DS is “Darling Son” or “Dear Son” or something similar.
The GC did not tell teachers what to put in the recommendation letters; I would think that would be unethical. She has since moved on to private practice, but she has a relationship with many elite schools, and feels the obligation to know what kind of student she is describing, beyond what she can learn from the teachers who wrote recommendations. So, she went around and spoke to his other teachers from that year and previous; she knew which teachers were savvy and experienced, and spoke to them. She and I had a conversation about my son, specifically for her to see if I agreed with her view of his motivation, and we agreed that he truly just got a rush out of learning things and helping others do the same. We called it a “learner’s high,” similar to a “runner’s high.”
Btw, this GC had 30-40 seniors to deal with; probably most GCs don’t have this luxury.
His GPA was imperfect. His school ECs were okay, but didn’t stand out. His essays were very good, especially for a STEMish kid. I have no way of knowing what really mattered when it came to decision time, but I believe it was his out-of-school ECs and the recommendations of his teachers and GC.
but you offered Harvard a sense of geographic diversity
^ true, but that wouldn’t have been the only reason I got in. My letter from the admissions officer said he was impressed by what I’ve done in violin and student government. My interviewer was a wonderful lady and we hit it off well. And I’m quite fond of my teachers and they seem to like me too, so I can assume they wrote nice recommendations. So while MAYBE my unique background made them take a second look, there are so many kids out there with even more unique situations who have already accomplished far more than I have, so that couldn’t have been the extra factor that got me accepted.
I know this was directed at gibby, but you asked, “what is the content and tone in which I should strive for?” for essays and such. (That is what you were referring to, right?) There’s a whole thread that talks about what kids wrote about in their essays (I’m on mobile but otherwise I’d link you.) Just write about something that tells the admissions folks more about who you are or something that’s important to you.
@IxnayBob Did he get into Harvard? And should I tell my GC to talk about my motivation?
@radmadeline Do you know where the thread is located because I really would love to take a look at it? And did you send in a piece of you playing violin to the admissions office? Also, regarding SG (I’m also in SG) how did they know about your achievements in SG? Did you bring it up in your essay or did it come up in a LOR
@verizonwireless: You don’t need a guidance counselor. Try using google. For example, google: “Content and tone of college essay” and 16,000 hits will come up. As an applicant, it’s your job to sift through those sites, and find nuggets that hold meaning for you.
@verizonwireless, he didn’t apply to Harvard, but was accepted SCEA to Yale and happily attends there. I think that, while the schools are different to a degree, the things that matter to them are not dissimilar.
I don’t think that you understand the appropriate role of a GC. As Gibby says, use Google. Google should be a tool you use often and well.
College coaches don’t care where you perfected your athletic skills, whether it’s in HS, on the playground, or through private clubs/lessons. If you can run a 3:50 mile, nobody’s going to ask you why your HS didn’t have a track team.
It’s very hard to get to the athletic level to be recruited, but once there, admissions is much easier than for a non-athlete.
Consider an applicant like my son: 35 ACT, 800/790/780 Subject Tests, HS rank #1/300, National AP Scholar junior year, eventual State AP Scholar, good ECs, etc.
Applicants like him are well qualified for any school but, realistically, the most selective schools can only be considered reaches for these type of applicants. Without his athletics, he might have applied to a variety of schools and, like most kids, agonized waiting for results. But being a recruited athlete, his path was easy. He was the one doing the choosing, not the other way around.
In my initial post I was simply trying to answer your basic question, a version of which is commonly asked on these forums, that is, what’s a formula to get in to HYPS etc. I stand by my answer. “Be an excellent student with good character traits and be good enough at a sport that the coach wants you on the team.” It’s not the only formula, but it’s probably the most reliable.
Eveybody is different. If you want some formulas that will always work- Be 6’10" and have an average of 30 ppg in basketball in HS; Have a father who is president of Sony; have a father worth 2 billion; have a 4.0,score 2300 on sat ,take 13 AP classes and 20 college classes while in HS;
And no, I did not send them in anything of my playing. I just had them listed on my activities and talked to my interviewer about them.
Tbh, I think you’re overthinking it a little. Once you open the common app you’ll have a better idea of what the application actually looks like and what you’ll be telling them.
@gibby, that’s a very interesting article. I’d never heard of that guy before.
But he’s not exactly “guaranteeing” entry to an Ivy - or any other school. Really, he’s just laying down bets - educated guesses, and massaging family expectations. Nice work, if you can get it.
@gibby That’s crazy! I just read the whole article. Even if it’s legit business, paying someone for something like collee admissions seems wrong. All he’s doing is pushing kids to up their grades and try more EC’s. Why can’t parents do that without paying thousands of dollars?
That’s hilarious - I’ll get your kid into HYP or your money back. Even if I have to refund 93% of the money I take in, I can keep it from the kids that would’ve gotten in anyway. Brilliant.
@gibby I spoke to my admissions officer and he said that as long as you have at least a 2200 they CANT reject you because of your sat… Then I asked about grades and they said that the most important thing is to take the most challenging course load and excel. WHY DO THEY MAKE GETTING INTO HARVARD SOUND SO EASY!! And also ; if what he said about the SAT is true… Than why do so many people shoot for a 2300+
You’re misunderstanding things. Achieving a 2200SAT shows that the applicant is clearly able to pursue Harvard-level academics with a high likelihood of success. But surely you know that most of those rejected have ~2200 or even above. That person is speaking about a minimum threshold – with +30K applicants for 2K spots, applicants need to stand out – just not fit in. The minimum thresholds are plain to see – top achievement in transcript and very high test scores – in that way, it is easy. But what else can you bring? That’s the real question.
@T26E4 I see where your coming from, but if harvard “WONT” reject you because of your SAT score (given that you got a 2200) I still see no point in aiming for a 2350. Harvard isn’t going to take you because of your 2350.
^^ Yes, I’ve seen that video, as it was posted six years ago. Today, colleges are NOT looking for well rounded students, but are trying to create a well-rounded CLASS made up of lop-sided students – students who excel in one specific area.
College Confidential will not let me link to this blog from an Admissions consultant, but I think her words might help you
