When I Dropped Out At 20, My Sister Told Everyone: “She’s The One Who Didn’t Finish.” Twelve Years Later, I’m Yale’s Dean Of Admissions. One Essay Read: “My Family Moved Past My Aunt’s Setback.” The Name? Amanda Chen. My Niece. I Picked Up My Red Pen And…

wants. More than that, I loved watching their faces change when they realized somebody was taking their work seriously. It felt uncannily familiar. I had spent so much of my own life inside systems that sorted people too quickly. Strong. Weak. Traditional. Risky. Worth backing. Not worth the trouble. In the classroom, I found myself wanting to do the continue reading …