I have gone from embracing “elite” schools and the education they provided to being disgusted and afraid of it. I have come to realize and be certain of the fears that I have had ever since college become something of my near future in 9th grade. I have finally understood how colleges try to shape us individuals into one common and stereotypical thing, that they think appropriate. Instead of allowing us flourish and embracing our-believes. The book has shown me how schools want us to have over 10 extra-curricular activities, however, if one of them become your passion and you want to follow it will seem as if you threw your college tuition money away. Why then, do they want us to do things that will later on have no real value to our education and future? Why instead don’t they push us to follow our true passions so we can truly discover ourselves and do what we love? What is the need of having super-humans on the verge of collapse, with suicidal thoughts every night just because they can't complete what is expected of them? The “elite” schools in America has created a new breed of students that on paper look perfect, but in reality they are crumbling and hate what they do.
All of this happened when Dean Brester from Harvard started the complete focus on academics and extra-curricular when looking at the admission process. The main problem with todays’s admission is the vast amount of work they expect from students “We don’t ask applicants to do something different now; we ask them to do almost everything they used to have to do, plus a whole lot more.” In our modern era, we have created an admission process based on the one created with the idea of keeping Jews out of “elite” schools. We say we live in a free society that embraces creativity and uniqueness, so then why are “elite” schools following anti-semitic practices of the past when going through admissions? In my opinion this happens because schools are scared that some student that has not yet been brainwashed by their parents ideals and greed of wanting to live their failed dreams through their children will challenge their education and prove them wrong. That is why big schools are creating this superficial human that only cares about money and not passion. That way they assure themselves that who they admit sticks to the schools believes and will just follow the current trend (Accounting and finance).
“Universities, writes Harry R. Lewis, the former Harvard dean, “have forgotten their larger educational role for college students”: to help them figure out who they are and what their purpose in the world should be.” That is precisely why a student goes to get an undergraduate degree, however, the problem is that now instead kids are going to school and leaving more confused than they already were when trying to gain admissions. “Harvard no longer knows what a good education is.” Curricula consist of long series of unrelated courses; distributional requirements follow the cease-fire lines of interdepartmental skirmishes. “There is no vision,” writes Allan Bloom, “nor is there a set of competing visions, of what an educated human being is.” Kids are going to universities based on reputation and how society will look at them; they are not going somewhere that will truly make them grow.
All this thoughts ran through my mind as I flew from Lima to Miami. I kept looking down at the beautiful mountain range beneath me and asked myself if I truly knew where I wanted to go. My list consists of eight universities, but after reading half the book and really reflecting I have finally narrowed it down to my three top schools. In no particular order, they are American University, Babson college, and Bentley University. This is not the “elite” type schools that the books talks about, they are the opposite. Instead, they are schools that embrace creativity in their students and makes them thrive by following their passion. As I spoke to Corey the other day he told what a former student of FDR had to say about Babson “Babson is all about money.” But you see that is the passion of kids there and how they make it. That is the unique thing about Babson that makes me want to study there. By no means was Corey trying to keep me away from going to Babson. He was trying to open my mind and to truly reflect on the reasons I want to go there and study business Bentley’s beautiful campus and amazing Business program are also designed with the mentality of allowing the student to thrive in the world where they do what they love. The trend continues to American, located in the capital of the world the opportunities it provides with its enviable location and well-renowned business program are endless.
“Excellent Sheep” has opened my mind like never before and the best part of it all. I am only half way through. Once the book is finished maybe my choices will change or maybe stay the same, I can’t really tell. But what I can say and assure is that the choice I make of where to go won't have anyone behind it but me and only me. It is my experience not my parents or for others to enjoy. Only me.