"Don't do it just to get into college..."

<p>Go ahead. Get a life :)</p>

<p>you should ttgiang. What I dont find logical is that there is ONE or two supergreat EC's that is a must for a college app... but really... if everyone joins it, will it be that valuable anymore? Thats why I am saying, the college app office is not STUPID. If everyone is joining DECA or the chess club then it makes no point to them, everyone is in it, so how can we tell the difference? </p>

<p>Thats why I assume people say to follow your interests, and passion. It diversifies you from the rest.</p>

<p>EDIT: But as I say again, I am a freshmen, half of the people here are junior and below. Why dont we continue this discussion when someone who has done what is described here and has made it into HYP or another high college like Stanford or MIT, then we can continue, until then, this solution is very illogical.</p>

<p>I do however agree that you should do the little things that might help you, but make them related to your interests and passions.</p>

<p>A-san, in response to your comment about the One or Two supergreat EC's, usually they are very exclusive and not open to just anyone and everyone to join. They're usually limited to people who possess the high level of skill or ability required to participate in that EC. Examples include RSI, TASP, any of the olympiads, Siemens, Intel, etc.</p>

<p>why is TASP that good? I looked at the site and to my understanding its just one seminar on one topic for the whole summer...not much differnet from pre college courses except for the fact that its free. Maybe I read it wrong.</p>

<p>The thing with tasp is that it's so hard to get into. 850+ people applied this year, and only 80 got in. That's about the acceptance rate for the Ivies. I was accepted and am going this summer, so I dont' know everything about it, but from what I've heard, it's a life-changing and demanding experience, on par with RSI except for humanities.</p>

<p>You know something I've noticed on this thread, people keep using the words "find your passion" or some form possibly in a different tense.</p>

<p>If you have a passion, why would it be hidden. I love music, I didn't have to go on a soul search to figure out that I was talented at music and loved to play it.</p>

<p>At the age of people on this forum, 16-18 I guess, if you're ever going to have a serious talent or a passion you are committed to it should already exist.</p>

<p>I know very few people who found some random thing they fell in love with in high school. I've been playing piano since I was 5, I'm not looking for new passions all over the place.</p>

<p>If you're trying to find your passion so you can write it on a college application, isn't that doing something "just for college."</p>

<p>How many of you can honestly say that you just had some flashbulb thought to figure out your passion in your adolescence.</p>

<p>Sorry, it's not going to be many of you. You can consider anything you do in high school to be towards a college application. That's what good scholars are supposed to be doing in high school.</p>

<p>If you're going to be a successful applicant with a "passion," you better know it already and have previously succeeded at it and continue to build on it in high school. No one cares if you heard some punk band and decided to learn guitar and apply to music school.</p>

<p>The students that will achieve this "passion" requirement are the ones that found their passion in the beginning of their scholastic career like I did. Anything you do in high school can be construed as "just for college."</p>

<p>Passion builds over years and years, it won't be strong enough if you develop it over four years of high school. How does an adcom know that after four years you will still continue it at their university and everafter.</p>

<p>Take my 11 years of experience playing piano, that is convincing. If I've been playing 11 years and I am highly accomplished as a composer, do you see me quitting before my fingers can't do it anymore?</p>

<p>No, the longer you do something the more believable it is that you truly loved it. Four years is not enough so forget this whole passion in high school bunch of crap. Whatever your passion is, you better have already found it. If you haven't, guess what buddy, you don't have a passion that any college will care about.</p>

<p>thats very true. everything you do in high school should be because of college. if i didn't plan on going to college do you think i would have finished high school? no way.</p>

<p>am i an anomaly? i did marching band (section leader), model UN (president), tennis, and president of IB association when i was in high school. i'm in college marching band for fun and for the college experience, an officer in model UN in college and volunteer as advisor for three other high school programs, no longer play tennis due to injury though, but still advise high school students on IB course schedules. i think i was passionate about my high school activities as evidenced by my continuation of them in college...</p>

<p>To some degree your are an aberration. I didn't say that no one was passionate about anything in high school and would not continue it in high school.</p>

<p>Your passion is still in the developing stage though, I don't think a college could accurately have said that you must be passionate about all that stuff.</p>

<p>Those are also 4 different passions. These cavilers of the high school attitude would have said that those did not follow a specific subject that you were passionate about.</p>

<p>I believe you darn well migh be passionate about all that. Can a college see that just because you did them for four years?</p>

<p>If I cared and you hadn't told me you were passionate about those, I would have thought you were just like the rest of us.</p>

<p>Anyway, my point is that four years of an activity does not show passion so how can colleges look for it</p>

<p>Truth is, somebody may not know what they are good at or passionate about until even senior year. Yes, senior year. It may not be too appealing to adcoms, but it is a passion nonetheless</p>

<p>There was a person on this board who decided to join theater in junior year, and absolutely fell in love with it. Now, all this person does revolves around theater. So it is definitely possible to find your passion.</p>

<p>I agree with spydertennis.</p>

<p>"If you're trying to find your passion so you can write it on a college application, isn't that doing something "just for college.""</p>

<p>Ugh, again it's not just for college! That's the whole point. Gah, look at the bigger picture won't ya? It's never just about college. And no, kfc4u is NOT an abberation. A lot of people in high places find "the thing they're looking for" (see? not the P-word) at very different times. I know by taking AP Art History junior year, I fell in love with the subject. I ran with it and my application SCREAMED of Art History; I did just fine. In fact, kfc4u (dare I say, myself?) are just what colleges are looking for. They want curious minds that are still open, liable to be shaped into the future leaders of the world; colleges don't want pretentious jerks who feel they have already found everything (in 18 years?). If all your passions and goals have been defined since you were a small child, then that can be trouble. If you continue to be resistant to things that could be potential passions and goals, then that is further cause for concern. But at no point is there a cut-off as to when "something you love" can't be discerned from your application. If such a case exists, it's probably the applicant's fault for not putting that activity forward enough. And there is absolutely no point in life when you should feel "complete" with all your current passions and goals. So what if it's not on your college app? It doesn't mean you can't volunteer somewhere the second semester of your senior year, because it's still super-beneficial to this continuum called life, outside this "apparent" vacuum some people have referred to as the college admissions process.</p>

<p>"How many of you can honestly say that you just had some flashbulb thought to figure out your passion in your adolescence.</p>

<p>Sorry, it's not going to be many of you. You can consider anything you do in high school to be towards a college application. That's what good scholars are supposed to be doing in high school."</p>

<p>Exactly, it's not too often that people find "that something" early on, that's a given. But I don't see how you can logically jump into the idea that anything afterwards, therefore (in high school), must be the result of some mystical search for the right clubs/activities just for college. If there is one thing a lot of the posters on this thread is passionate about, it's trying to rationalize their narrow, parochial approach at both college and life. As for those who agree with the Original Poster, do you agree with what he says is the true, underlying intent of all high school students; or do you agree that that is how one should approach the college admissions process [dubbed "Game" (I wonder why)]?</p>

<p>I'm sorry for bringing this thread up again. I see how one can justify making their own sacrifices for college, but by no means should anyone be recommending this approach (as defined by the Original Poster) for admittance into a college. It's frighteningly unreasonable- I understand most of you are highly intelligent and capable individuals, but what about those who are sucked into this filthy game that some of you play? It's doing more harm than good.</p>

<p>TTG</p>

<p>i started taking a photography class outside of school at the beginning of this year (i'm a sophomore). i was recently featured in my first exhibition, and am planning to continue next year, achieving greater levels of technical and artistic skill. the word 'passion' has become a clich</p>

<p>what about my CC name? :(</p>

<p>lol primitivefuture...yes, you too. :)</p>

<p>lol cool :) thanks</p>

<p>What about me?!</p>

<p>nah, you're too geeky :)</p>

<p>Ouch!</p>

<p>I'm not a math nerd lol, I promise. I'm a stud.</p>

<p>ooh, texasmathwhiz, is that right? <em>bats eyelashes</em></p>

<p>bwahahahaha.</p>