"Not Enough Activities" a valid reason to keep someone out of college?

Question

Recently I was just trolling the web when I came across an article about a senior in high school with a 3.8 GPA and 18 hours of college credit in Physics, Math, and Chemistry who got rejected from MIT for "Not Having Enough Activities." Apparently because the student did not participate in sports, band, or any school clubs he was not MIT Material. His excuse was that he worked those four years in high school because he needed income.

Do you think the lack of afterschool activities organized by the school is a reason to reject students from College? Myself I think its a rather shoddy reasion: as if band is so nessecary to organize your life in college! Its not as if Niels Bohr, Henry David Thoreau, or John Locke needed to play football to be intelligent enough to make some of the most important contributions to human knowledge ever.

Imagine what would the world be like if Steve Wozniak brought the Apple 1 out and consumers said "but did you play chess in your spare time?"

Answer 1

Unfortunately, the last few classes, especially the one right after I graduated in 2004, have been amazing in the number of students that they have who are just brilliant students. When you have that many kids who could make it into a school just on their grades, you do have to look to what else they have done with themselves to make it so that they do sit above the crowd. I read an article mentioning that the year after I graduated, you had to really start your own business or something in high school to get into Harvard, just because test scores were so high that year. There's gotta be something to decide the best candidates, and things like extracurricular activities are great for showing that you have initiative and drive.
So in short, yes, I think that when it comes down to it, the lack of extra activities is enough to bar some students from a school.

Answer 2

Ivy League colleges like MIT are forced to make decisions like that, because they get way too many qualified students. Once they admit legacy students and athletics students, there are even fewer spots left to compete for. While it is unfortunate that they didn't consider that he worked, if he had extracurriculars he probably would not get in anyway.

As far as schools not offering extracurriculars, this is generally a sign of a not so great school, and elite colleges like MIT try to admit students from the best high schools. On the other hand, public colleges generally do consider students who had no time because they had to work, and they do accept the top students from not so great high schools.

Answer 3

As the most elite of all technical colleges, MIT can pick and choose among many, many students who also have 3.8 (or better) GPAs and 18 or more hours of AP credit--and also have activities.

MIT does not report on the average GPA of its most recent freshman class, but the only student I know who got in had a 4.0, plus a perfect math score on the SAT and a high reading score as well.

The *middle* half of the most recent freshman class:
SAT - Critical Reading Middle 50%: 660-760
SAT - Math Middle 50%: 720-800
TPR Projected Range SAT Writing: 720-770
ACT Composite Middle 50%: 30-34
Students in top 10% of HS class: 97%

That's some way stiff competition. They only accept 13% of all applicants. If they've got other students who worked and managed extracurriculars, that'll bump your guy.

Answer 4

you want to pass see your college psychological counslers instantly formerly this receives worse. you're really depressed and it sounds like you also are having rigidity. i imagine this is a valid rationalization for no longer going to instructions yet your instructors might want to experience distinct. First pass see your college psychologist (or pass to the wellbeing center) and word in case you would possibly want to be getting counseling and probably taking a drugs like Prozac. See in the adventure that they can propose on procedures to mind-set your instructors. once you've in worry-free words neglected some instructions, you're ok! i'd pass in and tell them that you've been feeling depressed presently (pretty a lot all of us does in some unspecified time sooner or later of their lives!) and for this reason you neglected your instructions. Ask them in the adventure that they can grant you with an extension on something that replaced into due or in case you neglected a attempt and seize up. this isn't something to experience stupid about! a school psychologist may even write you an excuse. you want to come across out why you're depressed. each from time to time it might want to be brought about by utilizing a clinical problem. I STRONGLY propose having your thryoid element checked it is a substantial rationalization for melancholy. this is an effortless blood attempt that the wellbeing center can do. i quite propose it extraordinarily in case you don't understand why you're depressed (like in case you've not had a present day destroy-up or lack of existence interior the relatives or something like that). you've acquaintances it is tremendous because they're in many circumstances a sturdy help gadget. There can be conferences at your college's psychological wellbeing center that you'll debate topics with friends. I went via college with extreme melancholy and rigidity. It replaced into hard. I did get diverse help from my college's psychologist and psychiatrist nonetheless. Are you getting sufficient sleep? it is major. also, stay away from ingesting at activities in case you're into that. ingesting can make melancholy a lot worse or perhaps create it. I wish you the finest of success, you'll experience better quickly!!!!

Answer 5

I hate that fact, too... one of the main reasons I didn't even bother trying to get in to some colleges when I was graduating high school.

Answer 6

I kind of agree with you, but then what do you do about all the kids who have no life and study all the time? Colleges don't want too many of those kids, they want well-rounded people.

Answer 7

Private colleges may admit virtually anyone they want. They're educating PEOPLE, not 4.0 stereotypes.