Naomi Tsuang
Editor-In-Chief
Federal prosecutors have recently charged Hollywood celebrities, CEOs and business executives for their involvement in a massive college admissions scheme, alleging that they bribed college admissions officers, athletic coaches and school officials to secure their child’s admission into some of the most prestigious colleges in the nation.
As college admissions rates drop to the lowest they have ever been and more applicants each year are willing to go to extreme lengths to secure spots at what they perceive to be “best” universities in the nation, it is clear that the college admissions process has become too extreme, creating a hyper-competitive environment.
Although the latest scandal sheds light on how heavily we value college acceptances, there’s even less coverage on the perfectly legal advantages that millions of students and their families pay for each year. With families paying thousands of dollars for SAT and ACT prep, college counselors who edit, and in some cases write students’ essays and tutors for every subject to achieve a perfect GPA, it is apparent that we have already taken things too far in hopes of acceptance into these elite institutions.
With the immense pressure that students put on themselves to get into the best colleges in the nation increasing each year, the competition has become cutthroat and harmful to students’ self-esteem. Every year, seniors compare their GPAs, standardized test scores and extracurriculars to their peers, accounting their college acceptances to their self-worth. Mental breakdowns, all-nighters and stress-induced headaches plague the first semester of senior year, making it apparent that the culture of the college admissions process must change.
A college’s ranking or reputation is not the most important factor that students should consider when choosing which schools to apply to. Placing too much value on the level of prestige of a school can cause students to lose sight of the actual purpose and goal of attending college: attaining an education.
As the majority of college admissions decisions begin rolling in, I urge my fellow seniors to keep in mind that when choosing which college we will spend the next four years at, we must take into consideration which one fits our interests and needs the best.
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