# Anti-achievement at its finest: Acceptance by 20 colleges called "obnoxious" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 13, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353 "2018-04-13T16:51:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/21 "2018-04-13T18:47:51Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > This is weapons-grade stupid. I feel dumber for just reading about it third-hand. It is the world’s first memetical weapon of mass disinegenuation. As pointed out, competitive schools have long waitlists of prospective students who would be happy to take the nineteen spaces this student will decline. Unless he literally intends to attend twenty schools simulataneously he isn’t taking anything away from anyone. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/22 "2018-04-13T18:53:02Z")
Apparently FOX news anchors are intimidated by the intelligent. They’re the ones who bring up climate change, evolution, and other sinful topics. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/23 "2018-04-13T19:01:10Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I don’t think that is what he meant at all. If not, he can clarify and I’ll withdraw my point. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/24 "2018-04-13T19:01:20Z")
This the twitter apology from Sara Fraser: > [@](#): > > Bishop Talbert - I am sorry. I’m sorry to Michael b. I truly had no malice when I set this story up, **we wanted to ask is 20 schools too much**? But I see now that was petty. Michael is awesome and I have learned a lesson. bolding mine First off, good on her for apologizing. But I don’t understand why they thought this was a good set up in the first place. Is 20 schools too much _for what_? The only downsides to casting a wide net are incurred by the student who has to put in the time and application fees; it is inconsequential to anyone else. If the question really is, what is the _minimum_ number of schools a student should aim for, I could see some discussion around that. But for the short amount of time they had to gab, it was bad judgement to make the subject be the number of schools the kid applied to, when the obvious detail is that he succeeded in getting into all of them much to the excitement of him and his friends. This is the non-apology t the other host, Holly Morris, tweeted: > [@](#): > > I just believe in a more targeted search. I think the common ap has changed the game and makes it too easy to apply to too many schools. Has nothing to do with privilege. Just my opinion. We can disagree… that’s ok What the benefit of more targeted search, if the student wants to maximize her/his options? ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/25 "2018-04-13T19:06:52Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > What the benefit of more targeted search, if the student wants to maximize her/his options? It’s clear that those two women mistakenly believe that the kid is taking spots that other, probably white, kids would have at those 20 colleges. The women are just stupid. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/26 "2018-04-13T19:36:28Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > _Of course_ he applied to 20 schools. Which one will give him the best offer? He’d be crazy not to. > > Regards, > Shodan The TV hosts say MB’s ridiculous for applying to 20 schools. On the other hand, **Shodan** says he’d be crazy if he didn’t. Both opinions seem to rest on the idea that his strategy was a calculated one. But when I see the video of the kid celebrating his acceptances, all I see is pure surprise and excitement. Why would this be his reaction is he already knew he’d get into these places and that they all would be throwing money at him? I feel like this is good evidence he wasn’t counting on this outcome at all. He just wanted to ensure he had as many options as possible and he hoped he’d get that if he canvassed widely. I guess one could speculate the entire thing was staged and/or he was hamming it up. But you know, that theory just seems like one more way to diminish him. ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/27 "2018-04-13T19:49:59Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > It’s stupid - he’s not “taking” a spot from anyone else. He can only go to one school at a time, the other 19 schools will just take the next candidate in line. WE know that, but he is black after all, and I’m pretty sure the average Fox viewer thinks that he could have 19 of his fellow gangbangers (cite: he’s black) take those spots (since there’s no known way of telling young black men apart) and then claim that the school is racist and has to give them doctorates as reparations. Only, y’know, without the words of greater than two syllables. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/28 "2018-04-13T19:50:23Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > But when I see the video of the kid celebrating his acceptances, all I see is pure surprise and excitement. Why would this be his reaction is he already knew he’d get into these places and that they all would be throwing money at him? Because he found out that all twenty would be throwing money at him. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Thanks for demonstrating yet another way in which young black folks can’t win – the myth that successful black people didn’t earn their position. What the dickens are you talking about? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/29 "2018-04-13T20:53:47Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Because he found out that all twenty would be throwing money at him. > > What the dickens are you talking about? > > Regards, > Shodan You included one too many words in your first comment, which made it seem like you thought that his race was an important, if not the most important, factor in his selection. This ignores all of the other data points that show he was indeed a very qualified candidate. I’ll bold the word so you can find it. > [@Shodan](#): > > I don’t think it was arrogant or attention-seeking, but are you kidding? A **black** kid with outstanding grades and a stellar SAT can get into any university he wants. They will trample each other in the effort to convince him to go to their school. > > _Of course_ he applied to 20 schools. Which one will give him the best offer? He’d be crazy not to. > > Regards, > Shodan ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/30 "2018-04-13T21:20:32Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I don’t think it was arrogant or attention-seeking, but are you kidding? A black kid with outstanding grades and a stellar SAT can get into any university he wants. They will trample each other in the effort to convince him to go to their school. > > _Of course_ he applied to 20 schools. Which one will give him the best offer? He’d be crazy not to. > > Regards, > Shodan Damn right!!! ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/31 "2018-04-13T21:22:00Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I don’t like Laura Ingraham either, but I think you’re confusing her with Laura Schlessinger. (Who’s also a bitch) In this case, I definitely meant Ingraham. But yeah, the other one is trash too, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/32 "2018-04-13T21:24:40Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I don’t think that is what he meant at all. Me neither. I took it as saying the kid increased the odds of getting into a school by applying to as many as he could - exactly like we ALL did. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/33 "2018-04-13T21:49:05Z")
I agree with **iiandyiiii**. **Shodan** ’s post definitely reads as if he thinks the kid being black is relevant. And **Shodan** has a history of posts attacking colleges for valuing diversity. His post definitely reads as if he thinks the reason the schools are trying to recruit him is because he is a smart _black_ student, not just a smart student. That said, a better response would have been to just ask him why he thought it was relevant that the student is black. If he didn’t mean anything by it, he’ll say that. If he meant it badly, he’ll either take it back or hang himself in short order. By responding now, when it was not quite clear, you give him an obvious out that you are just “too easily offended.” ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/34 "2018-04-13T21:58:06Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > I feel dumber for just reading about it third-hand. It is the world’s first memetical weapon of mass disinegenuation. > > As pointed out, competitive schools have long waitlists of prospective students who would be happy to take the nineteen spaces this student will decline. **Unless he literally intends to attend twenty schools simulataneously** he isn’t taking anything away from anyone. > > Stranger He’s already shown himself to be pretty impressive. He might just be up to the challenge. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/35 "2018-04-13T22:03:37Z")
“Michael Brown has asked for an apology. It’ll be interesting to see whether he gets it. My guess is not.” Temps in hell are forecast to remain at, or above, 451 F for the foreseeable future. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/36 "2018-04-13T22:04:08Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > You included one too many words in your first comment, which made it seem like you thought that his race was an important, if not the most important, factor in his selection. This ignores all of the other data points that show he was indeed a very qualified candidate. I’ll bold the word so you can find it. “Bold” (typeset) in Spanish is “negrita.” Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/37 "2018-04-13T22:08:12Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I agree with **iiandyiiii**. **Shodan** ’s post definitely reads as if he thinks the kid being black is relevant. And **Shodan** has a history of posts attacking colleges for valuing diversity. His post definitely reads as if he thinks the reason the schools are trying to recruit him is because he is a smart _black_ student, not just a smart student. > > That said, a better response would have been to just ask him why he thought it was relevant that the student is black. If he didn’t mean anything by it, he’ll say that. If he meant it badly, he’ll either take it back or hang himself in short order. > > By responding now, when it was not quite clear, you give him an obvious out that you are just “too easily offended.” I see that he just mentioned that he was black in passing, just as the OP mentioned “black male” which may or may not be relevant to the discussion. I don’t see any motive, just discussion. [/sidetrack] ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/38 "2018-04-13T22:10:25Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > In this case, I definitely meant Ingraham. But yeah, the other one is trash too, anyway. Ingraham isn’t Doctor Laura, that’s what I meant. They’re both cunts, but only one is “Doctor” Laura. And holy shit, I hope this kid’s friends throw him the party of a life time. That is fucking amazing! ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/39 "2018-04-13T22:10:34Z")
I take issue with the “of course he knew he’d get in; he was trying to just see who he could squeeze the most” idea that **Shodan** put forth. It presumes the kid saw himself as being in the power seat, which is what privileged people often project onto others. I think it’s more likely the kid assumed the opposite; being overly cautious is consistent with being 1st generation college student who puts a lot pressure on themselves. Read this CNN article and you’ll get the same impression I get about him: [https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/03/30/health/teen-college-20-acceptances-trnd/index.html](https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/03/30/health/teen-college-20-acceptances-trnd/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2018, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353/40 "2018-04-13T22:38:24Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Ingraham isn’t Doctor Laura, that’s what I meant. They’re both cunts, but only one is “Doctor” Laura. > > And holy shit, I hope this kid’s friends throw him the party of a life time. That is fucking amazing! But it’s interesting to note that, as the holder of a J.D., Ingraham is technically just as entitled to the honorific as Schlesinger. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-achievement-at-its-finest-acceptance-by-20-colleges-called-obnoxious/812353.md?page=3)