There’s a fundamental misunderstanding about what universities, especially private ones, are in business to do.

Their mission is to exert influence over culture and industry.

In that mission, they recruit talent to join and further their mission.

1/

They weren’t founded to help anyone’s child realized their dream.

No particular person, no matter how much merit they display, is crucial to their central mission.

In that, they will seek to diversify their portfolio of influence as society and culture shifts.

2/

They are the enlightened version of warfare. This is why they have colors, flags, and participate in competition.

It’s never been what it’s advertised as. Your entitled sense of merit is incidental to their recruiting process.

3/

If they feel you can help their mission, they’ll come up with a reason to let you in.

This is how the world actual works. It sounds and feels cold, but it’s the great game.

There are rules and we have to tighten up some things, but don’t think the game ever changes.

4/

Now what you can do is be excellent. Find something you’re good at and pursue multiple opportunities.

Don’t get too attached to any particular story you’ve written in your mind.

And have faith that happiness will be wherever you create it.

5/5