OT: The Disadvantages of an Elite Education

[Ricechex]

Excellent article. I especially appreciated how the entitlement of students in elite colleges, is compared to CEO’s of Corporations. So true. Thanks for posting this.

[svelte]

I was always at the top of my class in high school. Upon entering a university, I had to adjust to being at the 75th percentile or so, and it was a rude awakening.

Then I entered the professional world. The second company I worked for had a staff made up of about 75% doctorates. I felt somehow sub-par in their presence.

For about 6 months, that is. By that time, I had worked close enough with many of them to realize that, while they may be able to write extravagant algorithms all day long on their white board, their skills in other areas of life were severely lacking…especially the social skills. These people screwed up their lives every bit as bad as mere mortals.

From then on, I have been happy. I may not be at the tip-top intellectually, but I hold my own and can relate to people to boot. And in my opinion, that is a much better combination. 🙂

[svelte]

I was always at the top of my class in high school. Upon entering a university, I had to adjust to being at the 75th percentile or so, and it was a rude awakening.

Then I entered the professional world. The second company I worked for had a staff made up of about 75% doctorates. I felt somehow sub-par in their presence.

For about 6 months, that is. By that time, I had worked close enough with many of them to realize that, while they may be able to write extravagant algorithms all day long on their white board, their skills in other areas of life were severely lacking…especially the social skills. These people screwed up their lives every bit as bad as mere mortals.

From then on, I have been happy. I may not be at the tip-top intellectually, but I hold my own and can relate to people to boot. And in my opinion, that is a much better combination. 🙂

[svelte]

I was always at the top of my class in high school. Upon entering a university, I had to adjust to being at the 75th percentile or so, and it was a rude awakening.

Then I entered the professional world. The second company I worked for had a staff made up of about 75% doctorates. I felt somehow sub-par in their presence.

For about 6 months, that is. By that time, I had worked close enough with many of them to realize that, while they may be able to write extravagant algorithms all day long on their white board, their skills in other areas of life were severely lacking…especially the social skills. These people screwed up their lives every bit as bad as mere mortals.

From then on, I have been happy. I may not be at the tip-top intellectually, but I hold my own and can relate to people to boot. And in my opinion, that is a much better combination. 🙂

[svelte]

I was always at the top of my class in high school. Upon entering a university, I had to adjust to being at the 75th percentile or so, and it was a rude awakening.

Then I entered the professional world. The second company I worked for had a staff made up of about 75% doctorates. I felt somehow sub-par in their presence.

For about 6 months, that is. By that time, I had worked close enough with many of them to realize that, while they may be able to write extravagant algorithms all day long on their white board, their skills in other areas of life were severely lacking…especially the social skills. These people screwed up their lives every bit as bad as mere mortals.

From then on, I have been happy. I may not be at the tip-top intellectually, but I hold my own and can relate to people to boot. And in my opinion, that is a much better combination. 🙂

[svelte]

I was always at the top of my class in high school. Upon entering a university, I had to adjust to being at the 75th percentile or so, and it was a rude awakening.

Then I entered the professional world. The second company I worked for had a staff made up of about 75% doctorates. I felt somehow sub-par in their presence.

For about 6 months, that is. By that time, I had worked close enough with many of them to realize that, while they may be able to write extravagant algorithms all day long on their white board, their skills in other areas of life were severely lacking…especially the social skills. These people screwed up their lives every bit as bad as mere mortals.

From then on, I have been happy. I may not be at the tip-top intellectually, but I hold my own and can relate to people to boot. And in my opinion, that is a much better combination. 🙂

[CBad]

Seems like a personal problem and lame excuse to me if you can’t relate to people no matter what your upbringing or education may be.

[CBad]

Seems like a personal problem and lame excuse to me if you can’t relate to people no matter what your upbringing or education may be.

[CBad]

Seems like a personal problem and lame excuse to me if you can’t relate to people no matter what your upbringing or education may be.

[CBad]

Seems like a personal problem and lame excuse to me if you can’t relate to people no matter what your upbringing or education may be.

[CBad]

Seems like a personal problem and lame excuse to me if you can’t relate to people no matter what your upbringing or education may be.

[Navydoc]

I had to make the same adjustment to medical school. In college I HAD to be in the top 10%, or else I never would have gotten accepted. You become like a thoroughbred, all you really know how to do is study for and pass exams. When I started medical school it was a little jarring to be “only in the mean”, but fortunately I adapted quickly, and as a result enjoyed life and grew much more as a medical student than as an undergraduate. I had several friends that could not complete the adjustment, and as a result at times grew discouraged and depressed. It is a shame that higher education has to be this way, but I can’t think of a better system.

[Navydoc]

I had to make the same adjustment to medical school. In college I HAD to be in the top 10%, or else I never would have gotten accepted. You become like a thoroughbred, all you really know how to do is study for and pass exams. When I started medical school it was a little jarring to be “only in the mean”, but fortunately I adapted quickly, and as a result enjoyed life and grew much more as a medical student than as an undergraduate. I had several friends that could not complete the adjustment, and as a result at times grew discouraged and depressed. It is a shame that higher education has to be this way, but I can’t think of a better system.

[Navydoc]

I had to make the same adjustment to medical school. In college I HAD to be in the top 10%, or else I never would have gotten accepted. You become like a thoroughbred, all you really know how to do is study for and pass exams. When I started medical school it was a little jarring to be “only in the mean”, but fortunately I adapted quickly, and as a result enjoyed life and grew much more as a medical student than as an undergraduate. I had several friends that could not complete the adjustment, and as a result at times grew discouraged and depressed. It is a shame that higher education has to be this way, but I can’t think of a better system.

[Navydoc]

I had to make the same adjustment to medical school. In college I HAD to be in the top 10%, or else I never would have gotten accepted. You become like a thoroughbred, all you really know how to do is study for and pass exams. When I started medical school it was a little jarring to be “only in the mean”, but fortunately I adapted quickly, and as a result enjoyed life and grew much more as a medical student than as an undergraduate. I had several friends that could not complete the adjustment, and as a result at times grew discouraged and depressed. It is a shame that higher education has to be this way, but I can’t think of a better system.

[Author]

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