The Freshman (1990)

The Freshman (1990), starring Matthew Broderick as Clark Kellogg, portrays the extremes that college students may go to in an effort to ease the financial burden of going to college.

The trailer can be viewed here.

Originally from Vermont, Clark catches a train to New York City by himself, with only a few pieces of luggage and $600 given to him by his parents--a notable difference when compared to today's level of consumption and doting parents of some college students. Being slightly gullible and unfamiliar with the New York City, Clark agrees to a ride to campus, only to have all of his luggage stolen by the driver, played by Bruno Kirby.

Unsure where to turn for help, Clark solicits advise from his professor. The professor, who comes off as self-centered, arrogant, and pompous, insists that despite his unfortunate situation, Clark must purchase the required readings for the semester, including a textbook authored by the professor. The books are expected to cost him $700, which is expensive even by today's standards. After hearing Clark express his concerns about being able to pay for his textbooks, his professor says, "I'm your faculty advisor, not your case worker," showing complete disregard for Clark's financial struggles.

Ironically, Clark finds the man who stole his luggage from him, who in turn offers Clark a job that pays well ($1,000 a week) and has flexible hours. As he puts it, the job is "perfect for a college student," and Clark's money woes soon disappear. Not long after he begins his new job, Clark realizes he is working for the mob boss, Carmine Sabatini, played by Marlon Brando.

Between the odd-jobs Clark is asked to complete, he befriends Sabatini's daughter, Tina, played by Penelope Ann Miller. Tina explains to Clark that she will be attending Harvard next year, all due to a phone call her father made to the university. Her admission was in exchange for Sabatini helping to present the union workers from striking. Tina, by association with her father, also carries quite a bit of clout amongst New Yorkers. She exercises her own influence by telling Clark's professor that Clark is an "A" student, making it clear what grade he will receive for the course.

Although Clark attends classes at NYU, much of his education is delivered to him "on the streets" as opposed to in the classroom. Sabatini becomes a father figure and teacher to Clark, providing him with an education that he would never receive from a formal educational setting. Ironically, the main outcome of his freshman year comes in the form of street smarts, not book smarts, even though paying for college was his main motivation for accepting the job offer.

In the end, everything works out for Clark and the Sabatini Family. Clark is able to survive his freshman year and has enough money to pay for college. His job certainly distracted him from his studies, but with friends like Sabatini, Clark needed worry about a poor academic performance.

Alka Seltzer: Acceptance Letter

This blog originally intended to focus on the portrayal of education simply in television and movies, but more examples are coming to my attention of how education is portrayed through other mediums, including commercials.

A recent ad by Alka Seltzer, shows a father about to take a bite of a sandwich when his daughter runs into the kitchen announcing that she has been admitted to what she calls "one of the best schools in the country."

The scene is replayed, not showing what the daughter said, but what the father heard: "I got into one of the most expensive schools in the country!"

Watch the ad:



Alka Seltzer is offered as a way to relieve the heartburn and headache caused by this news. Instead of this being a joyous occasion, as it is for the daughter and mother, the father is stressed simply thinking about how he is going to pay for his daughter's higher education.

Two things to note here:

1. The "best" college is equated with the "most expensive" college. Unfortunately, there is some truth in this connection if the typical high-profile rankings are examined: the top rated colleges and universities in the country typically carry a hefty price tag. However, more students are attending two-year or less expensive four-year universities, and in doing so, are saving money on tuition.
2. The father expects to pay "full price." The majority of schools, even the most expensive ones, offer financial aid packages to enrolled students. The message embedded in the commercial implies that (the "best") universities do not offer financial aid and the father will be paying full price for his daughter to attend college. So...[COST = PRICE - AID]...is important for Dad to keep in mind, especially if he wants to reduce his stress level without Alka Seltzer.