<p>I believe this process puts to much stress on students and causes them to completely forget to have fun once in a while. It just turns them into robots causing them to be anti social. Do you agree or disagree?</p>
<p>Disagree.. It can be quite frustrating during the process if you procrastinate, but overall I think it's a good soul-searching process (after writing all those essays) that in the end you get to know yourself better.</p>
<p>Oh, and believe me, having to write all the essays, submit all those teacher recs, and so on and so forth is actually better than you only having to submit your grades, like some unis outside US do.. (Singapore unis, for example.) Imagine if you screw up one of your exams, and that's it, your chances are gone. What I'm saying is, the hassle is worth it 'cos it allows the unis to see you in a more whole-rounded way. It's better than if they only see your worth in terms of grades.</p>
<p>Absolutely disagree. I mean, of course the admission process is a bit stressful but so is finding a job etc. Moreover, the admission process in US colleges is to my mind a lot humane than in many other countries. (imagine if after 12 years of school you have to take 5 exams and these exams determine basically your whole future)
The US system at least lets you be you. Your ability to perform well in colleges is defined with your grades, test scores, ECs etc. which I think is fair :)</p>
<p>Edit: crossposted with lisieux</p>
<p>What I would like to say more is that actually there are very many countries where exam results are the only things that count.</p>
<p>^That sounds like Singapore to me. x)</p>
<p>Sounds like almost all Asian countries (China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan come to mind), where everything and everyone banks on test exam results. Sometimes a kid commits suicide because of poor exam results; in some countries, a bad test score reflects unfavorably onto the student's family and their reputation. Everyone is just CONSTANTLY studying--and you see that reflected in Asian American parents and why they impose a study-hard mentality on their kids here in America. Academics is a HUGE deal.</p>
<p>In India, for the IIT, kids start studying for exams in, like, elementary school! </p>
<p>No one cares about your teacher recommendations, your extracurricular activities, your interviews, your campus visits (ha! as if), your personality, nothing. Just your numbers. Absolutely not a holistic process.</p>
<p>Yeah, it's not quite a walk in the park in the Eastern hemisphere.</p>
<p>Of course, here in the US the closest thing to that is at the big state schools where GPA is the magic number, but mostly if you're an out-of-state student applying to a good public school (UCs, UT-Austin, Michigan, UNC, UVA)--but even at that it's not so black and white as how college admissions is done in other countries.</p>
<p>I was referring to the "5 exams" thing.. Haha. </p>
<p>The big state schools selection process are still very, very far away from the Asian countries btw. I think the admission committees over there still have almost zero idea on how to go about having a more "whole-rounded" admission process. Dunno when they will ever change the whole process. </p>
<p>It's quite funny that they claim to be one of the top unis in the world (like NUS), yet still unable to choose their students properly. Hardcore nerds do not equal quality students. Not saying ALL of them are nerds... Just that sometimes they are so focused on grades that they forget all the soft skills like creativity and risk-taking mentality necessary to succeed in life.</p>
<p>The system works pretty fairly, I just don't like the legacy/connection advantage some kids get. But then again there is no totally pure way of conducting things.</p>
<p>I like legacy, and I didn't even use mine (though mine were at UNH and VMI). I think that highly-educated parents should be able to pass on that education to their children, and if those children are applying to the same school their parents went to, they should get a little bit of an advantage.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I believe this process puts to much stress on students and causes them to completely forget to have fun once in a while. It just turns them into robots causing them to be anti social. Do you agree or disagree?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I see your point, but I'm going to disagree. Students who act the way you describe are doing it to themselves (or possibly their parents are doing it to them), and then blaming the system for it. The system doesn't force you to be anti-social and overstressed. Most people can get on track for a decent education without doing such.</p>
<p>(And yes, I have been through the process, in recent years even, and I thought the same thing then.)</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
I like legacy, and I didn't even use mine (though mine were at UNH and VMI). I think that highly-educated parents should be able to pass on that education to their children, and if those children are applying to the same school their parents went to, they should get a little bit of an advantage.
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>That's stupid. Highly educated parents shouldnt be able to pass that same education to their children if the other applicants are harder working and more qualified. I understand colleges' reasoning for using legacy (to milk more money from alumni essentially), and that's totally their decision to do so, but that doesn't mean its fair.</p>
<p>
[quote]
That's stupid. Highly educated parents shouldnt be able to pass that same education to their children if the other applicants are harder working and more qualified. I understand colleges' reasoning for using legacy (to milk more money from alumni essentially), and that's totally their decision to do so, but that doesn't mean its fair.
[/quote]
That's assuming colleges are using an objective admissions process, which they aren't. Each college has their own criteria, and if legacy is a top priority, and you aren't a legacy, then you are less qualified for that school, even if your GPA is higher.</p>
<p>honestly i can't really hate on the system because i dont have something better in mind -- but it does suck that there is so much pressure on students, there is tons of competition amongst friends, and often lots of ill-will after getting accepted/rejected to various places. one of the worst things too, is legacies, and politics, and the fact that there is a strong relationship between having money and going to better schools -- if they did away with a bunch of the things that make the process unequal and unfair, it would be much better.</p>