<p>Of course, I understand why colleges wouldn't want someone with straight A's that does nothing outside of school, but why do I feel like students are being pressured to do so much more with barely any extra hours in the day. </p>
<p>I'm talking mainly about prestigious colleges that expect students, in addition to having a near-perfect SAT score and flawless transcript, to have super awesome ECs. I don't know about any of you guys, but I don't have any friends that have done things like build schools in a third world country, get elected mayor, or write prize-winning novels, but that doesn't mean that we aren't interesting, thoughtful people or don't have what it takes to thrive at a great college and be leaders in the future.</p>
<p>I'm not trying to sound bitter or undermine those who truly do have phenomenal EC's and worked hard for them, but doesn't anyone else think that this is getting to be too much? I have a (IMO) decent list of ECs and a few leadership positions, but nothing like the aforementioned book writing or anything like that. To be honest, the ECs I do have are in things that are of interest to me and that I enjoy doing, which is only about 7 or so activities.</p>
<p>In the end, does it matter more to have a great academic foundation and average ECs or to have cured cancer with below average stats?</p>
<p>I’m in europe and I don’t get the american focus on Ec’s either, here all that matters is your academic performance, but I guess it shows you’re a well rounded person with initiative and focus. Perhaps that kind of person might be more of an asset to the college, <em>shrugs</em> I don’t get it either but it helps so I’m glad I do charity work : )</p>
<p>That’s a question I wonder about, too. It seems like a student who spends a lot of time on getting a really good education (taking hard classes, internships, etc.) should be more valuable to a college than a student who participates in many extracurriculars.</p>
<p>Do you want the cynical answer? There is only enough room in the very top schools for about 1% of the students who graduate nationwide every year. It’s not all that hard for a good student to get near straight-A’s (3.8+) because A’s in may schools are handed out like candy (even to the incompetent!). It’s not all that hard to get a high score on the SAT or ACT, given all the test prep materials out there and the opportunity to retake each test multiple times.</p>
<p>Students who pile on lots of ECs – and do well in them, achieving goals and showing leadership – clearly put in less time finishing their homework and prepping for tests (including the SAT/ACT), simply because there are only so many hours in a day. So one can deduce that these are the highest of the high-performance students; the rest burn out and drop their ECs or watch their grades fall as classes get harder.</p>
<p>When it comes to adcom expectations, remember Weiler’s Law: “Nothing is impossible for the person who doesn’t have to do it himself.”</p>
<p>I agree with LoremIpsum, and can definitely understand what OP is trying to say. As for me, I personally think colleges are right to strongly value EC’s (to get truly rounded classes/talented students), but I do hope that adcoms can see which EC’s are genuine and which are BS. </p>
<p>I can’t help but roll my eyes when I look at several “chance” threads on CC. There are so many students who either 1) Seem to be President of 10 different clubs at their school. I’m sorry, but whenever I see that, I can’t help but think they are worthless, since it’s clear the applicant just doesn’t have the time to effectively lead 10 clubs. 2) Has extra curricular activities that clearly are the work of their parents. Whenever I see something like “I founded my own business that is extremely profitable” or something to that effect, I feel that 90% of the time it is BS and is really something the parents did, or at least significantly helped out with. I’m sure there are some applicants out there who really did take the initiative to start profitable businesses, but I can’t help but think they are a tiny minority, or 3) Have EC’s which are clearly only the result of being born into a family with a high income.</p>
<p>I do truly hope adcoms see which EC’s are genuine and which are fake or the result of heavy parent involvement. I guess that’s just my two cents on EC’s.</p>
<p>You don’t have to be extremely special to get into a prestigious college. It’s called playing the game. Just take a look at all of the athletes who choose certain sports, like crew for example, simply in order to get in to college. When it comes to extracurriculars though, I honestly think that it’s a bunch of BS when I read certain people’s lists of countless activities. Like you said, it’s about being genuine to what you like and I completely agree. I think it’s well worth it to focus your energy on the things you love to do and to at least try to maintain a good academic record. I mean, prestigious colleges mostly tend to accept people who are lopsided - who are really great in what they do, not those Jacks of all trades who do a little bit of everything. In the end, just try your best in what you are passionate about, and take it to however far you want to, that’s all you can do really.</p>
<p>I agree with you. A lot of it is BS. A lot. Take the documentary “Frontrunners,” which shows the top school in New York’s student president election. Very interesting. Nevertheless, the “high driver” doesn’t win and the “fun/somewhat slacker” girl wins.</p>
<p>In my opinion, the minds of a lot of the academic officers have been somewhat warped. And I can’t blame them. They are just trying to pick the best students, but are basing it off of a bunch of stuff that is so superficial, they just aren’t sure what to do. I mean, imagine going through hundreds of applications every year. You have to come up with some rating system or priority system.</p>
<p>I do agree with LoremIpSum. I have many honor roll, perfect grade friends who can’t even tell me what class they are taking (Me: Hey, what science are you taking? I’m taking the test next period I think you took. Her Answer: Uh… Science? We do some stuff… Uh…).
One didn’t even know the middle east existed… So it is really hard to differentiate between students. Even those “good” students taking all AP are not always the high drivers. In fact, in my entire life, I have only met 6 people that are highly motivated like I am. 6! </p>
<p>Two adults. One non-college graduate, another a graduate from MIT; and three other teens, all from different schools. I mostly met them in different circumstances totally by luck. That is it. Not that there aren’t a lot of “high drivers”, it is just I haven’t met them. Bad luck.</p>
<p>My point is that EC’s can differentiate between them. One way to stay academically oriented with EC’s is by focusing on academic competitions or projects. These can shoot you to the top in applications.</p>
<p>To me, the most valuable student is the one that is willing to work the hardest towards the proper goals and a brain able to reason with “correct” moral values.</p>