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Comment by whacked_new | Hacker News Reader

Great, someone has figured out the recipe for high-performing, cookie-cutter drones. They might as well submit their super-early-action resumes to Wall Street alongside their college applications.

I have so many more snide remarks to make about this, but I can't say there aren't upsides... at least it tells you there is always a way, if you're willing to find it.

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I actually think she's creating something very different from drones. It sounds like she's pushing kids to do extraordinary things that they wouldn't think of doing by themselves, but as long as those are the things about which the kids are passionate (music, science, photography, etc). Even if the end goal is to get into a good college, I don't think it diminishes from those kids' achievements under her guidance.

In the end, it sounds like if the parents and the kids were a bit creative they wouldn't need that woman's services. But she helps the would-be uncreative drones be less drone-like, and that's what helps them get admitted.

Ok, but how many of her clients would still be clients if the tag line was "I push your kids to do extraordinary things". I could be wrong, but I think the target audience wants to trade their money for a college acceptance, regardless of the means.

She might be taking the role that parents would have played in other situations where money or time was tighter, telling the kids to find one realistic interest and focus on it.

She's not necessarily creating drones here. She's helping kids go to the college of their choice. And since their families have money, they were probably going to get there no matter what. The only difference is, Hernandez gets a fat check, too. Cool work if you can get it.

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