The formula for fruition: nature versus nurture The story of my research Have you ever wondered what makes a person successful? Why do people who grow up in the same environment grow up with such different qualities of life? As the child of two parents considered "successful" by society, I have always wondered how differently I would have fared in life if I had been the child of different people or raised in a different environment. I had heard a lot of stories about people who came from bad childhoods or were raised by unsupportive parents and went on to be successful, but my question was: how common is this? How often is it possible to find people who are successful, the way society imagines success (happy, relatively wealthy, good at their jobs, and fairly active members of their community), when they did not grow up in a family that was optimal for the breeding success? My search began when I was accepted into Manual and noticed the competitiveness of the application process. I have seen many people be accepted and many denied. Most people who entered Manual, regardless of their magnet, grew up in a household where they were very supported by their family and had many opportunities to develop their skills. Only a few of the people I saw being accepted came from low-income families or from less favorable economic, educational, or emotional backgrounds. Research has shown that children from poverty backgrounds are less than half as likely to go to college, with only 34% of poor children in America going to college and 79% of middle- or upper-income children going to in college. (Webley) Students with high grades and high test scores are also less likely to challenge themselves after passing…half of the test…to be a good role model for them. I definitely feel like this project has helped me and potentially others determine a plan for how to prioritize our future goals in a logical and helpful way, weighing natural passion and ability against the resources and support we may have initially. Works CitedCherry, Kendra. "The ancient debate between nature and nurture". About.com Psychology. Network. May 18, 2014. .Mason, Lydia. “Nature vs. education in education”. Survey. May 15, 2014.Mason, Cynthia. Personal interview. May 10, 2014.Webley, Kayla. "We're doing a terrible job getting poor kids into college | TIME.com." The United States was doing a terrible job of getting poor kids into college commentaries. TIME, May 9, 2013. Web. May 18 2014. .