Ha! I just finished reading your essay and earlier today I was thinking about the the current and future opportunity for the youth. ( I am 32 ) Seeing some high

Ha! I just finished reading your essay and earlier today I was thinking about the the current and future opportunity for the youth. ( I am 32 ) Seeing some high school kids acting silly and waiting the bus, while I was driving by made me think about what opportunities there are for them when they graduate high school. 3 thoughts came to mind as I made my way to the hardware store: a) Youth are generally cynical towards the older generation because we won't let them have as much fun as they would like to have. b) Older generations generally hold on to their wealth and could potentially stifle innovation by keeping much of the up and coming generation in the ranks of those living paycheck to paycheck. c) How can a society let the youth innovate more efficiently ( and safely ). College may not be the panacea for innovation and personal happiness but: attending college helps to put an individual's impact on the world in perspective and can perhaps demonstrate that people do cool things that affect the world. College is also a good way to show people how to learn effectively. In theory, great schools are difficult to do well in and have high standards; this is the reason that particular graduates are selected for the jobs or funding. It is more difficult to graduate from Reed than Sonoma State- it takes more time studying, writing and thinking. I would consider hiring or working with a person who, theoretically, spent more time thinking in college over another applicant who went to one of the greatest party/drinking schools. Credentials from a school with rigorous curricula is much different than a doing well at a standardized test. What I mean is that some credentials * are * a measurement of performance ( performance, as in study hard and think clearly ). I think the performace VCs and people who hire graduates to work in their factories and cubicles are trying to measure is called 'return on investment'. Here is a question for you: what would be your standardized test for measuring return on investment. I'll think of 3. 1) Applicant, write a short essay about how you might generate $200 in total income in a day given only the clothes you are wearing right now, a $50 bill to spend on anthing you might need, having eaten the breakfast of your choice and a wish for good luck. ( you have 30 minutes ) 2) Applicant, how do you manage your time when you are trying new ways of solving a problem? Give one or many examples with your reasoning explained in context. ( you have 30 minutes ) 3) Applicant, how willing would you be to share your innovative ideas with me if I helped you succeed at implementing them? ( all my best ideas; most of my greatest thoughts; some cool ideas; not many OK ideas; perhaps one daydream; you'll never know what I am thinking next )