Just because a person wants To do or be something doesn’t mean they get to. It’s really that simple. I wanted to be a veterinarian; sadly, I can’t do math or learn chemistry. I want to get my PhD; luckily, I have the type of intelligence I need for that.

I fielded a call in my office today from one of the graduate departments at my university. The professor had a student in her office who wants to go to grad school, but her undergrad GPA is WAY WAY below the minimum for even provisional acceptance. The professor wanted to know what options the person had. NONE, I wanted to shout. It is great that people want to better themselves and have more options. But grad school is a privilege not a right. I had to work really hard to get where I am, and it wasn’t easy. I am tired of the sense of entitlement we have. We have a right to an education and it should be good-but students bear a good portion of the responsibility.

I wish we could all live our dreams-but some of the dreams just aren’t possible. We have to accept that and accept our own responsibility in our successes and failures.