What exactly are individual top colleges looking for?

alcibiade
Thu, 08 Jun 2017 09:17:54 +0000

I must say, I think a lot of people are indulging in stereotypical thinking if they are critical of students devising a strategy. There are many ways to do so, from “building your resume” in a meaninglessly pile on to simply understanding what a particular school is looking for, part of which is knowing if the place is right for you. Of course, I see the point of authenticity, but a strategy does not automatically make someone “inauthentic”, whatever that is supposed to mean.

Many also assume that, because my d did devise a strategy, it was because we parents pressured her to so so. That was not the case for us. All I can say is, she knew what she wanted to shoot for and that it suited her, then she did it. Setting her own goals for high school was a great way to focus and keep working hard. Then disciplining herself in her ECs - all activities she would have liked to do anyway - helped. Together, it made her a better applicant. That’s all I wanted to convey in the hope of helping.