I know at least one recent graduate of Stanford University who is an exception to this generalization. He is a childhood friend of my oldest son's, and graduate

I know at least one recent graduate of Stanford University who is an exception to this generalization. He is a childhood friend of my oldest son's, and graduated with Stanford class of 2013. If the general observation at Stanford is that Stanford students are highly dependent on their parents and unable to take care of themselves (as it may be, for all I know), then all I can say is that Stanford has an unusual intake of admitted students. For information on "a generation of children," I'd ask college officials at community colleges and military officers who deal with new recruits, as well as big employers of first-time employees. (What employer employs a lot of first-time members of the labor force these days? McDonald's? Some other kind of employer?). This article sparked a lot of discussion among my friends on Facebook, where I shared it after reading the article from the submission here. A friend there commented, "I am so tired of colleges and universities whining about the students they chose to admit. Maybe they need to take a look at their admissions policies." Yes, I think college admission officers, especially at the most selective colleges, have to grow up and take their own responsibility for the incentives that their admission requirements set up. I note as a teacher at a private school that students today can certainly have issues of overdependence on others as they face life challenges. That has probably existed in all previous generations of students. The way to change the incentives, of course, is for admission officers to figure out reliable signals of life independence as they decide whom to admit. Parents will get that message loud and clear if admission officers figure out the reliable signals. Meanwhile, it is always permitted for parents (although sometimes difficult for parents to achieve) to encourage young people to develop self-reliance and independence as they grow up. That is what I have attempted to do as I homeschooled my four children, two of whom are now quite self-reliant adults, and two of whom are now very responsible adolescents who are well regarded by other adults who know them.