The Importance of Character in College Admissions

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Jewish immigrants were seen as a threat to U.S. educational system because of their academic achievements. Institutions felt uneasy about imposing quotas or excluding Jewish applicants so they came up with these kind of workarounds. One of them was this emphasis on extracurriculars that indicated things other than academic merit. This is where you get the whole idea of like a well-rounded applicant, which institutions have maintained for so long.