From finalizing their brag sheets to adding the finishing touches to their well-thought-out essays, West Ranch seniors prepare to submit their college applications by the start of the spring semester. But along with the excitement of finally submitting their applications, feelings of uncertainty and self-doubt sweep through the senior class as the pressure of being accepted into college is higher than ever.
In recent decades, college admissions officers have started placing a greater emphasis on extracurricular activities, leadership and community impact, setting a higher standard for students looking to attend a top university. High schoolers across the country have developed a competitive mindset for college starting as early as freshman year, scrambling to be involved in as many clubs, extracurriculars and activities as possible. The competition and pressure of college admissions have ruined the meaning behind high school clubs, driving students to mindlessly participate in as many activities as they can without real passion or commitment.
West Ranch senior Pilar Guidry, who has been applying to college as an economics major, shared her opinion on the lack of passion and purpose behind high school clubs: “I feel like we’re just doing stuff cause we want to go to college. Like, half of these nonprofits and clubs that give back are going to be forgotten about once you graduate. And I feel like, what’s the point of even doing things like that and volunteering if there’s no real meaning behind it?”
Not only is club participation a large factor in the application process, but holding a leadership position within a club can help students stand out among the thousands of other applicants. Unfortunately, as a result, many high school students will mindlessly apply for officer positions in clubs without having any genuine interest in the work they will have to do. Rather than having a few extracurriculars that they are truly devoted to, students will strive to have a lead role in numerous different clubs without giving any effort into the organization. Common clubs such as NHS, CSF and Speech and Debate, which were previously known for their prestige and uniqueness, are now flooded with members who view the club as just another box to check off their list. “I think that it ruins the quality of the clubs, people who aren’t really passionate about the topic are joining, and it’s therefore ruining their club’s reputation,” West Ranch sophomore Manasi Parappuparambil expressed.
Because high schoolers have started to forget the true intentions behind clubs, it has become increasingly frequent for high school seniors to become idle in their extracurriculars and clubs in their second semester. A trend commonly known as “senioritis,” driven by the stress of college applications and the desire to be done with high school, has also harmed existing clubs. Mrs. Brosche, the West Ranch Honors Pre-Calculus teacher who also serves as a club advisor for up to eight clubs per year, explained, “It’s happened many times in my clubs, and I’ve seen, a club will fizzle out because, especially in the second semester, once the senior has gotten what they needed out of it, then they don’t really take care of the club.”
From the 20-item activity list on UC applications to the pressure of “standing out,” there is a much greater expectation on high school students to be involved in every way possible. As a result, the trend of a student starting a club solely for the purpose of adding an extracurricular to their resume has become way too common. During Club Rush at the beginning of the school year, West Ranch is home to over 120+ clubs with a variety of purposes. Guidry commented on the excessive amounts of repetitive clubs on campus: “You have like an Environmental Club that wants to ‘save the earth’ and then the other one is like, How To Be More Sustainable. Like, that’s the same club, you just want to have your own club. I feel like it’s too repetitive.”
The largest problem with this phenomenon is the fact that it’s relatively recent. Parents, teachers and counselors are always available to help seniors with college applications; however, the entire admissions process is drastically different from what it was a decade ago. Mrs. Brosche expanded on this by discussing how high school clubs had an entirely different meaning when she was in high school: “ I was in clubs that I enjoyed. We had something called S.A.V.E., which was for ‘Students Against Violating the Environment’…I don’t even know if I wrote about it in my college apps, but it was something I actually cared about. I don’t feel like the pressure was the same.”
Overall, the shifting impact of college admissions has done incredible damage to how high schoolers view success and extracurriculars. If students start valuing the quality of their activities rather than quantity, they are much more likely to find real meaning in their work and have the chance to discover what truly interests them.
Cats, as you continue your high school career, make sure to spend your valuable time on things that truly interest you and inspire you. Stay true to yourself!
