I think it's because we're sitting on computers a lot, but that's also stupid. I'm not lazy for using the internet instead of looking something up in a book, I'm using the technology available to me. Should I have to go out to a well to get water and build and out-house because people didn't used to have indoor plumbing?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Or you can just be a minority.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Or have a ton of money.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Maybe if your parents are going to be donating millions to the university. Otherwise, it doesn't matter.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Even if you're a minority, you have to do just as well in school. And if you're a high-income minority, you're going to evaluated with that in mind. But if you're a low-income minority with parents who didn't go to college (mine didn't go to hs either), or similar, and you still do as well as others who are better off, then of course that's going to look amazing. You can't have a 75 GPA and a 1700 SAT and expect to go to Harvard. But if you have a 95 GPA, a 2150 SAT score, volunteer work, and you live in the ghetto, then it looks much stronger than some kid whose parents went to grad school and lives in a two-story house and got SAT prep. Of course, I'm just generalizing, but overall people should understand how difficult is is to succeed when you come from a very poor background. There are a lot of barriers that extend beyond the color of one's skin.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

One word: Asians. You don't have to be a minority, you just better make sure your race stereotypically has lower test scores, are poorer, and are less likely to apply to college. If the entire black race applied to Harvard the same day with 2400s all around, whites with lower scores will definitely be valued more.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Not true. One of my sisters white friends with great grades and extracurricular activities got denied but one of her black friends with good grades and extracurricular activities got accepted

by Anonymous 11 years ago

They applied at the same college too

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Most of this generation isn't putting in the effort to get into an Ivy League school. You, yourself, might not be lazy, but the most public members of your generation, those who get TV shows for lying on the beach and drinking in bars, give a bad impression, especially because they're so popular.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Actually, I think that's the minority of "this generation"

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Let me try to reword this: some people are working really hard to get into Ivy League schools. Some people have TV shows where all they do is party and go to the beach. The majority of teenagers lie in the middle - doing work, but not trying to get into the Ivies. It's just that the second category gets the most publicity, giving everyone else a bad image.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

High school is harder now too. I remember times where'd I'd ask my mom for help and she'd tell me she didn't learn this until she was in college (when I was in highschool) or that she didn't learn this until highschool (when I was in middle school). Of course ALL the work I was doing wasn't that far ahead, but in general we're a couple years ahead of back then. And now I'm helping my 4th grade cousin learn simple algebra and multiply and divide fractions and explaining what inertia is to her.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Also, there's just so much more information to learn in science, math, history, and even entire subjects which didn't exist for the previous generation.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

completely agree! My Aunt always says "back in the days we had to draw out graphs and we didn't have a $100 calculator to do it for us" if she only knew how many different buttons we have to master in addition to knowin how to graph on paper she wouldn't be saying that!

by Anonymous 11 years ago

It's not difficult, especially if you are middle class or above, go to a decent high school, and have college-educated parents. If you're low-income/first generation college/have parents who don't speak English,like me, it is much harder to get the same results as those who come from more privileged backgrounds and have more resources. I actually need to get better scores, because if I don't get scholarships, then there is no chance of me going. You can't just be a minority then BAM go to college, you still need to do well. It does look more impressive to colleges however if you do just as well as those who are middle class and above. Trust me, if inner city kid like me can get 2100+ on the SATs, 3.5 GPA and have 500 hours of community service and take 8 AP classes, then anyone else can too. Just keep your eyes on the prize!

by Anonymous 11 years ago

It definitely is more difficult nowadays though. My grandfather went to Harvard because he went to a really expensive and well connected prep school. His grades were average and he was nothing special in terms of volunteering and stuff. Nowadays those kinds of things are much more important.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

You have a really impressive set of accomplishments, but when it comes to Ivy Leagues, you're much better off by being inner city, parents having not gone to college, or being a minority. As impressive as it is, they get tons of applicants who are 2300+ SATs, 4.0 (or higher if weighted) GPAs, 13 AP classes, and exorbitant hours of volunteering. However, they don't get lots of those that come from the criteria above, so when they do it's not a hard choice for them. Similarly if a kid's parents are incredibly rich and they know they can get donations from the family. However, for anyone in the middle, or that doesn't help their race percentages, you have to stand out by a HUGE amount to get picked. Other than that it's basically random for them. Which sucks for a large portion of college bound high school students with big aspirations. Side note: Congratulations on all of your achievements and I hope you get to go to the college of your choice.

by Anonymous 11 years ago