Cruising
Michael Winerip’s touching and elegant essay, “Young, Gifted, and Not Getting Into Harvard” is the most sensible piece of writing on today’s hypercompetitive college admissions game that I’ve read in a long time.
———————————————
If brains were transmissions, then mine would be a four-speed manual that I’ve red-lined and ground to bits in the quest for maximum performance. Number One Son, on the other hand, has a silky smooth six that he rarely shifts into overdrive. Instead, he cruises down the highway in fifth gear, the top down and the wind in his hair, making good time and covering a lot of ground, but not so fast and so far that he can’t take in the view and enjoy the glory days.
Early in his high school career, he noticed the hectic and harried pace of his Ivy League-bound classmates and decided that he would rather cruise at a different speed and and take a more scenic route. He worked hard, but he played hard too: soccer, Ultimate, banging out “Free Bird” on Guitar Hero, Powderpuff cheerleading, road trips to T-town followed by late night poker games, an eleven-on-a-scale-of-ten senior prom, long mountain hikes and plenty of burnt-orange sunsets—hanging out with friends for no particular reason at all.
I’ll admit to thinking at times, Can’t you go any faster? If I had a brain like yours, oh, the places I would go and the things I would see!
But he knew what he was doing all along, that boy, and he was right; cruising down the highway with the top down and the wind in his hair–iPod blaring–leaving behind a trail of memories longer than Route 66 and few, if any, regrets.
6 Comments
Comments are closed.
Hal
Winerip’s article is excellent. I’m heading back to Lexington this weekend to my alma mater to celebrate my 25 year reunion. But, I have no expectations of my children going to W&L. I don’t even care if they want to go there. My #1 is really enjoying high school this year as a sophomore, and I hope my rising 9th grader (#2) will enjoy his high school experience too. They are both smart, but I don’t want them to “red line” and burn out. Sometimes I have to encourage my son to shift up to second gear, but I think he’ll want to go a little faster in the years to come.
It sounds like Number One Son has got it all right.
Laurie
My son’s former girlfriend has a 4.0, took every possible AP class available, scored 2330 out of 2400 on SATs, plays in the Seattle Youth Symphony, ran track and cross country…
She is wait-listed for Harvard.
My son’s enjoyed his high school years and gotten eight hours of sleep a night and is still going to the best school in our state. I think he got the better deal.
Mike the Eyeguy
Hal–Have a wonderful trip. I’m green with envy picturing that drive to Lexington, especially just past Roanoke as one gets moves into the lower reaches of the Shenandoah Valley. You’re right, if you red-line in HS, where do you go from there? Better to save that 6th gear for when you really need it.
Laurie-Wow, that’s a perfect illustration of Winerip’s main point. I hope that she lands in a pleasant place that will nourish her mind and soul. Frankly, I can think of a million places that probably do a better job of that than Harvard.
State U. rules!
Stoogelover
Sounds like your son is as smart as you say he is! Smart enough to enjoy life.
Matt Dabbs
SAT goes to 2400 now? Either something has changed or I didn’t do so well 🙂
Mike the Eyeguy
sl–Of course I tell him “smart is as smart does.” In this particular case, he chose Route 66 rather than the super-speedway, and that made all the difference. Smart move.
Matt–The SAT now has an extra 800 pt section (Writing), but most colleges pay it little attention and still use the old Math + Verbal 1600 pt scale. Believe me, you haven’t missed much.