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Students need to realize that the world beyond college is not going to judge them "as a whole person," but strictly in terms of the marketplace and its current needs.
Having a seal of approval from a particular prestigious school is not going to get your first novel accepted, your business proposal accepted, etc.
There comes a time in life when the world stops revolving around you -- however brilliant you are -- and you have to deal with it on its own terms.
This is very unfair. Most students have to push their accomplishments just to get in to college. It doesn't mean they're narcissistic, it means that's what they have to do to be competitive. It may not mean anything more than that they want to attend college in their hometown, but if that hometown university is UC Berkeley, the kids have to jump through major hoops, and still may not make it in. There was a time when Berkeley residents didn't worry about getting in as long as they had good grades. Those times are long gone, however.
I keep hearing that arts programs are the first to be chopped when public schools face budget cuts.
So I doubt that college applicants who are not applying to arts programs are required to submit portfolios.
To the contrary; college prep schools (private schools) have had to add art programs they never had in order to comply with college admissions requirements.
This is very unfair. Most students have to push their accomplishments just to get in to college. It doesn't mean they're narcissistic, it means that's what they have to do to be competitive. It may not mean anything more than that they want to attend college in their hometown, but if that hometown university is UC Berkeley, the kids have to jump through major hoops, and still may not make it in. There was a time when Berkeley residents didn't worry about getting in as long as they had good grades. Those times are long gone, however.
All of that might be true, but you didn't address my points.
To the contrary; college prep schools (private schools) have had to add art programs they never had in order to comply with college admissions requirements.
You know a lot more about this than I do, but let me play devil's advocate.
First, as you said, they are optional. And I understand why students would do anything they could to stand out, considering what appears to be both grade and test score inflation (through test coaching).
But I wonder: do those DVDs really get looked at if the student plans to major, say, in math or business?
Admissions officers already have a lot to deal with, sorting through so many applicants.
At some point in the evaluation process, they are looked at. Each school has their own policy. Also, just becauuse a student claims that they are thinking of majoring in a specific are, doesn't mean that they will follow through. Sometimes, they will switch or doulbe major. Sometimes, a particularl "school" within a university will accept a student, but then that student changes his/her mind and ends up at another "school" or department. Example, premed intro classes are designed to be "weed-out" courses. The universtiy expects a number of declared pre-med students to drop out or flunk out.
I'd like to hear from those non-Asians who have been successful in getting into Berkeley. What worked?
I applied to 3 UCs; Berkeley LA and SD.
White male, CA resident, went to top private school in LA, varsity sports, 10 years of piano, trilingual, 1500 sat, 3.7 GPA probably ~8 APs with 5s on them. I guess that plus a good personal statement got me into all three.
Not disputing your comment to LexusNexus at all, but your mention of 1500 SAT scores, indicates that you applied quite some time ago.
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