Episode 5 - Standardizing High School

Vassar college considers students from the lower class and prioritizes offering more opportunities to those students rather than pursuing their own interests. They offer somewhat poor cafeteria foods and dormitories in order to invest more money in FA programs to provide widen opportunities to unprivileged class. On the other hand, Bowdoin college explicitly reflects their pursuit of profit upon their policies. They provide superfluously luxurious dormitory and extravagant food in cafeteria. And between these two colleges, Gladwell strongly oppose to the latter’s policy and revers the former blindly. He alleges, “never apply to Bowdoin”. And his firm oppose and hatred raised doubt. Can we say that Vassar college’s policy is absolutely just and that of Bowdoin is unjust?

Before answering the question, I thought about the essence of this controversy. The very fundamental problem which lies beneath this controversy in Gladwell’s podcast is, obviously, the problem of “inequality”. If there was no inequality between students, the issue of broadening opportunities wouldn’t have been raised. Because everyone would've had equal chances of accessibility. So we can say that it is inequality which made two colleges select two polarized policies in the process of solving it.

           Vassar college tried to solve these inequalities of accessibility by offering more financial aids and relatively reducing supports on student’s amenities. Well, I solely accept their own method to provide wider chances to unprivileged students. However, unlike Gladwell, I believe Bodoin college’s policy deserves equal respect as that of Vassar college. Resolving inequalities isn’t an obligation of a college. College’s responsibility is to discover prodigies and offer them the best condition so that they can enhance themselves and contribute their talents to the society. So in terms of offering great environment for studying, Bowdoin college’s policy shouldn’t be criticized. Think about KMLA restaurant without any slice of meat and the dormitory with a cold, hard bed rather than a soft, cozy one. Would any student be encouraged to devote themselves to learning? I don’t think so. To sum up, two colleges have stated their own policies, and both deserve equal respect. 

           Then one might ask, “Then are you just going to abandon the unprivileged children and offer no chance?” Well, I believe it is the government, not colleges who is responsible to foster equal conditions for all the students. Inequalities can be resolved in the governmental level in several ways. And the very basic principle to achieve such goal is to provide "equal opportunities".
          In order to provide equal opportunity in the governmental level, I claim that high school in the country must be standardized. Every absurdity and contradiction begins from the inequality of high school. One might argue, "Then what's the difference between standardizing high school and colleges?" However, I want to clarify that there exists huge differences between those two. First, in terms or academic level, college is a place where students are obliged to advance their level up to the professional level. In other words, "studying" and "learning" is the most prioritized virtue in the level of college. On the other hand, in high school, students are not specialized as students of college are. Rather, they learn much of other virtues. They spend more time together than college students do, and steadily learn how to coexist with other members of the society. Considering this, the academic level of high school students should not be the key factor to in the process of college admission. Rather than the conspicuous outcome of the students, the "potential" of them must be assessed by the colleges. But the problem here is that environments surrounding unprivileged students bar them from very last opportunities of being assessed by the colleges. They can't even access to the very basic education mainly because of their economic conditions. By standardizing high school, this problem can be resolved. This standardization includes numerous aspects. For instance, offering the standardized test for free can be the part of it, as it promotes unprivileged students to takes tests, which eventually enables colleges to evaluate them. Also, the government's policy must aim increasing investments in the public schools in order to enhance the quality of its curriculum. The main reason of discrimination in the process of college admission is, as the colleges claim, the severe gap between the students. Well, as though I stated that the students must not solely assessed by their trivial academic achievement in high school level, it is true there exists a gap between respective students. Regarding that the academic ability shouldn't be the mere criterion evaluating students, it is very important to equalize the quality of school curriculum and focus on many other aspects of education.  
        I strongly advocate this solution, since it enables colleges to select the students impartially, while admitting their diversity of admission policies. We must remember that the academic pursuit must be the 1st prioritized virtue of the colleges, and thus respect the respective policies of the colleges in the process of pursuing which.