After the the admissions scandal made the headlines there have been a lot of articles about how rich kids get help getting into elite colleges, including having professionals write or help write their application essays:
The Moral Wages of the College Admissions Mania
Wait, How Did You Get Into College?
How to weasel your kid into an elite college without paying bribes
I helped get rich kids into elite colleges. Obsessive parents drove me away.
Most of the articles talk about how the admissions process could be made more fair, but in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal column Kids, Don’t Become Success Robots (behind a pay wall, unfortunately) Peggy Noonan has a different take:
A few years ago I worked for a few months at an Ivy League school. I expected a lot of questions about politics, history and literature. But that is not what the students were really interested in. What they were interested in—it was almost my first question, and it never abated—was networking. They wanted to know how you network. At first I was surprised: “I don’t know, that wasn’t on my mind, I think it all comes down to the work.” Then I’d ask: “Why don’t you just make friends instead?” By the end I was saying, “It’s a mistake to see people as commodities, as things you can use! Concentrate on the work!” They’d get impatient. They knew there was a secret to getting ahead, that it was networking, and that I was cruelly withholding successful strategies.
In time I concluded they’d been trained to be shallow, encouraged to see others as commodities. They didn’t think great work would be rewarded, they thought great connections were. And it was what they’d implicitly been promised by the school: Get in here and you can network with the cream of the crop, you’ll rise to the top with them.
She points out that this emphasis is sick and harmful to the students as well as to our society. She recommends students find a good second tier college that is genuinely interested in education and helping its students.
Avoid elite universities if you can; they’re too often indoctrination mills anyway. Aim at smaller, second-tier colleges, places of low-key harmony, religiously affiliated when possible—and get a real education. Every school has a library. Every library has books. That’s what you need.
You’ll be with a better class of people—harder-working, less cynical, more earnest. First-generation college students who are excited to be there and committed to study. Immigrants who feel grateful to be there. Home-schooled kids with self-possession and dignity, who see the dignity in others.
Do not network. Make friends. Learn about the lives of others.
Good for you, Peggy!
March 17, 2019
Great post! I think this is was I dislike so much about private schools (in Canada, at least). Parents will make huge sacrifices in order to be able to have their children attend these schools, and quite readily say, “I wanted my child to have the advantages that comes with having the rich and privileged kids as friends.” Kind of makes me sick…
I keep thinking of the phrase, “Building a house on sand.” I was lucky enough to understand the importance of building a solid foundation when I was an adolescent. It’s stood me well ever since and I’m grateful.
I really hate this whole Admissions Mania thing.
I think what’s happening to the parents, and spoiled kids, losing jobs and sponsorship is more than fair and the parents should be charged accordingly and with possible jail time just like “working class” people would be.
But what really burns me is how it’s the top news story on all the Network channels. People are devastated and many have died in the Nebraska floods.
There’s historic flooding in Iowa and Illinois but it barely makes the news because people are obsessed with “celebrities”. It’s sad and one of the reasons I have now decided to stop watching these News programs.
Now about the colleges. My eldest niece had such a high grade point average that she could have gone to community college for free. Instead she went to an expensive school in Chicago. She complains about her student loan bills but she made friends with people who enabled her to go to Europe several times (she’s there now) and to California, Oregon, many places on a dime. I know she wouldn’t call it networking but I think that’s exactly what happened. She certainly would have made some friends here locally but not with the same connections. So… I see both sides.
At least your niece is getting some benefit from the money she is paying. Does she think it was worth it? At least the fact that some people are dragged down by student loans for years and years is getting publicity and maybe changing some people’s minds.
Also, I think the publicity is actually a good thing — it makes people realize how sick the present system is.
No, my niece doesn’t think it’s worth it.
She dropped out before finishing. She’s stated that she’d just quit paying on the debt but her parents co-signed on it so…. I’m guessing someone must be paying it….
And yes, I’m glad it’s getting all the publicity but I just wish they’d give equal time to other stories of equal importance.
it seems our entire love affair with “college” is ridiculous.
yes it plays a very important part in life. but it has reached proportions of importance and monied debt that is unbelievable! everything we do seems to be measured by ‘how much it costs.’ it’s all so shallow. we live in a land of BUY and SELL. and PRESTIGE and “I’m BETTER than YOU are!”
it’s not surprising this has happened. it has probably been going on for years. now there’s a frightening thought. we wonder daily at the incompetency of people. perhaps they ‘bought’ their knowledge.
a GREAT post Monk! thank you!
Tammy,
You are so right. I hadn’t thought about that but YES!
Think of all the professionals we both know who we wonder about and don’t really trust.
And YES, a college degree doesn’t make the person better than someone without one.
That’s why I love Mike Rowe. He’s trying to change that perspective.
I had to look up Mike Rowe — he’s a good man. This whole thing reminds me of the John Gardner quote,
About Mike Rowe, if he ran for President, I’d vote for him.
And sometime you should look up his parents messages to him, especially his mom, she’s hysterical.
It’s a whole new world out there. It’s sad how some people think they can get ahead with money rather than on their own merit.
The idea that who you know, your connections, is more important than what you can do is sick. 🙁
Unfortunately, it is often who you know that gets you in the door where you can prove what you know. Part of today’s challenge is picking the right door. Our daughter tried lots of doors before a friend helped her through a door to discover truck driving is what suits her best. I am happy that she is happy with having found that. I just wish she didn’t have student debt from all the other doors she tried first.
The idea that going to college is the only way to having a good life is sick. Kids should have a variety of experiences, including the experience of working, to help them make decisions. I remember when I was in 9th grade we took aptitude tests and had to write a paper about what career we might want. It at least raised the question.
My daughter worked at Sonic Drive-in when she was in high school. Andy and I were hesitant about it when she raised the idea, but said she could try it as long as she kept her grades up (at least B’s). She made the right choice, she realized she didn’t want that kind of job for life and needed to work towards something different. Growing up working on projects on the land was another plus — she started with a good practical education. At the moment America isn’t doing right by our kids.