Please chance my daughter, Does she have a "hook"?

lookingforward
Fri, 04 May 2012 00:32:02 +0000

Stanford won’t hold her politics against her. They may like her activism. What she’s missing, on your list, at least, is other community service to benefit others, not just pursue her own interests. And, a sense of what legit responsibilities she holds (and any leadership) in the political activities. And/or some attention she has receved for her efforts. It’s not so much about hard work and “passion,” as about her vision, follow through and accomplishments.

Why only honors? Did she choose to delay APs or is she taking them now? Hard to fathom, but most of the competition will apply with 4.0+ weighted, including a stack of APs. If your hs simply doesn’t offer APs before senior year, that’s another matter. But, with the high-ish rank, and low-ish ACT scores, it suggests your hs isn’t highly competitive. If she really just doesn’t test well, yes, try the SAT.

Sorry about your family situation. Get to know finaid.org to understand how fin aid works and what mistakes not to make. Be sure to find safety schools (for admittance and for costs/financial aid) that she will love. And, remember, the essay should really be “show not tell.” Good luck.