College decisions finally came out this hectic April. Andover students either rejoiced at the fact that they got into the college of their dreams, or were crushed by rejection. As most PA students know by know, the Academy is no longer the guarantee into the Ivy League that it once was. Phillips Academy students now must compete with students from across the nation for college spots. Extracurricular activities have become a focal point in the fight to get into one of the nation’s best universities. This drive to get into the best college has led many students, especially those here at PA, to get involved in activities that they do not necessarily like, but participate in for the sake of padding their resumes. Should students be driven by college admissions or by love when choosing activities during their high school career? Activities like Model UN and Debate Club are seen as the pinnacle activities in the effort to impress colleges. Though there surely are participants who thoroughly enjoy the aforementioned clubs, many sign up just to lengthen their list of activities. Nevertheless, student participation for the sake of getting into a good college also has a variety of benefits. Perhaps the most obvious is that student enrollment in clubs increases dramatically. Many students decide to try new activities, and those students that choose to make the most out of their new activities may in the end have found their new passion. I know many students who entered a club thinking that it would simply be an eye grabber on the resume being sent to colleges, but eventually ended up finding something they really enjoyed. Community Service programs are also packed with students who just want to fluff their resume. Though one would hope that people participate in Community Service because of their desire to help others, participating for the sake of getting into college definitely has its benefits. Though their hearts might not be in the work, the students can still accomplish many good things. In spite of this, those who participate in Community Service for the sake of helping others do a greater deed than those who do Community Service for the sake of getting into college. Some activities are supposedly not as “impressive” to colleges as are others. Looking at a course guidebook, a friend of mine at another prep school in New England chose to take AP Biology over AP Music Theory because he felt that AP Biology would be much more impressive to colleges. He loved music theory and had an absolute hatred for biology. In the end, he failed out of his AP Biology class because he just was not interested in the subject. There is clearly something to be said in choosing what you love over choosing what you do for the sake of getting into college. In the end, there must be a balance between love of different activities and the desire to get into a good college. Students should take the time to go ahead and try new activities. This experimentation would allow students to determine what activities they actually do enjoy. The activities that a student most enjoys should be pursued to the highest degree, with determination to learn and to succeed in this activity. This would impress colleges more than anything else would. Nevertheless, for those who participate in activities for the sake of getting into college, do not pick something you absolutely hate, and be willing to give it your all to succeed.
