The problem is that in the United States, a college is not a place to learn but rather a finishing school to define to what social class you belong. If you go to the Ivy League, you&#x27;re a member of the elite. What to do to get there? Curate your entire life to be appealing to a bunch of humanities majors who couldn&#x27;t get a job other than reading admissions apps. I completely agree with Mr Deresiewicz&#x27;s characterization of that as &quot;excellent sheep&quot;.<p>As a person from the third-world who went to the Ivy League, I am also scornful of America&#x27;s culture of self-congratulation. When I went to Dartmouth, I remember one of the first things during our orientation was a senior faculty member giving a speech to us telling us all great we all were to be here, how selectively we&#x27;ve been chosen, and all that. I went there to learn, not to learn how cool I am. What rubbish.