Do what you love, not what you think Harvard wants you to do

by rrusczyk, Jun 17, 2006, 3:21 PM

My fellow AoPS instructors have heard me rant about the misdirected view that Harvard wants all its applicants to be 'well-rounded', i.e. good at everything instead of great at just a couple of things. I don't know if Harvard actually believes this - if it does, that explains perhaps why more and more math/science superstars are opting for MIT, CalTech, or places like Harvey Mudd. That's because these students understand why John Stuart Mill wrote:

Quote:

One person with a belief is equal to a force of 99 who have only interests.

Comment

4 Comments

The post below has been deleted. Click to close.

This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.

I have been trying to tell people that for years. Perhaps I can point them to your blog now and show them that more famous people than I actually believe this.

by ComplexZeta, Jun 17, 2006, 3:22 PM

Report

The post below has been deleted. Click to close.

This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.

More famous people - for now. Wait'll you prove the Riemann Hypothesis. As it is, I think of you as a poster child for this argument.

by rrusczyk, Jun 17, 2006, 3:22 PM

Report

The post below has been deleted. Click to close.

This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.

Quote:

Harvard wants all its applicants to be 'well-rounded'

This well rounded requirement has misguided some of us who have come from other countries. My niece does classical Indian dance and music, plays on the school's volleyball team, did 200% of required volunteer hours, and as a result did not arrive academically.

Totally unrelated but VESPA has hit the US markets. They were very popular in India in the 70's. May be the well rounded requirement will change to good academically, expert in at least one subject and participant in extra curricular activities.

by Naga, Jun 17, 2006, 3:22 PM

Report

The post below has been deleted. Click to close.

This post has been deleted. Click here to see post.

Harvard most definitely says in its public information meetings that it is looking not only for "well rounded" students (which it is looking for, to be sure) but also "well lopsided" students. I think the first time I heard the latter term was at the first Harvard information meeting I attended, in the (Northern Hemisphere) autumn of 2003.

One thing I'm very sure of: people who wonder what a particular activity makes them look like on their college application already know the answer: it makes them look like a poseur. (I can't lay claim to that phrase, either; I heard it from someone else.) Dare to be yourself seems to be the best advice for the college rat race, and certainly the only advice worth following.

by tokenadult, Jun 17, 2006, 3:22 PM