Bon Voyage

With the school year coming to a close and the excitement of graduation rising daily, the future and the next phase in our lives in on every senior's mind. AP tests are finally here, and then it's just a short couple of weeks until Springfest, Prom, Senior Awards Assembly, and Graduation. Spring is in the air and that spring in everyone's step has returned. We eagerly await August for new roommates, new schools, and new opportunities. While it's the end of high school, our lives and our futures are just beginning.

The great thing about college is YOU decide your future. YOU decide which classes you want to take, what subject you want to major in, and how hard you wish to study. This past year, through blogging/learning so much about class and society, as well as through other classes, I have decided I wish to pursue a career that helps classes or groups of oppressed people. I intend to pursue degrees in International Studies, as well as Human Rights, to hopefully, one day, have a career in which I can truly make a difference on the international scale. Through this blog, I have discovered the true crisis of oppression of classes of people. As I've discussed through various posts, this oppression exists both domestically, as well as internationally. Through high school, I have learned that there is a world beyond what we know, and a world that needs help. I have learned that I have a heart for these oppressed people and believe that pursuing a career in which I am able to dedicate my life to serving these people would be a life worth living.

Of course I know I am no where close to knowing everything I need, or desire, to know about human rights and working for class equality. I am excited to learn more about the topic, and more about what I can do to truly change struggling people's lives. If there is anything I think parents should teach their kids, it's that the world needs help, and that you personally are obligated to do something about that. Too many kids are raised in an atmosphere where they are either unaware of the hurting world, or they are taught they are not obligated to do anything to help. We are not entitled to the world we are given. We can work hard and do the best that we can, but in the end, entitlement can be a gateway to selfishness. If everyone were raised in an environment that promoted working at soup kitchens, donating to the homeless or going on service trips, our world would have the potential to be so much greater.

Through this blog, I have explored a variety of different ways class and our society, as well as world, interact. It has been shocking to read statistics about hunger, poverty and LGBT oppression, as well as a variety of other topics. It upsets me that some people, even adults, never have exposure to the harsh realities of life. By the harsh realities of life, I don't mean the inability to afford your dream house, but I mean the feeling of going to bed hungry. The uncertainty of whether or not your family will be safe tonight, or if your house will be raided, your children and wife captured. The exposure I have had has obviously only been through reading and technology, and I know there is so much more to experience, to truly understand these difficulties. If I were given the opportunity to give a TED talk, I would devote my time to this subject, the idea that children in our country during the 21st century are not being exposed to true service enough. Not everyone is able to go to Africa on a mission trip or join the Peace Corp, but everyone should work to make a difference, whether locally, regionally or internationally.

With all of the graduation excitement ahead, this will be my last blog post in regards to class and society for a while. It has been a true learning experience to connect with the blogging community, as well as share and question the nature of class with my fellow bloggers, and I hope to return to the blog-o-sphere shortly after commencement and the beginning of my college career!

Fork Over $100 (at least!)

It is February 14 (Happy Valentine's Day!) and that means we are just about halfway through the three month waiting period between applying to college (deadline January 1) and the most common notification date (April 1). While some colleges have earlier notification dates and some students' plans for next year are beginning to take shape, many students are still anxiously awaiting April 1. After going through the college application process, a process which took about three months for me (October-December), I have had time to reflect back on the process. While reflecting, I realized just how much my process had been affected by my class and ecoomic status.

For those of you who haven't applied to college yet or had children who have applied to college, the high cost of just applying in itself will shock you. Fees quickly add up, from the cost of sending a transcript (about $5- Docufide transcript service) to sending ACT or SAT scores (either $10 or $30 dependent on the date which you send them- read more about the ACT here) to the actual application fees themself (about $50, but can even reach $90 for Stanford). The cost of applying to college alone can frighten students (and parents off) from applying to college, which puts the students at a disadvantage. Some students qualify for waivers, but the students who are at the in-between, the class of students who don't qualify for the waiver but who can't afford to apply to colleges they want to, suffer. The students who can pay to apply (and attend) for higher education receive the diplomas, and can then pay for their kids when it is their turn to apply (and attend) college. It's the beginning of a vicious cycle of the rich get richer and smarter.

Another component of this cycle is the AP tests. Students who complete Advanced Placement classes (read about Advanced Placement tests here through the College Board), or feel prepared to sit for an Advanced Placement test on a certain subject, can take about a 2.5 hour test and if they receive a score their intended university recognizes (usually a 4 or a 5), they have the opportunity to earn credits towards their college graduation requirements, thus getting college credit without paying for that class or making room in their schedule to ensure graduating in 8 semesters. The catch, however, is each AP test is about $87 (again, waivers are offered if a student qualifies). Therefore, students who can afford the tests will take them and earn credits, thus saving money, but students who can't afford them or don't qualify for waivers will have to pay full price at college. Thus, the cycle continues.

Finally, the last aspect of this cycle is the private college counselor. This is the most extreme aspect, but definitely still present. A college counselor is only for the richest of classes, with some counselors charging $40,000/year of counseling, enough for a whole year of tuition and fees at some schools! Counselors assist students with essay writing, resumes, applications, interview prep and making the final decision (read a great article about it here). However, who can really afford this kind of prep? Are the students who do everything themselves, have their parents read their essays, and go into interviews based on their own knowledge at a disadvantage? The wealthiest of wealthy are the ones receiving all the preparation, guidance and assistance, and can therefore help their children receive all that as well when it comes to be that time. What do you think about this cycle? Are students at different, unfair advantages with one another?