Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Do you list DYS on a college application?

While I don't know you, your experience shows my point. Perhaps with a broader range of life experiences prior to college your experience would have been different. That's what colleges are trying to gauge using those other factors (Leadership experience, volunteerism, extracurricular activities, etc.) Does this person have the life skills to not only be able to handle our college academically but do they have the persistence, mental stability, communication skills, social skills, confidence, determination, and disciple needed to be a successful college student at this college?

A college student with the highest of all exam scores has little benefit to a college if they don't have the rest of the skills required to complete a degree for starters. If the student has the ability to not only complete the degree but share what they've learned with others as a leader in a meaningful and charismatic way, better yet. Yes, it's competition, like most competitions more than one skill or characteristic is needed to win.

Nope. I had a extensive set of extracurricular and leadership items.

My resume was flawless.

Truly a work of art.

At the time, I viewed my fellow college students the same way I viewed my fellow high school students. They were existential competitive threats to my success and well-being.

Why would you share and collaborate with people you were trying to crush and defeat?

This is the point I've been trying to make. When you MUST do all these activities, and you MUST excel at them, you aren't doing them for healthy reasons, and you won't get the benefits that would get from doing things just because they interest you or are otherwise important for healthy reasons.

Healthy: I need to save money for college. I'll get a summer job. Hmm. If I pass these swimming classes, I can be a lifeguard and earn decent money and I'll get to be at the pool.

or

Hmm. This internship in marine biology in the Bahamas looks way cool. I'm thinking of studying marine biology and this would be a good way to see if I really like the subject.

Unhealthy: I must do something this summer that will make my application essay competitive!! I am too good for one of those dull jobs that the other kids get, and besides, colleges don't care about those kinds of jobs!! Mom and dad will help me find something to do in a foreign country. I can write about that!

ETA: I don't really understand why exotic has come to mean better in college applications. To me, it really means upper middle class or wealthier. I personally think that someone with a more pedestrian history of summer jobs would be more likely to succeed later, primarily because s/he learned how to go to work every day and do stuff that is not always interesting.

Ah, the "Conan" theory....
"What is the best thing in life?" (Arnold voice) "To crush your enemies and zee zem driven before you!"
Yeah, that rarely pays off unless you plan on working by yourself for the rest of your life and never need any help with anything. It takes some far too long to learn that I'm afraid.

The way I look at it, if the requirements for admissions of a college aren't what you think they should be, then perhaps it's time to start looking at another college. Matching the person with the college is extremely important for success in college as well.

I was thrilled when I got to college that I no longer had to engage in any activities to bolster my resume. I was finally free to do *absolutely nothing at all*.

Plus, I was completely burnt out.

In hindsight, the solution wasn't to withdraw, sleep, eat pizza, and play computer games 20 hours a day. That really just made things worse.

This is why I really dislike competition, even academic competition. Seeing your peers as your enemy really doesn't help with anything.

Nothing wrong with competition as long as it remains healthy competition. By that I mean, knowing when to put it away and focus on more important things. I like to use the example of Rugby, most teams go at it tooth and nail on the field, then when the game is done leave the competition on the field and go have a couple of beers together and become the best of friends. It takes maturity to do that though, or at least an appreciation of what sportsmanship and healthy competition is about.

It's always a trade off, I certainly don't blame you and for your kids it may very well be best. For our family we found that our kids preferred the company of older kids anyway for the sake of maturity, so subject acceleration served the best of both worlds.