Graduate School

As I sit here in the university library late in the evening trying to prepare for my upcoming mid-term examinations, I can't help but reflect on graduate school as an institution. I'm still rather new to the grad school experience, but I love the opportunity to focus exclusively on learning about subjects that I actually care about. But as I look at over the crowd of my fellow students with their noses buried in their books, I can't help but consider the irony of this endeavor.

One could argue that education is the great equalizer in American society. No matter what your background, no matter where you grew up, no matter what you look like, a quality education can be your key to success and the "American Dream" (whatever that is). While that may be true on some level, whatever truth that assertion holds does not provide much comfort for those that aren't able to pursue graduate education in the first place.

It's no secret that graduate school is expensive -- ridiculously so. And it should also be no surprise that as I look out across the library in which I sit, all I see are White and East Asian faces. Here at one of the preeminant graduate institutions for international affairs in the country in which the vast majority of students enroll because they want to "save the world" and ensure that everyone everywhere has access to the tools they need to not just survive, but to thrive in life, there exists one of the most blatant displays of inequity in the world. How many people can not only afford to survive for two years with no income, but, in addition, pay over $50,000 a year in tuition and expenses? While education may in fact be a great equalizer among men, it's a path that the ones who could use it most aren't able to step foot on. That is the irony I see: everyone here -- myself included -- dream of going on to make the world a more peaceful and equitable place for all, but what do any of us really know about how life really is? What do we know about poverty, war, or struggle that we didn't read in a textbook or watch on CNN?

As I sit here studying economic theory under the watchful eyes of university benefactors immortalized in portraits upon the walls, I can't help but wonder whether we're all fooling ourselves. None of us could possibly follow through on our grand expectations because none of us truly understands what needs to be done. And those out there who do know what needs to be done because they live it everyday, will never have the opportunity to occupy the seat in which I now sit. Most will never have the opportunity to take part in this great "equalizing force" because whoever came up with that notion clearly didn't consider all of the obstacles the average person must overcome before they can even get here.

Well, back to work. These econ problem sets aren't going to do themselves.