Michelle's helps with college admission

[ruby59]

I don't understand it either. Yes, there are people who get where they are because of who they know (*cough*, Ivanka and Jared, *cough*) BUT THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM. If anything, I'd think that the OP would value the hard work that this girl put in - she works 9.5 hour days 5 days a week AND takes advanced classes AND volunteers, instead of demeaning her for a 4.6 GPA.

And, the OP repeatedly ignores the fact that Michelle Obama or, really, any other logical person (famous or not), would not write a glowing recommendation for anyone undeserving. If Michelle Obama can be criticized for showing her bare arms and wearing shorts, can you imagine the flack she'd get for writing a college recommendation for a doofus?

She should not be writing a letter of recommendation for anyone other than her two girls unless she was the direct supervisor of Yara.

And note it was Yara who took advantage of the situation when she blurted it out on Stage with Mrs. Obama. If she were that good, Mrs. Obama would have volunteered to do so, like my kids' teachers and direct supervisors have.

Never said Yara was a doofus. But I doubt she is the best candidate who applied either.

 

[ruby59]

What backlash? the kid applied to many schools, she was bound to get in.. She WOULDN'T have applied if she didn't think she would get into ONE of them..

Do you think she is not a qualified student? Do you want to pass a law that students aren't allowed to get letters of rec from Michelle Obama?? Seriously your inability to give the kid credit for her hard work is troublesome.

Two of the schools I know she applied to are Brown and Harvard. Look them up. Each is the hardest to get into in their respective State. Many apply, very few are taken. So she is hardly a shoo in on her own merit of a 4.6 GPA and no mention of SAT or ACT scores.

And she got into EVERY school she applied to. What are the odds if she had gone solo?

 

[E B]

Ivanka and Eric, their father got them in on a legacy as many parents do with their children.

Do you consider this fair?

 

[ruby59]

Who cares what they are.. if your kid or my kid (who did quite well in high school but he never even considered going Ivy since he refused to do volunteer work ha!) wants to go to a highly competitive college then they will have to be more than just a scholar.. they have to be unique to what the college is looking for.

If my kid could have gotten into Dartmouth and he wanted to go I would have been thrilled my kid isn't dumb enough to turn down a good thing. (of course he's 25 now and a programmer)

Do you think Yaya is that unique. She is an actress.

We had high school kids who went overseas to volunteer, who started their own very successful companies, who had patents on products they invented, that were turned down, leaving their AP teachers and the Principal clueless as to how that could happen.

 

[ruby59]

Do you consider this fair?

No. Just because a father got into a school does not mean the child is qualified.

But they do the same in charter schools where if a student is admitted, their siblings get first dibs.

But a legacy is hardly the same thing as a letter from the former first lady who by all the accounts I am reading had a casual acquaintance with her at best and was put on the spot when Yara blurted it out on stage.

I wonder if she would have still done it if Yara had asked out of the public view.

 

[SMC]

She should not be writing a letter of recommendation for anyone other than her two girls unless she was the direct supervisor of Yara.

And note it was Yara who took advantage of the situation when she blurted it out on Stage with Mrs. Obama. If she were that good, Mrs. Obama would have volunteered to do so, like my kids' teachers and direct supervisors have.

Never said Yara was a doofus. But I doubt she is the best candidate who applied either.

Wait, what? Parents should write letters of recommendation for their children's college applications?

 

[E B]

But a legacy is hardly the same thing as a letter from the former first lady

Right. One is just the luck of being born into a rich and powerful family. The other is being impressive enough to have the FLOTUS write you a letter of recommendation.

The rest is simply assumption.

 

[ruby59]

Wait, what? Parents should write letters of recommendation for their children's college applications?

Did you read my post. Reread it because you obviously missed where I said "no"

 

[SMC]

Did you read my post. Reread it because you obviously missed where I said "no"

This is the sentence that I read: She should not be writing a letter of recommendation for anyone other than her two girls unless she was the direct supervisor of Yara.

Where did you say no? The way I read that was "Michelle Obama is only qualified to write letters for her two girls (daughters Sasha and Malia) and not Yara unless Michelle was Yara's direct supervisor." How else would you interpret this?

 

[Tekate]

Do you think Yaya is that unique. She is an actress.

We had high school kids who went overseas to volunteer, who started their own very successful companies, who had patents on products they invented, that were turned down, leaving their AP teachers and the Principal clueless as to how that could happen.

Yes I do think she was that unique. Do you think Brooke Shields was unique? Princeton. Do you think Emma Watson was unqiue? Brown. Do you think Natalie Portman was unique? Harvard.

Those kids in high school were not unique enough...hey my husband has patents.. so what.. not that impressive as you can patent anything.

So what makes a kid IN YOUR OPINION eligible to get into Ivy and schools like Stanford?

 

[ruby59]

by ruby59 » 33 minutes ago
↑
Do you consider this fair?
No. Just because a father got into a school does not mean the child is qualified.

But they do the same in charter schools where if a student is admitted, their siblings get first dibs.

But a legacy is hardly the same thing as a letter from the former first lady who by all the accounts I am reading had a casual acquaintance with her at best and was put on the spot when Yara blurted it out on stage.

I wonder if she would have still done it if Yara had asked out of the public view.

 

[Tekate]

No. Just because a father got into a school does not mean the child is qualified.

But they do the same in charter schools where if a student is admitted, their siblings get first dibs.

But a legacy is hardly the same thing as a letter from the former first lady who by all the accounts I am reading had a casual acquaintance with her at best and was put on the spot when Yara blurted it out on stage.

I wonder if she would have still done it if Yara had asked out of the public view.

How do you know they had a casual relationship? Were you there? I mean really Ruby, keep trying, this one kid who got into all the schools she applied to and had Michelle Obama write a rec because she worked with Mrs Obama and Obama felt like she knew her work ethic and abilities well enough to write that rec. You think Obama is dumb? likes being used by a kid? THINK .. think thin.

 

[Tekate]

Two of the schools I know she applied to are Brown and Harvard. Look them up. Each is the hardest to get into in their respective State. Many apply, very few are taken. So she is hardly a shoo in on her own merit of a 4.6 GPA and no mention of SAT or ACT scores.

And she got into EVERY school she applied to. What are the odds if she had gone solo?

I posted pointers for you to READ.. and you can see what other kids had that made them eligible for acceptance to IVY and most of them have less creds than Yara btw.

 

[ruby59]

Yes I do think she was that unique. Do you think Brooke Shields was unique? Princeton. Do you think Emma Watson was unqiue? Brown. Do you think Natalie Portman was unique? Harvard.

Those kids in high school were not unique enough...hey my husband has patents.. so what.. not that impressive as you can patent anything.

So what makes a kid IN YOUR OPINION eligible to get into Ivy and schools like Stanford?

Like I said Emma Watson dropped out for a year then went back. No nothing special about Brooke Shields that I know of. Not sure who Natalie Portman is?

You have to know something about Brown's ideology. They want at least one person from every country in the world. The joke there is if someone from alpha centauri beamed down there would be a representative from Brown offering college admission for their kid.

And before you ask, yes diversity is fine but tell that to students with better credentials who worked their Asses off all year just to be told it is all politics.

And what makes a kid eligible to get into IVY schools - 13 years of grades, test scores, SAT or ACT score, volunteering in the community, leadership skills. In other words, grades and accomplishments.

 

[ruby59]

How do you know they had a casual relationship? Were you there? I mean really Ruby, keep trying, this one kid who got into all the schools she applied to and had Michelle Obama write a rec because she worked with Mrs Obama and Obama felt like she knew her work ethic and abilities well enough to write that rec. You think Obama is dumb? likes being used by a kid? THINK .. think thin.

I think Mrs. Obama was put on the spot.

 

[Tekate]

I think Mrs. Obama was put on the spot.

Why do you think Mrs Obama was put on the spot?

 

[E B]

And before you ask, yes diversity is fine but tell that to students with better credentials who worked their Asses off all year just to be told it is all politics.

There it is.

 

[Tekate]

Like I said Emma Watson dropped out for a year then went back. No nothing special about Brooke Shields that I know of. Not sure who Natalie Portman is?

You have to know something about Brown's ideology. They want at least one person from every country in the world. The joke there is if someone from alpha centauri beamed down there would be a representative from Brown offering college admission for their kid.

And before you ask, yes diversity is fine but tell that to students with better credentials who worked their Asses off all year just to be told it is all politics.

And what makes a kid eligible to get into IVY schools - 13 years of grades, test scores, SAT or ACT score, volunteering in the community, leadership skills. In other words, grades and accomplishments.

So who cares if Watson dropped out.. she finished. So if there is nothing special about Shields how did she get into Princeton?? Natalie Portman, look her up she's an Oscar winner.

I don't care about Brown's ideology. These schools want diversity.. they don't want every kid with a 4.9, 800 Sats and nothing else.. you have the extra like these hollywood stars or you have legacy or you have what they want for diversity.

If there are kids that worked their asses off and had better creds but didn't get in then maybe what the school was looking for they didn't have that year.. It takes MORE than 13 years of school test scores SAT (ACT is dumb I think)..volunteering and leadership skills.. maybe all that made less of an impact than what OTHERS did.

 

[ruby59]

Why do you think Mrs Obama was put on the spot?

Did you read the link. Yaya asked her when they were both on stage at a conference. Would you have had her say no.

 

[ksinger]

There it is.

Yep. I was wondering when the 9000 lb gorilla was finally going to fart at this party. Right on time.

 

[ruby59]

So who cares if Watson dropped out.. she finished. So if there is nothing special about Shields how did she get into Princeton?? Natalie Portman, look her up she's an Oscar winner.

I don't care about Brown's ideology. These schools want diversity.. they don't want every kid with a 4.9, 800 Sats and nothing else.. you have the extra like these hollywood stars or you have legacy or you have what they want for diversity.

If there are kids that worked their asses off and had better creds but didn't get in then maybe what the school was looking for they didn't have that year.. It takes MORE than 13 years of school test scores SAT (ACT is dumb I think)..volunteering and leadership skills.. maybe all that made less of an impact than what OTHERS did.

What impact are you referring to? You cannot be referring to their resumes which are extremely impressive.

Why not give them an interview and then decide?

 

[ruby59]

Yep. I was wondering when the 9000 lb gorilla was finally going to fart at this party. Right on time.

And what gorilla would you be referring to? And be careful where you go because if you do go there you got there all on your own.

 

[Tekate]

Did you read the link. Yaya asked her when they were both on stage at a conference. Would you have had her say no.

http://www.wmagazine.com/story/yara-shahidi-blackish-spinoff-beyonce-pregnancy-michelle-obama
Mrs Obama told her to go get 'em re: AP tests. - I'm sure Mrs Obama does that for everyone who asks
http://www.austin360.com/news/natio...recommendation-letter/Aww5qU4x8AN4L2L1nYd3tL/
The first time the actress met Mrs Obama.

It's not as though she did not know Mrs. Obama.. All Michelle Obama had to do was give a little laugh and say we'll see! Obama doesn't 'seem' to be the type of woman who let's what people think of her stop her or make her do something.

 

[Tekate]

What impact are you referring to? You cannot be referring to their resumes which are extremely impressive.

Why not give them an interview and then decide?

Ask the colleges I don't know. People are different, colleges receive tons of applications, Harvard accepts 6% of applicants and they don't interview them all.. I think your question is better asked to the Ivy's themselves.. but one guess is time and money, if every college interviewed every candidate then it would be quite time and money consuming.

The impact, starting a program and it becomes national news, being in high school working 7 days a week at your job (tv, movies, whatever) mainting a 4.60 and above.. showing leader skills not just having the potential... off my head anyway.

 

[Tekate]

Did you read the link. Yaya asked her when they were both on stage at a conference. Would you have had her say no.

I don't think I would have cared one way or the other.

 

[ruby59]

I am not faulting Mrs. Obama. It is YaYa who I feel overstepped boundaries.

We are going round in circles.

My opinions based on working in the school system and taking notes for the principal when this has come up again and again, YaYa already has the benefit of being known due to her role in Blackish. So hitting up Mrs. Obama imo does not put her on an even playing field with all the other 17 year olds trying to get their foot in the door.

 

[Tekate]

I am not faulting Mrs. Obama. It is YaYa who I feel overstepped boundaries.

We are going round in circles.

My opinions based on working in the school system and taking notes for the principal when this has come up again and again, YaYa already has the benefit of being known due to her role in Blackish. So hitting up Mrs. Obama imo does not put her on an even playing field with all the other 17 year olds trying to get their foot in the door.

It doesn't bother me, and she's young. I give a bye to young people. Yara is known for her work on Blackish, her volunteer work, all her work done as a child actress and her work with Mrs Obama. I can't get worked up over the fact that movie starts, tv stars etc go to Harvard etc.. and who they ask for their recs is who they ask. The kid got in because she met or exceeded the requirements for the colleges she applied to for their requirements for entrance.. Hitting up is usually met with a no not a yes. Mrs Obama could easily have said no. it's easy to say no.

 

[Tekate]

N

Tekate, my comment was not directed towards you, not sure if you think it was? I actually didn't even read your comment about your son until just now.

I'm saying that in general, parents slamming kids who get into competitive schools comes across as sour grapes.

Different schools want different things. Find the school where your kid will thrive, don't begrudge another kid their success at a "better" school.

Not at all, I was agreeing with you.. sorry my kid isn't dumb, he's probably damn smart, but he wasn't smart enough to care or want to go Ivy.. and we don't have legacy ha! I went to SUNY and hubster went to University of Illinois, Circle..

My kid is doing very well without even going to Ivy

I agree, I saw a lot when my boys were young.. the 'gifted' group! Peace and sorry if I come across wrong I have this bad habit of writing what I say and not think. (SUNY grad )

 

[ruby59]

It doesn't bother me, and she's young. I give a bye to young people. Yara is known for her work on Blackish, her volunteer work, all her work done as a child actress and her work with Mrs Obama. I can't get worked up over the fact that movie starts, tv stars etc go to Harvard etc.. and who they ask for their recs is who they ask. The kid got in because she met or exceeded the requirements for the colleges she applied to for their requirements for entrance.. Hitting up is usually met with a no not a yes. Mrs Obama could easily have said no. it's easy to say no.

Then I guess the difference between you and I is that I have seen it from the other side of students who have worked their tails off all their lives with impeccable grades and resume absolutely gutted because they were wait listed or turned down because the seat went to someone else with absolutely no explanation why.

 

[Tekate]

Yes, I know Emma Watson went to Brown and then dropped out and then went back.

Ivanka and Eric, their father got them in on a legacy as many parents do with their children. Yara took advantage of an opportunity when she was on stage with the First Lady that other kids who are just as accomplished or even more so cannot.

You keep mentioning Calculus 4. My kids all took the advanced class and got A's in it as do many many other kids.

Two of the schools I know Yara applied to are Harvard and Brown. Look them up, in their respective states they are two of the hardest schools to get into. I have seen children in the various school systems I have worked in with a perfect 5.0 and 1600 on the Sat's get wait listed or not admitted at all.

Read College Confidential for each school and you will get a better understanding of this.

Do you seriously think that with all the publicity of Michelle Obama writtng a letter to two very very liberal schools like Brown and Harvard (look them up, Brown is in my home state) and they would turn her down, then you are not living in the real world.

Unless you know her graduation GPA, her SATs, read her essay, read her AP Calc teacher's recommendation you cannot make any judgement. Unless you sat there while the teams that go over apps then you cannot say that she got in because Michelle Obama wrote her a recommendation.

I feel very happy in my alternate universe to yours. Peace. Out.