Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be

By Dr. Marciene Mattleman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Frank Bruni in a New York Times opinion piece, names an interesting minority, anxious American families who suffer during the period late March and early April when elite colleges deliver disappointing news to 70-95% of their applicants.

The fixation on getting into the most selective colleges has grown over the past 20 years, yet most students cannot even afford their first choices.

"For too many parents and their children, acceptance by an elite institution isn't just another challenge, just another goal. A yes or no ...is seen as the conclusive measure of a young person's worth, an uncontestable harbinger of the accomplishments or disappointments to come", writes Bruni.

There is much research indicating that well being and "making it" are not related to where you graduated and Bruni cites the alma maters of some Fortune 500 chief executives - Universities of Texas, Arkansas, Nebraska and California, Davis and vice-president Biden proudly refers to the University of Delaware.

For more data and real life stories, read Bruni's book Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be.