| "I wish colleges could just accept that some people don't have the passion or enthusiasm to spend hundreds of hours 'giving back to the community'"
You've got your wish: Most colleges in the country don't pay that much attention to ECs. Instead, they select students based on grades, scores and coursework. This particularly is true for public universities, including those that are among the country's top universities.
It's only places like HPYS -- that have an overabundance of highly qualified applicants -- who weigh ECs heavily as part of the application process. That's because such colleges have so many highly qualified applicants that the colleges can select people based on creating a well rounded, active campus. Such colleges definitely want students who'll give back to the campus and local community, and after college will be active, involved alumni, too. |