Truth matters. Words matter. Truthful facts matter. Actions Matter. Reality matters to We the People.
High school students are living in a world bombarded with a steady stream of misinformation and disinformation.
How can adolescents discern that which is truthful from that which is a lie?
I really do not know how these young and impressionable minds can determine who is telling the truth. #SAD #DISTURBING
Many authoritative figures are failing the younger generations as proper role models. For self-serving reasons, people lie.
The Truth About Lies in Our Society
1. No accountability, No consequences assessed against anyone for spreading lies.
2. No lessons to be learned from telling lies, only more confusion that results from living in a distorted reality.
3. No teachable moment to learn from the consequence of telling a lie.
The events of January 6, 2021 have forever altered the lives of these students.
In real time, we all witnessed a mob, storm the sacred halls of the U.S. Capital in support of a deliberate coup to overthrow the U.S. Government.
Why? They were seeking to reverse the results of a fair and free U.S. Presidential election.
The rioters intended to desecrate democracy, the foundation of these United States of America. Whether you like it or not, we are a government of laws. No one is above the law.
U.S. Senator and former Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney stated on the night of January 6, 2021 “…The best way we can show respect for the voters who are upset is by telling them the truth. That is the burden, and the duty, of leadership.”
I am a former assistant District Attorney. As such, I respect the institutions of our democracy, our constitution and the rule of law. I believe in speaking in truths based on factual information. I believe the dissemination of factual information is critical for success of a community, village, town, state and nation. As an officer of the court, I maintain that a person must be held accountable for their actions when they violate the law.
This is real life, and unequivocally overwhelming, and difficult for anyone to process. For many high school students, these recent events could be life altering. One can only hope this is a once in a lifetime occurrence. #UNBELIEVABLE #MENTALLYEXHAUSTED
You ask, “What does this have to do with a high school student and college admissions”? Everything. The Dean of Admissions wants to know how these young men and women are emotionally processing a failed coup against the United States Government during a pandemic. Surreal to even pose that query.
For the high school senior who submitted college applications regular decision for the current application cycle 2020–2021, he or she may be able to personally answer the above question.
When applications are being reviewed, students may be interviewed by an admissions counselor or alumni. These interviews are another critical component in the subjective review of the candidate. It is also where the student can directly speak with an admissions representative to convey in person who they are and why they want to attend that college.
The hopeful candidate can use the interview as a platform to discuss how these two phenomenal events have personally affected themselves, their family, school and community. Moreover, this is a priceless opportunity to discuss what if anything you have done to help your community address these stressful, life-altering events.
The Dean wants to know whether a student is an active participant in their community. Why? High school students who participate in their communities, will be active members of their college communities. It is for this reason that a student’s social, political and academic values are aligned with the college they aspire to attend.
The Dean also wants to know how students overcomes challenges. A pandemic and governmental coup are unequivocally unforeseen challenges, and no one has been immune from these events. Have these events changed the student’s views toward the world and impacted future career decisions?
These questions will be posed to all current and future college applicants.
WISEWORDS: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.
REMEMBER: The Dean of Undergraduate Admissions wants students who want to learn, and positively contribute to their campus community. The Dean wants accepted students to grow, flourish and mature at their college, to ultimately contribute to their world to simply make it a better place. #AMEN
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