<p>Since reading CC for some time now, I have been wondering about something. Are some of those “elite” colleges inadvertently selecting for students who are creating an anti-intellectual atmosphere? It occurs to me that many of these students arrive at these elite places because of excellent gamesmanship - by entering the correct competitions, taking the right courses, etc. It has occured to me that a critical mass of these students on a campus might not create an intellectual environment. I read often here on CC how at one of those places, students spend 20-30 hours per week on ECs! If they are doing that, where do they have time to immerse themselves in Plato or discuss the Illiad? It is just not possible.
It seems to me that Chicago does not select for students who are into Ecs, but who truly want to learn. Maybe that is why students at Chicago have time to take part in intellectual discussions.</p>