A Tale of Ambitions

ExieMITAlum
Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:08:53 +0000

Ummm- I’m with dodgersmom. Schools really are looking for students passionate about something. So are Adcoms. It’s what helps separate the pile.

I’ve interviewed too many students who “became” figments of what they thought Exeter, or MIT, or any other college wanted, only to be left on the outside looking in when we discovered a student with maybe only a single EC but with depth and enthusiasm. My husband gets really irritated when he’s interviewing students who try to “impress” him and then can’t speak in depth on the subject.

I’ve seen too many students “groomed” based on what the adults around them thought would look good - and often restricted from trying new things - and hence, don’t really have anything to offer.

Students keep framing this argument in terms of what they can get from the school. But these days - with so many applicants - the Adcoms are thinking about what those students will bring with them to the school and add to the student body.

Harvard will be the same way. If “Harvard” is the goal - that is admirable, but likely as hard as getting into a prep school.

The OP should find things that interest him or her, stop thinking about how they “traversed the world” and figure out who they are as a person - warts and all. That person will be memorable when the Adcoms are weeding out. A laundry list of “things” will not.