<p>Ok, so I wasn't sure which section to put this under so sorry if it's out of place</p>
<p>So I'm sure most of you are aware of the fact that many people in many other countries across the world tend to view Americans as stupid. I know this is an oversimplification and not everybody feels this way, but its a far too commonly held belief to ignore. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, these same people are the ones who are applying as international students in an attempt to get accepted into a prestigious American University instead of going to a domestic university. </p>
<p>If Americans were stupid and our education system did fail us, then these universities wouldn't be able to stay top notch and prestigious in the global community because our own American students would drop out at alarming rates and the universities would become laughing stocks. But despite this reasoning, Americans are still seen as stupid. </p>
<p>Well, there's an alarming disparity between top American students and average American students. Although acceptance rates at elite colleges are dropping, high-school graduation rates are doing the same. That shouldn't be happening.</p>
<p>Also, many people who consider Americans "stupid" are from Western European countries with educational systems arguably superior to that of the US. Brits, Germans, etc. tend to be very well educated. </p>
<p>Finally, I don't think that Americans are necessarily viewed as unintelligent as much as they may be considered politically ignorant and/or uncultured. Even a Harvard education can't necessarily make someone care much more about global affairs or encourage cultural refinement.</p>
<p>To reiterate though, the Americans being being called stupid are the ones not graduating high school, not the ones going to HYPSMC.</p>
<p>Americans are disturbingly provincial, but that isn't unlike the pride most people feel in their country of birth. And, yes, Americans are behind other countries in things like rote skills, BUT Americans are the most creative of all learners world wide. We are taught from a very young age that innovation and individual thought are highly prized. That is the major difference between The United States and other countries. That is why we are often at the top of the heap in discoveries and new ideas and have top universities. You can always just look up the darned formula, you know, but someone has to discover the formula first. Other systems of education ingrain memorization and such. Because of that, to me, Americans are the smartest of them all. ;)</p>
<p>I agree with citrusbelt to an extent, but I think regardless of which ever country you go to, there will be the smart ones and the dumb ones. I personally like how the American education system is more flexible than say those of European countries. Whether all Americans benefit from the system, I do not know. But the ones that do achieve it on their own merit and take advantage of what is given to them. I believe that is what separates people - those willing to make the best of what they have vs. those who are there for the ride.</p>