Anyone else find this business of EC's a little inane?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
21

<p>
[quote]
I like my research, and I'm sure lots of other people do too.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Not the point, though. The point is that those of us who don't look so favorably on such a thing are being well-nigh forced to undertake such tasks. What's the good in that?</p>

<p>Sincerity is a virtue, last time I checked, and those among us who do it because of the "incentive" that colleges provide must relinquish that virtue (which, though an abstraction, is of great importance, no?), in return for a tangible gain. Doesn't that teach the exact opposite of the intent?</p>

<p>Also, look at it this way, for ye who do love thy endeavors - it dilutes the pool. When the majority of the time, one cannot differentiate between the passionate and the false (innately brilliantly gifted aside), it proves unjust to the truly motivated, since a line on a transcript can't describe it, and regardless of what they say, it is not difficult for a person willing to give up their sincerity to do the activities to write falsely as well.</p>

<p>In effect, on the one hand, we have a group which learns that charitable works, or, indeed, work in general should yield benefits, and on the other, those who earnestly do said things don't receive the attention that they should, from a system that is supposed to reward EC's.</p>

<p>What do I propose? A system that considers only scores for applications. After all, if you love your work, you'd do it regardless of reward. Sounds a bit hypocritical, considering that I said that EC's are supposed to be rewarded, right? Yet, I don't see a system that could work without tainting the pool, so I figure if one honestly loves it, the love and joy it brings ought be reward enough.</p>

<p>@ dubisteinschuh - Hey! I call that for mine! :D</p>

22

<p>PrescitedEntity, it's really hard to understand what you were trying to say.
General reply: I love my research and everything I'm doing and I am NOT doing it for line on transcript for Harvard application. I think it's very wrong to build your life around mythical acceptance into university.</p>

23

<p>:S</p>

<p>Which part was difficult? I know I might have sounded a bit self-contradictory, but I don't think that it was incoherent, and I explained the conflicting points I presented, as far as I can tell.</p>

24

<p>
[quote]
Also, look at it this way, for ye who do love thy endeavors - it dilutes the pool. When the majority of the time, one cannot differentiate between the passionate and the false (innately brilliantly gifted aside), it proves unjust to the truly motivated, since a line on a transcript can't describe it, and regardless of what they say, it is not difficult for a person willing to give up their sincerity to do the activities to write falsely as well.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That's true. Though most people who are good enough at their activities to, say, win Intel or an IMO gold medal or whatnot probably enjoy their work, or else it'd be utterly unbearable doing it eight hours a day. Maybe only really awesome activities should be considered...</p>

<p>
[quote]
What do I propose? A system that considers only scores for applications. After all, if you love your work, you'd do it regardless of reward. Sounds a bit hypocritical, considering that I said that EC's are supposed to be rewarded, right? Yet, I don't see a system that could work without tainting the pool, so I figure if one honestly loves it, the love and joy it brings ought be reward enough.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Many people get good grades and SAT scores because of college admissions too.
Besides, there'd be too many 4.0-2400s and no way to distinguish between them. I think they do that in China, though, and it works to some extent. I mean, it separates the strong from the weak, but at the same time, makes the environment much more cutthroat (grades are the single test of virtue, so everyone unambiguously realizes they must get a 4.0 or die). Meaning a lot more people will only get good grades because they want to get into good colleges.</p>

<p>(Sorry if that was incoherent :))</p>

25

<p>Colleges want to see your personality, and sometimes, an essay isn't enough. I guess they want to see a lot of after school activities, because the activities you choose indicate what kind of person you are. Even if you don't like doing so much after school, you're still choosing something you like doing, at least a little (I hope).</p>

26

<p>What if you like comic art, or something equally obscure and trivial?</p>

<p>Certainly, that wouldn't have nearly as much weight as Key Club.</p>

<p>I devote hours of my time to being a comic artist for my school newspaper and in general, because it is a hobby I'm passionate about, but d'ya think the colleges will think anything of it?</p>

<p>No, because it can't be categorized as one of the following:</p>

<p>1) Demonstrates "leadership".
2) Community/civil service.
3) Teamwork and cooperation skills.
4) Conducive to planned area of study.
5) Awards.</p>

<p>Rather limited mindset.</p>

<p>And I'm sorry that I can't start a club based on it, or something to that effect - I'm already too bogged down. Nor am I talented enough (because, hard as it may be for y'all on this board to believe, not everyone is endowed with innate prowess in that which they love) to pursue it to any level.</p>

<p>As for the pure scores thing, I'm talking about, of course, a composite of standardized test scores and course work. Course work should reflect interest as well, and not be a laundry list of APs taken to boost GPA and rank; I'm a hypocrit in this, though, since I have taken APs in subjects in which I'm only vaguely interested - more out of resignation than a desire to do so.</p>