So I’m reading The Price Of Admission, by Daniel Golden. (I’d link it here, but I don’t want to promote it.) I’m always intrigued by these admissions books, giving students and parents some sort of “inside look” at the “elite” college admissions process.
Golden’s basic premise appears to be that the admissions system at the “elite” colleges in our country is broken. It favors the children of the rich and powerful over other, ostensibly more qualified students.
His premise, I think, is flawed. Why do we always assume that the “elite” colleges (and I’ll continue to use that word in quotes, because I think it’s crap) are somehow better or more desirable than the other 4,500 institutions of higher learning out there? Because they’ve been around since the 1800s? Because George Bush went there? Because they have wealthy alumni? Because you can room with Al Gore’s son? Whoop-de-freaking-do.
Golden aruges that it’s unfair for wealthy families to be given preference at these institutions, and then uses the children’s appearances on the Forbes 500 lists (or whatever) as proof that going to Harvard got them there, as though if they’d gone to State U they’d be homeless, picking yesterday’s fish bones out of trash cans. Hey! Guess what! Al Gore’s son is going to be successful! Film at 11! I don’t see what the big deal is. There are literally hundreds of other options for these students, and for every student out there. To assume that this grand notion of “elite” somehow guarantees you a better future is fallacious.
He also rails on allowing children of donors spots in admissions classes. Why is this a bad thing? Our job, as an admissions office, is to bring in a class of students every year that will improve the university. That’s the goal. If a student’s parent is willing to donate money to build a new athletic center, or a physics building, we’d be stupid not to honor that. The university as a whole benefits from these donations; it’s not as if Al Gore is buying out an entire wing of a residence hall so he can fill it with Secret Service agents, kicking other students who need housing to the curb. And besides, how many spots do you think these students are “taking from more deserving students”? I’d say none. If Cecil Richdad VI is willing to endow a new residence hall, then hey! That benefits everyone! I just don’t see how that’s a bad thing.
Admittedly, I’m only two chapters into the book; maybe it gets better. But somehow I doubt it.