A few days ago in the Wall Street Journal, an op-ed piece was
printed/posted online about a high school senior, Ms. Suzy Lee Weiss, essentially complaining about
the approach universities, in specific Ivy League schools take in their determination of college
applicants. It’s been said in many
articles, responses, as well as Ms. Weiss that the article was written
satirically and for the most part many children her age are in full support of
the article. To be clear, satire in
general is pointed at the actual and written in humor, left to be interpreted
either humorously, truthfully, or simply whining. I interpret her piece in all three
aspects, I took a holistic approach.
Ms. Weiss is
actually a pretty intelligent 18 year old and seems to have what it takes to
make it in this world. A 2120 SAT score
and a 4.5 GPA, on the other hand, intelligence and a stint as United States
Senate Page alone will not get you into an Ivy League college. She mentions in a television interview on the Today Show that
she did volunteer a few times but really did not sell herself as a college
candidate. She did receive some
acceptance letters from Big10 schools, but I assume that wasn’t enough for
her.
Ms Weiss also stated that she believes Ivy League schools and universities in
general should take a holistic approach to college applicants. Isn’t that what they did? She didn’t get accepted because she just
didn’t have enough on her resume/application while other applicants had a list
of volunteer activities, school activities, sports, you know, a holistic
application, well rounded. Life is a
rough road and this generation of children with their self-entitled thinking of
life is going to get them in trouble.
I don’t understand
where her parents or what her parents were thinking allowing her to rant about
the family. I grew up in a home where I
was loved, yet also knew my place in the home.
Grateful that there was a roof over my head, food on the table, and
thankful for my father’s service to country.
Ms. Weiss slaps her parents in the face with no remorse—disrespectful
and ungrateful to say the least.
If for one minute
over the last five years she put as much effort into worrying about what others
are accomplishing and spent time taking care of number one, then maybe, maybe
she would have received an acceptance letter from an Ivy League school.
I
say to the children who have embraced Ms. Weiss’ op-ed/satire/complaint letter,
that they look elsewhere for a source of motivation or impetus with college
applications. On the other hand, maybe you
should use it as a guide on what you should do—everything those schools are
looking for is everything she didn’t accomplish, hence her demise.
Nothing and I mean nothing in life is easy, life is not a reality singing show,
where the battle is only a TV season and you have a music contract. Life is a constant battle with very little
ups and many downs and your life is dictated by how you react to those ups and
downs. This generation was taught there
isn’t first, second or third place, “everyone is a winner,” yet I believe Ms.
Weiss just received her first dose of the real world and it hurt. She may be well on her way because of her
op-ed to bigger and better things or it may just come back to bite her. At the end of the day, we’re all writing
about her, she received some TV time and that is more than most her age will
ever get. If anything, outside of my own
complaining, all I have to say is, “well played,” but she still isn’t a hero
for her generation in my book.
