glenrockschwartz

Dear Alex, This morning as I was driving to work, I was listening to a news segment about the changing requirements for the college application process.  The admissions director from MIT was speaking about how a significant number of universities were adopting and enforcing less focus on SAT & ACT scores and quality over quantity, both for AP classes and for extracurricular activities.  It should not be about the long list, but rather how you might be able to discuss at length why you love all you get to learn about in AP History or how singing in a rock band brings you great happiness. The reason behind the change has to do with a recent study published by the Harvard graduate school of Education.  Two key findings came out of this study:  socioeconomically challenged students are at a disadvantage because they have to work after school thus are less likely to participate in extracurriculars, and more affluent high school students who have the time are doing...

This weekend we were in the car for a longish drive so there was more talking and less listening to music than usual.  During the course of our conversation as a family, this gem occurred between myself and Alex. "Mom, would you consider yourself a hipster?" "No.  Not really." "What about a hipster mom?" "Again, not really, but why are you asking?" "Because compared to all the other moms I know, you are way more of a hipster than any of them are." When he wants to, this boy whom I love, hate and feel intensely connected, can be utterly and completely charming.