Amanda Ripley observed education practices in Poland, Finland and South Korea in preparation for writing her critically acclaimed book, The Smartest Kids in the World.
“It’s not this vague competition that may happen one day,” Ripley told several dozen graduating seniors at the inaugural “Cap & Gown” ceremony of Capital Partners for Education, a nonprofit college prep program that serves close to 200 students in the Washington metropolitan area.
“It’s already happening,” Ripley said, noting that their college applications are being considered alongside those of students from educationally top-performing countries such as South Korea, a focal point of her book and the third largest sender of students to the U.S.
“One of the reasons it’s harder to get into an American university is because they are admitting more international students,” Ripley said, an assertion supported by statistics that show the percentage of international students in the U.S. reached a record high of 3.9 percent in the 2012-2013 academic year.
Ripley urged the students not to be daunted by competition from abroad, even though the “kids from Korea” may be the ones who “determine the curve” in their biology class in college.
“Instead of feeling intimidated by the competition, I suggest we say, ‘Bring it on,’ because all of you deserve to be in the arena and you are already,” Ripley said.
Ripley made her remarks Monday at the National Press Club during an event meant to celebrate the achievements of students participating in CPE, which seeks to “level the playing field” by providing academic support and college-educated mentors to students from families of lesser economic means.
