<p>Does anyone else get the feeling that almost everything they do in high school is for someone else: college admissions officers?</p>
<p>And does it bother you as much as it does me that almost every decision you make is dictated by what you think some strangers want to see you do?</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure that the things I dedicate the most time to, I started in Middle School (or earlier). I got into them before college stuff came up, and I do them for me.</p>
<p>I mean sure there's that whole "this'll look great on an application" for some things, but I like doing that stuff too.</p>
<p>I love me some Medical Legal Society...I do it for me.</p>
<p>I try to consider what impact my decisions will have when it comes to college admissions and scholarships, but if I have no other reason than "it'll look good for college," I drop it. I don't think there's much point in putting up pretenses. I may regret that if I don't get into my top choices, but I don't want to fall into the trap you're describing.</p>
<p>*I love your screen name, OP. Boo Radley is the MAN!!!</p>
<p>Some part of me believes that's true. I mean, there's always this itty bitty voice inside me which says "Join more clubs and be in all the plays next year", but then again, I become more rational and do what I want to do. Of course, most of what we want to do is directed for the approval of college admissions officers, but I guess that can be a good thing.</p>
<p>What sucks is that when you want to do something you genuinely want to do, people roll their eyes and say you're just doing it for your college app.</p>
<p>The only thing I did that was done for college was choose AP courses. Everything else...nada. Sports, scouts, clubs, I was involved in all before I ever even knew that you had to apply to college to go.</p>
<p>I ran for President of my NHS club just for college. I personally didn't feel like doing it, but I went along with it anyway. Thank God I lost.</p>
<p>Oh, and I originally didn't want to be in NHS. We had to apply, and our principal decided who got in. I only wanted to get in when I found out that you get a gold scarf or something at graduation. :D</p>
<p>Some of my decisions are geared towards getting into my dream schools, but in the end I do whatever fits my desires at the time. If I was motivated solely by what will get me into better colleges, I would be doing homework right now.</p>
<p>Lets put it this way...I didn't even study for the SAT, haha. I took it cuz it was free. I agree with didg though...I did take AP's for college, but thats about it.</p>
<p>^^^ same here theoneo. i plan and plan, but in the end, it never works out because I'm lazy</p>
<p>Yeah, I consider doing things strictly for apps, but I usually only do things that I like to do.</p>
<p>I did things for me...and it showed. I seriously wonder about some of the other kids at my school. Some had 4 page activity sheet with a ton of different things. I had a smaller list that was only 2 pages, but I could say I was extremely dedicated to what I did.</p>
<p>Actually the only thing that I do that is for college admissions officers is taking the SAT, SAT II, APs, and ACT, because if it didn't matter...I would not even be considering taking them. </p>
<p>As for my ECs, I do them for myself, I purposely chose not to be in the National Honor Society and the National Spanish Honor Society, because those ECs at my school and various clubs at my school are just for the title, and the people who are in it are only in it, because they think it's what the colleges want to see. </p>
<p>If colleges don't want me, because they don't think my ECs aren't "right", then I don't want that particular college at all.</p>
<p>you're only hurting yourself by not doing everything possible to help your success. sure it feels like youre doing it all for someone else, and that can make you want to die your hair, cuss out your parents and drop out of school, but playing the game is whats best in the long run</p>
<p>Indeed, I do get that feeling. </p>
<p>The growing obsession with the idea that you can buy an education bothers me also, mostly with parents who are overinvolved with their children's lives. No one can teach you if you're not willing to learn.</p>
<p>Grades are important, and to a certain extent, do reflect your hard work and dedication. But it can also be the difference between someone who was good at doing mindless busy work and memorizing obscure facts getting an A and a talented student who can make their own connections and conclusions but never gets the chance to express them due to a teacher's test/grading format getting a C. <- hope that made sense</p>
<p>I don't see my grades, or any scores, numbers, or letters, as an accurate reflection of who I am today and whether or not I'm going to succeed in my future. I take my classes and learn to understand the material, not for a test. If I happen to understand the material after the test, so be it. ^_^</p>
<p>It bothers and saddens me to see my peers and classmates marking away sections of their lives to activities that they aren't even interested in. I am aware of how I look like on paper, but all my decisions I make for myself. There are many colleges out there, and there's a good chance I'll be happy at different ones, regardless of name, prestige, or rank.</p>
<p>you have to adapt to the grading methods of the teacher. smile and nod when they spew political propoganda and have a keen sense of how to excel when teachers are biased or unorganized. its about chatting and making a connection with teachers so that they'll remember you and give you an A when you only earn 88% because you made a "concerted effort". its about playing the game and so is the workplace; so is life.</p>
<p>Yeah, I mean I'm involved in activities I like, but I just hate how I have to consider how I'll look on paper before I do things like drop my awful chem class.</p>
<p>Probably because instead of activities I'd be at home reading books all the time if I could.</p>
<p>And Righteous_Vigilante, thanks: I like your name too.</p>
<p>booradleyeatscat: Instead of activities, I too would be at home reading books all the time. At least, that's what my dad said I'd prolly do instead. </p>
<p>And to continue, I mean, I enjoy some of my activities, but I dropped out of one activity that I didn't really like much anymore this year, despite qualifying for Nationals. And now I'm beginning to worry how'd that look to college folks. Wonderful thing to contemplate.</p>