The class of 2017 faced one of the toughest admission cycles yet, with this year’s admit rate to Brown the second-lowest in the University’s history. As the college application process grows increasingly competitive, we worry about the culture that comes to surround higher education and, in particular, selective institutions. We advise prospective applicants to challenge the narrow — and inaccurate — belief that success comes only to those admitted to certain dream schools. Success can and should be more broadly defined.
The probability of being rejected from Brown is far greater than that of being accepted. Consider what would have happened to any of us if we had not been admitted. Such a rejection would not have denied the value of any of our accomplishments. Earning admittance to an institution can provide students with a sense of validation, but it shouldn’t be so heavily weighted.
The competitive nature that pervades high schools and the college admission process imposes great pressure on students. Applicants often feel as if they are faced with a limited set of choices: either rising to the top and claiming an Ivy League school to their names or falling short of their dreams and becoming “failures.”
The class of 2017 is impressively diverse, representing 83 nations and all 50 states, with 45 percent admits identifying as students of color. Though there is still a heavy societal imbalance favoring the wealthy and the connected in elite colleges, many admitted students underwent the same competitive process in high school, where admission to a particular institution was said to be the ultimate end goal. We do not want to ignore admitted students’ varied and impressive achievements.
But we encourage admitted students to consider more than reputation or prestige when choosing where to matriculate. Culture, cost and location can majorly influence which college is ultimately the best fit for a student. Financial planning can be especially necessary for those who seek advanced degrees to pursue careers in areas like medicine or law. Perhaps the best way to diminish this obsessive culture over college admissions is to enhance the quality of all major undergraduate institutions across the country. Before politically motivated cuts took place, the University of California schools were consistently top-ranked. It is possible to spur another revival of education by funding research.
The competitive culture that surrounds college admissions can be detrimental, both ignoring the varied circumstances that affect a college experience and leading people to believe that attending a particular institution is the only option. The choices students make while in college can be far more influential in determining their paths than the specific college at which students make those choices. After all, a good education is not hoarded by a few select institutions: It is ubiquitous and attainable by all who seek it.
Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board: its editor, Dan Jeon, and its members, Mintaka Angell, Samuel Choi, Nicholas Morley and Rachel Occhiogrosso. Send comments to editorials@browndailyherald.com.
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