What's the Most Expensive Purchase in Your Life (after house)?

Not a lot new in this Wash Post book review about the stupidity of college admissions mania. "Curiosity, self-discipline, effort, imagination, intellectual verve, sense of wonder, willingness to try new things, empathy, open-mindedness, civility, and tolerance for ambiguity are some of the qualities that define and give value to being a student. They are the same qualities that colleges say they seek in admitting prospective students. Yet they are also qualities that have been betrayed and repressed by the business models that now guide much of college admissions."

Craig Newmark of Newmark’s Door adds: "The prestige purveyors of higher education are now charging $125,000 [actually, $160,000] and more for their product. I’ll wager that the average American makes no more expensive purchase, except for his house, in his life."