Ivy League Grad Reacts to “warning high school students in the college admissions game”

ElevatEd School

5 Mar 202415:50

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe video, created by Princeton student Quan Howry, offers a candid warning to high school students about the college admissions process. Quan discusses the importance of choosing a college based on fit, happiness, and mental health, rather than prestige. He shares his personal experiences at Princeton, highlighting the intense competition and toxic environment. The video emphasizes the need to prioritize well-being and advises against choosing schools solely for their rankings. The speaker adds insights from their own experiences at Yale, reinforcing the importance of mental health and practical considerations over brand names.

Takeaways

🎓 The video by Quan Howry, a Princeton student, serves as a warning to high school students about the college admissions process, emphasizing the importance of fit, happiness, and mental health over rankings.
🔍 Quan suggests that rankings do not define a college experience, and his personal experience at Princeton has shown him that prestige can come with a cost to mental health and well-being.
🤔 The speaker disagrees with some of Quan's views, offering alternative advice and emphasizing the importance of personal fit and happiness in choosing a college.
🏫 The video discusses the potential negative aspects of highly competitive and prestigious schools, such as grade deflation and a toxic environment, which can affect students' mental health.
🌟 The speaker highlights the importance of choosing a major that aligns with one's interests and abilities, as it can significantly impact happiness, mental health, and job prospects.
🤯 The speaker warns against overcommitting in college, such as double majoring or being a student-athlete, which can lead to burnout and stress.
🚫 Some schools are mentioned as potentially harmful to mental health, including Rell, Chicago, Princeton, and Stanford, due to their competitive nature and high-stress environments.
🌱 The video encourages students to consider schools with a positive culture and environment, and to visit campuses to get a true sense of the school's atmosphere.
👂 The speaker advises students to talk to current students, especially those in their intended major, for an authentic perspective on the college experience.
💡 The importance of managing mental health in college is underscored, with suggestions such as meditation, journaling, and taking gap years for work or travel experiences.
🛑 The final warning is to not choose a college based on name or ranking, but on personal fit and the potential for a fulfilling and healthy college life.

Q & A

What is the main message of Quan Howry's video 'A Final Warning to High School Students'?
-The main message of Quan Howry's video is that high school students should be cautious when choosing a college and prioritize their mental health and happiness over the prestige or ranking of the institution.
What does Quan Howry suggest about the college ranking system?
-Quan Howry suggests that college rankings do not matter as much as one's mental health and overall well-being, and that students should not solely rely on rankings when deciding where to attend college.
What is Quan Howry's view on the environment at Princeton University?
-Quan Howry describes the environment at Princeton as suffocating, toxic, and harmful to mental health, with questionable practices that can negatively impact students.
What does the speaker mention about the competitive nature of certain college campuses?
-The speaker mentions that the competitive nature of certain college campuses, particularly those with high concentrations of smart students competing for limited opportunities, can lead to a negative environment and affect students' mental health.
What advice does the speaker give regarding the choice of major in college?
-The speaker advises students to be cautious about their choice of major, as it can significantly impact their mental health, happiness, job prospects, and overall college experience.
What are some of the schools mentioned in the script that are considered to have a positive environment for students?
-The script mentions schools in the South with big football teams, such as Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, and UT Austin, as having a positive environment for students, as well as Duke, which is described as having school spirit, great food, and friendly students.
According to the speaker, what is one of the biggest mistakes college freshmen often make?
-One of the biggest mistakes college freshmen often make, according to the speaker, is overcommitting to a heavy course load or double majoring, which can lead to burnout and a negative impact on their mental health.
What does the speaker suggest about the importance of work experience and portfolio for job prospects?
-The speaker suggests that work experience and a strong portfolio are more important for job prospects than the name or ranking of the college from which a student graduates.
What is the speaker's opinion on the role of college tour guides in shaping students' perceptions of a school?
-The speaker believes that college tour guides are essentially trained marketers who may not provide a fully accurate representation of the school, and students should use their own intuition and judgment when visiting campuses.
What advice does the speaker give to students who are already at competitive or high-stress schools?
-The speaker advises students at competitive or high-stress schools to remember their passions, protect their energy, associate with good people, and show up authentically to maintain their mental health and well-being.
What is the 'gap year' concept mentioned in the script, and how can it benefit students?
-The 'gap year' concept refers to taking a break from formal education to work, travel, or gain experience in a chosen field. It can benefit students by providing them with valuable work experience, reducing the stress of college competition, and allowing them to explore their interests outside of an academic setting.

Outlines

00:00

🎥 A Viral College Admissions Video

The speaker discusses a viral video by Quan Howry, a Princeton student, titled 'A Final Warning to High School Students in the College Admissions Game.' The video, gaining over 130,000 views, emphasizes the importance of choosing a college based on fit, happiness, and mental health. The speaker agrees with these points but has additional advice on making this life-changing decision.

05:01

🏫 Inside the Princeton Experience

Quan Howry shares his experiences at Princeton, highlighting the toxic and suffocating environment despite its high ranking. He warns about the negative impact on mental health, advising students to prioritize their well-being over prestigious degrees. Howry notes the competitive nature among students and the various issues affecting their happiness and mental health.

10:02

🤝 The Competitive College Culture

The speaker reflects on Howry's points, emphasizing the cutthroat competition for opportunities like jobs and prestigious clubs at elite universities. They recount their own experience at Yale, acknowledging serious real-world issues that exacerbate stress and mental health problems. The speaker advises students to research and choose colleges that offer a supportive and less stressful environment.

15:02

🛑 Choosing the Right College

The speaker challenges Howry's negative view of Brown, highlighting positive feedback from students there. They list competitive schools like Princeton, UChicago, and UC Berkeley as potentially harmful to mental health due to factors like grade deflation and competition. They advise considering less prestigious but more supportive programs for a better college experience.

🏆 Balancing College and Mental Health

The speaker stresses the importance of choosing a college based on its culture and environment rather than prestige. They recommend visiting campuses and talking to current students to get an accurate picture. The speaker shares personal anecdotes, emphasizing that a suitable major can significantly affect a student's mental health and overall happiness.

💡 Maximizing Your College Experience

The speaker advises students to be proactive about their mental health, incorporating practices like meditation and journaling. They emphasize the impact of geographical factors on happiness and suggest considering gap years to gain valuable work experience. The speaker also warns against the influence of toxic peers and stresses the importance of protecting one's energy and authenticity.

👥 Navigating Toxic College Environments

The speaker advises current students at Princeton to remember their passions and protect their energy. They warn about the manipulative behavior of some peers and stress the importance of finding genuine friends. The speaker reflects on their own experience, urging students to stay true to themselves despite the challenges.

🔍 The Reality of College Rankings

The speaker agrees with Howry that college rankings are not as important as many believe. They share personal experiences of struggling to find a job despite graduating from Yale, emphasizing the value of work experience and internships over brand names. The speaker encourages students to consider gap years and focus on gaining practical experience.

🎯 Practical Advice for College Planning

The speaker offers practical advice for college students, stressing the importance of gaining relevant work experience and focusing on future career goals. They highlight the benefits of gap years and internships, urging students to plan their college years strategically. The speaker aims to provide a realistic perspective on the current job market and college landscape.

💬 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

The speaker concludes by inviting viewers to suggest topics for future videos. They express their desire to support and guide students through the college admissions process, offering encouragement and good luck for admissions results. The speaker emphasizes the importance of making informed, personal decisions about college.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡College Admissions

College admissions refers to the process by which students are selected for enrollment in higher education institutions. In the video, the theme of college admissions is central, as the speaker discusses the impact of choosing the right college on one's mental health and overall well-being, emphasizing that it's a 'life-changing decision'.

💡Mental Health

Mental health is the state of an individual's psychological and emotional well-being. The video stresses the importance of considering mental health when choosing a college, with the speaker sharing personal observations about the 'suffocating and toxic' environment at Princeton and how it can negatively affect students.

💡Ivy League

The Ivy League is a group of eight prestigious universities in the United States known for their academic excellence. The term is used in the video to highlight the speaker's educational background and to discuss the expectations versus reality of attending such a high-ranking institution.

💡Grade Deflation

Grade deflation is a practice where a school's grading system is designed to give lower grades to a larger proportion of students, making high grades rarer. The speaker mentions grade deflation as one of the stressors at Princeton, contributing to a challenging academic environment.

💡Fit and Happiness

Fit and happiness refer to the alignment of a student's personal preferences and well-being with the college environment. The video encourages students to prioritize fit and happiness over prestigious rankings when selecting a college, as it directly impacts their mental health and enjoyment of college life.

💡Academic Stress

Academic stress is the pressure and anxiety students experience due to academic demands. The script discusses how certain colleges, like Princeton, can have a highly competitive environment leading to academic stress, which can be detrimental to students' mental health.

💡College Rankings

College rankings are lists that rank higher education institutions based on various criteria. The video argues that rankings are not as important as the actual experience and fit of a college, urging students to look beyond rankings when making their choice.

💡Major Selection

Major selection is the process of choosing a field of study in college. The script points out that the choice of major can significantly affect a student's college experience, including their mental health, job prospects, and social life.

💡Work Experience

Work experience refers to the practical knowledge, skills, and abilities gained through employment or internships. The speaker emphasizes the importance of work experience over college brand names, stating that employers value practical skills and performance more than where a candidate studied.

💡Gap Year

A gap year is a year taken off between high school and college or during college to gain work experience, travel, or pursue other interests. The video suggests that a gap year can be beneficial, allowing students to explore their interests and gain valuable work experience outside of a traditional college setting.

💡Authenticity

Authenticity is the state of being true to one's own personality, spirit, or character. The speaker advises students, especially at competitive schools, to stay authentic to themselves and not sacrifice their identity for the sake of fitting in, which can help in maintaining mental health and forming genuine relationships.

Highlights

The video by Quan Howry, a Princeton student, offers a final warning to high school students about the college admissions game, emphasizing the importance of fit, happiness, and mental health over rankings.

Quan Howry's video has gained significant traction with over 130,000 views, reflecting its relevance and the concerns of students about college selection.

The speaker, a Yale graduate, agrees with Quan on the importance of mental health but offers additional advice to manage the college decision-making process.

The video discusses the myth of rankings, using Princeton as an example to illustrate that not everything is as it seems and that the environment can be toxic.

Mental health is prioritized over academic prestige, with the speaker urging students to choose a college that nurtures well-being and personal growth.

The competitive nature of top schools can lead to a 'snaky' environment where smart people vie for limited opportunities, affecting mental health.

The speaker shares personal experiences from Yale, noting that happiness at college is possible even in competitive environments.

Some schools are highlighted as being particularly challenging for mental health, including Rell, Chicago, Princeton, and Stanford, due to factors like isolation, weather, and academic pressure.

The importance of choosing the right major is underscored, as it significantly impacts mental health, happiness, job prospects, and social life.

The video advises against chasing brand names and instead encourages finding a balance between academic rigor and personal well-being.

The speaker challenges the notion that Brown University is not a great place, citing personal experiences of students who loved their time there.

The video encourages students to visit campuses and use their intuition to discern the true culture and environment of a school beyond the tour guide's narrative.

Talking to current students, especially those in the same program, is recommended for gaining authentic insights into the college experience.

The video emphasizes the importance of work experience and internships over GPA or school reputation when it comes to employment after graduation.

Taking a gap year is presented as a strategic move to gain work experience and improve mental health, setting oneself apart in the job market.

For students already at competitive schools, the video offers advice on maintaining authenticity, protecting personal energy, and choosing friends wisely.

The final note stresses that the name or ranking of a school matters less than the work experience and personal growth a student gains during their college years.

Transcripts

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