The ‘Many Others’ Have Feelings, Too
Guest ‘Rite: District divided seniors by publicizing acceptances to “renowned universities” but not “many others” students were accepted to
It was neither respectful nor responsible for the district to publish the post “Seniors Accepted to Impressive Array of Colleges” April 21.
The post enumerated how many Shaker students were admitted to each Ivy League school; it went on to list a dozen arbitrary “highly selective liberal arts colleges” and “renowned universities” students were admitted to and mention that there were “many others.”
Most Shaker students will attend one of these “many others” and love one of these “many others.” The district has slighted these students. Further, if the district wishes to divide colleges and universities into tiers, as it has here, then it has ranked its students. We have been raised and taught that we are not the sort of community that ranks its students.
Although this same information is available to many through Naviance, presenting it in such a public place seems distasteful. Naviance provides useful information to students, parents, and counselors to aid in college applications. In addition, information on Naviance is not visible to the public; students must have an account and password.
Unlike Naviance, shaker.org is visible to the general public. The information is now available to high school students, members of the community and complete strangers. The post sits at the top of the news section like an advertisement. Plus, by publicizing the number of students admitted to each college, the district is essentially inviting speculation. Who got in? Who didn’t? Why or why not?
We, members of the Class of 2014, are more than a series of statistics meant to beef up our school’s reputation. We come from a class of well more than 300 diverse, hardworking individuals. We come from all manner of economic and racial backgrounds, course levels and interests. We are more than a list of acceptances.
We, members of the Class of 2014, are more than a series of statistics meant to beef up our school’s reputation. . . . We are more than a list of acceptances.
At what point is a school worthy of reporting students’ admission? For many students, attending an Ivy League institution would be financially impossible even if the student were otherwise qualified. Praising only one tier of applicants diminished the achievements of countless students heading off to state schools with noticeably un-mentioned honors and scholarships, as well as all the prestigious schools that simply didn’t come to mind. Upon seeing the district’s post, some seniors joked that their university of choice was apparently irrelevant to Shaker’s agenda.
This district post represents the bitter end of what has been a grueling college process for all of us. Hearing back from universities yields a range of emotions depending on the outcome: from triumph to devastation, satisfaction to disbelief, it’s been a long road.
During that process, a student’s business becomes everyone else’s. Where was so and so accepted? Who is attending which Ivy League school? It’s an endless game that parents, students and administrators alike have become hopelessly wrapped up in. The district’s article only feeds into the obsession that has driven so many college applicants mad before us, and these tactics will continue to distress the already-anxious class of 2015.
Certainly, we should celebrate the achievements of students, but not in a divisive way. If done carefully and respectfully, it would be appropriate to highlight all of the colleges to which students were accepted, and thus to praise each worthy student.
Without a doubt, these admissions are worthy of praise. But in the end, they’re just acceptances. They’re opportunities. They’re reason for celebration, yes, but it’s what the students decide to do with those acceptances — and the four years of education succeeding them — that should matter. Not so much the name of the school, but instead the way the student decides to apply him or herself once there. That, the district can brag about. Community colleges, state schools and Ivy League institutions alike are all filled with people trying — and succeeding — to better themselves and the world.
We realize the district is trying to pass a levy, but dividing the senior class into have’s and have not’s is unacceptable.
We realize the district is trying to pass a levy, but dividing the senior class into have’s and have not’s is unacceptable. When the district thinks of its public image before its students, it is no longer serving those students: it is serving itself.
Therefore, we respectfully request that the district change the format of the post to more fairly and accurately reflect the achievement of its graduating seniors. A list of all colleges to which students have been admitted, as the guidance department receives the information, would be appropriate. Preferably in alphabetical order.
Signed,
Bridget Cook, Class of 2014
Anna Hundert, Class of 2014
Shane McKeon, Class of 2014
Ezra Zigmond, Class of 2014
Brandon Norman | Apr 26, 2014 at 3:32 pm
Thank you students of the Class of 2014. I definitely agree that throughout the years Shaker has slighted many of the students who are attending one of the “many other” institutions of higher learning. I myself attend The Ohio State University on a Full Academic Scholarship, and couldn’t be happier with my decision, yet during my senior year I was failed to be recognized with my classmates who had scholarships to some of the more prestigious universities. I was no slacker in high school and had options to go to many of the highly selective liberal arts colleges, yet because I chose the option of a free education over going into debt I did not receive any recognition. Only until I addressed the situation after the fact would the school put my achievement on the website.
Sam | Apr 25, 2014 at 10:15 pm
Your passion for equity is inspirational. Fantastic article presented thoughtfully and professionally.
Sam
’09
Jack Crow | Apr 25, 2014 at 8:09 pm
“Ivy league schools” and “other schools” are not “winners” and “losers;” is the “particular behaviour” you are trying to stop encouraging the behaviour of not getting into an ivy league school?.
And this isn’t about giving a participation trophy, it’s about celebrating the fact that no particular college or life path is necessarily any better or worse than any other. Ivy league universities may be considered “better” but for many students they are not the right place to attend.
Alex Almasan | Apr 26, 2014 at 5:05 am
“And this isn’t about giving a participation trophy”
This is exactly what the article is about. Think about it. If you work your butt off for 4 years, obtain a near-perfect GPA, high standardized test scores, and put in impeccable applications to prestigious institutions, you deserve a mention. The same does not apply for a slacker who “just gets by” through high school. Those two kids should not be lumped in.
Equality is for race, sexual orientation, gender, etc. It is NOT for achievements.
And I’m sorry, but if you believe that being taught at a prestigious University by Nobel Prize laureates is the same as being taught at some other no-name school, then I won’t be able to change your mind. I’m not saying IVY LEAGUE IVY LEAGUE, but there’s a reason colleges and Universities are annually ranked. I myself went to Case Western University, and I would never expect the receive the same amount of mention as someone who is attending Caltech, MIT, Harvard, Stanford. It’s simply not fair to those students who are, realistically, “better” than me.
Leo Izen | Apr 26, 2014 at 11:02 pm
It’s important to realize that many students didn’t even APPLY to Ivy League institutions who very well could have gotten in, for many reasons. I didn’t apply to MIT for monetary reasons and I had a serious chance at acceptance. So the fact that I’m going to a public school (which gave me $22,000 per year, by the way) makes me a slacker? Because I didn’t get into an Ivy League school? Does being unable to afford prestigious private schools make other students “Better than me” ? Be realistic and have some perspective.
Alex Almasan | Apr 25, 2014 at 2:52 am
I respectfully disagree. On the website, those students with recognition should appear (I should add that unless things have changed since I attended SHHS, a full list of graduates and their upcoming plans in printed in the Shakerite’s last issue). Those who got into the top schools, the cream of the crop. This is not some pre-school tournament where everyone gets a trophy for merely participating. I hate the idea we instill in young minds these days that however poorly you achieve, you’re still celebrated. That’s NOT what life is like, and we should all stop encouraging that particular behavior.
“Life” is hard. There are always winners, and there are losers. Learn from your failures and mistakes so you can do better.
Drea | Apr 28, 2014 at 7:07 pm
Define “how poorly you achieve, you’re still celebrated?” Are you stating that the Cuyahoga Community College student or the Notre Dame College student among others, should not be congratulated with their “chosen” admission to the college of their choice?
The choice of colleges does not always equate to a student who has “achieved poorly.” At times its actually a choice and many times a senior chooses what comfortable for them and their financial future.
Karen Gillooly | Apr 24, 2014 at 9:25 pm
I am also a parent of a HS Sophomore (and 5th and 2nd graders) and I agree with the article. I have felt for a long time that our district does a wonderful job of celebrating outstanding excellence but not such a good job of celebrating accomplishments that fall along a wide continuum. I would like to see a list of where all the Seniors will be attending college or what their plans are after HS (Peace Corp, Americorp, Job, etc.) Thank you for this article.
Elyse | Apr 24, 2014 at 12:34 pm
Thanks for sharing. As a parent of an SHHS Freshman, I share your sentiments exactly. I would love to see a list of where everyone is headed after graduation – college, tech school, jobs, you name it. There are so many exciting paths that are ahead for you all. Let’s celebrate them all!
Tom Barnes | Apr 24, 2014 at 6:46 am
I’m a student in Australia currently attending my final year of school. Like the US, we have our prestigious universities (though not at the same level as Ivy League), and there is so much gossip surrounding “who got into which Uni” when offers are finally released. I hate it. Not everyone can get the high scores that Ivy League and similar universities require, yet it’s equally important to congratulate EVERYONE who got an offer into university. Only on a very insignificant level does it make someone a superior person should they receive acceptance into a prestigious Uni. Therefore, I completely agree with the article that schools should publicly congratulate EVERYONE who got into Uni 🙂