The Disadvantages of an Elite Education (2008)
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The Disadvantages of an Elite Education (2008)
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Re: The Disadvantages of an Elite Education (2008)
#2Making small talk is a skill, just like any other. You don't need to skip college to figure out how to small talk.
but the rest of the article is pretty interesting: the sense of entitlement, the one dimensional view of intelligence, and the SAT and prep track required to get to it all.
Somehow, this article reminded me of Catch in the Rye - especially the main character and his experiences in a prep school for college.
Re: The Disadvantages of an Elite Education (2008)
#3This article is utter rubbish. Anyone who possesses an elite education will never suffer in their life. They're in the upper-echelon of society. I have no pity for them and they are not at a disadvantage.
Go ahead an ask anyone accepted into Yale if they'd trade it off for the same major at po-dunk State U.
What do you think their response will be?
Don't be daft. This is trash.
Re: The Disadvantages of an Elite Education (2008)
#4edited
Re: The Disadvantages of an Elite Education (2008)
#5This article is utter rubbish. Anyone who possesses an elite education will never suffer in their life. They're in the upper-echelon of society. I have no pity for them and they are not at a disadvantage. Go ahead an ask anyone accepted into Yale if they'd trade it off for the same major at po-dunk State U. What do you think their response will be? Don't be daft. This is trash.
I think you're confusing "these are the cons of going to an elite university" with "there are more cons than pros of going to an elite university."
It's quite possible to be mostly satisfied with something and still have good reasons to be dissatisfied, and it's perfectly reasonable to write about those reasons. I doubt Deresiewicz would say that "po-dunk State U" is better.
Re: The Disadvantages of an Elite Education (2008)
#6This article is utter rubbish. Anyone who possesses an elite education will never suffer in their life. They're in the upper-echelon of society. I have no pity for them and they are not at a disadvantage. Go ahead an ask anyone accepted into Yale if they'd trade it off for the same major at po-dunk State U. What do you think their response will be? Don't be daft. This is trash.
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Re: The Disadvantages of an Elite Education (2008)
#7edited
> I love when the elite romanticize the lives of the prole. It's super easy to think "Yeah, $750 apartment, a bit for food, go out for a beer once in awhile, work 9-5, great!" Until you realize that unless you play a perfect hand with every dime, the slightest expense can cripple you at a moments notice.
"Not to be rich" doesn't necessarily mean "precariously afloat."
I choose to interpret that line charitably, and take it to mean that many high impact roles in society (especially various roles in education) do not pay richly, so having the luxury to deprioritize income should mean that today's young Americans might be better equipped to focus on social impact first.
Edit: I saw that you edited your post and removed what you originally said. That's too bad. I would much prefer that we try to have a productive discussion than to just drop a curtain on the conversation.
Re: The Disadvantages of an Elite Education (2008)
#8This article is utter rubbish. Anyone who possesses an elite education will never suffer in their life. They're in the upper-echelon of society. I have no pity for them and they are not at a disadvantage. Go ahead an ask anyone accepted into Yale if they'd trade it off for the same major at po-dunk State U. What do you think their response will be? Don't be daft. This is trash.
When I was on the Harvard tour, the guide was an Ivy League groupie -- she had applied and failed to get into Harvard, went to a good "backup school", (I think Case Western) and finally transferred into Harvard in her sophomore year -- without transferring any credits.
It made an impression on me. I checked out the 2nd tier of school and found a bunch of white bread people from Jersey looking forward to a career in ibanking or medicine.
I ended up in a good state school with real people and no debt. I lost the opportunity to work at McKinsey or whatever, but I consider that a plus.
Re: The Disadvantages of an Elite Education (2008)
#9What BS. This guy can't talk to a plumber and it's the fault of elite colleges? Pleeese!
Re: The Disadvantages of an Elite Education (2008)
#10edited
This bit elicited a chuckle...
> How will I face my classmates at our 20th reunion, when they’re all rich lawyers or important people in New York?
You face them with your head held high. You chose a career that you find fulfilling. You're improving the lives of children, passing your hard-earned knowledge on to another generation.