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<p>Go ahead and point out other errors I’ve made in my history of posting on this forum. If you can find just one, then hey, I’m not too bad. That was a cheap shot btw. This is a forum, not a dissertation and I personally don’t care if I make grammatical mistakes every now and then.</p>
<p>You sure seem to like to hear yourself argue, nychomie.</p>
<p>Emeraldkitty, you can contribute to society just fine by being a barista and a garbage man. You can even do things like volunteering on the side. To say otherwise is to discount the many fine contributions of people from all walks of life who keep this society running.</p>
<p>I agree nychomie. I know a lot of people who do not have many degrees but who positively contribute to society everyday and I know of some very well-educated people who are very, very selfish. I think success can be measured by what people honestly say about you at your funeral.</p>
<p>I would like to point out that while the elite colleges may be the best choices for people who would like to take advantage of the resources, I realize they’re not available to everyone. That doesn’t, however, mean that farmer who toils everyday and developed strong character that way wouldn’t benefit from an elite college education just the same. Maybe they could live an even more enriched life by being exposed to the resources and diversity available there?</p>
<p>I propose to you, nychomie, that the one who has limited exposure may be the one who attends the elite college.</p>
<p>you can contribute to society just fine by being a barista and a garbage man.</p>
<p>Where did I say anything to the contrary?</p>
<p>I will restate what I said, since you didn’t seem to understand me the first time- that I do not hold the view as yourself that going into debt of $100,000 in order to attend an expensive college- is worth it because of the * experience* if the graduate is not going to make use of their education.</p>
<p>I do not judge people by their income, however, if they have been provided with substantial resources- such as you yourself have pointed out, by being educated in an " enriched" environment, they have not illustrated that they have utilized those resources wisely, if they are working in a position that anyone with a high school diploma can get.</p>
<p>Now they very well may be doing something on the side that eclipses their current occupation for which they do not earn an income- but that remains to be seen. It doesn’t seem, that, that is what is being argued here.</p>
<p>Well said, Deborah. and as for
going to a top school also doesn’t guarantee the development of good interpersonal/social skills or “character”.</p>
<p>Well, here we go again with another thread where nychomie espouses that an elite college is the end all and be all. I have nothing against elite colleges, mind you, as I attended them and have children who have as well. </p>
<p>First, nychomie, your premise that success is not measured by how much money you earn or the job you manage to get is something I would agree with. However, the opposite position is not the one you assert which is that the measure of success is if you got an education at a top 20 college. </p>
<p>Success is working toward goals and achieving them. It doesn’t matter what college you went to (or any college for that matter) or what job you attain or how much money you earn.</p>
<p>Example: a teenage (or young adult) single mother who has not gone to college and has a goal of earning money to support her baby and be independent and gets a job at Starbucks that enables her to achieve that goal is a success. A young adult who went to a fine prep school (like you have) and a top 20 college (your qualifier) likely went to college with goals in mind beyond getting a job at Starbucks. The goal may be to use their education in some fashion to attain a job or worthwhile endeavor. Working at Starbucks is fine but is not really a measure of success in reaching a goal that was set by choosing to go to a college that provides an education that enables one to make a difference in some fashion in a way that was not possible had they not gone to college. </p>
<p>Later, you wrote:
One could also say that where they went to college doesn’t matter, but what they accomplish in their career or in life and their character matters more. The measure of one’s success in life is not defined by just four years of life. </p>
<p>You also wrote:
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<p>You can contribute to society just fine by never going to college or by going to a college that is not a top 20 college on USNews and World Report. To say otherwise is to discount the many fine contributions of people from all walks of life and who attended all sorts of colleges, who keep this society running.</p>
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<p>Remember your statement from the thread about ugly people wearing HYP shirts? I don’t know what you look like, but the rest of the statement sure describes you. Why do you keep starting threads just so you can say, ad nauseam, that those who don’t attend elite colleges are jealous of those who do? It’s really getting boring.</p>
<p>By the way, nychomie, I have not seen a single member on this thread claim that success is measured by how much money a person earns.</p>
<p>nychomie, elite colleges do not have a monopoly on building character. People with character come from all walks of life and all types of educations or lack thereof. Also, going to an elite college does not guarantee a person will have character.</p>
<p>I assume you go to a top 20 college (since you are a cheerleader for “top 20” schools), right? But the attitude you portray in your posts on CC is one of elitism and it is not a positive attribute when it comes to character. My kids went to top colleges and grad schools and are high achievers but I would just die if they had elitist attitudes. They don’t. It is not becoming of one’s character.</p>
<p>I’m not really elitist. I believe everyone should have access to a world-class education. However, spaces are limited which is unfortunate.</p>
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Well, I’m completely anonymous on this forum so I’m certainly not trying to impress in any way. I don’t even know who you guys are.</p>
<p>Soozievt, elite colleges definitely do not have a monopoly on building character, I agree. However, of those who developed their character in other ways, would you deny them the chance to attend an elite college if you think it would benefit them even further, both their personal and intellectual development? I do realize it’s not possible for everybody to attend these schools, however.</p>
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<p>This sounds rather silly. Of course I would not deny someone the chance to attend an elite college! But I believe character and intellect can be developed by attending a wide array of colleges.</p>
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<p>Sorry, Charlie, er, nychomie…but the body of your posts come off as elitist in attitude. It isn’t about who has access to a world-class education. It is that you define success (and much else) as dependent on going to a top 20 college. Not so. (likewise when it comes to attending an elite prep school, I might add, which you also argue as the end all and be all in terms of building character, maturity, and intellect)</p>
<p>PS, the reason that every kid can’t attend an “elite” college is not due to space limitations, by the way. Many do not have the opportunities that may lead to such a path.</p>
<p>It is unfortunate, nychomie, that you appear to define yourself (or others) by which college or high school you (or they) attend. But I have to tell you that the world is going to define you by the person you are and the person you are becoming and what you accomplish in life. As someone else mentioned, at your funeral, the eulogy will focus on you and not your alma mater.</p>
<p>nychomie:#74</p>
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<p>I think this hold true for a quality elementary/middle/high school more than the top college. The character building happens during those vulernable years. </p>
<p>So then in your word people success is pre-defined by the high school one attends…</p>
<p>Character building has many influences besides schooling. I would say that parental influences play a big part.</p>
<p>^^^: Certainly parent do influence the character building but children learn more from peers during those vulnerable years than from parent.</p>
<p>I’ve conveyed it before and reiterate that schooling follows law of diminishing rerturns with age with respect to character building.</p>
<p>A 18 year old undergraduate at HMSPY will have more influence on their character than a 22 year graduate student or 23 year old Phd candidate.</p>
<p>A 14 years old at prep high school have even greater infuence on the character building.</p>
<p>So far on this thread, I’ve heard “success” defined by three main categories: education, character, and earnings. No path is ever a guarantee you will get a great education, develop great character, and make a nice living. However, I couldn’t think of a better place that will set you off on the right foot than an elite college. I’m not saying it’s the only path (certainly it’s not), but it’s certainly one of the best in that it prepares you for all three things at once. Elite colleges are not only able to provide an amazing education but also expose one to peers whose character and range of experiences are amazing and astoundingly diverse (certainly, these things are weighed more in the admission process at these schools than at a regular school). Additionally, they boast higher earnings for their graduates on average.</p>