A Tale of Ambitions

Periwinkle
Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:38:05 +0000

@Dodgersmom–it’d be nice to think that, but despite advances in technology, admissions officers still can’t read minds. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

I think it’s unfair of adults to require students to collect impressive accomplishments, then turn around and criticize those same students for being ambitious. The prep school and college admissions processes are very similar–we adults should not be looking to salve our consciences about the high-pressure competitiveness of the process by demanding that only the “good, pure, passionate” students deserve admission. If students are doing activities because they look good on an application, that is because they do look good on an application.

I don’t blame the students who play the game, because they have correctly diagnosed the nature of the college rat race. And, ah, it’s all very well and good to claim the schools look for “passion,” but I’ll bet that the students who are obsessed with college admissions have read lots of books and articles on college admissions, and could cite chapter and verse on how to display passion. In addition, a student who has a true passion for Geology, for example, may not have stellar grades in French. That doesn’t increase the odds at Harvard. “True passions” don’t increase the odds of admission. It’s a popular line cited by admissions officers, I know, but there is no test for true passion.

@CherryRose, what are your plans for post-Harvard life? What do you want to do AT Harvard? Why Harvard, not Pomona, CalTech, or the University of Chicago? You don’t have to answer these questions online. Just think about them.

If you have the insight to worry about this before high school, I think you’ll be fine, no matter which high school and college you attend. It could be that you are the type who always sets big goals, and finds a new big goal when needed. It could be that you thrive on pressure. Or, it could be that you’ll be happier if you set yourself a range of acceptable outcomes. Where do you want to be when you’re 30? Teaching? Researching in a lab? Making deals for a large international company in Sao Paulo? Helping others? Inventing? Writing screenplays? Decide what you want to do, and think of several ways to attain your goals. If you’re ~14 right now, you’ll have achieved (or not achieved ) your college goal in 4 years. What then? Really, only you know which answer’s right for you.