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November 11, 2009
Christine Harms
Applying to four-year colleges is nothing short of daunting. The acceptance rates have been getting progressively slimmer at universities; budget cuts are not helping the situation either. For example, UCLA only accepted 21.7% of their applicants for fall 2009, while UC Berkeley closely trailed behind with an acceptance rate of 26.6%.
It is nothing short of scary to be confronting these statistics as a senior. No matter how bad I want to get into certain schools, there is really nothing left for me to change. Three years’ worth of my strengths and shortcomings are reduced down to a computer screen full of grades, test scores, a list of extracurricular activities and a personal statement. All I can do is insert the black-and-white facts of my past three years into the applications, pay the fees, click the submit button and proceed to impatiently wait for months to hear the reply.
Although the system is set up to run with great efficiency, it can also leave the applicant with a cold, detached feeling. For example, the University of California system breaks their admissions evaluation down to a mathematical equation. Certain elements are weighted more heavily, such as grades, based on their perceived importance. This system may promote a sense of fairness and equality. But how can an equation truly reflect not only the well-roundedness of a student, but also take into account who the student actually is?
There is more to me than what I can fit into that application. I am a living, breathing human being, not a number popped out of an equation. Colleges claim the grades and test scores are the best predictor of future success, but I disagree. My grades and scores are not perfect, but they only represent a small piece of the person I am becoming. Although the personal statement allows for some personal expression, one thousand words cannot sum up who I am and what I stand for.
In order to get into a decent college, it is a good idea to maintain your numbers. Regardless of whether you get in or not, don’t lose sight of your passions and goals; they matter more in the long run than a sheet of cold, hard facts.
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