MTV has some pretty entertaining shows. My favorite involve people I never really thought existed. You’d be surprised how many people are willing to exploit their kids to the American Media. Think about it. My Super Sweet Sixteen is a complete parade of 100% American Bitches. Rich parents apparently raise the most asshole children, and the American Youth Culture eats it up. Hell, even I enjoy watching catty 15 year old girls bitch at each other. It tells me what kinds of things not to do if I’m ever lucky enough to have a girl (and am extravagantly wealthy – which I will be 
).
Then there’s True Life. It’s one of MTV’s more interesting and thought provoking shows. I usually like watching this and seeing a person deal with problems that don’t seem obvious in today’s ADD TV culture – where things are loud and flashy. These are small documentaries about people with singular uniting trait. There was “I’m OCD.” “I lead a double life,” “I have an eating disorder,” and “I want a better body.” It’s eye-opening. Not because it’s grade A documentary footage (because it’s not), but because it’s exposing masses of people to a problem. Not everyone can be denied a BMW on their 16th Birthday. This exposes the minorities in American Society.
Tonight’s installment of True Life was “I’m a genius.” I had to see this one. By the way, I’m not too keen on if tonight was it’s first airing (since MTV airs everything about 20 times in a week before never showing it again), but it had to be recent. There was some teenage kid who kept referring to himself as a genius. This kid bugged me. He didn’t really have a problem. He wanted to get into college. He had skipped a grade and had straight A’s. He applied early decision to Stanford and got rejected completely (no deferment). He was crushed!
The other people on the show were a chess grand champion who wanted to be #1 in the world, and some kid who played Carnegie Hall and got accepted to Harvard’s Medical College Intern Program (the youngest ever). Then there was this other kid. He was probably the one kid everyone could relate to, but I had issues with him. He applied to Stanford, got rejected and then had to scramble to get into a new college. He applies to California Polytechnic State University, Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Columbia.
Now, you didn’t get into Stanford – what do you do? AH YES! You apply to only more prestigious schools and one state school – this seems like a very sound plan. His guidance counselor was very supportive about his decisions, but I feel direction was severely lacking. Maybe he could apply to good schools that have an acceptance rate higher than 19%? No, that makes some sense.
This kid was pretty edgy about not getting into Stanford. He said something to the affect of, “I guess being a genius isn’t good enough for them.” No you ass, that’s not the point. Schools don’t want brilliance that’s untested. You have to do something with yourself. You have to be more than just a genius. You have to prove that that genius is worth the four year investment.
Let’s compare. I didn’t get perfect grades, nor do I have some incredible IQ. I didn’t participate in Teen Jeopardy (which was always easier than breathing). He did, but what did I have that I got into Cornell and all my other schools regular decision? I don’t know. I wrote my essays and re-wrote them. I had activities, and strong recommendations promoting my leadership skills. I’m sure it helped that I was a minority with great grades, but let’s put that aside for a second. I’m no genius, but I believe I earned that seat in the Class of 2006 for all those colleges. From the looks of the show, he didn’t really do much, and did teen jeopardy to throw on his resume for colleges – this means he could do a lot more. Think about it – why wasn’t he curing cancer like many other overacheiving teenagers?
I wasn’t weeping for this kid. True Life you failed me. Usually I feel something for the people being documented. I felt for the Grand Master Chess Player because he seemed human. I didn’t really pay attention to the kid with the Harvard thing – he was boring, but I felt alright for him because he had never danced with a girl – but he learned (hurrah). This other guy… not really. Don’t get me wrong – it’s a shame he didn’t get into Stanford, but you can’t whittle a stick and call yourself a master carpenter. It’s nice to be a genius, I’m sure. You just have to show me why it’s nice to be a genius. I shouldn’t have a doubt in the world that it’s good.
But hey, I’m just a loser Cornell Grad who watches MTV shows and bitches about them.
JJRC
he also applied to Penn.
I love the title of your blog. One thing I hate about MTV is how they shamelessly promote themselves. It’s sickening! You can read more about this and other very interesting things on my site – “Necessary Therapy”.
J.J. it looks like you are wrong about Myles extra activities. If you check out Myles’ website, it says that he has been in several movies and on T.V. for half his life. A lot of famous shows too. I wonder why that never made it into the documentary. He’s also really into helping many different charities and foundations. After looking at his resume I have to wonder why Stanford didn’t accept him. He’s not like and kid I’ve ever heard about.
The Stanford reject lacked the originality that defines true genius
Realize that the only reason you were admitted into an Ivy (which, by the way, is the easiest to get into) is because you are a minority.
I meant to say that Cornell is the easiest Ivy to get into.
Haha myle’s was a self-absorbed loser. I bet he searches the web for blogs like this that bash him and defends himself under false names (“He’s not like and (any) kid I’ve ever heard about.” Trish…?).
Chris, you’re just a straight up asshole.
Best Myles quote? “Being a genius doesn’t necessarily mean you get into a great college. I’m not a work-a-holic.” No shit, Myles.
If you go to *a* good school it doesn’t matter so much which one you go to. Most of your success in life is defined *after* college. There are a lot of successful people that never graduated college. Yada yada yada.
Chris, you’re a schmuck. If you knew JJRC, you’d know that the reason he got into Cornell is because of his chronic, uncontrollable crying; like a woman, which he detailed in his application essay.
I’m sorry I had to reveal that in such a public forum, but the truth had to be told.
Don’t mind my friend DHS32 – he’s missing a couple of neurons from being so stoned all the time.
JJRC
I just saw this episode recently on a rerun. I completely agree with you that kind (Michael/Myles?) was annoying. First he really didn’t seem that smart, but he liked to keep saying he was a genius so I guess that was enough for MTV. Like you said, Teen Jeopardy is easier than breathing and the only reason he wanted to do it was to put on his college application – definitely not genius persona. Besides he lost. As of the end of the show he only got into the local state school. I’m a few years older than you, I went to Columbia and like you I didn’t do anything outstanding to get in. I did well enough in school and on my SATs, and I had outside interests that I pursued pretty aggressively. But mostly I spent my time after school working in crap jobs because I was poor and needed money.
I liked the chess player guy and the violinist. The violinist comes across as a stereotypical “genius” – i.e. extremely gifted at a young age in music or math, and he had a bunch of the little awkward personality traits you associate with stereotypical geniuses. I’m glad he got into that Harvard Med program at such a young age.
The chess player came across as a genius as well – top players in chess usually are. What I liked about him and the violinist is their goal was to challenge themselves at their talent, that is what geniuses do. The Myles kid was just like any other kid who wants to get into a good school. That was his goal. Pretty lame.
The chess player on this show took the place of a girl in the Program for the Exceptionally gifted at Mary Baldwin College. In this program, girls as young as 12 start their college education. The ONLY difference between normal college students and these girls is their dorm. They live in a building with curfew, have RA’s who double as drivers for trips off campus, etc.
The reason a PEG student didn’t end up on MTV was because there was a petition to replace the candidate MTV had chosen. The program was being misrepresented. Although a petition would not have stopped MTV, it stopped Mary Baldwin’s publicity department’s agreement with MTV.
Just wanted to let you know these girls are the real geniuses.
They don’t skip one grade, they skip 3 to 6 grades,;and, I’m happy to report, don’t refer to themselves as geniuses every five minutes.
Hi Nora,
I’m part of PEG and I just wanted to say thank you!! we don’t think we’re that smart and talk about ourselves constantly (well there are a few in the program who do but…yeah. most of us aren’t like that.), and we’re really normal – in fact, most of the people I meet think I’m in high school and stuff, and when I tell them I’m in college and I’m 14, they don’t believe me, because I’m so normal.
I heard about the PEG-MTV thing that happened a couple of years ago, and I think its sad because a lot of us would love for the world to see how we live, and what goes on in our day to day lives as teenagers in college.
Anyways, thanks for clarifying to these people exactly what PEG is. We’re no different from the trad students, except for the dorm!!
Thanks, Ali
no offense or anything but the reason you got into ALL of your schools was mostly because your a minority. I’m sure that you probably got all As and that you had lots of extracurriculars but that’s definetly one of of the main reasons you got into the schools that you did. I’m sorry I sound rude but I’m going through the college process right now and I know that it will be harder for me to get into college becase i’m asian, a minority but not an underrepresented on. so thank god that he not only gave you a brain but that he also gave you your race.
Dear Sadie,
When I went through the college process, it was 2002. 6 years later, the landscape is much different. All of the top schools have dropped their acceptance rates significantly due to the massive influx of recent high school graduate. Yes, I am Hispanic and I had great grades, but that’s not all I was on the application. Sometimes it didn’t say I was Hispanic. I also went to high school at a Jesuit institution which opened doors to many good Jesuit universities and college.
You do not need to go to a top school. I highly doubt “ALL of (my) schools” accepted me for being a minority – there are many college I applied to that have a high percentage of minorities. If affirmative action is working properly, I have to be better than the minority students and as good as the non-minority students. Sounds like a REAL breeze. There were kids from my high school who were also Hispanic who were getting rejected from the schools I was applying to. Kids that were ranked higher than me – it depends on the program and your qualifications.
I thank God for many things, but I would also hardly call my life a complete blessing. My parents didn’t speak English and could not help me with homework well into high school, but they were supportive and cared about my well-being. We didn’t have money for SAT prep courses – so I had to study for all of that on my own. I paid for my own applications and books in high school. I’m not complaining – but it was not easy for me. It’s not going to be easy for you. I also hope you’re aware that I needed to do very hard work to stay at Cornell – keep scholarships and come out with few loans (once again, without much parental help). I have paid my dues – and you are no one to decide that I got a free ride anywhere. They don’t give you super easy classes when you’re a minority – I’m sure you know.
I would wish you the best of luck. This post is also not about me – it’s more about Myles and how he decided being a genius was enough to get in him places. You seem to think it’s being Hispanic that takes you places. I’m being humorous – you’re being truthful… I’m very sorry you feel the way you do, and I hope your worldview changes before you go out into the world. If you don’t, you might end up blaming your problems on other people. One more thing – being Hispanic isn’t a race.
JJRC
I really enjoyed reading this lol
oooh by the way….does anyone know the name of the kid that was the Harvard Medical School intern??? I love that he was working toward a cure for MS. I have MS and it was really touching….i know it sounds corny but hey