How Harvard let rich unqualified kids in the school and graduate

[Professor Emeritus]

I mean, be mad at your parents for not teaching you how to game systems and win.

What a lame complaint.

What a disingenuous, nonsensical response.

I finished college with the education and credentials to do virtually anything I wanted with my life (and needed zero parental connections to do it). My daughter, similarly, will be in a position to do anything she wants with hers if she works hard enough. Yet I recognize that most people do not have those opportunities, and "gaming the system" will not give them such opportunities.


People with normal human morals can be upset at an unfair, racially biased system. You've never established yourself as one of those though, so I get why you misinterpreted the thread.

 

[Rick Fox at UNC]

What a disingenuous, nonsensical response.

I finished college with the education and credentials to do virtually anything I wanted with my life (and needed zero parental connections to do it). My daughter, similarly, will be in a position to do anything she wants with hers if she works hard enough. Yet I recognize that most people do not have those opportunities, and "gaming the system" will not give them such opportunities.


People with normal human morals can be upset at an unfair, racially biased system. You've never established yourself as one of those though, so I get why you misinterpreted the thread.

Filler words such as "disingenuous" and "nonsensical" are often used by pretentious people to mask unimaginative thought. If the argument was strong, it would show the other person as such without it being stated. One day you will get over yourself.

Gaming the system doesn't just include legacy admissions that apply to a small percentage of a small percentage of college aged students.

If your parents prepared you for navigating higher education and professional systems (sounds like they did), they taught you how to properly engage with the world in ways necessary to ensure a successful outcome for yourself and your family. A number of parents, probably the majority, simply are not up to the task.

What I see is a bunch of people focused on "legacy" admissions and other fringe stories in order to justify their own shortcomings. See, the game is rigged. These Harvard kids, yea, that's the problem. Motherfukkers sound like Lester Farley in The Human Stain.

 

[Rick Fox at UNC]

That's not the point I was making in context with this thread. What you are saying is true. However, there are legacy students at prestigious schools who are not specials leap frogging over everyone in their career due to relationships.

I understand what you're saying but what's your point and how does any of it really effect you and yours?

 

[Professor Emeritus]

Filler words such as "disingenuous" and "nonsensical" are often used by pretentious people to mask unimaginative thought. If the argument was strong, it would show the other person as such without it being stated. One day you will get over yourself.

Gaming the system doesn't just include legacy admissions that apply to a small percentage of a small percentage of college aged students.

If your parents prepared you for navigating higher education and professional systems (sounds like they did), they taught you how to properly engage with the world in ways necessary to ensure a successful outcome for yourself and your family. A number of parents, probably the majority, simply are not up to the task.

What I see is a bunch of people focused on "legacy" admissions and other fringe stories in order to justify their own shortcomings. See, the game is rigged. These Harvard kids, yea, that's the problem. Motherfukkers sound like Lester Farley in The Human Stain.

I'm glad you followed up with four paragraphs of nothing and didn't address any points I made.


By definition, "gaming the system" can only be done by a SMALL percentage of people, otherwise it wouldn't be gaming the system anymore. And, as you point out, most Black parents aren't in a position to teach their children how to game the system because their own parents were fukked by the system since birth and no one ever taught them.


As I already said (and you ignored), it's okay to be outraged at injustices against Black people even if you're not personally affected. But you would have empathy and a social conscience to understand that, and you've never demonstrated either.

 

[Harry B]

Well it is a private school that lives on its alumni, so it kind of makes sense. It’s not just hard it’s all private schools.

It’s also very likely that this trash student will probably get their shyt together and at least use their connections after to climb high in the corporate world. Like say, George Bush.

Can’t fault the school for it, it’s wider society.

 

[Samori Toure]

is anyone really surprised? how else would the likes of a george w bush earn an ivy league education with a harvard MBA?

Don't forget Dummy Chump at Penn.

 

[King Poetic]

is anyone really surprised? how else would the likes of a george w bush earn an ivy league education with a harvard MBA?

Look at Trump who went to Penn

And literally demanded his records stay locked

Dude was/is a complete idiot but that daddy name and money got him in over really qualified minorities

It’s a cycle that will never end

 

[JLova]

Is this the “merit” they scream about?

 

[Belize King]

That’s the game

My kid will definitely go to my prep school and be admitted as a legacy.

My Wife graduated from USF in '09. Back then, you could get in with a 3.2. Now, you need a 3.8 and 1350 SAT scores to get in. My daughters will apply as "legacy" applicants. It's the way of the world.

 

[Oldschooler]

My Wife graduated from USF in '09. Back then, you could get in with a 3.2. Now, you need a 3.8 and 1350 SAT scores to get in. My daughters will apply as "legacy" applicants. It's the way of the world.

Grade inflation is very real in both high school and higher education. The problem is that society has been brain washed that needing a higher education is absolutely necessary in life. They're pushing kids away from actual jobs that are needed like trades. I'm not against higher education just against the useless degrees and the fact that it's become a business.

 

[PatCake]

Just confirming what is common knowledge.

The degree is just a brand. There are some real morons who went to ivy league schools. You can buy your way into any room in America except MAYBE the white house(for now)

At the rate things are going, someone who is worth over 200B will finance their own campaign and outspend the competition. I believe Mark Zuckerberg will be the first person to try and do just that.

George W Bush and Donald Trump both became president. So yeah, you can bullshyt your way into the White House too.

America really is The Great Experiment. The greatest empire of modern times.

 

[The Prince of All Saiyans]

BREAKING:

should have been part of the title

 

[Gloxina]

My Wife graduated from USF in '09. Back then, you could get in with a 3.2. Now, you need a 3.8 and 1350 SAT scores to get in. My daughters will apply as "legacy" applicants. It's the way of the world.

And we should be happy that we are able to provide that privilege


Hated my school with a PASSION, but my high school can open almost as many doors as my university. When I became an adult I realized the game. My folks just didn’t articulate it so I couldn’t process it in my youth.

My kid will be going there too

 

[Uachet]

There is no reason to waste any time getting upset about something that has always been and will most likely always be. Money has always been allowed to purchase access, even when the person does not actually have the credentials to get in on merit. Money is a merit all its own, and that fact will not change anytime soon.

Instead of railing against that which will not change, it is better to use it to our advantage if we are able. Most of us can not, but there are quite a few of us who can. Those of us who can not, should be on our grind so that perhaps our next generation will be able to do it. So we need to look forward towards putting our own children in a position to take advantage of circumstances that we can not stop, but definitely can take advantage of.

 

[ThaBoyBam]

There is no reason to waste any time getting upset about something that has always been and will most likely always be. Money has always been allowed to purchase access, even when the person does not actually have the credentials to get in on merit. Money is a merit all its own, and that fact will not change anytime soon.

Instead of railing against that which will not change, it is better to use it to our advantage if we are able. Most of us can not, but there are quite a few of us who can. Those of us who can not, should be on our grind so that perhaps our next generation will be able to do it. So we need to look forward towards putting our own children in a position to take advantage of circumstances that we can not stop, but definitely can take advantage of.

Having to be 1000 times better is a real thing. More productive to focus on that part.