It's by no means a large percentage who reach out to me - maybe 10-20% of those who end up attending, and rarely any who don't get in. Once in a blue moon a kid who doesn't get in will ping me to ask which school I'd recommend he or she attend based on where he or she did get in, but usually I tell them it's best for me not to weigh in.

You'd be surprised - a lot of these kids are driving the application process themselves. Sure - I'm guessing there are helicopter parents in some cases, but these kids are go getters and I'd venture that some of them opt on their own to bring in a resume.

I applied to 16 colleges back when I went through the process - I know, LOL. I only didn't get into two - Stanford and,......Northwestern. I got into probably 5 other schools which, on paper, were better than Northwestern, but for whatever reason they didn't admit me.

Stanford has always been and probably always will be one of the toughest schools to get into, at any level.

Yeah high school GF got into Harvard Law and Stanford law and also to Cornell Law. She was like I'm coming to visit to check out the law school. I was like where else did you get into? She told me. I was like, you'll never want to come here, don't come. She didn't. She of course went to Stanford and lives out in Cali now. Man, Stanford is a beautiful school and has nice weather. Obviously learning there is top notch too.

On the day I got into the school I ultimately attended, which was my top choice other than perhaps Stanford, I was suppose to go to an interview for another school that evening. I blew it off and didn't even call to say I wasn't going, since why bother when I'd never go there even if I got in. I got in. I still feel bad about it.

I've never had a kid no show on me so far though. And no kids really has ever been late either. Of course it helps that the interview is in the same town where they live.

One thing I always tell them is not to write me a thank you note. I hate saying it in a way, because it's so presumptive; but these are busy kids and I don't need them to have to take the time and energy to write me a note, especially since I submit the reports usually right after I interview them, so by the time the note gets to me I'll have already moved on. I used to not say anything and roughly a third to half the kids would at least dash off a quite thank you email. I started tell them not to though after one interviewee wrote - I kid you not - a three page handwritten note. It was a lovely note but all I could think of was how long it took them to write it so I decided then and there to just tell kids it's not necessary, just like I tell them no need to dress up.

Rizzee, that last part is very thoughtful of you.

3-page handwritten note, wow.

I figure I'll share a few notable interview stories, in case people are interested.

One time a kid showed up wearing a cape, like a superman type cape. I could tell he was dying for me to ask about it but I felt like he was trying too hard and I purposely wanted to see how he'd do without me asking about it. I ended up giving him a very good write-up though, but he didn't get in.

One time a kid's phone made a noise and he was totally thrown after that, thinking he blew it then and there. It got so bad that I asked if he wanted to continue on another day, but he said no and I promised him the phone thing would not be held against him. But after it happened he basically couldn't even string ten words together and I had to give him a poor report, although even still I tried to highlight some aspects about him that I thought were good.

Only once did I ever interview a younger sibling of another kid who I'd previously interviewed. The older sibling hadn't been admitted and the younger one seemed to have a chip on his shoulder about it, and a few times said "oh - was this one you asked my brother too" or something to that effect. I was puzzled. If this kid was sitting for an interview to get back at me for his brother for not getting in, then more power to him.

No one has ever farted or had to excuse themself to go to the bathroom, but one kid had a water bottle the size of Texas and was guzzling from it every chance he could. I think by the end he really had to go to the bathroom but didn't want to say so. I asked if he needed a break but he said no. I rushed through the last few questions and sure enough as we both left the room he made a bee line for the bathroom. I wish he'd said something, although he was a strong candidate and eventually got in. I still think of him every time a kid brings in a drink to the interview.

Lol'ed at Superman cape. Did you at least ask him at the very end, or did he just go away disappointed?

Re: younger sibling, if he had used the entire interview to deliver sick burns on you and your school, that would have been pretty funny.

I said nothing - not a single word about the cape. I'm a stubborn mule.

I think the younger kid might have come to the interview with that as his agenda, but for whatever reason he held back thinking maybe I'd rat him out to his high school (I wouldn't have), so instead of throwing wild haymakers the entire time he just took a few small jabs that barely were noticeable.

One thing that surprises me is how few kids I've gone on to run into around town over the years. When I do see one and we realize who we are, it's awkward even if they got in, and thankfully I've only had to engage in brief small talk a few times. I always worry they think I was the reason they didn't get in, when in truth I'm less of a negative difference maker than they might imagine.

Rizzee, how sad. You can be thoughtful to those poor saps who write 3-page handwritten notes, but you can't apply a little common courtesy to flamboyant peacocking alpha males?!

Younger kid - gotta go big or go home bruh. He failed at each level by not doing either, he did the worst combo of the 2 options.

Re: running into them again, I would speculate that it's just awkward running into semi-acquaintances that you barely know, and not having much to say, especially for kids/young adults to older adults. I could be wrong, but I would think that most kids know that the interview is not make or break, for the most part.

I live in a pretty big city so I haven't run into any of the kids again. When I interviewed kids in Memphis, a few have become my linkedin friend when they got to the end of their time at whatever college they went to Cornell or not. Many of the kids don't live in part of the city I'm in and less likely would they frequent places I would go so I'm not worried but then again I haven't done this that long.

I definitely run into girls I've gone on online dates with. I recently got married and was at a bar with my friends and this girl I went on a date with probably 4 years ago was there. She looked pretty much the same and I've seen her twice now since we went on our one date. Well my buddy didn't know that I knew her, went up to her and was talking to her and her friend. He was like I have exciting news for you, I was like what, that girl over there was into you. I laughed cause of course I knew her but only went on 1 date with her. Honestly it should have been more, but I was dealing with a few other girls and she fell through the cracks.

"I got into probably 5 other schools which, on paper, were better than Northwestern, but for whatever reason they didn't admit me"

Good chance the NU turndown was geographic or something similar. I was told informally that one of the primary reasons I got it was because I had a non-traditional premed path, which they liked, and because I was from a state/area that hadn't had someone admitted for a couple of years. Had there been a "stronger" candidate with those boxes checked, I probably would have ended up at Georgetown, and my life/career would look completely different. Kind of scary how random life is......

MM MD

That could be it, since I lived pretty far away. But the same could be said for a few other top schools which did let me in. I think beyond geography it has do with whether others who they've admitted from my school in the past have actually bothered to attend. If not, then I think after a while they stop admitting or cut back.

I used to interview for Princeton back in the 80s. Most of the interviews I conducted were at the homes of the applicants, and their parents were, of course, usually in the next room.

One time, though, I had the weirdest interview. Quite memorable.

It was my last interview of the day, like 8pm. I show up, and there's this huge party going on. Lots of high school boys and older girls. No parents in sight. Odd. I get shown to an office and my applicant finally comes in, and seems completely frazzled - he obviously had forgotten I was coming.

In the middle of the interview, one of the older girls comes in wheeling a cot and listens in. Think she was his girlfriend or business partner or something. Gorgeous. Really strange, though.

The kid was like in the 84th percentile, 52nd in his class, 3.1 GPA, a few clubs, wanted to major in business. He had done some solid work, but it wasn't really Ivy League, you know?

The kid realizes this. Then he does something I had never seen in an interview before: he takes some Ray Bans out, puts them on, lights a cigarette, and says...

"There's one thing I've learned, in all my years...sometimes, you've just got to say...what the fu*k."

I was stunned. The interview was over. I finally left the house a few hours later, a very happy man, though.

That kid got into Princeton.

Lol. Parents donate, he have some special talent/quality you neglected to mention, or how did he get in?

is that from Risky Business?

confirmed....with your quote. pretty funny dom.

Skipped the whole thread, so sorry if this has been addressed.

On one hand I hear tons of middle age and up adults constantly complaining that “kids these days” are lazy, unmotivated and want everything to be just given to them.

On the other hand I hear tons of folks say “There is no way I could have gotten into my college/law school/Med school if I were applying today” because applicants are getting more and more qualified.

What’s the real story here if you had to explain it?

there's a lot of really sharp kids and due to internet, etc. it's easy to do research and figure things out.

the bar for applying to college (especially good ones) has just gone way up. things that you were doing in college and now being done in high school or maybe earlier. i bet it's the same story for when i was applying to college, those 10-20 years before me would have been impressed with what i was doing. the bar just keeps rising. for instance, in college they had a robotics club. well a lot of kids I interview especially here in Philadelphia, they compete in Robotics competitions in high school. My high school, in Tennessee, never had those options. I did my fair share of stuff in school and through extra curriculars--my mother kept me busy and so did I.

...

Returns to education keeps on rising so investment keeps rising. Straight Economics my man

Took me until about a third of the way through to sniff it out....

I can't speak for the applicant pool of schools other my top tier one, but for sure with each passing year the kids get more impressive. It's not so much their laundry list of achievements and/or activities - they're going out there and doing things that make a measurable impact in the here and now. Sure, I'm guessing in some cases they opportunities that others don't due to their parents or other factors, but not all these kids are wealthy or connected and they parlay good grades or what they show in the classroom in order to get jobs during the summer that are pretty darn impressive, or they invent things or they lead or are chiefly involved in movements or organizations where they make a measurable impact.

If I had to sum it up briefly, they're so far and away more mature and motivated than kids five years ago, who back then were more mature and motivated than kids five years earlier, etc. It's a cycle I don't see ending any time soon.

That's great to hear, from a societal standpoint.

Don't be so sure. I feel that the college applicant pool of today might mimic the current wealth distribution in the US - that is, the very best at the tippy top, and the rest all grouped together in a spot that might be lower than those even ten years ago.

And people think India has a caste problem.

Well, you said that these top applicants aren't necessarily based on wealth, and that it's not just good grades or laundry lists of achievements, but rather that "they're going out there and doing things that make a measurable impact in the here and now."

That sounds pretty good, even if it's the top end of the pool, compared to the top end from years or decades ago.

I'm not sure about the latter part of your statement - do you think that the rest of the pool is worse than it was 10+ years ago, and that those people will have a worse impact on society?