The Price of Admission - Daniel Golden

In this 298 page book Golden explores the admission's process and evaluative criteria for applicants to America's most prestigious universities (focusing on Ivy schools). He makes the case that these universities contradict society's implicit assumption that the world of elite academia is meritocratic. Rather, they bend and alter their standards "to admit children of the rich, famous, and powerful" keeping alumni and donors happy while securing a sizable endowment.

Golden, who quite obviously believes admissions should be focused on the student's academic record (GPA, AP classes, SAT, etc) rather than other factors, calls for the following changes (not exhaustive):

1. Eliminating legacy preference given to children of Alumni.
2. Separating the fund raising wing of the university from the admissions wing. In the last few decades, it has become all too common for below-average students to receive admitance as a 'development case' since their parents might offer a large donation.
3. Abolish scholarships for 'upper-crust' sports.

For the most part, I disagree with Golden. The one exception is point number two above - separating fund raising from admissions at all universities. I definitely agree that juggling both of those goals through a single decision process (or any form of hybrid) leads to trouble. 

On everything else, I think Golden is being too narrow minded with his understanding of what college is. He argues as if academics is the end all and be all. That there is nothing for a student to learn outside of the classroom and consequently there is no reason for the university to invest (through the admissions process) in a student body that excels not only academically, but also atheltically, politically, and socially. 

I understand his argument that when Ivy schools provide athletic scholarships for wealthier sports (like squash, polo, or equestiran sports), they create a feeder program for an exclusive and very wealthy group of kids (No kid in the Chicago public school system is going to Yale on scholarship for polo). However, the more that I think about it, the stronger I feel that it is necessary to maintain more than once class of sport. To regulate that all schools have to provide scholarships for the same sports would destroy much of the diversity that we see in athletic competition - a true shame. And at any given school, the scholarship sports reflect the culture of that school and maintaining that culture (or at least allowing it to grow naturally rather than through regulation) is nearly as important as the academics.

Further, I contest that the premise of his entire book is off base - that academics is pure and meritocratic. Maybe a lot has changed since he picked up his B.A. from Harvard, but since when has a person's GPA or SAT score been a good measure of their intelligence? Sure, it may be an indicator of intelligence, but it defintely is not a good measure. A class grade (even in mathematics) is just as subjective as a personality assesement in the admissions process. A straight A student is not necessarily a genius, they've just mastered their class-taking ability. A far cry from intelligence. 

A bright person is going to make it, regardless of what school they went to or what their GPA was. They may decide to buy into the academic fevor and bust their balls for a 4.0, or they might develop their personality and skills sets outside of the classroom while settling for a 3.5. When it comes to admissions, champions don't complain about bad calls or the weather - they focus on what they can control. Going to USC instead of Yale or Arizona instead of Brown won't make or break a champion's dreams or ambitions - only a bad attitude or lack of desire will hinder someone like that. 

We are coming to an age where information is easily disseminated across all boundaries (with the exception of the no-internet boundary...). I think universities as we know them today are headed for a shake-up in the next 20 years. Pissing and moaning about the admissions process seems like small beans to me.

Indifferent.

The Host - Stephenie Meyer

As the first fiction book that I've read in over a year(!!!), The Host was a great novel written by the same author as the Twilight series - Stephenie Meyer. Before I dive into my review, let me first say a few things. 1.) I've never read anything from the Twilight series and have not had much of an interest. That said, I'm sure I'll be coerced at some point (likely by my mother) to read the first one and I'll subsequently love all of them. I am a sucker like that. 2.) There were definitely instances in the first 100 pages of this book when I said to myself, "Good lord, this is ridiculous. I can't believe I'm reading this." It took a little literary wherewithal (well executed by Meyer) to keep me interested.

So, for a little context: The premise behind this 619 page book is that a parasitic species, aptly referred to as Souls, have infected nearly all of the humans on Earth through a phased invasion without anybody noticing before it was too late. It's a relatively painless procedure for one of these shrimp-looking-souls (my imagination) to infect a human host with the unfortunate effect of eliminating the conscious of the human and replacing that with the soul's. Moreover, there is generally very little difference between a soul-controlled human and a normal person, with the exception of being overly altruistic and polite. Now, I know what you're thinking as I was thinking the same exact thing.... it seems, well, a little out there.

But I gave Meyer 100 pages to convince me - and she did. The critical concept driving this story is that once a soul takes one of these bodies, the thoughts or conscious of a strong willed person remains in the soul-conscious body. Said differently, there are two pilots for the same plane. So with some pretty solid character development, a fluffy love triangle involving two male humans and a split-minded chick (human/alien), and a penchant for suspense, Meyer pieced together a great page turner. I definitely found myself staying up until far to late into the night plugging through chapters at a time.

Compared to the non-fiction I'm accustomed to reading, this was as easy of a read as they get. Light. Funny. Suspenseful. A simple mind enjoys simple pleasures. Not the best fiction book I've read, but well worth it. It also had the added effect sending me through a few Descartian moments of reflection.

Recommended.

Review of 2008

Event though none of my predictions were too bold, I only credit myself as being correct 1/2 of the time. Not a very good score given the nature of my predictions - many about me. 

As a review:

I did move out of my place in SF (+1) and was spot on for the time horizon (a few months past May) - even though I was forced out rather than voluntarily leaving. And luckily (or as an outcome of the child-like care I gave to my phone) I never broke my iPhone (0). Even though I didn't get the prediction right, that's a win in my book.

Our old curtains proved to be a piece of shit and collapsed rather quickly (+1). All was not lost though - these curtains (or drapes?) have been put to good use in my current natural-light-less room.

Ashamed, I spent almost no time golfing this past year (0) - similar to reading. A total shame.

Thankfully, Mike Huckabee saw no part in the Republican presidential ticket (0) - but I don't think the eventual VP pick was any better. It's no secret, I am not a Sarah Palin fan. While I'm fiscally conservative, believe in small government, and can appreciate traditional values, there are some things in life that just don't taste good undercooked. (She had the national political experience of a 5 year old)

Staying on politics, I do believe Mike Gravel (an undercooked egg) had the spaceship conversation with Dennis Kucinich - just in private (+0.5).

Michigan football beat Florida! So I'll credit myself as being partially correct (+0.5). And no, I don't want to talk about the 2008 season.

Rounding out the 9, I dumped my HD position as soon as I could (+1) and did end up losing some money in Vegas - only $200 on the year (+0.5).

Growing Restless

Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won't, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can't*. Don't confuse this statement with what most people unquesitonably will; owning your own business is not about money, it's about living in an environment where you truly test yourself. Where your business and your livelyhood are moved in material ways by your decisions, actions, and voice.

Don't get me wrong, the money is there for those of us who test well. But the true value of entreprenuership is living your life working for something that utterly and completely embodies your character - your stamina - your will. At least, that's what it means to me. I know that life is about balance, but frankly I am at my best when I can bring that balance to everything that I encounter - work, family, anything.

The prospect of entreprenueriship keeps me moving forward. After my experience in college, and even after spending the last 15 months working at a great company with perks, opportunity, and security like no other - I know that I am invariably headed in the entreprenuerial direction. But that's where it stops, for now.

Given my age, the economic situation, and - above all else - the lack of an idea have kept me grounded. Sometimes it seems that the fact I'm blogging about this is part of the problem. I find myself void of a pursuable idea that carries the right risk:reward ratio. So I distract myself from making any headway by reciting vague deluisions of granduer. Obviously I could drop what I'm doing and go start a company - any company - but it wouldn't be a business that I was truly passionate about. Then again, maybe that's how you distinguish a real entreprenuer from the rest. Or, that's how you define foolishness. Only time will tell. For now, I'm keeping myself preparred to move on an opportunity that I like.

If it's not already obvious, I'm growing restless. While I love my job, the people I work with, and the problems that we're working on, I know this wouldn't be the job I would pick if I could do anything. The prospect of building a business, creating jobs, and fostering a culture is just too appealing. I'm floored that most people don't feel the same. 

For now, I'll distract myself with school, new hobbies, and the junior-high pressure to find a date for Google's holiday party by Friday. :\

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*Not my quote, credit.