Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Accepted
Getting accepted to college these days is nearly impossible. I remember less than four years ago, students were accepted into SMU with test scores and GPA's significantly lower than mine and other people who here. SMU's GPA and test score expectations have risen impressively in just a few short years. What used to be a main "backup" college for students at my high school, is now a "first choice" or "stretch" school. While that makes me happy, because it means my degree will have greater value, it scares me for the next generation of kids wanted to go to college. What is this continually greater challenge to get into a good school? Is it because more and more students are expected and want to go to college now? I really do not understand. More importantly, the types of students getting accepted is changing rapidly. No longer are the generic caucasian students getting accepted into Ivy league, or any other top tier universities. I have a best friend from high school who was involved in every activity at school from prom committee to campus republics. She played three varsity sports, had a 4.0 GPA, played the guitar at school functions, and took every AP possible. There was nothing more this friend could have to stand out in the eyes of a prestigous university. However, it seems that because she has blonde hair, pale skin, and her name may be as simple as Alex Smith, she is seen as boring and lacking diversity. If you are caucasian with no connections or legacies at a school, it is apparent that you are the most unwanted type of student these days. I am truly not trying to be rude or stereotypical, this is really just how it is. Another girl from my high school with less than half of what Alex had on her resume and both test scores and GPA significantly lower than Alex's was accepted to every single Ivy League, perhaps because she had moved to the U.S. from China only years ago. Shouldn't diversity be defined by the activities and personalities we stand for instead of our skin color? I feel like colleges' obsession with diversity is so stereotypical and can only make division between races worse in our country. Lastly, even worse than the diversity factor, is the need to have a connection to a university. I'll even admit, if my Father had not gone to SMU and had a very close relationship with his diving coach here, I probably would not have gotten in. It is just ridiculous that students with no legacies or any family friends who work at a college have practically no shot to getting in a certain school. Sometimes the perfect grades, test scores, interviews, essays, and full reseumes are not enough to get you where you want to go if you don't have anyone pulling for you in admissions. I hope that in the future the college process becomes less political and more about looking at what a student has to offer.
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This certianly brings up a good point in today's college world. College's are moving more and more towards a marketed brand with coverage on ESPN for the final four and BCS football games kids apply more often to the schools they recognize. The Ivy's and schools like SMU which have long standing reputations are much the same way. Instead it seems that schools most people haven't heard of is the way to go if you want a good education and are unsure about getting into college. However perhaps the most interesting fact is how easy it is to transfer among colleges. As a transfer student I can attest to how easy it is to transfer from a so-so school to a much bigger and better school, particularly if you have good grades to back it up. Schools assess transfer students very heavily on their first year of college, assuming that if a student could get a 4.0 at one college without falling into the distractions college provides, they can do the same elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteLastly I just wanted to say your point about diversity is very true. At my high school one girl was denied from some very basic safety schools, but was accepted to Dartmouth cause she included the fact that she was 1/14th Cherokee Native American on her application. Truly it shows the fall in screening at our colleges today. And almost begs the question if the normal methods that students used to be accepted to college aren't being used, just why are we accepted to specific colleges and not others?