Grade Inflation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Churchill is a high school of cheaters.

My son came home telling me about a girl who's parents allowed her to skip a period because she didn't feel prepared for the test. She left school for just ONE period. In AP Biology and AP World History, many students memorize the answers of online test banks they found that they know the teachers draw questions out of. The teachers have no clue, or if they do have a clue, don't do anything to stop it.

And, honestly, many of the top students cheat on the SATs too. Not really conventional cheating - but they do study their asses off and take thousands of dollars worth of test prep. These are not kids who do particularly badly on tests. These are kids who got 210+ plus on their PSAT that are inflating the scores. It's directly causing higher and higher SATs to be necessary for top school admissions, because more "mediocre" (not really mediocre, just not ivy caliber) kids are inflating their SAT scores through prep.

Tons of students are getting 2300+ and 4.0s that they do not deserve. Are these kids smart? Yes. Are these kids capable of actually earning 4.0s or such high scores on their own merits? Hell no. But, no one wants to be left behind in the college race so they cheat and cheat and cheat.

The saddest part is the few remaining honest students feel like they have to cheat to stay competitive.

I'm sorry, but on some looney toones level did this poster indicate that studying extra hard for the SAT was CHEATING? My son did not do a prep class, but he sure would have if he needed it. There is nothing wrong with doing everything you can to better your chances of going to the school you want to go to. That's called working for something.

Truth

[Anonymous]

Studying for the SAT is not inherently cheating, but yes, I believe spending thousands of dollars on unneeded tutoring to learn to game the test is at least very unethical. There's a difference between genuinely not being able to solve the SAT math questions and getting prep and studying to the SAT to the point where you can predict what the question is going to ask after reading the first two words and being able to solve it in 10 seconds.

The SAT score is supposed to be an objective measurement of your ability to work under pressure and solve problems fast and accurately, but unfortunately it's quickly becoming a measurement of how much you paid for test prep who can point out the shortcuts in the test.

[Anonymous]

Here's a reality check for you. My DD has done 12 AP classes, scoring a 4 or 5 on almost all the tests. She has a 4.2 that she has worked her tail off for. She had a 2200 on the SAT, a hook and still did not get into her top three choices. The world we live in is competitive.

[Anonymous]

Uh...my DS got a 2200 without studying. He has friends who got 2350+ without studying. I am fully aware how competitive the world is. That doesn't excuse buying a better score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:because of the asian invasion.

When did Asians invade our country? Maybe I missed something?

Been to TJ lately? Koreans all day long. Some straight from Seoul. How they get in, I have no idea.

Indians outnumber all the Chinese and Koreans at TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's a reality check for you. My DD has done 12 AP classes, scoring a 4 or 5 on almost all the tests. She has a 4.2 that she has worked her tail off for. She had a 2200 on the SAT, a hook and still did not get into her top three choices. The world we live in is competitive.

Heard that. This was the parent demanding trophies for their child at PeeWee Soccer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Uh...my DS got a 2200 without studying. He has friends who got 2350+ without studying. I am fully aware how competitive the world is. That doesn't excuse buying a better score.

Should've added: and I'd be pleasantly surprised if he got into something currently ranked lower than 20 on US News.

This entitlement is what lead to the problem in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Uh...my DS got a 2200 without studying. He has friends who got 2350+ without studying. I am fully aware how competitive the world is. That doesn't excuse buying a better score.

Originally the SAT was essentially an intelligence (aptitude) test and prep made little difference. In fact, there was a time when MENSA accepted the SAT in lieu of their "genius" IQ test. With revisions over the years, the SAT has become more of an achievement test that can be gamed through prep. The new revisions continue the trend. The problem with straight intelligence tests is that the results can be misused by those with a social agenda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:because of the asian invasion.

When did Asians invade our country? Maybe I missed something?

it was in the early 1990s. They changed the immigration laws and the numbers of Asian immigrants increased dramatically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:because of the asian invasion.

When did Asians invade our country? Maybe I missed something?

Been to TJ lately? Koreans all day long. Some straight from Seoul. How they get in, I have no idea.

Indians outnumber all the Chinese and Koreans at TJ.

Indians are Asian, BTW. There was an article about Asians paying for kids to stay with families in this area for HS so they can get into college. The way to get into college in many parts of Asia is 1 test... either to college or to a trade.

So they send their kids to America. Also, there was an article in the paper about how cheating is a way of life in China. It's acceptable just like bribery is acceptable in some countries.

[Anonymous]

I fear there's no turning back from grade inflation and the ever-increasing competition for top college admittance. Sometimes I want to yell "stop the madness!" Could we agree to go back to 1970 and try for a do-over? Sometimes I wish we could, but this ain't gonna happen. The world is changed and so are our kids and their schools. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Uh...my DS got a 2200 without studying. He has friends who got 2350+ without studying. I am fully aware how competitive the world is. That doesn't excuse buying a better score.

You are just mad because your friends mom made a better investment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:because of the asian invasion.

When did Asians invade our country? Maybe I missed something?

Been to TJ lately? Koreans all day long. Some straight from Seoul. How they get in, I have no idea.

Indians outnumber all the Chinese and Koreans at TJ.

Indians are Asian, BTW. There was an article about Asians paying for kids to stay with families in this area for HS so they can get into college. The way to get into college in many parts of Asia is 1 test... either to college or to a trade.

So they send their kids to America. Also, there was an article in the paper about how cheating is a way of life in China. It's acceptable just like bribery is acceptable in some countries.

yes, but I have heard Asian kids, Chinese in particular, say it makes sense to take the SAT since it is so much easier that the Chinese college admission tests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Churchill is a high school of cheaters.

My son came home telling me about a girl who's parents allowed her to skip a period because she didn't feel prepared for the test. She left school for just ONE period. In AP Biology and AP World History, many students memorize the answers of online test banks they found that they know the teachers draw questions out of. The teachers have no clue, or if they do have a clue, don't do anything to stop it.

And, honestly, many of the top students cheat on the SATs too. Not really conventional cheating - but they do study their asses off and take thousands of dollars worth of test prep. These are not kids who do particularly badly on tests. These are kids who got 210+ plus on their PSAT that are inflating the scores. It's directly causing higher and higher SATs to be necessary for top school admissions, because more "mediocre" (not really mediocre, just not ivy caliber) kids are inflating their SAT scores through prep.

Tons of students are getting 2300+ and 4.0s that they do not deserve. Are these kids smart? Yes. Are these kids capable of actually earning 4.0s or such high scores on their own merits? Hell no. But, no one wants to be left behind in the college race so they cheat and cheat and cheat.

The saddest part is the few remaining honest students feel like they have to cheat to stay competitive.

You are conflating prepping and cheating.
If a kid received a high SAT score - they deserve it, no matter if they studied with a CollegeBoard book or paid $$$$ to tutors.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:because of the asian invasion.

When did Asians invade our country? Maybe I missed something?

it was in the early 1990s. They changed the immigration laws and the numbers of Asian immigrants increased dramatically.

We have far more Hispanics that came to our country in the last 10 to 20 years than Asians. What would you call that? Hispanic conquest?