“Record Low” Admissions?

by | Apr 3, 2008 | Our Philosophy

Interesting that the NY Times used the words “Record Lows” in the title of this article on the the continuing increase in admissions applications at the nation’s top schools.

Remember, please, everyone, that scarcity lends itself to a higher valuation of the underlying commodity. In this case, I think I would use the word “overvaluation.”

Not that the top schools aren’t worth the tuition, mind you, but rather that the difference between what you get there and what you get at other schools might not be worth the — I don’t care if it’s overused, I love this turn of phrase — “irrational exuberance.”

Let me underscore this point by repeating the article’s quote of William M. Shain, dean of admissions and financial aid at Bowdoin: “Where we went to college does not set us up for success or keep us away from it.”

0 Comments

Before you go…

Why bright kids sometimes lose their spark (and how to get it back)

Why bright kids sometimes lose their spark (and how to get it back)

Kat sailed through elementary and middle school. Her parents never had to hover over her homework. She aced every test, spoke up in class, and finished assignments in minutes.  Then came ninth grade. Her grades slipped, she stopped raising her hand — she seemed…...

What’s the problem with being a bright kid?

What’s the problem with being a bright kid?

Bright students routinely achieve top grades with what appears to be little effort. These students often dominate classroom discussions, and indeed, they score high on standardized tests, often without any apparent effort. Of course, such students capture our...