I think I will follow him on Twitter just to see where this next year takes him.
Believe it or not, celebrity and “passion” aren’t what gets you into a highly competitive college. You apply for the academic experience and your suitability. It’s not an invite to a prominent panel, public role, or an award.
I don’t know enough about either his academic or other EC record, nor how he came across in his apps and supps. It’s a delicate dance. We haven’t seen his app.
All I know is that reportedly he had a 1270 SAT. I don’t think that’s elite institution intellect, but there is a whole range of acceptable sat scores at most institutions. Even if I think sometimes the real low range may be athletes. I don’t think he’s looking for MIT, but I’d think a decent lac would benefit from having him there.
Omg
I think if the Parkland shooting had been three months earlier, and the Parkland students had reacted the same way, Hogg would have had different admissions results, yeah. The Parkland shooting was Valentines Day; at that point I’m guessing a lot of preliminary admissions sorting had already been done.
The successfully organized March for Our Lives was March 24. Admission decisions were made by then.
^^^This speaks to the subjectivity of admissions and what’s in vogue. A high tide floats all boats.
There are always celebrity kids with lower scores and fewer accomplishments than Hogg at the Ivies. He will be fine.
David has now experienced many, many things that most of us have not. Of course that includes the tragedy of the shootings themselves and how he responded to it on all levels. As a student journalist, he had the presence of mind to record things and was poised and articulate when initially interviewed.
Clearly from the beginning, professional journalists gravitated to him and saw his natural abilities. He has now had numerous interviews by journalists world-wide and has given many speeches to thousands at a time. He has worked to organize fund raising and has put together plans for reform. He has interacted with a wide array of people in power.
With all this, he has separated himself from being a “typical” freshman applicant. If he were my child, I would certainly encourage a gap year and allow him the space to figure out what he wants to do next and what educational opportunities would work best. I could see him in a school like NYU/Columbia or American/GW where he could go to classes and intern in NYC/ DC.
“All I know is that reportedly he had a 1270 SAT. I don’t think that’s elite institution intellect”
IMO and experience, intellect isn’t measured by SAT scores.
"Believe it or not, celebrity and “passion” aren’t what gets you into a highly competitive college. "
In David’s case, I’d argue that the passion is providing opportunities to learn skills and have experiences that are making him a more attractive candidate to competitive colleges. How could these experiences not be changing him? How can they not be valued?
That’s why I was trying to think of a similar example from the other side. Suppose Islamic radicals attacked a rural school and killed 17 people. Suppose, in response, student leaders of the school organized nationwide nonviolent protests advocating immigration restriction, or cutting all immigration from Muslim countries or something. Suppose that these hypothetical protests were as large and successful as the student walkout and March for Our Lives. Suppose the students lobbied national and state politicians, and appeared on TV a lot, seeming to handle the situation with impressive aplomb for young people.
One of these student leaders applies to your college, with credentials otherwise similar to Hogg’s. You don’t agree with immigration restriction. Would you say, “I don’t agree with this student’s positions but wow, he and his fellow student leaders have galvanized the country. This student has shown passion, leadership and extraordinary organizing ability, so we should accept him”? I like to think I would, but it’s easy to see oneself as the good guy.
Wow - there are plenty of reasons someone might not score in a way to show their full potential on a test like the SAT. To kids that score great - kudos. When I took the ACT in the dark ages,I took it once with no prep. My score absolutely did not reflect my work in high school, graduating among the top 5% among kids many who did go to elite schools, what I did at my flagship U in an engineering program or the 99%+ I got on the GMAT. I was first gen and prepping for a college test was not on our radar. Gifted doesn’t come in one size or flavor.
Don’t assume someone who doesn’t have a high flying score has less academic or career potential.
Celebrity and money certainly has gotten less qualified people into elite schools.
David Hogg and his classmates have experienced a trauma that may take years to recover from, if they ever recover at all. I think the mere fact that they can get up every morning and face the day is remarkable enough. Maybe the discussion about whether Hogg can get into a “better” college next year has come up because this is College Confidential, but I feel that focusing on the possibility of a “better” college trivializes what Hogg and his classmates went through.
ETA: It was life and death, not adding playing the tuba or Model UN to your ECs.
^^^ Mic drop
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And I could see him at UCI where he can intern in LA. They’re all good choices. No flies on UCI. Don’t think NYU, American or GW are more highly regarded choices.
I definitely could see him in a political field. American or GW could be such beneficial schools
Maybe, the answer is to have less holistic admissions, much more along the lines of Oxford/Cambridge. Structurally, reduce the potential for adcom bias to enter into the process.
I’d admit him just on the basis that his twitter bio includes “terrible speller”! Terrible spellers of the world must stick together!
I wonder if one gap year will be enough. If he is applying to other schools, he’d be working on apps while mid term elections are happening. Regardless, I’m one of his 760K Twitter followers watching with interest.
I have always thought of “celebrity admissions” as admitting a child of a well known movie star/athlete/businessperson etc. the kind of privilege which is not really because of anything a student actually did him/herself.
To me David Hogg is not a “celebrity” but rather a young person who was involuntarily thrust into a situation that no one wants to be put into but has risen above it and is working to make a change. He is a young man of passion and conviction and if I were on an admissions team I would absolutely want him at my college.
He is a true leader and will be an asset no matter what school he attends. I wish him all the best.
@roethlisburger If I were an adcom I would hope that I could see past the politics of the issue an spot a leader.
I would also hope they could see past a middling SAT score and do the same.