By Lucas de Paula
Editor-in-Chief
In Temple City, admission into elite universities is exalted and striven for. The pressure to attend one comes from all sides: the environment, social media, parents and even oneself. Although aspiring for entry into prestigious colleges is excellent, overemphasis on getting in just for the prestige can be incredibly damaging. Please hear me when I tell you: success in life is attained through countless paths.
This summer, I participated in Youth Leadership Seminar at the campus of Pepperdine in Malibu. All of the speakers there were extraordinarily accomplished and spoke of their achievements and their philosophies.
What shocked me the most was that these judges, entrepreneurs and multi-millionaire visionaries came from a mix of broken homes, drugs, academic neglect and hardship. Despite their adversities, they reached for a better life and did what they could to achieve success. Remarkably, none attended elite universities. My experience at YCS changed my entire perspective on education and life itself.
Highly ranked universities don’t guarantee anything. As students, it’s alarming to hear that Yale or Stanford isn’t a one-way ticket into a perfect, accomplished life. Instead, real success lies in the quality of your skills and aspirations, rather than the prestige of the college you attend.
Countless influential people changed history only equipped with their desire and passion for accomplishment. J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, struggled both financially and academically. Oprah Winfrey, Emmy Award–winning talk show host, had to overcome significant childhood abuse and poverty. Coco Chanel, a revolutionary fashion designer, started as a seamstress. None of these people attended an elite college, yet have made striking contributions to society.
When you possess a skill, passion or vision, the secret ingredient to success is yourself, no matter what college you attend. Unmistakably, elite colleges provide academic and networking opportunities that are rarer in community colleges yet it’s not a magic solution for life.
Interestingly, the Kauffman Foundation found that about 55% of the Forbes list of the wealthiest 1,000 Americans are self-made entrepreneurs. Another report by Indeed Hiring Lab found only 4.5% of Google employees and 5.7% of Apple employees attended Ivy League institutions.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with dreaming of attending elite universities, the issues lie in thinking the only way to be successful is through that route. The true secret of success is grit and moving in the right direction, no matter how difficult it is.
Miracles don’t happen overnight, and neither does success: it’s intentional and laborious. Don’t limit your options when pursuing your dreams. When you have a clear vision of where you want to go, all you need is to move in the right direction and life will handle the rest.