HCHY List: stress on kids

Mon Oct 20 18:59:09 CDT 2008

This sounds very similar to one of the central themes in a recently
published book "The Pinstriped Prison: how high achievers get trapped in
corporate jobs they hate" by Lisa Prior.

http://www.womensforum.com.au/server/index.php?id=3D67,425,0,0,1,0 has a
useful review.

On 10/21/08, Mel Tremper <mtremper at jbsinternational.com> wrote:
>
>  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 yea=
rs
> 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 "ba=
by
> 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 colleg=
es,
> 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 ye=
ars
> ago Stanford had about 6,000 fewer applicants and an acceptance rate of 13
> percent. For students interested in attending more competitive schools, t=
he
> 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 foc=
us
> 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 Wel=
lesley
> 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 stude=
nt
> 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 yo=
ur
> 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 transcri=
pt,
> my extracurricular activities and my SAT scores to those of other student=
s.
> 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 affair=
s?
> Should I have taken a different mix of courses?
>
> This stiff competition has left my friends and me on edge =97 wondering i=
f 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 stori=
es
> about the kid with perfect SATs who won the National Science Fair, publis=
hed
> 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 (NY=
U,
> 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 i=
n.
> 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 sp=
ort
> 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 the=
re
> is a life before, during, and after college admissions. While I am intent=
ly
> 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 th=
at
> 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 a=
nd
> 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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