When filling out college applications, we tend to become crazed keeping track of how many clubs we were involved in, reporting our highest test scores and making our academic resume stand out from thousands of other applicants. It’s rarely a pleasant experience, and for those of us with less extracurricular involvement or lower test scores, the whole process can lead to a feeling of academic insecurity. However, that application process might be about to change.
A proposal developed by Harvard University titled “Turning the Tide: Inspiring Concern for Others and the Common Good through College Admissions” introduces recommendations to reform the college admissions process by altering applications to be based on community volunteer projects, and students’ passion for diversity and learning. The proposal has now been endorsed by roughly 80 U.S educators from notable universities, with backing from public high schools as well as numerous education associations.
Say goodbye to the exhausting hours of studying for the SAT or ACT, and hello to meaningful intellectual development!
“Too often, today’s culture sends young people messages that emphasize personal success rather than concern for others and the common good,” Richard Weissbourd, co-director of the group that developed the proposal, said, according to the New York Times. Now, many schools that have endorsed the report, such as Yale and MIT, will alter their application to include more in-depth essay questions about personal community involvement and enrichment, instead of the usual list of never-ending extracurricular activities. The report also recommends that students be encouraged not to repeatedly take standardized tests, as they will have significantly less influence in admission decisions.
Community engagement and contribution should be used to capture students’ true intellectual potential, and reveal the strengths that colleges are actually looking for.
The ultimate goal is to relieve some of the stress students feel while pressuring themselves to produce an outstanding list of academic achievements. The changes in the proposal would also ease the admission process for low-income families, and level the playing field for students of all cultures and class backgrounds.
This report could have an amazing impact on college applications and the chaos that surrounds them.