The Machine

There are things that everyone knows, and there are things that no one knows. Most importantly, there are things that only a handful of people know, that everyone should know. I'm talking about the system, the inner-workings, the "machine", whatever one wants to call it, of society. From breakfast cereal, to political candidates, to college, there are things most people know, and there are things that only people who are taught about, or are part of the "machine" know. The average person doesn't know how cereal is made, but they know it can be found in a grocery store. I didn't know about the machinations of college admissions until I began talking to people on the inside.

This idea that the majority does not understand how the world works on a fundamental level has become one of incredible interest for me, and devoting my time towards an understanding of the "workings" has become a driving force to learn in my life. Just this morning I untangled from my hotel bedsheets (who needs four layers of sheets anyway?) and lurched down late to breakfast with the gang at the hotel restaurant, walking right into a conversation about school profiles. Now school profiles are a detailed report on your school-- written by the district. These reports can cover everything from diversity and API scores, to how much money the school has to spend on lab equipment. The nature of these reports can literally determine on what scale your application will be processed on. One student could be admitted over a student with a comparable application because of this profile. However, this is a mere example of this idea of behind the scenes inner workings, college admissions just so happens to be a particularly stellar example.

Post 1 of 2 for Saturday the 23rd.