An interesting article published in The Atlantic by Gregg Easterbrook, asked the age-old question, "Who Needs Harvard?" (Subscribers Only),

"Today almost everyone seems to assume that the critical moment in young people's lives is finding out which colleges have accepted them. Winning admission to an elite school is imagined to be a golden passport to success; for bright students, failing to do so is seen as a major life setback. As a result, the fixation on getting into a super-selective college or university has never been greater. Parents' expectations that their children will attend top schools have "risen substantially" in the past decade, says Jim Conroy, the head of college counseling at New Trier High School, in Winnetka, Illinois. He adds, "Parents regularly tell me, 'I want whatever is highest-ranked.'" Shirley Levin, of Rockville, Maryland, who has worked as a college-admissions consultant for twenty-three years, concurs: "Never have stress levels for high school students been so high about where they get in, or about the idea that if you don't get into a glamour college, your life is somehow ruined."

In a follow-up interview, Easterbrook asserts that the college admissions process, "need not be a shattering ordeal".

In response to the article, education writer (and blogger) Joanne Jacobs candidly noted this morning,

"My daughter, a Stanford graduate, can't get a callback for a part-time job at a book store."

Interesting stuff. As a college drop-out, I can attest that most folks in my sphere are hoping to cash-in on their newly earned bachelors degrees. Many are striking out and settling for whatever opportunities they can. The job market can be a lot for many 22-year-olds to handle. Enter the concept of the "perpetual student". Oftentimes, to avoid the reality of being faced with life, many people quickly run and take cover in the comfort of graduate school and made up dreams. "Being a student" is sometimes a better deal than facing the relentless reality that a degree, which should be paying for itself, is not reaping dividends as quickly (or abundantly) as expected.

When I left my "elite institution" I did so for personal reasons I am still figuring out to this day. My strong academic foundation serves me well and thus, I have been able to be successful in spite of my fallen intellectualism. I realize not everyone can say this. While I realize that formalized education is often a means and necessity for many, I do not adhere to the philosophy that it is always necessary (or practical) for success in this country. The idea of "success" in and of itself painfully begs for redefinition.

I have no doubts that many people seek out higher learning for all the right reasons: to expand and broaden their horizons, become more knowledgeable in areas, fulfill their lifelong dreams, and ultimately make an impact in this world. However, in increasing measure, I am disturbed to find so many young people seeking success in elite institutions for the entirely wrong reasons. The profession (and pathway to that profession) that will garner the most success is not always favorable or intended for every individual. Frantic to fit the mold of what's in demand and in the midst of seeking out the fields that have the highest pay, young people are missing out on what they are truly called, gifted and equipped to do. The end result down the line is a middle-aged adult, dissatisfied with their "career", regretfully wishing different decisions were made when it counted the most.

A few months ago, Michael Bowen Cobb contended, "College didn't prepare me for life,"

I wonder how many graduates are willing to say so. I think it's something they all know to be true, but are loathe to admit outside of their own little circles. If this little secret got out, I think a significant part of American society would collapse.

That statement is pontificatable (I made that word up) to the ends of the Earth. Colleges (elite, private and public) are big business. When big businesses start failing, all Gehenna breaks loose. My most humble prediction: With the increasing dissatisfaction with fulfillment in life and the "college experience", the next decade or so will see more non-college educated success stories than ever before. Better believe the Ivy League will scuffle around over the next fifty years to secure their spot (or the perception of the spot) as producers of America's most brightest (and highest paid) citizens.

Update: For the sake of context, I thought it might be worthwhile to link some of my past thoughts on the topic of higher education.

- Human Capital: The ROI of a Kid
- Graduating Slaves
- The Pervasive Deification of Education in Black Communities
- Immigrant Blacks More Successful than African Americans