Reply to Questions for HYPSM alumni

Forum Index » College and University Discussion

Reply to "Questions for HYPSM alumni"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I do think doors open that otherwise wouldn't, but only for a while, and the informal network can be great, but again, only for a while.  At least that's how it is for most HYPS grads.

DC in particular is full of professionals who can't figure out what the hell happened.   They went to HYPS but still ended up with mediocre careers and were surpassed by all kinds of people with inferior collegiate pedigrees.  I could sense that that was starting to happen when I was in my 20s.  Now that I'm much older and manage people, I can see that there are a lot of people who were very good at the things that get you admitted into HYPS but aren't good at the work we do.  The problem isn't just that HYPS makes mistakes in admissions, though that happens.  The problem is that you can have what it takes to get an A+ on every high school (and even college) test and also get every question right on every standardized test, but you may be incapable of solving real world problems or functioning on teams or communicating effectively.

There's a ton of talent at HYPS.  Going there and being surrounded by all that taken does change most people.  You do see that real people can and do achieve amazing things.  They run for office and win.  They start companies and prosper.  They produce great works of theater, literature, film, and art.  That can be inspiring and helpful.  It also can be a little intimidating and depressing.  For some HYPS graduates it's both.

One thing that can happen, and you see this all the time in DC, is that HYPS people start to change their goals.  They start to want what's hard to achieve instead of what's fulfilling or enjoyable.  Goldman Sachs and McKinsey attract a lot of people like that.

[/quote]

I think you're assuming that HYPSM graduates wish they had your career, and hoping that your career, rather than their education, will be how others measure success.   As a result, you respect HYPSM graduates if they have careers like yours (or equally high-profile and/or lucrative careers) and look for ways to put them down if they don't.

I've been out of one of those schools for several decades.  Some of my classmates started businesses, are well known in politics, government or the arts, and/or are wealthy.  Others are none of these things, but as a group we generally seem happy with our lives and remain intellectually engaged and curious about the world.  [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics