<p>Interesting development, jonri. Maybe she is on a waiting list somewhere and realized some national print exposure could be just the tipping point she needs. And she probably has an “in” at the WSJ to get her piece published.</p>
<p>Still, she has a cute sense of humor and the ending, an urge to watch “Housewives…” is self-deprecating and witty. Good luck to her.</p>
<p>I thought she was making as much fun of herself as of anybody else.</p>
<p>I didn’t find the article humorous. The implication is that every student accepted into a highly selective school was packaged and/or a diversity admit. I thought it was bitter and insulting. Especially the repeated “joke” that she wishes that she were a minority and/or LGBTQ for the purposes of college admissions…</p>
<p>I am with Shawbridge on this one…the whole college application process is just getting ridiculous.</p>
<p>Only on CC would we look for deep meaning into a very funny essay.</p>
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<p>That’s clearly false, and can be readily observed on any of the elite school decision threads. But if it were true, great – then let’s dump those silly ill-defined and highly political AA questions and give a boost instead to all those who succeed in spite of severe socio-economic limitations.</p>
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<p>I agree with poetgrl, and Shawbridge’s analysis. Humor is way of overcoming adversity and self-mocking is a time-honored tradition. The opening 15 minutes of Brown’s presentation to accepted but still undecided students is a collection of film and TV video clips that make fun of the school. The more I think about it, the more I think it’s intentionally done to drive away the humorless applicants that slipped through, so the ones who attend have more fun.</p>
<p>" My kid and the writer of the article deserved to get into the tippy top schools just as much as your kid did." - Probably so. But there are only so many slots, and it’s a crap shoot for all. </p>
<p>It makes me sad to hear that a student (in general, not the article author or kids mentioned in this thread) “had their hear set on IvyX”. Hopefully CC is helping educate families to have the right mind set.</p>
<p>and of course we all know that “the elite schools decisions threads” on college confidential should be taken with the utmost seriousness…</p>
<p>here’s a short link regarding the issue. he’s in the tradition of the fearless, loving, beautiful high school teachers i had. i will always be grateful to them! most of them were white, jewish americans. i link this for the young folk who read this site. not for the older ones whose minds can’t be changed. </p>
<p>[Affirmative</a> Action Debate: Tim Wise (3 of 14) - YouTube](<a href=“Affirmative Action Debate: Tim Wise 3/14- Intelligence Squared U.S. - YouTube”>Affirmative Action Debate: Tim Wise 3/14- Intelligence Squared U.S. - YouTube)</p>
<p>As an URM who was rejected/waitlisted at the majority of places I applied to, I can vouch that the asinine myth perpetuated on this site that <em>only</em> kids who are URM in some way have a good shot at, say, HYP is utter bs.
Don’t even.</p>
<p>“I didn’t find the article humorous. The implication is that every student accepted into a highly selective school was packaged and/or a diversity admit. I thought it was bitter and insulting. Especially the repeated “joke” that she wishes that she were a minority and/or LGBTQ for the purposes of college admissions…”</p>
<p>Completely agree.</p>
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<p>Nobody has a good shot at HYP and being URM is certainly not a magic admission ticket. But that is not the same as saying “URM children have to have the same stats, ecs, stellar essays and recommendations as their ORM counterparts.”</p>
<p>Quite a few non-URMs with absolutely perfect academic stats plus leadership roles in ECs and community service get rejected from HYPSM. Do you know any URMs with 2400 SATs / 36 ACTs plus #1 rank plus leadership roles who got rejected from multiple schools?</p>
<p>Next year I’ll be sure to survey every URM ever to get an answer to your question. </p>
<p>You’re welcome.</p>
<p>I believe the essay was meant to be tongue in cheek and should be taken lightly. BTW, If I was the author, based on recently being published, I would appeal. </p>
<p>For those who think minority students don’t derserve to be at the top schools. Consider it not a law of preference but instead a law of large numbers. 150K minority kids will graduate from high school. The top 2% - 3000 kids will be truly spectacular. Yes I agree that the occassional kid will write a heartbreaking essay and win admittance but that is the exception and not the rule. BTW let’s not forget that the undisputed king of college preferences is still the ability to pay and donate.</p>
<p>Well, I guess I mostly noticed the way she was making fun of herself, and it seemed as if she really was making fun of the entitlement culture, come ON, she references The Housewives at the end. </p>
<p>But, if it is offensive to the URMs on the board, then I’m sure I missed the underlying prejudice, since I’m caucaision and wouldn’t have as fine tuned an ear. So, if it’s that offensive to you, then I have to believe it is offensive. We all have our blinders. We can only see the part we can see. But, I see your point. </p>
<p>I think all humor is offensive to somebody, certainly, but if I tell my husband a joke is sexist he just has to agree. If you tell me the op ed is racist? I have to agree.</p>
<p>“BTW let’s not forget that the undisputed king of college preferences is still the ability to pay and donate.”</p>
<p>TRUE STORY: A student at my S’s private high school was a basic B+ student. A bit of a party kid. Friendly personality, played a sport but not a star. However, this kid is the child of a true celebrity. Not giving any more hints, but definitely a household name parent. And guess what? This kid was accepted at the top schools…and the president of one of these top schools personally telephoned to invite the kid and kid’s famous parent to lunch once the application to that school was received. That is the school where the kid will be attending. The school is highly ranked and without that famous parent, I am certain a kid like this would not have gotten in to that school. Many much more qualified kids at our school were rejected by this school.</p>
<p>There are only a very few schools where admissions is a “game.” At the vast majority, it is far more straightforward. Those very few schools get TONS of applications, and they have to use some method of culling through them to put together a class. Applicants hire people to help package them, prep them, etc. That is hardly a surprise — where there is an opportunity, there will be someone who steps in to fill the need. Unless and until people go back to the way things were “back in the day,” when there weren’t so many kids obsessing about getting in the top schools like they do now, admission to the top schools will remain a game. The adcoms didn’t start the game … they are responding to what is being presented to them. As numbers of apps rise, students have to work harder to differentiate themselves, only the most extraordinary get in, and applicants will do whatever they think they must do to appear superhuman.</p>
<p>And as for the rich B+ kid who got in the top school … it takes money to run a school.</p>
<p>Not just rich. FAMOUS. We live in a celebrity-crazed culture. Even the president of a top university falls all over himself at the chance to welcome the celebrity and celeb’s kid to the school.</p>
<p>Colorado_mom - we knew it was a crap shoot. That’s why he had back-up.</p>
<p>All three of my kids got into Ivy league schools. My D went to Dartmouth, my older S went to Brown, and my youngest S just got into Harvard. We are from a very middle class background and my kids went to an average public high school. No hooks, no legacies, and no URM status. They just worked very hard, participated in sports and activities that they loved and committed to all of it. </p>
<p>I personally find this article offensive. Hard work is still the ticket to success.</p>