If my work at a particular activity was covered in Forbes, GenomeWeb, The Journal News, World Student Magazine, [My Town] Homes and Gardens, my local newspaper, and an NYC radio station, would it be appropriate to include this information in the “describe this activity and recognition you received” section of the Common Application? Or would a Yale admissions reader see this as stuck up/otherwise obnoxious and judge me based on that? I don’t want them to think I’m a braggart or something, but if it’s something I should include then I want to make sure I don’t overlook it …
Yes, it would be appropriate. In addition, I would take one (1) article – the best one from the most noted publication, such as Forbes – and snail mail Yale Admissions a copy to be added to your file. Admissions will not see it as you being stuck up, obnoxious or bragging. They’ll see it as a student being proactive and demonstrating that they did something outstanding that few other high school students have accomplished.
I agree to have a copy of the Forbes article submitted but have it sent by your guidance rather than from you. That way you will not be the one having it brought to their attention. We did this for my daughter and although she personally mailed the item she was known for to the AO. However when we met them they said they never even saw what she had sent. They knew about her accomplishments because it had been sent by guidance. They said that much of the mail is opened and sorted before it ever gets to the file.