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Jewish World Review Oct. 17, 2000 / 18 Tishrei, 5761
Chris Matthews
Al has high test scores but performs badly in interviews.
George has a mixed record on paper but shines in
person.
OK, you're the admissions director. Who gets in?
Let's look at Al's file. A quarter century of Washington
experience capped by eight years as vice president. A
hard-working student on issues both domestic and
foreign. A spirited White House loyalist. Decided early
that this is where he wants to go.
George is a different kettle of fish. While his preparation
and S.A.T. scores are hardly Ivy League, he's done well
in activities, both as a Major League baseball team owner
and as Texas governor.
This applicant possesses two attractive intangibles: Luck
and popularity. He has been impressive in his interviews,
especially the second.
A deeper look at the two young men reveals even finer
differences.
Despite his solid preparation, Al lacks spontaneity. He
seems to say only what he thinks the admissions officers
want to hear, adjusting his presentation with each meeting. He also displays a
troubling tendency to exaggerate his achievements and to embellish his personal
experiences.
George's file raises different concerns. While attending excellent schools he has
failed to exploit the opportunities they have offered. In conversation, he
appears to lack a passion for learning. His working vocabulary is extremely
limited, his familiarity with some words highly fragile. His record is that of a
pupil who masters only what he has to, when he has to.
That said, George has shown a steep learning curve. Perhaps he is a late
bloomer, maturing a bit behind schedule for someone given so many breaks at
birth.
Choosing between the two applicants, Al and George, creates an
apples-and-oranges conflict:
Does the admissions director — that's you — prefer Al, the grade-getter, who
seems to have manufactured his entire being for this very process, buffing his
biography to gain our approval?
Or do you take George, the lax student who has succeeded through a mix of
subliminal effort and serendipity? It's your choice. There's just one slot. You fill
10/11/00: Scandalous lack of awe for the office
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