<p>I don't think that our kids should be painted with such broad strokes, as being labeled the most looked-after generation ever, kids who "got a medal for showing up" because it is not totally true. Sure our kids have benefitted greatly because the material wealth that some of us have been able to give to our kids because of the sacrifices made by our parents so that we could have better lives than they had. But a lot of this has come as a cost, we probably have more latch key kids, kids in afterschool, kids at baby sitters, and over scheduled kids because a 2 income household has become a necessity. </p>
<p>Our kids are smarter because we, their parents ar smarter and better educated (having flashbacks of what my parents called new math, and we having our own versions of new math). But by the same token our kids are living - to whom much has been given much is required, because the bar is constantly being raised fo them to perform and bring more and more to the table especially in hte colleg process.</p>
<p>Both my H and I agree that our two are much more mature than we were at their age. The older one has worked part-time since he started college and has been financially independent the whole time. The younger one seems to be headed in the same direction. We're just relieved.</p>
<p>The segment will be rebroadcast Sunday Dec 26th</p>
<p>The list is for schools that offer AP and IB classes. Many schools with rigourous curriculum don't see the need to offer AP classes as they prefer to write their own.
Also while my daughters inner city high school is in the top 200, several schools from a very fancy suburb are in the top 20 although their superintendent has been lambasted for requiring students to take AP and by discouraging them from dropping any when the load is too tough.
Standards have changed.
I didn't attend a 4 yr college, but presently the UW requires a 3.7 GPA for automatic admittance and 3years of a language.
When my mother attended it was 2.7 GPA and two years of a language.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Students are poorer than they were in 1972. There are more students living below the Federal Poverty Level now than 30 years, and many more below 200% of the FPL (the standard which in many places is used for public benefits).</p></li>
<li><p>Many more students are living in single-parent households.</p></li>
<li><p>Many more students are "latch-key" kids.</p></li>
<li><p>Many more students hold down jobs.</p></li>
<li><p>Many more students who hold these jobs are expected to contribute income to their families (rather than save for college).</p></li>
<li><p>Many more students attend what are essentially segregated public schools.</p></li>
<li><p>There are many more students without any access to health care.</p></li>
<li><p>Many more students, especially students of color, apply to and attend colleges and universities.</p></li>
<li><p>Many more students of color graduate from high school.</p></li>
<li><p>The gap in income between minority and white parents with the same level of education has remained the same.</p></li>
<li><p>Teen pregnancy rates are much lower than they were in 1972.</p></li>
<li><p>Teen drug use rates are much lower than they were in 1972.</p></li>
<li><p>Teen crime rates are much lower than they were in 1972.</p></li>
</ul>