What do you guys think about people who do things like ECs JUST for college

HiPeople · 06-30-2009, 09:24 PM

I personally don't do this, but I've seen so many people from my school do this. And the sad thing is that it works because they get into HYPSM but many of the people who I thought did things because they like them did not (even with similar grades...).

I don't like it because I thought that by doing activities just for colleges, you lose your individuality and high school is more about just getting to a presitigious college...high school is suppose to give you a foundation for the rest of your life.

However, with all that being said, like I said, colleges can't tell the reason you did certain things. I am sure they will be impressed by two club presidents even if one had a different goal than the other. I am asking this also because I've seen club presidents do absolutely NOTHING for the club (they could care less, as long as they are president), but they still write they are the club president on their app (becasue it was just for colleges), and they end up going to top colleges. Just as an example, last year, on the Mandlebrot, our math club president, who got into HYPSM!! came in to take it, and after he found out it was on a Friday afternoon, he was like "wow, why am I wasting my time for this...I already got into all the good colleges," and left. And that really bothers me.

So I am just wondering what you guy's opinions on this is, and have you seen people do this and still go to top colleges?

Ray192 · 06-30-2009, 09:33 PM

It depends on what do you mean JUST for college. If they just want a title to put on somewhere, that's ******baggery. If they want to actually do things, get leadership experience, work with people, etc, then I don't see a problem with it. I do a lot of things mainly because they're good experiences for my future career choices, even if I might not necessarily enjoy them. That sort of thing I understand. More superficial things... nah.

Senior0991 · 06-30-2009, 09:33 PM

I think it's wrong, but it works to a degree.

Bay · 06-30-2009, 10:09 PM

Quote:

I've seen club presidents do absolutely NOTHING for the club (they could care less, as long as they are president), but they still write they are the club president on their app (becasue it was just for colleges), and they end up going to top colleges.

I doubt that writing "club president" had much to do, at all, with these students being admitted to top colleges. Listing club membership and club leadership is just fluff, unless you can show that you helped the club accomplish something material. Anyone can join a club, and anyone can start a club and appoint themselves "president" at most high schools.

Old College Try · 06-30-2009, 10:32 PM

What do I think of them? I think they are the majority of kids on campus with college ambitions. Please do not be naive to believe otherwise.

Have you ever seen a high school year book from, say, the 1950s? Most schools had about four clubs and about 10 percent of the class participated. My grandpa asked me the other day what EC stood for. He couldn't believe kids "waste their time" on clubs. Its a foreign concept for him -- and he has four college degrees.

BigWeight · 06-30-2009, 10:55 PM

i did it....im going to Dartmouth

Xiata · 06-30-2009, 11:17 PM

It annoys the **** out of me. People at my school do swim, track and cross country for colleges because they are non-cut sports, then they don't go to practices. I don't think anyone has ever been kicked off swim/track/xc before (though plenty plenty plenty don't letter), so basically they get to put SWIM TEAM--9, 10, 11, 12 on their college app but don't wake up a 5 am to go to practice every day. Then, there are kids on varsity who don't letter, so essentially they look the same as the ones who never come.
This year our water polo captain quit the team once she was accepted to her top college.
I think, though, that most adcoms can tell. Whenever I hear of people doing Key club I usually think of that, which is sad, but whatever.
(@ Old College Try--I try talking to my grandmother about applying to college and everything goes right over her head. In her day (early 60s) she pretty much walked down to U WA and signed up...lucky...)

Harambee · 06-30-2009, 11:35 PM

Our school isn't competitive to the point where we have kids doing stuff just for college apps. But i'd be pretty ticked if kids did that on a consistent basis and were able to get away with it.

bears · 06-30-2009, 11:39 PM

The system is set up to reward people like that, unfortunately.

DwightEisenhower · 07-01-2009, 01:11 AM

Their loss, not yours.

HiPeople · 07-01-2009, 01:24 AM

A lot of people at my school do that...which kind of makes me mad, but still, I know that its probably not their fault, because a lot of parents push their kids way to hard to do those activities also.

frutiaspice · 07-01-2009, 03:04 AM

I thought that volunteering was a necessity for college my freshman year of high school so I joined Octagon and CSF for that reason. However, I felt like I wasn't getting anything out of those clubs and quit both of them (Octagon my sophomore year and CSF first semester senior year). I guess I just couldn't go through with stuff I didn't enjoy doing. (Though I did do volunteering at a hospital since I was actually interested)

cwcollege · 07-01-2009, 03:59 AM

i think it's disgusting how people do stuff for college instead of participating in activities they actually like. i mean of course it works and of course i probably do it to an extent also, who doesn't. it's just ridiculous that college admissions have led teenagers to become so stressed.

pageturner · 07-01-2009, 08:07 AM

The college admissions game isn't asking students to do ECs they aren't interested in to get in their college. That's up to the kid.

What a waste of time for the student if he isn't enjoying what he is doing! That kid is missing out on a great educational experience (that's what ECs are for).

Harambee · 07-01-2009, 09:33 AM

^True.

It's their loss anyway.