America’s Next Aristocracy and thoughts on America's elite schools...

[Borderland]

deleted................

[TGS]

Do you know what Vice President Al Gore, Karenna Gore, Kristin Gore, Sarah Gore, and Al Gore III all have in common: Harvard University. Think of the odds - all 4 kids got into Harvard.

However, it’s not just the Gores that are brilliant - take a look at Chuck Scheumer. His kids got into Harvard too. And then there are the kids of Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Bob Menendez, and Obama’s daughters - all Harvard.

Then we have the underachievers - Mayor Bill de Blasio’s son, who got into Yale along with the children of Sens. Michael Bennett, Amy Klobuchar and Sheldon Whitehouse. Oh, and don’t forget Chelsea - Stanford.

It’s not just the Democrats who play this game. The Bushes were “Yale Men” and Meghan McCain went to Columbia. Mitch McConnell’s daughter went to Stanford. 3 Romney kids went to Harvard. I have just scratched the surface and could go on.

Look at any politician who is in a position to influence the funding of higher education and it is highly likely that their offspring are rewarded with admission to America’s most exclusive universities. In return, they funnel billions of federal dollars back into these schools.

Gotcha, I see what you're steppin' in.

So basically what you're saying is that by allowing "elites" to buy into the school who wouldn't otherwise be admitted based on their merit, the schools are perpetuating an aristocracy....

....this, as opposed to the idea that these schools would be perpetuating an aristocracy simply because the average student tends to do well, or come from a financially well-off position.

Is that the gist of it? At first I thought you were arguing the latter, which didn't make sense to me. The former totally makes sense.

I need to know what/who the “ruling class” is. I want to join.

Well, when you guys have your own hotel in midtown Manhattan because your old boys club simply can't be bothered with having to intermingle with the lower orders at hotels open to commoners, it gives the illusion.

[Moylan]

I don't have access to the WSJ but there's what seems to be an insightful article about Ivies etc here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-i-s...es-11623103004

A longish quotation, anyway, that gives the gist is here: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/return...gue-graduates/

Basically, if I'm getting the thrust right, the author thinks that decent people who go to schools like this either get Woke or become cowards who knee-jerk self-censor in order to survive.

[Joe in PNG]

That still counts as "guaranteed success" by my definition. Sure, they won't be on top anymore; but they'll still "succeed" in whatever vanity "business" venture they use to while away their time on this Earth. Still a member of the landed gentry where they can do whatever they want, fail as often as needed, and still walk away completely unscathed. You see plenty of the type move to silicon valley, buy a Patagonia vest, and then become a "serial entrepreneur" that somehow never lacks for resources while bankrolling the next "facebook for cats" or whatever other insane "app" they're certain is going to "disrupt" this or that industry.

Obscurity is not poverty. But it is a sign of fading wealth and influence. What % of the successive generations are still in the multi-millionaire bracket? And what % are able to afford being in the vanity business venture field, and how many have faded down into the general income level of Suzy Successful Saleswoman or Doug Dentist? And do all the sons and daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren so benefit? What about the foolish prodigals, your disowned black sheep, the drug casualties, and general societal dropouts.

That the fade is glacial doesn't mean it isn't happening. Give it a couple of decades, and we'll see a new group of names on the top 10. A few more, and those names will have shifted.

[rob_s]

She mad

https://apple.news/ABtOa-ev2TRyZQW1-Pdzi_A

For those of you who may also already be mad about such things…

[vcdgrips]

For those who have placed a child in an elite school, the majority white legacy/jock/full pay/donation advantaged kid has always been in play relative to just really bright kids.

In broad strokes, while folks often get all up in arms when these schools admit kids of color, nobody had much to say until this recent recruiting scandal (Operation Varsity Blues) that continues to play out as we speak re the legacy/full pay/jock/full pay advantaged kids, the majority of whom are white.

As a bit of an aside, a key, regardless of who you are, to getting in to an elite school is just have access to a quality information stream about the process. This is not remotely a given in many high schools. You need to know:

1. Many of those schools often accept 50%+ of their class in the "early admission" period with an application deadline pre 12/1. An issue here for kids of more modest means is that the offer of admission is often considered "binding" and you have to accept it before you have your Financial Aid Package.

2. The Common Ap Essay is the one thing that can really distinguish you from others such that it would be worth it to pay 500-1000 to take a class on how to write the best one possible and get real time edits on the final product. Of course you have to have the money to spend the money.

3.You can often boost an ACT/SAT significantly by prepping and paying for classes/tutor. (Edited to add- which may include taking the test(s) multiple times) Same caveat re money. PRO TIP- Tell your kids to take the test with #2 dull pencils as dull pencils fill in bubbles faster that sharp pencils. Over the course of 100+ questions, the faster fill in speed will allow you to answer a few more questions. More questions answered correctly = a higher score.

[Jim Watson]

3.You can often boost an ACT/SAT significantly by prepping and paying for classes/tutor.

Or just keep taking the tests. A couple of years ago there was a news item here about the two students who had cleaned one of the tests... on the EIGHTH try, not counting practice runs on old tests and coaching.

[OlongJohnson]

Or just keep taking the tests. A couple of years ago there was a news item here about the two students who had cleaned one of the tests... on the EIGHTH try, not counting practice runs on old tests and coaching.

This.

I took it in 7th grade, then again in 10th (for practice) and 11th (for score). Was pretty happy with the score. Then, senior year, it turned out the junior year test was a few months too early to count for college admissions, so I took it again. I was not stressed. It went well.

I always recommend taking it at least every year of high school.

[Jim Watson]

This.

I took it in 7th grade, then again in 10th (for practice) and 11th (for score). Was pretty happy with the score. Then, senior year, it turned out the junior year test was a few months too early to count for college admissions, so I took it again. I was not stressed. It went well.

I always recommend taking it at least every year of high school.

That option was not available or at least not mentioned in my public school in 1961. Maybe the well to do kids in the private schools could get reruns in those days.

[Bergeron]

For those who have placed a child in an elite school, the majority white legacy/jock/full pay/donation advantaged kid has always been in play relative to just really bright kids.

In broad strokes, while folks often get all up in arms when these schools admit kids of color, nobody had much to say until this recent recruiting scandal (Operation Varsity Blues) that continues to play out as we speak re the legacy/full pay/jock/full pay advantaged kids, the majority of whom are white.

As a bit of an aside, a key, regardless of who you are, to getting in to an elite school is just have access to a quality information stream about the process. This is not remotely a given in many high schools. You need to know:

1. Many of those schools often accept 50%+ of their class in the "early admission" period with an application deadline pre 12/1. An issue here for kids of more modest means is that the offer of admission is often considered "binding" and you have to accept it before you have your Financial Aid Package.

2. The Common Ap Essay is the one thing that can really distinguish you from others such that it would be worth it to pay 500-1000 to take a class on how to write the best one possible and get real time edits on the final product. Of course you have to have the money to spend the money.

3.You can often boost an ACT/SAT significantly by prepping and paying for classes/tutor. (Edited to add- which may include taking the test(s) multiple times) Same caveat re money. PRO TIP- Tell your kids to take the test with #2 dull pencils as dull pencils fill in bubbles faster that sharp pencils. Over the course of 100+ questions, the faster fill in speed will allow you to answer a few more questions. More questions answered correctly = a higher score.

I've only ever been a state public school graduate, but I have done tutoring in line with the above, and it's worth discussing.

I can't tell anyone if an "elite" school is worth anything, an undergraduate STEM degree is an undergraduate STEM degree- but grad school choice matters.

I've worked for multiple tutoring companies, and while most of the work involved bringing Ds up to Bs, and a little bit of Bs up to As, I did do quite a bit of standardized testing support. There are real best practices to taking these sorts of tests, independent of classroom knowledge, that some teenager might perhaps not have in their awareness.

The ACT and SAT cost- they are expensive tests. A bit more invested in teaching how to take the test is probably money well spent.

I personally think that any idea of American elitism is silly, but I've also never tried (or been remotely qualified) to participate in it, either.