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I think you're making my point, only people hanging out on HN and other similar circles know what CalTech is...Go out there and ask random people about CalTech.

by Edmond 12y ago

I think you're making my point, only people hanging out on HN and other similar circles know what CalTech is...Go out there and ask random people about CalTech... :) CalTech is a first-rate academic institution but it's prestige is limited to those who actually know what it is about. My reference to the "first black president" has less to do with race or racial preference but rather for the sort of social change it represents. When you take the entire social history of the United States, a first black president is a monumental change and the institutions (academic or otherwise) that can claim any part of the credit for that, are falling over themselves to do so. Again, my point is that the preoccupation people have with Schools like Harvard isn't about academics but prestige.

jessriedel 12y ago
> CalTech is a first-rate academic institution but it's prestige is limited to those who actually know what it is about... > Again, my point is that the preoccupation people have with Schools like Harvard isn't about academics but prestige. I understand that, which is why I didn't claim that CalTech had the same prestige as Harvard. I was rebutting your claim that Harvard had racial policies in order to get academic awards in order to get prestige. > My reference to the "first black president" has less to do with race or racial preference but rather for the sort of social change it represents. When you take the entire social history of the United States, a first black president is a monumental change and the institutions (academic or otherwise) that can claim any part of the credit for that, are falling over themselves to do so. Again, this is clearly not why Harvard has these policies, so bringing it up is a distraction. I agree that racial policies affect Harvard's prestige, and I agree that Harvard is driven largely by the pursuit of prestige, but I disagree that prominent racial alumni is a causal link, as you suggested.

by Edmond 12y ago

jessriedel 12y ago

> CalTech is a first-rate academic institution but it's prestige is limited to those who actually know what it is about... > Again, my point is that the preoccupation people have with Schools like Harvard isn't about academics but prestige. I understand that, which is why I didn't claim that CalTech had the same prestige as Harvard. I was rebutting your claim that Harvard had racial policies in order to get academic awards in order to get prestige. > My reference to the "first black president" has less to do with race or racial preference but rather for the sort of social change it represents. When you take the entire social history of the United States, a first black president is a monumental change and the institutions (academic or otherwise) that can claim any part of the credit for that, are falling over themselves to do so. Again, this is clearly not why Harvard has these policies, so bringing it up is a distraction. I agree that racial policies affect Harvard's prestige, and I agree that Harvard is driven largely by the pursuit of prestige, but I disagree that prominent racial alumni is a causal link, as you suggested.