But my boy DID sequence the blue whale genome as a play-group science project.
 

Your boy might as well eat paste, tease girls, cover himself in finger paint, and do any number of things kids should be doing, primarily, being kids. The Harvard College Admissions Office, both as part of the Common Application and the school's Supplement, only considers academic records and achievements of admission candidates from a secondary school level and higher.

Nobody ever said money could buy common sense.
 

Is this a sign of decadence of american society?
 

No, this is not a sign of the decadence of American society. In fact, one could argue this is the opposite. After all, all these parents want is to make sure their kids get the best education, best upbringing and can be successful members of society. Nor is this really a sign of the money culture. This is a sign of parents woefully ignorant of basic parenting skills and only knowing how to throw money at the problem.
 

How can people so ignorant become so rich?

Definitely a sign of decadence...
 

Anon 7:43 --
The answer to that is easy. Our society does not train individuals on how to be parents. We're disconnected from the whole birth and parenting process. Rich people respond to this basic ignorance by finding the most expensive pre-school and thinking that is the cure. Not-so-rich people respond to this ignorance by either (a) plopping the kid in front of the TV, (b)signing on to whatever the latest trend is (i.e. Baby Einstein) or (c) medicating the child with ritalin, etc when the child starts to act like, well, a child.

Which is worse?
 

wow, honesty - never see or hear that anymore.

so this kind of stuff doesn't happen in europe?