Earlier in class, we spent time talking about selective boarding schools and how they are linked to human capital and social capital. One of my good friends, let's call him Jim, left New Trier last year to attend the prestigious Brewster Academy. According to the school's website, tuition at the New England based school costs 51,400 dollars a year, more than many selective colleges in the country. This got me wondering: Do people like Jim receive special advantages from attending selective boarding schools and universities?
As Americans, we like to think that everyone has a fair chance to be successful in life, to even become the President of United States. If we look at the education of recent presidents, eleven out the past thirteen presidents attended ivy league schools or military schools (West Point and U.S. Naval Academy). Considering the acceptance rates of these schools, along with the tuition costs, most of Americans' dream of sitting in the oval office vanishes instantaneously, excluded from "secret society" that such an education enrolls someone in. You might as well add "attended ivy league" to the requirements of running for president right next to being 35 or older.
No comments:
Post a Comment