<p>As I reflect, it seems like many have expressed a harsh quality about the college admissions process, making it seem as if I should be scared into tirelessly studying my high school years in order to achieve some modicum of success, yet I don't care for this reasoning. Though I would consider myself an underachiever and generally carefree, I still am greatly invested in my education, but only to a limited extent relative to the many students that obsess over admissions. My peers - I am a junior - have become increasingly college-oriented, scheduling visits since their freshman year, registering for summer programs, volunteering in order to strengthen their transcript, joining various clubs, etc. </p>
<p>I will admit that I have failed to keep up, though, personally, I place much less value on activities that may make me more well-rounded in the eyes of an admissions director, though that are of little interest to me. I mean, I would not consider myself an academic slouch [please excuse the following vanity] with "statistics" such as 2110 SAT [1460 MCR, though my first attempt with absolutely no preparation, which now seems like a mistake], 97.5% class rank [341 students], etc. I would say that I am very talented, but hopelessly lazy. Maybe I should work harder and achieve more, but I would not enjoy it and thus, I'll refrain from it. I plan on recording sixty hours of community service in a hospital that I care about. My extracurricular activies are limited. I will have four seasons of various cross-country/indoor and outdoor track by the time of my admissions, but my transcript will not be able to reflect my true athletic passion, basketball, a sport in which I am not greatly talented in. </p>
<p>It is a flawed process, in my opinion. Colleges see multiple pieces of paper that display my best qualities and hide my worst. They do not see me for what I am and I am not angry about that because I think worrying about my appearence on a piece of paper is a waste of thought. I could always a write wonderful essay about how my ethnicity shaped my life or how tragic events in my life helped me gain moral fiber, but it wouldn't be truthful when I could write an essay about something of interest - advanced basketball analysis and statistics using linear regression and metrics [something of that nature]. The former essay would likely score better among admission directors, but it would be fake and I would feel more comfortable writing about something "real." I realise that I am not too special. I realise that many other applicants will be better qualified. I try to remain indifferent, though, because ultimately, it won't matter.</p>
<p>There is little doubt in my mind that my view hurts my chances at my admission to an Ivy. I am sure that if I worked to a dizzying degree that my transcript would look better. I am also sure that I would not have enjoyed my years at high school, so far, as much. This may be a rant against overachievers, but I am not one to tell anyone how to live their life - that is what parents are for. ;) Perhaps the recent article in The Times have influenced my views, though as with any journalist attempting to convey their point in an effective manner, the author focused on the most extreme of the posters active on this forum. I still feel that our obsession with college admissions is dangerous. High school, to me, is about growing as a person - having fun and whatnot.</p>