Imagine if around age 25 everyone’s name’s were replaced with a single numerical value. Wealthy, high-ranking CEO’s having very high numbers while people with low numbers live on the streets and in bad neighborhoods. As dramatic as it may sound, this type of classification in society is very much prevalent, although more discrete, and it’s called Human Capital. Human capital is the evaluation of a persons ability to contribute to an economic system based on their skills and knowledge. However, the basis for determining Human Capital is only surface level. One’s moral and aspirational capital are the most important aspects of Human Capital because they go beyond test scores and resume’s and asses one’s inherent qualities, such as loyalty, dependability,
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Those who’s worth can not be measured by numbers, but rather, their “fire-in-the-belly ambition to achieve” (247) are far too often passed over for people with a sparkling resume. This is particularly prevalent with young adults today, including myself. With college becoming increasingly more competitive, it appears admissions offices have suddenly gained the ability to predict an applicants success based on raw numbers. But how can test scores and G.P.A.’s attest to a person’s determination and self discipline? The truth is, these numbers say nothing. In “Psst! ‘Human Capital’ ”, David Brooks writes; “In the book The Millionaire Mind, Thomas J. Stanley reports that the average millionaire had a B-minus collegiate G.P.A. — not very good. But millionaires often had this experience: People told them they were too stupid to achieve something, so they set out to prove the naysayers wrong” (247). Maybe a 3.5 G.P.A. and a 26 ACT score don't look all that impressive when compared to other applicants, but colleges don't know all the obstacles that student may have had to go through in order to achieve that 3.5. This is where aspirational capital sets them apart. A 3.5 for one student may require hours of studying and tutoring, where as a student who is not used to having to work for straight A’s goes off to college and finds themselves on academic probation first semester. The educational system has always been the same: students are …show more content…
Far too often people that may be less educated, or not at the top of their class are judged or neglected because of how they look on paper. Education level or test scores only scratch the surface of who a person really is. People’s character is shaped by experiences throughout their entire life, not just how they preform in a particular setting. It is important to remember that not all people are given the same opportunities to seek higher education or have access to the recourses that most do, because this is only one of the man aspects of human capital. Considering all components of human capital is necessary to truly evaluate an individuals contribution to society and ability to succeed. Society can not continue to put hypothetical price tags on it’s
Those who’s worth can not be measured by numbers, but rather, their “fire-in-the-belly ambition to achieve” (247) are far too often passed over for people with a sparkling resume. This is particularly prevalent with young adults today, including myself. With college becoming increasingly more competitive, it appears admissions offices have suddenly gained the ability to predict an applicants success based on raw numbers. But how can test scores and G.P.A.’s attest to a person’s determination and self discipline? The truth is, these numbers say nothing. In “Psst! ‘Human Capital’ ”, David Brooks writes; “In the book The Millionaire Mind, Thomas J. Stanley reports that the average millionaire had a B-minus collegiate G.P.A. — not very good. But millionaires often had this experience: People told them they were too stupid to achieve something, so they set out to prove the naysayers wrong” (247). Maybe a 3.5 G.P.A. and a 26 ACT score don't look all that impressive when compared to other applicants, but colleges don't know all the obstacles that student may have had to go through in order to achieve that 3.5. This is where aspirational capital sets them apart. A 3.5 for one student may require hours of studying and tutoring, where as a student who is not used to having to work for straight A’s goes off to college and finds themselves on academic probation first semester. The educational system has always been the same: students are …show more content…
Far too often people that may be less educated, or not at the top of their class are judged or neglected because of how they look on paper. Education level or test scores only scratch the surface of who a person really is. People’s character is shaped by experiences throughout their entire life, not just how they preform in a particular setting. It is important to remember that not all people are given the same opportunities to seek higher education or have access to the recourses that most do, because this is only one of the man aspects of human capital. Considering all components of human capital is necessary to truly evaluate an individuals contribution to society and ability to succeed. Society can not continue to put hypothetical price tags on it’s