The Observer, April 13, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 24
Editorial: Look beyond scores and titles
The college admission season is in full swing. As seniors plan their departure from Case, high school students anticipate their new found freedoms and exciting college experiences. Evidenced by the many prospective students who tour the campus every week, the university will most likely be welcoming another large freshman class next fall. While this class may not be much different from all the others, they were, however, faced with unusually high competition for this application cycle.
The New York Times recently reported that Harvard turned down 1100 applicants with perfect 800 scores on the SAT math exam and Princeton turned away thousands of high school applicants with 4.0 grade point averages. Out of the 18,081 applicants to Columbia, 1618 were accepted – giving an acceptance rate of 8.9 percent.
The application numbers for Case may not be quite the same as the Ivy League schools mentioned above, but with pre-meds striving for the highest grades, engineers vying for the best co-ops, and business majors fighting for that life-changing internship, competition is certainly no stranger on campus. Current high school students may be feeling the wrath of intense competition, but it's nothing that Case students haven't already experienced or will experience. As we set out to accomplish our career goals, it becomes evident that nothing ever comes easily.
With increasing amounts of test scores and GPAs approaching perfection, when will enough be enough? Does this increasing trend in scores mean that perfect numbers will soon no longer be sufficient to secure a seat in graduate school, a job opportunity, or an internship program?
Luckily, colleges, graduate schools, and employers seem to have somewhat shifted their admission strategies in response to the growing concerns. A high GPA and test score will certainly never be ignored, but instead of placing great emphasis on academics, factors such as leadership, motivation, and character have been making a larger impact on the application process. Due to the shift in admissions strategies, students have been eager to step up to different leadership roles on campus and around the community. As leaders become more and more valuable to institutions and companies, one key question arises: how do you define a leader?
At a competitive place like Case everyone is striving to assume a leadership position. From the USG officers to the many presidents of different organizations, it may seem as though a leader can only be someone who holds a title or position. But if this is what we, employers, and admission counselors think is the sole definition of a leader, then we have all got it completely wrong.
It's obvious that not everyone can be the president of UPB, but if you have a certain interest in art, music, or event planning, there should be no reason why you can't thrive as a member of the organization and become a leader in your own right. A true leader exemplifies responsibility, maturity, dedication, and honesty. It's important to remember that you don't have to be on the executive board of five different organizations to show the world that. Remain dedicated to your passions and let your actions will speak for themselves.
