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Here's a working link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2017/09/19/how-harvard-helps-its-richest-and-most-arrogant-students-get-ahead/ http

• nxsynonym 9y ago
  Yeah it seems like a well timed attack piece considering all the recent Harvard headlines. Not that I disagree - Harvard is more likely concerned with reputation and possible future donors than intellectual integrity - but it doesn't make a good foundation for an article.
• tlb 9y ago
  Link fixed, thanks.
• tomtheelder 9y ago
  As a former undergrad, the points about grade inflation are 100% correct, and everything else is garbage. > Many of the better-off young people at Harvard appeared to require intense favoritism to reassure them, perhaps because of the less-moneyed achievement and potential that loomed all around. Though some of the anointed developed their capabilities to the full, the institutional imperative to establish a hierarchy between them and us took precedence. This is just utter nonsense. There are a lot of very legitimate ways that the school favors its privileged students (self selecting social clubs with dues, the disaster that is on campus dining, not subsidizing a whole lot of expenses that they ought to, forcing students on financial aid to work for the school, etc.) but the insinuation that the professors and other teachers at the school systematically favor privileged students in some sort of effort to reaffirm social hierarchy is totally unsubstantiated, and, quite frankly, a disgusting and slanderous accusation. I didn't like all (or even necessarily most) my professors/advisers/TAs that much, but I am honestly outraged on their behalf after reading this.
  • Allower 9y ago
    I'm sorry, but YOUR criticism is unsubstantiated. You sound like a self-righteous prick that probably had many of his own privileged perspectives 'ratified' by the disgraceful institution known as 'Harvard'.
  • seattleeng 9y ago
    I've heard first hand stories from friends who did their undergrad at Harvard that spoke to favoritism. One is: while playing rugby, a friend tackles another student. The coach pulls my friend aside and tells him to stop "hitting so hard" (my friend is an average to below average sized guy). Puzzled, my friend asks why, to which the coach replies, "think about the kid's name." He was a Kennedy.
    • kbenson 9y ago
      Interestingly, I think that story can be interpreted different ways. One interpretation is that the coach knew that if he actually caused an injury, it might come back at him in interesting ways. You can either interpret it as the coach protecting the elite, or the coach protecting the non-elite, depending on your view.
      • deleted 9y ago
        [deleted]
    • apetresc 9y ago
      There's favoritism, and then there's pragmatism. This seems like very sound advice.
      • plussed_reader 9y ago
        You say pragmatism, but I read cronyism. In this case the Rugby coach would be a crony for moneyed interests.
        • tetromino_ 9y ago