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> The fact of the matter is that these kids don't have passions, so they are trying to do what others did with the test scores and buy their way in. Trying to f

by bko 7y ago

> The fact of the matter is that these kids don't have passions, so they are trying to do what others did with the test scores and buy their way in. Trying to fake passion is hard. It's upsetting that people would pay good money rather than trying to cultivate it themselves. I didn't have any "passions" when I was 17. I know few people that did. Instead of mocking "rich kids", why don't we ask why a college should care about our personality or passions. Some people just want to go to school, find a career, start a family and live a normal happy life.

staticautomatic 7y ago
A college should care about personality and passion because the college's prerogative, if it's so inclined, is to cultivate culture. Consider a student body where no one has any passions or personality. Seems pretty grim to me. That said, I don't think it's reasonable for colleges to insist that every entering student already be well-formed. After all, acculturation is one of the things that happens (or is supposed to happen) in college.
supercanuck 7y ago
Because colleges are more interesting with interesting people in it If you want just a “career” than we should have UBI and socialized healthcare so these people who want to be careerists can go work retail or sell insurance and not take up spaces in our institutions of “higher” learning.
closeparen 7y ago
There are plenty of colleges that don’t care about your personality. There are plenty of colleges that have basically enough slots for every reasonable applicant. But the really good ones, as the sibling comment mentions, are concerned with culture as well as academics, and they have many more applicants than slots. The stereotype you mention is associated with your local large public university for a reason. The more ambitious are seeking a different experience, and the admissions essay is part of the process.

by bko 7y ago

staticautomatic 7y ago

A college should care about personality and passion because the college's prerogative, if it's so inclined, is to cultivate culture. Consider a student body where no one has any passions or personality. Seems pretty grim to me. That said, I don't think it's reasonable for colleges to insist that every entering student already be well-formed. After all, acculturation is one of the things that happens (or is supposed to happen) in college.

supercanuck 7y ago

Because colleges are more interesting with interesting people in it If you want just a “career” than we should have UBI and socialized healthcare so these people who want to be careerists can go work retail or sell insurance and not take up spaces in our institutions of “higher” learning.

closeparen 7y ago

There are plenty of colleges that don’t care about your personality. There are plenty of colleges that have basically enough slots for every reasonable applicant. But the really good ones, as the sibling comment mentions, are concerned with culture as well as academics, and they have many more applicants than slots. The stereotype you mention is associated with your local large public university for a reason. The more ambitious are seeking a different experience, and the admissions essay is part of the process.