controversial opinions about college

[Anonymous]

SAT scores do not measure intelligence or college readiness
I know of some very bright kids who had to go to work during high school years to help support their parents/family
Every kid doesn’t have full support, or safe stable home for the 18 years of life

Despite that some of those have managed to do well later on in life

Learning doesn’t end when you graduate. I am in IT and am constantly studying and acquiring new skills
College was just a foundation that opens the door to the profession, thereafter you have the skills to open a book and self teach yourself what you need to know

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People with sub 1000 SAT scores don’t belong in college

When I was a kid, the average combined SAT score for FCPS was 880.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're old enough to go in the military, you should be allowed to drink alcohol.

I’d say this signals increasing age to join military! Or at least make it so there are different roles for younger service members.

[Anonymous]

UMCP would be ranked around UNC if it wasn’t in CP and in more of a college town or DC.

USNWR won’t adjust rankings to account for schools with strong STEM/CompSci programs because it would disrupt the rankings too much by allowing VT, NC State, UMCP to over take higher ranked lay prestige schools. This was especially true 5-10 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you're old enough to go in the military, you should be allowed to drink alcohol.

I don't think you should be allowed to go to war zones or fight directly with guns for your country at 18. Brain isn't fully developed yet, and all that. You can go through basic training and work other jobs within the military.

It doesn't work that way, especially in the Marine Corps. Every Marine is a rifleman.

You can learn HOW to use, but I'm saying you shouldn't be allowed to go to front lines, to fight, at such a young age.

You are stupid. Every war ever fought, and every war ever won, had armies that predominantly had men age 18-22 in the front lines. Their brains were self-evidently well developed enough for combat. And a lot of those men enjoyed it.

I certainly don’t want my kids doing that but that doesn’t mean “it shouldn’t be allowed”.

Essentially, wars fought by sacrificing the young from low income families that have no other options…

[Anonymous]

Athlete admits should be disbanded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only things colleges should look at are grades, test scores, And maybe an open ended question exam of some sorts. The brightest should get into the best colleges, and that’s it.
The rest can go to less rigorous ones.

Best colleges will end up 70% Asian 20% white 3% Hispanic 2% black and 5% other like TJ high school and screams of rage about lack of racial equity will ensue.

NP - I am fine with a college being 70%+ Asian if those are the individuals who are most deserving to be there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Athlete admits should be disbanded.

Yeah right.

Check out the college football opening weekend schedule.

[Anonymous]

College isn’t for everyone.

People go through trade schools and make six figure incomes and are not encumbered with massive amounts of debt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't get why people hate on Greek life as "paying for friends" when colleges and private schools are, by definition, paying for friends (excuse me, "connections").

In my view, school choice isn’t paying for friends or connections but getting education in the field of interest.

I have also never thought of Greek life as paying for friends. To me, it’s more akin to cool kid culture that is intended to raise own status by being exclusive and keeping others out. (Greek houses that are open to all wouldn’t fit into that box)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Affirmative action in admissions stokes animosity on campuses. The affirmative action admits feel stupid and isolated and then they get angry. It’s cruel to admit below bar kids in the first place — they would be far happier at a college with similar acuity peers.

It’s even worse for the minority kids who would have gotten in regardless of affirmative action and yet are still stigmatized by people assuming they are less qualified.

But are colleges really admitting URM with much lower stats? Those stats still have to be reported so I doubt schools are admitting students who are very far below in terms of GPA/SATs.

Yes this is readily available information - the average SAT scores of URMs at most ivies are ~200 points below the overall average.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Affirmative action in admissions stokes animosity on campuses. The affirmative action admits feel stupid and isolated and then they get angry. It’s cruel to admit below bar kids in the first place — they would be far happier at a college with similar acuity peers.

It’s even worse for the minority kids who would have gotten in regardless of affirmative action and yet are still stigmatized by people assuming they are less qualified.

But are colleges really admitting URM with much lower stats? Those stats still have to be reported so I doubt schools are admitting students who are very far below in terms of GPA/SATs.

Not to mention that you do not have to per a perfect GPA/ACT/SAT student to fully succeed at the most competitive ,schools. Just because they are popular and could fill the class many times over with those, doesn’t mean those are the only students qualified to do the work and do it well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More people need to go to trade schools. They should develop a 4 year trade school program at universities where you also come out with a joint trade / bachelors degree. A lot of people think a degree is important but then don’t want to put the time in later to get into the trades.

Don’t we already have that when people major in things like “advertising”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SAT scores do not measure intelligence or college readiness
I know of some very bright kids who had to go to work during high school years to help support their parents/family
Every kid doesn’t have full support, or safe stable home for the 18 years of life

Despite that some of those have managed to do well later on in life

Learning doesn’t end when you graduate. I am in IT and am constantly studying and acquiring new skills
College was just a foundation that opens the door to the profession, thereafter you have the skills to open a book and self teach yourself what you need to know

While they do not “measure” IQ, as they are not an intelligence test per se, SAT scores are nonetheless highly correlated with IQ. Let’s not imply otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SAT scores do not measure intelligence or college readiness
I know of some very bright kids who had to go to work during high school years to help support their parents/family
Every kid doesn’t have full support, or safe stable home for the 18 years of life

Despite that some of those have managed to do well later on in life

Learning doesn’t end when you graduate. I am in IT and am constantly studying and acquiring new skills
College was just a foundation that opens the door to the profession, thereafter you have the skills to open a book and self teach yourself what you need to know

While they do not “measure” IQ, as they are not an intelligence test per se, SAT scores are nonetheless highly correlated with IQ. Let’s not imply otherwise.

But also tied with SES and the accumulated educational supports over a lifetime that come with higher SES.