Reply to Great NYT column on the achivement gap b/w rich vs middleclass and poor kids

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]"I think it's a combination of peer group and expectations. One relative graduated from a 2nd tier state university, and her husband has a similar background. They are middle class. Compared to kids of the double grad degree homes here in DC, there are a lot of differences. The parents work long hours and have long commutes. They couldn't really afford household help, and their kids are involved in few activities, as their parents have little time to drive them. My relative isn't that well-organized and often was scrambling for summer care, and they were reluctant to push their kids to try new activities. Their kids also tended to quit things after a year or two, so they never achieved mastery of anything. The kids are allowed to watch huge amounts of tv and play video games for hours. The kids also had some learning issues, and my relative and her husband were in recession-vulnerable sectors of the economy, so these last few years have been hard."

OMG, you need to take English Writing for Dummies 101 .

"Master of Anything." What a putz.[/quote]

I'm not quite sure what your objection is, with the exception of a run-on sentence in the middle of my post.  I've been an interviewer for my Ivy alma mater for a while.  One of the things the admissions committee looks at is whether kids stick with their activities (sports, music, etc.) long enough to master a set of skills.  Selective colleges feel that the habit of diligence bodes well for future success.  I'm just pointing out that if a family is not well-off, they may not have the money or time to enable their kids to get this skill set, and in the case of my family members, may not know that that is an unspoken requirement.  [/quote]

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