First, I think schools that your DD may be interested in, MIT, Caltech, are all about the scores and her science projects.

And ping pong is serious enough for a girl on the National team to get into Harvard this year.

I do not know why you are fretting about it Howler. My good childhood friend is seriously PG, did her undergrad in Physics and then her PhD in nuclear engineering. The jobs were handed to her on "silver platters". It was a bit of an issue because her fiance was in the same program and not getting the offers that she was. She is just amazingly brilliant and into science. She has had an long, successful career, in that she can change direction within the company, which she does every 7 years from boredom and they totally support her. She hasn't made billions but has the life she likes and work that satisfies her.

I had a summer job and had to run a small city Canadian day beauty pageant for the parade. I had 15-16 year olds enter (I was 19). I got some free meals for them, we did a local fashion show and got some prizes. I arranged for make up and the lot for the pageant. The girl who won was so excited. A real lovely girl. She had scars from burns on much of her torso, that I noticed when they did changes. I gave her a ride home one night and couldn't figure out where we were going because she directed me behind a strip mall, where I saw a small shack. This kid had very little and appreciated what I created so much. I was happy that she won the contest.

Your kid will have so much opportunity and probably better options than Harvard or Yale. Let the ping pongers get the spots. There may be a bunch of kids in that lot that will so appreciate their chance at to make something of themselves when they don't have a lot. I am not saying there are not a bunch of rich kids. DH found out that classmates paid millions to get their son in and he didn't get accepted. Harvard has some standards.