College Academic Rigor

[Anonymous]

Colleges are so much harder to get into now than when many of us parents were admitted. Curious if the rigor in college is also that much harder than it used to be?

[Anonymous]

The overall quality of the student is lower with no test scores and the huge amount of grade inflation in some areas---our public school system lets kids retake tests and redo assignments with the new grade taking full credit. You can fail and keep getting more and more bites at the apple.

I have heard from college professors that some come in having been so 'helicoptered' they can't function on their own...and they have parents contact them about grades...THIS IS IN COLLEGE. WTF? My parents didn't know who my professors were or what I was doing. They did see final grades--but, frankly, I don't even really remembering showing them--this was before the Internet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The overall quality of the student is lower with no test scores and the huge amount of grade inflation in some areas---our public school system lets kids retake tests and redo assignments with the new grade taking full credit. You can fail and keep getting more and more bites at the apple.

I have heard from college professors that some come in having been so 'helicoptered' they can't function on their own...and they have parents contact them about grades...THIS IS IN COLLEGE. WTF? My parents didn't know who my professors were or what I was doing. They did see final grades--but, frankly, I don't even really remembering showing them--this was before the Internet.

Yes my roommate in college had a mother who called our dorm director because rommate mentioned to her in conversation that I had ruined one of her tea towels. I had stained it and offered to get her another. Roommate didn't know where mom got them so asked. Roommate not that concerned but mom thought reporting to dorm director was the way to go.

[Anonymous]

DC was cum laude at their Big 3 Private and made Dean's List at their Ivy this past fall so I'd say things are pretty balanced

[Anonymous]

No. If anything, I think it's easier because a lot more attention is paid to mental health and the general school environment.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s very hard to generalize about this sort of thing. I would also say that so many high school students are far more impressive and driven individuals than the ones I knew back in the 90’s, even those who back in the day got into top 20 colleges. As the population grows, so does the competition. That said, there is also a contingent of parents who definitely helicopter, always has been, but I agree the internet makes it far more pervasive. My 9th grader would be beyond livid with me if I got involved to the point of contacting a teacher to complain about a grade they gave him. If I did that when he is college I seriously think he would stop talking to me, at least for a while. That sort of behavior is beyond helicopter parenting. You have to let them make mistakes and separate so they can learn from life.