Reply to Predicting admission trends - is the “spiky” applicant here to stay?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]To use a non-politically correct phrase from when I was younger - at some point you might have too many Indian chiefs and not enough Indians - everyone can't be a superstar at [b]everything[/b]. So if everyone is spiky because they are "the best" at something, the campus culture gets toxic. As it is, these kids are all among the best academically.[/quote]
The idea is that everyone is spiky at [b]different [/b]things, together forming a well-rounded class.  
You got the wrong idea.[/quote]

Yes. Apologies. Thank you for correcting - that's what I meant. Everyone doesn't have to be a superstar at something. They are all academic superstars by definition. Not having another "thing" that you are a superstar at shouldn't matter. I am a very, very strong believer in the holistic application - the many posters on DCUM who scream and yell for a "merit based" system that is solely based on grades and scores drive me nuts - I wouldn't want my kid to go to a school solely populated in this way.

But you can still bring a lot to a college campus without having a spike. There is a big difference between being a "joiner" and/or doing nothing at all compared to being a superstar with a spike. Schools should be able to detect this. Many people haven't figured these things out by the time they are 17. I am honestly very suspicious of half the kids who claim that they have. I think schools should call BS for 90% of the kids who "started a club" or "found meaning in life while spending a summer in a foreign country" or half the other manufactured "spikes."[/quote]

Avoid elite really top colleges if you don't want your kid surrounded by "spikey" students.  Those types of institutions are full of really driven young folks that all seem to have some stand out talent.   Form Olympic level athletes to very talented musicians to kids launching little  rockets in the backyard...it is a lot.[/quote]

Let me guess - your kid has a spike?

There are lots of incredibly brilliant, highly motivated kids who are going to dominate life who don't have a spike. And will do really well at elite schools. Perhaps they need some kids who have a "spike" in "not having a spike?" Or maybe those spots are filled by legacies, FGLI, etc.[/quote]

Huh?  The poster was responding to a post that said " I wouldn't want my kid to go to a school full of spikey kids".

If you don't want your kid at a school of spikey students, then don't send them off to a  school that is full of spikey students.  [/quote]

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