Rants and Ramblings: random commentary about culture, media, politics, technology and whatnot.

the plot thickens. or something.

I remember that when I was in high school, getting into The Right College was a kind of science — almost a game — with applicants required to have the Perfect Resume, its precise formulation known only by the all-powerful admissions counselors who make the decisions. Competing against an ever-increasing talent pool (due in large part to both the expanding population and the rising share of that population deciding to apply for college), high school students face the challenge of having to somehow differentiate themselves from their competition — to market themselves — by having the longest, most varied and accomplished resumes possible. Join — no, lead — school club x. Play for school sport y and win the state championship. Score fabulous test scores and win academic award z.

I’ve read / heard two news stories today about a possible change in that way of thinking — a “slow down” movement aimed at encouraging college officials, students and their parents to relax.

Sort of. But maybe not really.

But what is a student, trained to be hyper-efficient and overachieving, to do? The “slow down” movement on campuses reveals the many mixed messages sent out to students. Universities tout their exclusivity, their low admissions rates, and scour the country for the most desirable students. Then, the newest freshman class of academic superstars - who also happen to be prize-winning scientists, professional-caliber musicians, athletes, leaders and do-gooders - arrive on campus and are promptly told to cool it (but still get high grades to get into good graduate schools).

At Bowdoin College this year, everyone from the president, Barry Mills, to the dean of student affairs, Craig W. Bradley, to the director of counseling, Bob Vilas, has been talking about savoring education, taking the time to enjoy learning. The students are all for the joy of learning. In fact, many of them say that Bowdoin, a small elite college in Brunswick, Me., has been a happy intellectual awakening after the grim pursuit of grades and extracurriculars that was high school.

But as Karen Jacobson, a senior, pointed out, if she and her classmates had rebelled against the résumé-building path to college that had been laid out for them, they might not have gotten into Bowdoin at all.

• New York Times: “Straight A’s Can Hurt a College Education” (04/11/04)
• Marketplace Morning Report: “‘Tis the Season for Admissions” (04/12/04) (RealPlayer audio)