Why Colleges Want Passionate Students
By demonstrating your authentic passion and focus in your college essays and interviews you stand out from other applicants. It helps you align your extra curricular activities and choices to demonstrate to colleges with action your authentic passion.
A culture of passionate students at a college generates more success for all and it increases the likelihood of graduation from college. A key component in college rankings is a college’s graduation rate. Therefore, passionate students will likely increase a college’s ranking.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Quote about passion from Harvard’s Dean of Admissions, William R. Fitzsimmons:
“… Students who have the energy, drive, commitment and passion for embracing the opportunities before them contribute in many important ways to their college classmates and to society throughout their lives.
The particular career paths students end up pursuing can vary a great deal. Students today often embark on a number of different careers during their lifetimes. It is the underlining set of personal qualities and character that they are able to develop that enables them to make important contributions to whatever career they choose.”
UC BERKELEY
Quote of UC Berkeley Vice Chancellor, Harry Le Grand:
“Passion is the greatest indicator of success. I had a passion for working with college students and pursued my academic career with that in mind. Because I was passionate about it graduate school was more interesting and my personal satisfaction with my work life has been rich. While you can be taught technical competencies and theoretical knowledge passion is innate and a driver for success.”
ART CENTER SCHOOL
OF DESIGN
Quote of Art Center’s Director of Admissions, Tom Stern:
“Art Center is a community of highly focused and deeply passionate artists and designers, so identifying these same traits in our applicants excites us—not just because passion and focus are essential creative qualities, but perhaps more importantly because they speak to a quality of character and individual drive necessary for one to develop into a truly great artist or designer.”