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Old 07-07-2010, 02:09 PM
 
Location: Inis Fada
16,966 posts, read 34,587,065 times
Reputation: 7722

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Quote:
Originally Posted by FrmlyBklyn View Post
Johnny has an 88 average, was one of three new speakers to the debate team that made it into the finals, not really good at sports, but volunteers at his local hospital. Guess what? Johnny will get into college, more importantly, Johnny will succeed in life because of perserverance and tenacity rather than Mommy paid $200 a month so I could obtain a black belt.

Getting into college is very subjective, there is no cookie-cutter approval process. Don't forget, colleges are looking for money, if all you do is go to school and perform half way decent, and live with Daddy Warbucks.....you are in!
Being a new speaker on a debate team which made it into the finals is laudable and speaks volumes for all the members on the team. A black belt is attained by perseverance, tenacity, discipline, focus, and a will to achieve one's personal best -- not unlike the member of the debate team. I find both activities honorable, and neither one secondary to the other.

Johnny and Bruno could both end up being denied by the admissions officer of High Buck U when Annie (C student, no extracurriculars) sits down for an interview and the Warbuck's family legacy to HBU is rewarded. Cookie cutter to cookie crumbles!

If a child has an interest in an activity not offered by the school setting, is it best to allow a child to languish or pay for it, allowing the child an opportunity to try something?

Where would all the professional dancers and musicians be if they didn't start at a ballet barre at Mde TuTu's, or take private music lessons?

Because mom or dad can pay for an activity which someone else's mom or dad can't isn't relative to a child's performance. The individual child's drive to succeed is what makes the difference.
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Old 07-07-2010, 06:58 PM
 
Location: Little Babylon
5,072 posts, read 9,112,129 times
Reputation: 2611
Quote:
Originally Posted by mongoose65 View Post
yeah, but now you're in the woods and have to "squeal like a pig" if you make a wrong turn!

Sorry, Mike, I couldn't resist. Really, you know I'm jealous and dream of moving but can't say that out loud or my wife might hear me and I'll be squealing like a pig.
That's just our way of initiating the newbies. Tell yawl what, next time he's oot and aboot he won't be making no mo wrong turns.
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Old 07-07-2010, 07:07 PM
 
Location: Little Babylon
5,072 posts, read 9,112,129 times
Reputation: 2611
Quote:
Originally Posted by kptree View Post
We need to question why there is no cost of living adjustment for taxes. Why should Long Islanders, whose cost of living is sky-high (recent real estate prices non-withstanding) pay the same rate as someone in Wyoming? If you make $150,000 in Wyoming, Texas, heck, even Florida, you have a very comfortable lifestyle. Childcare is less, groceries are less, taxes are less, etc. Why should the federal government not take that into account? Please understand I am not addressing the chaos that are state and county taxes but saying- CALL your representatives about changing the federal tax structure.
You could just move like I did. My cost of living is much cheaper than yours and allows me to live nicely and still put a nice chunk of income into the bank. Before sharing your burden ask yourself, why is the Island so expensive and why are you still there?
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Old 07-07-2010, 07:08 PM
 
29 posts, read 41,559 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OhBeeHave View Post
Grades figure in, but if Bobby has a 95 and played baseball and Bruno had a 93 and a blackbelt as well as other long term interests -- Bruno is getting in.
Black Belt > Baseball in college admissions is not based on anything factual, yet you post it as if it were. Maybe it makes you feel better to think this given your own situation, but I don't think misleading other posters to massage your ego is a very nice thing to do, now is it?
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Old 07-07-2010, 07:46 PM
 
Location: Little Babylon
5,072 posts, read 9,112,129 times
Reputation: 2611
I teach martial arts and a black belt counts for little anywhere.
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Old 07-07-2010, 07:59 PM
 
Location: Inis Fada
16,966 posts, read 34,587,065 times
Reputation: 7722
Quote:
Originally Posted by bs_spotter View Post
Black Belt > Baseball in college admissions is not based on anything factual, yet you post it as if it were. Maybe it makes you feel better to think this given your own situation, but I don't think misleading other posters to massage your ego is a very nice thing to do, now is it?
Misleading? Whatever you want to think.

If you followed the thread closely, this was about COL and morphed into parents who can afford to pay for additional activities outside of the school are those whose children won't succeed because they paid for karate lessons. There's a lot more involved in earning a BB than paying, and students who make it into the BB range tend to have the discipline to do well in school. I've heard that at several of the colleges visited during the 'checking schools out' phase.

It would be great if schools offered karate as an extracurricular in addition to baseball, football, lacrosse, field hockey, fencing, golf, etc., but then everyone would complain about their taxes going up. Perhaps schools should eliminate all sports programs to help save all taxpayers money -- especially the seniors.
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Old 07-07-2010, 08:04 PM
 
29 posts, read 41,559 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OhBeeHave View Post
Misleading? Whatever you want to think.
Yes, posting something as fact when it isn't is misleading. It's your (very biased) experience and nothing more.

I've read this thread and agree with your take outside of what I pointed out. I think offering Karate is a great idea. Swimming should be standard as well if logistically possible.
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Old 07-07-2010, 08:42 PM
 
Location: Inis Fada
16,966 posts, read 34,587,065 times
Reputation: 7722
Quote:
Originally Posted by bs_spotter View Post
Yes, posting something as fact when it isn't is misleading. It's your (very biased) experience and nothing more.

I've read this thread and agree with your take outside of what I pointed out. I think offering Karate is a great idea. Swimming should be standard as well if logistically possible.
Perhaps a tad biased, ok. (Sorry, I am proud of the kiddo.)

If there is a group of students, very similar in grades, extracurricular activities, community service, they need something to set themselves apart.


Sorry for going OT
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Old 07-08-2010, 06:42 AM
 
13,507 posts, read 16,967,035 times
Reputation: 9688
Paying $200 a month for Karate is just crazy. This is where I start sounding like my dad. No wonder everyone on LI is broke. Every single activity your kids are involved in you have to pay for? This keeping up with the Joneses stuff is crazy. I played wiffle ball and rode my bike all over when I was off for the summer. I know it's not 1982 anymore, but what kind of monster have we created? "Competitive dance"? $200 for karate..per month? Wow. Does anyone ever step back from this stuff and say WTF and why are we doing this?

I see it already with my wifes friends. They have their kids in paid activities all year round..and they aren't even 4 yet. Does your kid really need to be in "little sluggers" when you can take him out in the back yard and pitch the ball to him?
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Old 07-08-2010, 06:52 AM
 
Location: Tri-State Area
2,942 posts, read 5,989,987 times
Reputation: 1839
Quote:
Originally Posted by dman72 View Post
Paying $200 a month for Karate is just crazy. This is where I start sounding like my dad. No wonder everyone on LI is broke. Every single activity your kids are involved in you have to pay for? This keeping up with the Joneses stuff is crazy. I played wiffle ball and rode my bike all over when I was off for the summer. I know it's not 1982 anymore, but what kind of monster have we created? "Competitive dance"? $200 for karate..per month? Wow. Does anyone ever step back from this stuff and say WTF and why are we doing this?

I see it already with my wifes friends. They have their kids in paid activities all year round..and they aren't even 4 yet. Does your kid really need to be in "little sluggers" when you can take him out in the back yard and pitch the ball to him?
Thanks for bringing back memories - I did the same, wiffle ball every night, bike riding during the day and not just nearby, I'd ride it miles away from home - no problems. Today's kids are coddled.....maybe that's why you have articles like the one in the NY Times about kids coming out of college and turning down $40K jobs, because they feel it's "beneath" them.

Coddle up to a point, but if you're paying 9, 10, 11K in annual taxes, the schools should be offereing these activities as part of the experience...not as an extra!
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