Not looking for HADES, not targeting HYPSM

PhotographerMom
Sat, 23 Nov 2013 09:14:21 +0000

I’ll try to take a whack at this one. I’m a third generation BS alum with one kid attending a dream school and another one at a Gem. I also live in an area with a large concentration of kids attending BS, plus I have several nieces and nephews currently enrolled with one more applying this year. Does that make me an expert? No. But I will say this: You are absolutely on the right track when you look at a BS as a life experience, because that’s what it is.

My Grandfather used to say BS is like a hard cold slap across your face. It challenges you to look within- spirtually, morally, ethically all on your own at a very young age. Parents, who focus on brand, prestige, rank or tier, tend to miss this entirely. Ask anyone who every went away to BS about the first night away from home and it’s likely they’ll tell you about staring up at the ceiling (completely scared and all alone) wondering why this was such a good idea. And that’s precisely how it’s meant to be.

It takes a lot of courage to go away to school. A kid will be tested in more ways outside of a classroom than in. Academics aside, kids will have to dig deep to find grit, determination, perserverance in the face of a lot of adversity- not just overtime, but every single day.

So, I think a better question is: Where do you want all this growth to take place? It’s more of a backdrop question to me because- honestly I don’t see a big difference between my kids schools. They’re virtually the same to me in every way imaginable. Maybe that’s why I’m such a strong advocate of Hidden Gems. I believe they’re all amazing and offer tremendous value. I think it’s silly when parents concentrate on only a few select schools and base their decision on academics and college matriculation. Sure, I think those things are important, but I don’t think those two things should matter most.