What exactly are individual top colleges looking for?

planner03
Wed, 07 Jun 2017 01:04:56 +0000

@TheGFG For example, like many boys, my son loved sports and played all three seasons throughout middle school and high school. However, although he was a varsity athlete, he was no star.

This is my S18 as well. Sadly despite the endless hours dedicated by a 3 sport athlete, usually starting in grade school, unless they plan to play at the college level it is almost irrelevant how much passion and commitment they have had. Colleges are looking for kids with ECs that will translate somehow to the college campus in an impactful way and unfortunately that doesn’t mean intramural athletes.

Our school district is not at all competitive and there is very little strategizing going at any point, which is quite obvious when you look at the dismal admissions results. Kids just do their thing and parents are really laid back about it. Once every couple of years or so there is some kid that really stands out in some way, but it is rare. So, based on my own reality I have to disagree that a typical kid is going to win the admissions race without some strategizing from at least 9th grade.