<p>Evolving discussion on this thread reminds me of the book titled, “How to Be a High School Superstar: Revolutionary Plan to Get into College by Standing Out (Without Burning Out)” by Cal Newport. The title is undoubtedly cheesy, but the proposition was sound. </p>
<p>Basically, the author recommends, instead of identifying and developing so-called “passion” into one of those sought-after hooks, that a student deliberately allocates a significant portion of his/her time for relaxed, unstructured exploration of what might interest her (by chance) and becomes a genuinely interesting person in her chosen area, irrespective of college matriculation. I doubt that spending the summer at the beach would count toward relaxed, unstructured exploration, unless marine biologist is in the picture. 
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<p>I can imagine how much college AOs would love to have a conversation with someone who’s genuinely interested in and knows a great deal about her work despite it would never come close to curing anyone with any disease. The danger of action-packed, tightly-scheduled EC or whatever anyone does outside classroom is even when she happens to come across something she might love, she just can’t afford to try it out and she would never know what she misses. I guess that how we join rat race or lemmings run. How sad… </p>