HCHY List: stress on kids

[Mel Tremper]

This sounds light years beyond what went on in my day.  

 


Seniors feeling the stress of competition for college


Many applicants, few slots for elite tier of universities


By MEREDITH BAKER
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle


Oct. 17, 2008, 9:23PM


As an incoming senior, I have heard and read nothing for the past few
years but reports about how my graduating class will have the toughest
time yet getting into college. The graduating class of 2009 is the peak
of the "baby boom," with roughly 4.1 million kids born in the years 1990
and 1991. So with more students applying, and in general, no more spots
in most colleges, the competition is rising and the admission rates are
falling.

Take for instance Stanford's class of 2012. Only 2,400 students out of
25,298 were accepted, meaning the acceptance rate was 9.5 percent. Two
years ago Stanford had about 6,000 fewer applicants and an acceptance
rate of 13 percent. For students interested in attending more
competitive schools, the pressure continues to mount.

I have witnessed and experienced firsthand the stress the college
application process has on kids and parents alike. Some of my friends
focus all their high school activities around those that they think
college admission boards want to see. One of my friends, also a senior
in high school, has a college consultant, an ACT entrance-exam tutor,
belongs to four school clubs, and is captain of a sports team. 

While she enjoys some of these activities, she admits they are mainly to
pad her resume. "With so many smart kids that have so much going for
them at my school, I feel pressured to take on a full plate so I too
look like I haven't been slacking. I participate in some of these
activities only to help me to get into the college of my choice."

 

She isn't alone in thinking colleges are looking for a long list of
achievements and activities. Jennifer Dejarlais, Dean of Admission at
Wellesley College, insists this isn't the case. "We don't want to see a
laundry list of things that the student dabbled in. We try to figure out
who the student is and what they are interested in based on the choices
they make."

 

Dejarlais says she always asks herself "why?" "Why did the student make
that choice, why did the student pursue music instead of volleyball?
When students focus in on a particular interest and give explanations
for their choices, their application tells me more about them than a
student who did something for the sake of listing it off on their
application."

 

Vu Tran, Director of Admissions at UCLA, agrees. He tells students, "Be
a leader; be passionate; engage in activities in a way that demonstrates
your commitment and leadership; make it show in your personal
statement."

While we know that colleges are looking for students who are involved
and passionate, it is difficult to maintain perspective and hard not to
get caught up in this application frenzy. I find myself comparing my
transcript, my extracurricular activities and my SAT scores to those of
other students. How will I measure up? What if we apply to the same
school? 

Should I have joined Model UN to show my interest in international
affairs? Should I have taken a different mix of courses?

This stiff competition has left my friends and me on edge - wondering if
we are "worthy" enough for admission to the colleges of our choice.
Ideally, parents should be the even keel in this process, providing
positive reinforcement and support. But I'm afraid that parents can get
caught up in this mindset as well and can add to the stress of the
process. Many have been reminding their kids for years that if they
don't do well and don't excel, they won't get into a "good" college.

I don't really know how to slow down this avalanche and introduce
reasonableness into this process. There are so many outstanding students
and the top schools have their pick of the best. We've all heard horror
stories about the kid with perfect SATs who won the National Science
Fair, published a book and started a charity but didn't get into any of
his schools. Maybe it is high school lore, maybe it is true.

The admission representatives at all the colleges I've visited so far
(NYU, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Stanford) do stress the
importance of pursuing something you love, in depth, rather than having
a long list of activities to fill in all the lines, but the message just
isn't sinking in. And while it is great if you have found your passion
in high school, isn't high school a time to try lots of different
things? I know many smart kids who are good at many things but have not
yet found the one activity or sport or cause that really resonates with
them, which will, unfortunately, put them at a disadvantage.

So with my transcript and GPA set, all I can do is remind myself that
there is a life before, during, and after college admissions. While I am
intently focused on finishing and tweaking my application, this too will
pass and life will go on. Getting into the "best" college has not been
the be-all and end-all of my high school career but I'd be lying if I
didn't admit that the stress right now is a bit more than I'd like. I
recognize that a college education is what I make it. A college
experience is what I make it. So I tell myself that whatever happens in
April, I know I'll find a college that I like and likes me in return.

I have worked hard and have done well through high school, while
pursuing my passions of writing and broadcast journalism. I know that my
interests outside of school will shine through on my application and I
can only hope it will be enough for those colleges I apply to, to look
at me on paper and say "I can see Meredith Baker at our university."

Baker is the teen correspondent for Great Day Houston on Channel 11, the
teen blogger for KHOU.com, the teen columnist for the Queens Courier
Newspaper in New York and a contributor to the Houston Chronicle. Baker
is a senior at Clear Lake High School and can be contacted at
meredithbaker07 at gmail.com

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