Education

The Harvard Fallacy
Debunking the Myths Surrounding Elite Colleges

By Emily Puro

“Collectively, we have robbed students of their senior year.”

This reproach appears prominently on the Web site of The Education Conservancy, a Portland-based nonprofit working to “improve the educational relevance of college admissions” and, according to the organization’s director, Lloyd Thacker, it’s no exaggeration. The college admissions process has become a high stakes game in which education is undervalued, says Thacker, and students are driven to “manage their high school experience in order to gain admission to the most prestigious college.” Thacker feels that, not only does the current system cause undue stress for students and parents, it changes the way we “perceive and pursue education,” destroying students’ enthusiasm for learning and, in many ways, their potential for future success.

The Hype of Higher Education

More kids are applying to college than ever before, thanks to Baby Boomers’ offspring reaching college age and the introduction of a common application that makes it easier to apply to numerous schools. With that increased applicant pool, says Lori Butler, co-college coordinator at southeast Portland’s Cleveland High School, competition for college admission has become more intense than ever. Controversial college rankings generate a frenzy among students to vie for acceptance to the “best” colleges, adds Thacker.

As a result, a profitable “college admissions industry” has been created. Consultants help colleges improve their images, although not necessarily their educational outcomes. Professional college counselors assist students in winning admission to elite schools. And test preparation businesses target children as early as middle school.

In his book, The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness, Dr. Edward M. Hallowell discusses how parents and students buy into the hype, which he calls “The Great Harvard Fallacy.” The danger of placing too much emphasis on getting into those elite colleges, Hallowell writes, is that a student “can jump through every hoop, meet every possible criterion for admission and still not get in.” When the singular goal of admission to a particular school has been over-emphasized, rejection can be devastating.

The fallacy, Hallowell and Thacker agree, lies in the idea that admission to a “top” college is the key to future success. “What determines success and happiness in life,” writes Hallowell, “is not the quality of the college to which a person goes but the quality of the person who goes to the college.” Or as Thacker puts it, “Students think where you go is what matters. What matters is what you do.”

Studies show no significant correlation between where a person attends college and his or her future earning potential, says Thacker. Furthermore, research indicates that the higher-ranked colleges don’t necessarily provide a better learning experience. A 2005 report by analysts at the National Survey of Student Engagement, which conducts comprehensive assessments of “best practices” at colleges, found no statistically significant relationship between effective teaching methods and admissions selectivity. As Thacker points out, these studies “show that the … prestige of a college in no way guarantees access to effective learning practices at that campus.”

Anecdotal evidence certainly supports these conclusions. For example, you don’t have to look far for examples of successful people without Ivy League credentials. Gov. Ted Kulongoski attended the University of Missouri. Portland Public Schools Superintendent Vicki Phillips (soon to become director of education for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) received both her B.S. and M.A. from Western Kentucky University. Intel President and CEO Paul S. Otellini received his bachelor’s degree from the University of San Francisco. Sure, Bill Gates attended Harvard, but he never graduated.

Celebrating ‘Studenthood’

The secret to success, say these experts, lies not in a prestigious name on a diploma but rather in qualities such as confidence, curiosity, imagination and risk taking. “Those are the kinds of things that make education happen,” says Thacker. “Those are the kinds of things that make for successful careers.” Thacker believes those attributes, which he calls “studenthood,” are being diminished by the commercialization of college admissions.

In fact, Thacker recalls that an Ivy League professor once told him, “We have the highest average SAT scores and the highest average GPAs in this class and I can tell you unequivocally that this class is less connected with learning than any class I’ve ever had.” Thacker adds that the standards for achievement set by adults – whether parents, teachers, college admissions officers or the media – are destroying students’ connection with education.

Hallowell agrees, citing one study that found that specific qualities – such as imagination, ambition, perseverance, maturity and discipline – predicted future earning potential more reliably than the college one attended. “If parents and teachers focused on developing those qualities,” he writes, “then success and college admission will take care of themselves.”

Empowering Students in the Process

Rather than asking “What is the best college?” or even “What is the best college for my child?” says Thacker, parents should ask, “What few colleges might provide good opportunities for my kid to make education happen?” Parents can encourage their children to focus on why they want to go to college, how they learn most effectively, and how their experiences in high school can point them toward the type of college they want to attend. Parents should also allow their kids to take the lead in selecting and applying to colleges, and encourage them to narrow their choices to no more than six or seven schools.

“If you’re applying to too many schools,” says Butler, “you’re spreading yourself too thin and the quality of the applications goes down.” Make sure your children have an opportunity to visit campuses before applying, adds Hallowell, to see where they’re most comfortable. “It’s like trying on clothes,” he says. “Which feels best and looks the best on you?”

Above all, Thacker advises, keep the process in perspective. “Don’t think about (college admissions) when you’re a ninth or tenth grader or even an eleventh grader,” he says. “Think about taking classes that you’re passionate about.” If students allow their curiosity – rather than what they think will look best on a college application – to dictate what they study, they’ll be more successful in high school and better prepared not only to get into a good college, says Thacker, but to do their best once they arrive.

Resources

For more information about The Education Conservancy, including tips for parents and students, visit www.educationconservancy.org.

The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness by Edward M. Hallowell, M.D. (Ballantine Books, 2003)

Emily Puro is a Portland freelance writer and mom.

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