Article in Newsweek" Is it the End of Elitism?

<p>More top students...more top schools.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8987165/site/newsweek/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8987165/site/newsweek/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>And an overwhelming majority of students are happy wherever they attend.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8974501/site/newsweek/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8974501/site/newsweek/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>From the first article ^^^^:
[quote]
What's a "top tier" school? Which universities have the most cachet to parents, employers, and law and medical schools? Is there such a thing as a "safety school" anymore and, if so, what are its attributes in an age when so many schools have competitive admissions standards? These questions probably shouldn't count quite as much as they unmistakably do: too much angst is wasted on matters of pride and ego, rather than figuring out where each student has the chance to do his or her best.

[/quote]
But... you heard it here first, on CC. :D</p>

<p>Focusing on where the "student has the chance to do his or her best." Radical concept!</p>

<p>Thanks, dstark. That's what I have been saying, too.<br>
But I question the measure of success as being a CEO. Gr....
My Harvard-bound math nerd is not aspiring to be a CEO. And the fact that he will not be or earn a stratospheric income, will, not, to me, be a sign that he has failed or that Harvard has failed to make him a success. If he ends up being a high school teacher with a Ph.D., as several of his high school teachers have been, and shares his love of math with a new generation of high schoolers, that will be fine. We need more teachers who really know their subject.</p>

<p>Jmmom, I agree. CCers could have written the college education magazine from Newsweek. :)</p>

<p>Marite, I agree with you too.</p>

<p>Thanks for the pointer, dstark. I tried not to read this section of the Newsweek this past week, thinking it would hurt my head. But now it just gave me some valuable reflection.</p>

<p>With S#1, he had always been a stand-out in everything he did. It was always assumed that he would be a strong candidate for the schools at which it is said that "pride and ego" moved the choice, even though we who knew him well knew that some of these schools would be good fits for him. And he's off next weekend to one of those schools, where it seems he is likely to fit very well. The process went smoothly.</p>

<p>With S#2, who is a rising junior, there are none of the same assumptions. For him, it will absolutely be a matter of figuring out where he "has the chance to do his ... best". And while that process will be very different from what we went through with S#1, I realize that I am looking forward to it, without all the angst of pride and ego. I think. ;) (Now to convince S#2 that schools he's never heard of are good fits for him...)</p>

<p>Mootmom, having kids that are different makes life much more interesting. Working with S#2 will be fun.</p>