College admissions make students cry

Getting into a quality college has become ridiculously difficult over the years; it’s driving me and, more likely, other students nuts. While college isn’t the only way to land a job, a good college is still essential when it comes to getting a high-paying job. There has been a high demand for jobs due to the growing population, making it even more challenging to secure one. I’m sure many students are feeling the weight of competition. Nevertheless, it is good to keep your head forward so you stress less.

According to the website, Acceptance Rate, the data shows that the top colleges only accept around ten percent of applicants. Many of those rejected students are hard-working and talented, but there is just an overwhelming amount of competition. What do you mean that getting a 4.0 or higher, participating in extracurriculars, and leadership roles doesn’t always get you into a good college? The competition has grown so exponentially that even a valedictorian with myriad activities and academic achievements can get rejected. 

One thing college admissions officers look out for is students who stick out from the crowd. Yet, when students accomplish unique things, it quickly becomes a fad, and now the officers need to look out for new things to separate the average from the special.

 However, college is a conflicting topic for me because education is important, and not everybody is lucky enough to have access to it. Many countries struggle to give their children an education due to poverty, and, for example, the gender inequalities in Afghanistan. There are some countries with even more rigorous expectations. So shouldn’t I be grateful?

While education in the US is better than in some countries, it’s not the best; there are many countries that we could learn from, like Finland. In Finland, the teaching profession is taken way more seriously, as you need a master’s degree. While the US system has a merit-based system, students in Finland aren’t graded numerically; rather, they get feedback on their performance. This leaves less room for comparison between students. 

Finnish students receive more breaks throughout the day, a longer lunch break, and a later start time. Continuing school after the age of 16 is even optional. Yet, even with a more lenient education system, Finland ranks higher in education than the US. 

As per my suggestions, more college spaces would be a good starting point, but I don’t expect them to do that.