<p>Palin is being bashed because she was a major party nominee for VP and demonstrated a lack of knowledge of foreign affairs, economic policy, world history, and current events. Her college affiliation was irrelevant. Her nomination was exactly the kind of Affirmative Action that most of her ardent fans object to vociferously when it involves a Hispanic or African American- her chief claim to the office was that she was female and would “energize the base” due to her gender and religious affiliation. Had nothing to do with experience, judgment or merit.</p>
<p>Got it? I don’t care if she graduated from Leon’s school of Hair Design which grants licenses in cosmetology instead of a BA. A person who is a heartbeat away from the presidency (especially when the presidential nominee was the age of John McCain) should show some facility with issues that do not just pertain to Alaska and hockey.</p>
<p>MiamiDap has touched on what I think is an often confused principle. Name recognition.
Harvard is a long established school with a rich history of education. Some recent flaps notwithstanding, it is still very highly regarded and deserves to be so.
But in much of Ohio, a grad from The Ohio State U has a leg up on many other grads. In much of Fla., a Gator grad has a leg up. It is not to say any grad from any of those 3 examples are better prepared for the job, or any less, but that the name recognition gives them the advantage. While people may or may not agree with Palin’s politics, one cannot deny she is successful. She rose to the level of governor, and now is a successful author. My comment not intended to demean one who is is a housewife, but only to show one doesn’t need to be Harvard educated to be successful at it. I’d ask some here not to confuse name recognition or reputation with a tier rating. They are different items.</p>
<p>Some here have talked about tier1, tier 2 etc., as though it was some real, measurable difference like height or weight or SAT. Sat measures who took the test the best that day. The tier ratings are an artificial measure whose strongest proponent is a company in the business of selling their opinion on rankings. They want to convince the public that tiers exist, that they are important, and that their company has the official ratings. There really isn’t a top tier, where #3 is far better than #16, and that #50 is far superior to #51(assuming that as a cut-off). Absolutely, some colleges prepare some students better than others. But that preparation isn’t solely reflected by a magazine that sells their opinions.</p>
<p>blossom,
We are not into discussion of Palin here, I used her as example. However, since you picked on this, it is stricly your opinion as well as her bashers opinion, many of others (including me), have different opinion of Palin’s intellectual capacity and capacity of some Harvard graduates including the one who is in White house. Reading and memorizing facts is not indicating to be any analytical ability. But a lot of people regard this adn ability to read as superior intellect. Fine, but this is just a difference in opinion. Surely, Palin to me based on my criteria poses much more talent, ability, hard working ethic and experience than vast majority in DC, including the on in chief. Again, I applaud you for standing on your position, even if you continue not accepting mine, I never change my opinion based on somebody else’s anyway, does not mean much to me.</p>
<p>Miami, thank you for your respectful response. I would indeed consider the ability to read and assimilate facts as an important criterion for national office. The world is just too complex right now to be run be people who have not been exposed to lots of ideas- whether or not they happen to agree with them. Work ethic is very important as well- on that we agree.</p>
<p>"The world is just too complex right now to be run be people who have not been exposed to lots of ideas- whether or not they happen to agree with them. "</p>
<p>-Completely agree over 100%. However, where is most of DC and where is Palin in regard to this, that is where I disagree. Reading and recording info in brain might prevent one from seeing beyond his hard core ideology, which has been based on reading books produced bey very superior intellectuals beings (Karl Marx is one with one of the most powerful brain in history). Being intellectually superior does not always reasults in correct conclusions. Other very important values have to be taken in, and in very many cases in human history, they are neglected with very tragic results. Giving too strong of opinion in one specific direction to 18-22 years old who do not posses any life experiences and live especially very shielded life here in the USA will result in very narrow minded individual who will also posses superiority complex if he happened to go to Elite school. “I know the best, you sheep, just follow”. If you do not recognize this attitude, I cannot explain any more than that without being called names (which I am used to here on CC anyway).</p>
<p>My son has experienced both a tier i school and a tier 3 (lesser known SUNY). He transferred from a tier 1 private after his freshman to a lesser known SUNY. Based on his experience, he found the discussions and classes far more interesting at his tier 3 school. Some of this was due to the less homogeneous student population. The discussions included a wider variety of opinions which were based on the more diverse and different upbringing and life experiences that the students brought into the classroom. As a political science major (sociology minor), he found these discussions to be much more enlightening than anything he had experienced in his previous tier 1 school. </p>
<p>He stands by his decision to move to a tier 3 school. His decision has not limited his opportunities. He’ll graduate in May with Summa Cum Laude honors. He’s had 3 political papers published, maintains a very popular blog on foreign policy and international affairs, and has had a few op-ed pieces published in both local and major NYS newspapers. He also contributes to the college newspaper–specifically in the news blog section. </p>
<p>He’s been accepted into 4 graduate programs thus far and is waiting to hear from 2 more.
He’ll be sitting next to students from tier 1 and HYPS. I seriously doubt that he is any less qualified or less knowledgeable than the other students accepted in the grad programs. </p>
<p>PS–The total cost of his last 3 years at the tier 3 is less than the ONE year he spent at the tier 1 private. In the end, his tier 3 undergrad experience has helped him to get to where he had hoped to be at this point in his education—that is, accepted into solid grad programs.</p>
<p>^ You must have not read, please read before making conclusions. I was referring to Elite colleges, the rest is just supporting arguments. If you believe that education does not result in certain stands politically or otherwise, than what is the purpose of comparing “tier 1” to “tier 3” or whatever. Lots of parents are making their decision based on overall result of going to specific college.</p>
<p>If she introduces herself that way, then she’s a pompous ass. She doesn’t impress anyone by introducing herself that way. Here’s how you introduce yourself: “Hi, my name is XXX. Nice to meet you.” You don’t trot out where you went to school unless or until the subject comes up. </p>
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<p>Not in the least. You are, as usual, not dealing with reality.</p>
<p>Reminds of a story of one of LBJ’s first meetings with the important members of the cabinet and national security agencies . The members stood as LBJ entered the room and remained standing as he addressed each one, where he would acknowledge their names and schools, Secretary McNamara, UC Berkeley; McGeorge Bundy, Yale; Secretary Rusk, our Rhodes Scholar, etc. Finally, he smiles and says, “Lyndon Johnson of Southwest Texas State Teachers College, says you all can sit down.”</p>
<p>Pizzagirl,
"You are, as usual, not dealing with reality. "</p>
<ul>
<li>Yes, I never deal with YOUR reality. We exist in different worlds, and almost never agree. But I agree with this one. However, going to topic, Palin is supporting my opinion about Ivy and any Elite schools. My opinion is that it is much more important what student does at college than what college he/she went to. Again as always in my universe, individual is much more responsible for his/her future, that his/her surroundings. I am not trying to change somebody else’s opinion, just expressing mine based on my life experience which is different from person to person.</li>
</ul>