<p>^ but you’re the one that claims that people are free to do what they want.</p>
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<p>I saw that one in college and graduate school. It gives a sense of how truly talented some people are.</p>
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<p>Of course. People are free to do what they want, including dropping ECs, or pursuing ECs at the expense of everything else.</p>
<p>Here’s the trouble. The majority opinion on this forum is dropping or pursuing at 100% is not good. Dabbling is what makes people more interesting, so more people should dabble. I have nothing against dabblers. After all, this is a free country. But I also support dropper and pursuers. </p>
<p>Note that these are the three choices in the first post.</p>
<p>I think the reason so many are having trouble with my position is because they just can’t bring themselves to support droppers or pursuers. I can totally support dabblers, however.</p>
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<p>If this weren’t a college information website I would totally agree with you (gasp). But in the context of college admissions, I think that colleges are looking for interesting people but at the same time appreciate the truly amazing (and maybe not so interesting).</p>
<p>Why do you think colleges should NOT want interesting students? Serious question.</p>
<p>LOL-- wikipedia is not the be-all-end-all authority on the definitions in the common vernacular. Do you think the Geek squad is all upset because they are called geeks?</p>
<p>Collegealum- you make a good distinction-- my older s does enjoy reading science magazines and technology stuff, but unlike my DH, neither of my s’s likes reading fiction, or science fiction. Well, they did read the Harry Potter series- I’ll give them that. DH is happy with his nose in a book (technology related or science fiction) at any opportunity. He enjoys the solitary activity of reading.</p>
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<p>I swore I would not be sucked into this again. Oh well.</p>
<p>The word “dabble” is so loaded, IP. In between dropping something entirely or pursuing it at full throttle there is a middle ground – something far more than the superficial involvement that the word “dabble” connotes. </p>
<p>Back to my example of architecture majors performing in chamber ensembles at schools like Yale, you’d be quite wrong to label what they’re doing mere “dabbling.” They’re pursing music with great seriousness, just not to the exclusion of everything else.</p>
<p>Of course kids are free to drop everything and pursue a single passion. But not everyone who elects something between dropping and pursuing is a “dabbler” – a superficial dilettante.</p>
<p>Gotta love the urban dictionary’s definitions of “nerd” [Urban</a> Dictionary: nerd](<a href=“Urban Dictionary: nerd]Urban”>Urban Dictionary: Nerd)
I love “a four-letter word with a 6 figure income” LOL!</p>
<p>If I replace the word dabble with somewhere-in-between-dropping-and-pursuing would you be happy, wjb? I am trying to go for truce here.</p>
<p>yep. 10 char</p>
<p>Edit: Changed my mind. How about “somewhere-in-between-dropping-and-pursuing-at-full-throttle”?</p>
<p>;)</p>
<p>jym there were a lot of good nerd definitions on that link hahaha. I liked this observation</p>
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<p>Maybe colleges are looking for breeders.</p>
<p>Nerds, in general, are considered to be socially inept. No amount of handwaving will hide the fact that that’s what people mean when they call someone a nerd. They are not praising intelligence, they are denigrating intelligence under the cloak (often false) of social ineptitude. </p>
<p>When a another kid called mine a nerd sometime back, I taught my kid to call the other kid a moron. That stopped the nerd business promptly.</p>
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<p>Time for me to do my victory dance then. We have melded minds and built bridges here.</p>
<p>How about a 7 point Likert scale with the gradations between between “drop”, “lollygag” “experiment” dabble", “pursue”, “master” and “excel”</p>
<p>Off topic, but I can’t resist!!!</p>
<p>A big moron and a little moron were sitting on a log. One fell off. Which one was it?</p>
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<p>I really don’t want to take this in the direction of college admissions.</p>
<p>calling someone a “moron” is a true, purposeful insult, and refers to an archaic term no longer used in reference to a person with significant intellectual limitations. Please do not teach your kid to use that term.</p>
<p>the big one fell, limabeans. Because the other one was a little more on.</p>
<p>Love that joke! But then again I DO consider myself a nerd.</p>
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<p>Shouldn’t you first look up the term moron in the Urban Dictionary? After all, that is what makes liberal use of the term nerd acceptable, eh?</p>
<p>Calling someone a nerd isn’t necessarily derogatory. It means they are smart and like science and math. I’ve heard the term used in reference to Bill Gates by people who worked for him, (and liked him).</p>