Changing the requirements for any assignment -- unless you have a really good reason like, "the museum burned down and we can't go there" -- is just fucking asinine, and your admin should be BEATEN WITH HEAVY THINGS. Because they are clearly driving all of you batshit.
A novel is relevant to real-life in the sense of: you can plan, pay attention to detail, you can write, you are aware of people in their surroundings. All fun things. There's relevance and showcasing your individual talents.
If I were a college, I don't want a burned-out jack of all trades. I want someone with a passion. I don't care what the passion is, per se -- hopefully something I, the college, offer a major in ;) -- but something the student just gets vibrant over. AP classes have struck me -- from the secondhand experience of my brothers, as my HS didn't have them -- as "same course, more damn work". The "high-achievers" will make themselves insane doing everything they're "supposed to do". This is, of course, anecdata and YMMV and all. But I'd rather see a student with some level of practical life experience, a good solid base of core knowledge, and a passion for their talents -- that's well rounded. I don't generally like ultra-achievers any more than I like someone who thinks the civil war was in 1940.
no subject
A novel is relevant to real-life in the sense of: you can plan, pay attention to detail, you can write, you are aware of people in their surroundings. All fun things. There's relevance and showcasing your individual talents.
If I were a college, I don't want a burned-out jack of all trades. I want someone with a passion. I don't care what the passion is, per se -- hopefully something I, the college, offer a major in ;) -- but something the student just gets vibrant over. AP classes have struck me -- from the secondhand experience of my brothers, as my HS didn't have them -- as "same course, more damn work". The "high-achievers" will make themselves insane doing everything they're "supposed to do". This is, of course, anecdata and YMMV and all. But I'd rather see a student with some level of practical life experience, a good solid base of core knowledge, and a passion for their talents -- that's well rounded. I don't generally like ultra-achievers any more than I like someone who thinks the civil war was in 1940.