George Will's "The Last Word" on College "Acceptance"

[ChipStorm]

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Rick,

I went to a public school with over 2,000 students, so all that stuff is very foreign to me! I'm sure we have many prep school kids here who had experiences just like that.

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El D,

I went to a public high school too, also with about 2,000 students. Graduating class was 660.

But it was a public school in Montgomery County. We all knew the "Harvard count" from last year, and were wondering if we could beat it our senior year. We guys were pissed when they only took one guy (total dork) and about seven girls (including my girlfriend, whose parents were both, wait for it... Harvard alums). But all my friends went to top schools; it was just understood that it would happen.

This is obvious I'm sure, but there are a handful of public schools around the country, in these wealthy counties outside the major cities, that are on the top colleges' radar screens, and where the experience is a little more like a private/prep school.

My original point was that none of this really mattered or was that interesting at the time. It was a fun little competition with my classmates, and we gave each other unending abuse over who got higher test scores, blah blah blah. But every one of us was looking at college as a four-year paid vacation. It was competitive, but there was zero pressure about it.

I feel sorry for the people who feel burdened by the experience of being at one of these schools, because at that level, the only thing that can screw up your life is you worrying too much about it.