Just For College

If you’re like me, you’ve probably come across the r/ApplyingToCollege subreddit. A typical post I stumble across goes along these lines:

I took 23 APs, scored 1600 on SAT and 36 on ACT, and literally worked at NASA/cured cancer/ran a 100 million dollar startup. I still got rejected from prestigious college. What’s even the point of it all? I wasted the entirety of high school and have nothing to show for it. When my friends went to homecoming, I was studying. It hurts seeing people around me getting in…

A typical reaction is deep anxiety, then rationalization (“his essays probably sucked/she lives in the Bay Area/they’re looking for well-rounded people…”). Other people will resolve to grind even harder or give up.

But I’m nagged by something. “Have nothing to show for it”? You literally listed all of your accomplishments! Isn’t curing cancer a worthwhile thing to do, regardless of whether it gets you into Harvard? I’ve seen many people who are disturbingly close to saying no, it isn’t worth anything if you don’t get in. Did you take all those AP classes because you were curious? The majority of people tell me it’s all about the GPA boost. Did you meet new people who shared your interests through those clubs you started? Nope, colleges are looking for “leadership”.

This is a deeply unhealthy way to go through high school. If all your studying and hard work doesn’t get you into your dream school, you’ll be crushed. Even if things work out, you’ll realize that you never really cared about anything except college. Now that it’s secured, what else is there to do?

I’m not talking about “showing passion.” I’m saying that you should do things because you enjoy them. Passion follows naturally from that. Anything else is fake.