The author met Jerome when he was a senior in a psychology class taught by the author. He stood out from the rest of the class not only in his academic performance, but also in the ways he approached class--always prepared, asking good questions, going above and beyond in his assignments. He was the dream student--hard working, curious, passionate about his educational goal of earning a PhD in child psychology so he could make a difference in the lives of foster kids. A product of the foster care system himself, Jerome had been orphaned in first grade and had been shuttled in and out of foster homes, yet had always worked hard in each new school, eventually earning a scholarship to college. It is a seductive story reflective of the American Dream: boy overcomes poverty and trauma through sheer effort to become a shining example of success for others. It reassures that all is right in the universe. And yes, it can happen…sometimes. But there is an insidious danger in what Christine Yeh, Chair of the Counseling Psychology Department at the University of San Francisco, calls the "national obsession" with these stories and with the concept of grit itself: It overlooks the role that systemic privilege plays in people's lives. In this article, the author explores the privilege inherent in the concept of grit and questions the wisdom of using it to support student success.