As head of school and as someone who took the scenic route through university, I love this piece. I stayed three semesters and then took 20 years to finish a degree. As head of school I watch the ecstasy, meltdowns and tears each year. Not only are kids getting their value defined, the school is valued according to the acceptances of our graduates. Are we getting enough students into top 50 schools? the Board agonizes over this. Whose Top Fifty? One very wise Board member said, we don’t know where we’ll find the teacher who will set us on fire, we don’t know the school where we’ll meet the love of our lives, we don’t know which school will be where we discover what we truly and deeply care for. In a real culture of learning the toxic practices and attitudes towards grading and the pecking order of “good schools” fades away. We have a long way to go.