3 ms·

This system was created to exclude Jews who were getting high test scores. The bigoted notion was that Jews could grind the books, but could not compete as well

This system was created to exclude Jews who were getting high test scores. The bigoted notion was that Jews could grind the books, but could not compete as well-rounded gentlemen. By making the process more subjective, elite universities could exclude Jews while denying that the process was anti-Semitic. Do elite universities still feel threatened by hard-working up-and-coming minorities who might endanger their relaxed white-shoe, gentleman's-A lifestyle? (http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2005/03/the-truth-about-harvard/303726/ http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2005/03/the-trut...) I'll leave that to you to figure out.

Retric 11y ago
That's part of it, another is a desire to have 'wealthy' donors not just hard working students. And finally, while highly motivated students get better grades they are not actually smarter which is why high school valedictorian is poorly correlated with success in life. Where many motivated students get discouraged, a few smart student can get motivated when finally presented with a real challenge. Ivy schools are selling a brand and they want to be able to point to politicians and CEO's not just well respected doctors etc. In the end Ivy's don't really provide anywhere close to the education required to justify their costs but they do provide some great branding.
- anon8418 11y ago
  >>>In the end Ivy's don't really provide anywhere close to the education required to justify their costs but they do provide some great branding. You attend an Ivy for the prestige, the social signaling an Ivy degree provides, the unique job opportunities offered, and most importantly the networking. The real learning at an Ivy is done outside the classroom... being exposed to people and social classes you wouldn't have otherwise, learning the social cues of the 1%, how life "really works", etc. For the real elites, this process actually starts much earlier than Hahhhhvahhd. You should see what life is like at the old blue blood independent K-12s...

Retric 11y ago

That's part of it, another is a desire to have 'wealthy' donors not just hard working students. And finally, while highly motivated students get better grades they are not actually smarter which is why high school valedictorian is poorly correlated with success in life. Where many motivated students get discouraged, a few smart student can get motivated when finally presented with a real challenge. Ivy schools are selling a brand and they want to be able to point to politicians and CEO's not just well respected doctors etc. In the end Ivy's don't really provide anywhere close to the education required to justify their costs but they do provide some great branding.

anon8418 11y ago
>>>In the end Ivy's don't really provide anywhere close to the education required to justify their costs but they do provide some great branding. You attend an Ivy for the prestige, the social signaling an Ivy degree provides, the unique job opportunities offered, and most importantly the networking. The real learning at an Ivy is done outside the classroom... being exposed to people and social classes you wouldn't have otherwise, learning the social cues of the 1%, how life "really works", etc. For the real elites, this process actually starts much earlier than Hahhhhvahhd. You should see what life is like at the old blue blood independent K-12s...