Perfectionism at Swat

[middsmith]

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Brown is not an easy golf course as you depict. At Brown, just as at Swarthmore, a student can make whatever they want out of their education. My son chose to attend Brown because of the programs in which he was interested. He was a double concentrator and chose the honors route which required a thesis in each. He worked very hard and earned the respect and friendship of his professors. Nothing was handed to him. He had no problem getting into graduate schools and just finished at Columbia. He was not unique in his dedication and hard work. He had a core of 12 friends who lived together through most of their time there and I got to know them pretty well. All of these kids worked hard and had no trouble with being accepted into graduate/professional schools at Ivy league institutions or entering the work force upon graduation. They are all interesting, eclectic human beings who were accepted into prestigious programs because they are incredibly smart, talented students who work hard. NONE ARE SLACKERS. Moreover, they are not atypical from most other Brown students and all of these kids would have done well at Swarthmore or any other institution they had chosen to attend.

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<p>Had Brown not inflated his grade, would he still get into Columbia? I know at least 2 students who aren’t smart, or talented, or hard-working.</p>