I want to get into a service academy and I am willing do whatever it takes to get in(excluding things like cheating and things of that nature). Not going to sugarcoat anything. People study for the SAT to get a higher score to pad their resume, is something wrong with this?
Bad logic.
Candidates should do their best in every aspect regardless if they get a cookie for doing it. Studying for the ACT/SAT and practicing the CFA to get the best score shows commitment to keep trying.
Joining scouts for a month just to check a box on a sheet is BS.
Now that's sugar free.
I don't see any difference, I study for the SAT when I honestly don't give one (explicative) about 99% of the stuff I am studying. I don't care about what the word draconian means because it has no useful application outside of the SAT, but I study what it means because it will improve my chances of getting a high score on the SAT. I study just so I can put a higher number in a box on an application. If the SAT didn't matter and was completely meaningless test, would most cadets study for it? No. Why? Because there wouldn't be a "cookie" for doing so.
So I guess doing something you don't care about (studying for the SAT) just so you can put a higher number in a box is ok, but doing something you don't care about (scouts) just so you can check a box is a big no-no.
I don't plan on joining scouts for a month, I will do it till graduation if I do end up joining.