Working in admissions at a university, especially in the University of California, we get to meet and interact with lots of interesting people. Like most jobs, we also get our share of stories that originate because of dumbness, short-sightedness, selfishness, etc.

One of the areas my group works on is the recruiting of high achieving students. Now, we want smart students as much as any school would but we also want well rounded students who can understand math to a degree, can read and write effectively, has been exposed to the arts, and can interact with others socially. Of course, there is more to it than that. To help us bring in students who fit this "mold," the University sets minimum standards that need to be met by any student. This is fairly common.

A father called today and spoke to my boss about his 12 year old daughter, a supposed math genius. He wanted to know why the UC wasn't still like it was 20 years ago when a brilliant child could come to the school and study and learn and not be held by the boundaries of lower education. He was very focussed on her utilizing her full potential in mathematics. Our director stated that nothing kept a 12 year old from attending but that all students must meet the minimum requirements to enroll. The father wouldn't have this (many parents call with questions and won't leave with the right answer if it is not the answer they "know" is true).

I felt bad for the girl. She may be brilliant but I'm pretty sure the father is depriving her of learning in other areas besides math. Even if she does move into the math/sciences, she probably won't be ready for the real world in any other ways. He even stated that he might "have to move the family to Cal Tech or Georgia Tech to find a school that allows for growth at a young age." I'm sure that will be a great help in the development of the girl.

I couldn't help imagining my campus, 20 years ago, filled with pre-teen geniuses running around, passing notes in their Linear Algebra classes, sipping juice boxes on the quad, talking about the upcoming Kool-Aid kegger at the Kappa Iota Delta house, and heading home when the street lights came on.

Ferrick