definitely a highlight of my success. But I guess it can be interpreted many ways.
Also, the NYT article was written when I was 14.5 y/o (not 13!) but I doubt that changes anything… still 8th grade haha.
Honestly, I would follow up. See if you can get some press over the summer or next year.
Summer can be a slow time for news; you may be able to find a way to take advantage of this. Even consider doing some freelance writing on the topic, and see whether you can get it published… it would be kind of a back door way of using that NYT coverage.
@bjkmom I love the freelance writing idea. Thanks for that thought.
OP, please be careful about posting such specific details - it would be very easy to find you since you named the local publication and date of the article.
That being said, I did find the article and your business is really, really cool! I know a few regional (maybe one national) home/garden magazines are published in your town, so I wonder if they would be interested in featuring you. Also, have you thought about blogging about your expertise/business? (I know you have a website). That might be lucrative for you, and also may be a good activity for college application purposes if you get a good following - and if not, I bet it would be fun/interesting to do anyway, especially if you have any interest in US history in the 50s and 60s (your business as a lens into US history)…
I agree that your business sets you apart, so keep growing it and yes, I think admissions committees would be very interested. I’m sure you could work the NYT piece into an essay about it, regardless. But I think you’ll have much more to show than just the NYT piece if your essay is about your business.
Best of luck!
If what you did on 13 years old is still ongoing project, then I think it would be worth mentioning it,
The more recent article is what to profile,and by doing so, just as that Jan. '15 article did, you can reference your longevity, the start of the company when you were in 8th grade and the NYT profile (which is cool). Congrats!
When you started something as a young teen and can show the commitment and continuity, the fact that you started at 14 will, IMO, work for you, not against you.
My D was also quoted as part of a NYT article when she was in middle school. None of us considered adding that to her application. I would only think about mentioning the article in passing if you have continued and expanded upon the entrepreneurial project discussed in the article during your HS years.
The article by itself, I don’t think there is a place for it (I don’t see it fitting into a list of activities, awards, etc) so no (even if it was in HS). But, having said that, I don’t see anything wrong with mentioning in your essay (assuming your essay is about your business) that you and your business was featured in a NYT article. Will it help? I don’t know, but I really doubt it will hurt…
"The more recent article is what to profile,and by doing so, just as that Jan. '15 article did, you can reference your longevity, the start of the company when you were in 8th grade and the NYT profile (which is cool). Congrats!
When you started something as a young teen and can show the commitment and continuity, the fact that you started at 14 will, IMO, work for you, not against you."
I agree with this. I think it would be a good topic for your Common App essay, and you can mention these articles.
ETA: I think being the subject of an article, rather than being quoted as part of an article, are two entirely different things.
@GnocchiB Thanks for the kind words. And for reading the article! I have thought about blogging, and it could be interesting. I have also thought about podcasting… I’m always pondering perspectives for either. The US History perspective is neat. I find myself thinking about these things more during the summer when my schedule is more free. Ha!
@jym626 I really appreciate your comment (and everyone else’s!). Its really helping me shape how I will present my business in the admissions process. I like the idea of focusing on longevity.