Originally Posted by Wren
Originally Posted by HowlerKarma
This is hard, though, because in a low SES household, those hours may wind up being empty anyway, or filled with things that are... er... well, probably not suitable for academic consideration.

I know it is the exception, but the NYT always showcases some kid from Harlem that got into Harvard, who not only got amazing scores, but kept 2 part time jobs. ECs don't have to be volunteering or expensive dance classes.

And a friend of mine who recruited for Carnegie-Mellon for years gave it up in disgust when a white anglo saxon Protestant male kid he put forward from an ultra-low SES family with absent father, mentally ill/drug addict mother who got stellar grades and worked 40+ hours outside of HS to support his mother and 3 younger siblings did not make the cut because he had no ECs.

It has indeed become a lottery!

Last edited by madeinuk; 09/12/14 10:38 AM.
Become what you are