Keeping Lists

Among all these crazy "top ten" lists, intriguing was the annual ten best colleges in america, which you see all the time. This time they had stanford as number one, and harvard at number eight. Unusual, because over the past few years, and probably for most of american history, harvard has held the top spot, or at least been in the top three. Princeton and Yale are of course there, as usual, and a couple of surprises, like pamona college, in california, wherever that is. This list is about as useful as the rest of them, including the top ten sexiest celebrities. Somebody's opinion as to which are the best colleges. OK. Fine. Just an opinion. Simultaneously, there is some shred of truth to all these lists; some, but not enough to make most of them worthwhile... at Harvard, nobody is allowed to take more than twelve hours a semester. More focus on each class, no fluff. You can't just walk into harvard and take only those classes which directly interest you. No computer geeks spending all their time with computers. At Harvard, one must learn some of everything, one is required to pursue a broad based education. They have more athletic programs at harvard than at any other college in the united states, and everyone is encouraged to participate. The object is not only to win, but to grow. No athletic scholarships. Average class size; seventeen. And for that matter, no academic scholarships either. Scholarships to harvard are awarded on one basis; need. Financial help is given to those who need it. Anyone who is accepted to harvard is academically solid, but some are wealthy, and some are not. Either way, you can go to harvard, and lack of money need not keep you out.Ted Kennedy played football for harvard, but never had a scholarship. He paid full tuition price, and quite likely the Kennedys have given much to harvard over the years. But a poor black kid from a ghetto, if academically qualified and accepted to harvard, will be given a scholarship. And that's just about the coolest thing, of all the cool things about Harvard, which make it a fantastic university. Any other school which dos all that may be harvard's equal. But any that doesn't, isn't. But as long as we can keep track of the ten best dressed and most beautiful celebrities, and can keep track of the number one top most shallow culture in the world, we're good to go (to harvard)