is there a nationally known US university that just admits on test scores?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The UK and European countries do this.

This is not our style in America.

And the tracking begins early in their school systems.

There is a reason why American education is superior. It isn’t like UK and European universities are inherently virtuous.

Statistically the US education is failing and for years has paled in comparison to the rest of the world, not just Europe and Canada. Far fewer people can actually read, far fewer have a higher education of any worth. It is just a fact.

The headlines seem to say that, but when you look at the data it's not quite accurate. On the most recent PISA tests the US ranks #17 (out of 80) which is behind countries like the UK, Canada, Finland, Denmark, Singapore, Japan, Korea.

However, it is higher than countries like Sweden, Belgium, Austria, France, Israel, Germany, Netherlands, etc. I don't think anyone believes those countries' education systems are failing, or at least you don't seem to read any headlines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The UK and European countries do this.

This is not our style in America.

And the tracking begins early in their school systems.

There is a reason why American education is superior. It isn’t like UK and European universities are inherently virtuous.

Statistically the US education is failing and for years has paled in comparison to the rest of the world, not just Europe and Canada. Far fewer people can actually read, far fewer have a higher education of any worth. It is just a fact.

What you are saying might be true for the population at large, but the American higher education system is so much better, outside of elite schools in Europe. It allows for more personal growth, more exploration, more innovation. I wouldn't want my kids to go to school in Europe aside from a few select schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The UK and European countries do this.

This is not our style in America.

And the tracking begins early in their school systems.

There is a reason why American education is superior. It isn’t like UK and European universities are inherently virtuous.

Statistically the US education is failing and for years has paled in comparison to the rest of the world, not just Europe and Canada. Far fewer people can actually read, far fewer have a higher education of any worth. It is just a fact.

When you define “a higher education of any worth” as “attended one of a fixed set of colleges and universities,” and then those colleges and universities fail to grow as the population grows (and enroll more and more international students to boot), the proportion of the American-born population with an “education of any worth” will inevitably, necessarily decline. You have created a system that guarantees it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CalTech has a reputation for focusing on test scores, grades, and related honors.

But do you mean a Russian-style first-past-the-post system where the top 500 kids get into MGIMO, the next 500 get into MGU, etc?

No, we don't have that here.

Related honors is being used extremely lightly here. They want national excellence in STEM that goes beyond test scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The UK and European countries do this.

This is not our style in America.

And the tracking begins early in their school systems.

There is a reason why American education is superior. It isn’t like UK and European universities are inherently virtuous.

Not true for the UK. There was no tracking for me until 16 when kids decide if they want to take A levels or not for university entrance. In contrast, my MCPS kids have been tracked since 4th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The UK and European countries do this.

This is not our style in America.

And the tracking begins early in their school systems.

There is a reason why American education is superior. It isn’t like UK and European universities are inherently virtuous.

Not true for the UK. There was no tracking for me until 16 when kids decide if they want to take A levels or not for university entrance. In contrast, my MCPS kids have been tracked since 4th grade.

The difference is an MCPS kid an be on a low track and then apply themselves in high school and end up at a competitive university. Once you're tracked in Europe, it's game over

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The UK and European countries do this.

This is not our style in America.

And the tracking begins early in their school systems.

There is a reason why American education is superior. It isn’t like UK and European universities are inherently virtuous.

Not true for the UK. There was no tracking for me until 16 when kids decide if they want to take A levels or not for university entrance. In contrast, my MCPS kids have been tracked since 4th grade.

The difference is an MCPS kid an be on a low track and then apply themselves in high school and end up at a competitive university. Once you're tracked in Europe, it's game over

Europe is a big place. I am from the Balkans and you there is no tracking. There are entrance exams for HS, and then again, for universities. In theory, any kid attending any school can pass any of those.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Alabama. The high scores are tied in with their generous merit aid and an effort to improve their profile.

They are also nationally "known" but for what, beyond this policy, is anyone's guess.

I define "nationally known" that if you show up to any job interview with basically anyone at the company, nobody has to spend 5 minutes asking you to explain where the college you attended is located or really what it is. Everyone knows what the University of Alabama is (honestly, everyone will also basically know what the University of Wyoming is as well...though if you are originally from say CA, they will wonder why you attended perhaps).

Iowa State publishes on their website directions on how to figure out if you will be admitted based on your stats:

https://www.iastate.edu/admission-and-aid/admissions/first-year-students

There are other schools like this, but they are not all named so that anyone can tell where they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nobody wants your boring kid

are smart kids always boring? as opposed to the packaged passion project paid research AND plays violin for the elderly 4 times a year (only for 9-11th grade, natch) kid?

That kid is also boring. In fact it's the same kid, just with more involved/ambitious parents and likely more money.

Believe it or not, there are kids with strong grades and test scores who are actually dynamic and interesting and not "packaged."

Sorry if that is not your kid. Schools in Asia admit strictly on test scores, try that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Alabama. The high scores are tied in with their generous merit aid and an effort to improve their profile.

They are also nationally "known" but for what, beyond this policy, is anyone's guess.

I define "nationally known" that if you show up to any job interview with basically anyone at the company, nobody has to spend 5 minutes asking you to explain where the college you attended is located or really what it is. Everyone knows what the University of Alabama is (honestly, everyone will also basically know what the University of Wyoming is as well...though if you are originally from say CA, they will wonder why you attended perhaps).

You think that but man, people are dumb. I went to a "U of X" and a screener for an early job was like "Never heard of that school" and it's one of the better regarded state flagships. I knew I didn't want to work at that company after that. This was for one of my first jobs.

With state schools, "never heard of it" is code for "I only care about Ivy and 'Ivy+' schools." It's a flex (I guess).

When I was applying for jobs out of my tip ranked law school, one law firm partner interviewing me looked at my undergrad in my resume (state flagship from large state, graduated with honors in one of its most competitive majors) and said "isn't that a party school?" I just rolled my eyes. I don't want to work with people like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is not, you have to go to Canada or UK for that.

Some of the top UK schools require interviews.

Also the tests that students take for entry to those schools include more qualitative elements and more writing. Like not for a polytechnic school, but for Oxbridge and McGill, the tests are different than the SAT/ACT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which raises another point: most people live in the same general area their whole lives and most jobs are regional too, so most people don't need a "nationally known" school anyway.

Do they really live in the same general area? Are jobs regional? That is not my experience. I went from east coast to west coast back to dmv. Moving around is really required to do well.

PP said "most people" and yet here you are assuming they mean people like you.

Yes, most people stay close to where they were born their whole lives. It is a minority of people who will move far enough away from their families to need to fly home to visit. A lot of Americans have never been in an airplane, never been to NY/LA/SF/DC, unless they were born in or near them. And to them, "doing well" means something different than it does to you and the people you know.

Always amazing how dumb the supposedly smart people on this site often demonstrate themselves to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which raises another point: most people live in the same general area their whole lives and most jobs are regional too, so most people don't need a "nationally known" school anyway.

Do they really live in the same general area? Are jobs regional? That is not my experience. I went from east coast to west coast back to dmv. Moving around is really required to do well.

PP said "most people" and yet here you are assuming they mean people like you.

Yes, most people stay close to where they were born their whole lives. It is a minority of people who will move far enough away from their families to need to fly home to visit. A lot of Americans have never been in an airplane, never been to NY/LA/SF/DC, unless they were born in or near them. And to them, "doing well" means something different than it does to you and the people you know.

Always amazing how dumb the supposedly smart people on this site often demonstrate themselves to be.

37% of Americans have never left the community where they grew up (how that is defined, hard to know) and 57% have not lived outside their current state.

It's unclear for the 43% that have moved states, if that means moving to Bethesda from Arlington (which is just like 5 miles) or moving from Bethesda to Miami. Probably more of the former.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Alabama. The high scores are tied in with their generous merit aid and an effort to improve their profile.

They are also nationally "known" but for what, beyond this policy, is anyone's guess.

I define "nationally known" that if you show up to any job interview with basically anyone at the company, nobody has to spend 5 minutes asking you to explain where the college you attended is located or really what it is. Everyone knows what the University of Alabama is (honestly, everyone will also basically know what the University of Wyoming is as well...though if you are originally from say CA, they will wonder why you attended perhaps).

You think that but man, people are dumb. I went to a "U of X" and a screener for an early job was like "Never heard of that school" and it's one of the better regarded state flagships. I knew I didn't want to work at that company after that. This was for one of my first jobs.

With state schools, "never heard of it" is code for "I only care about Ivy and 'Ivy+' schools." It's a flex (I guess).

When I was applying for jobs out of my tip ranked law school, one law firm partner interviewing me looked at my undergrad in my resume (state flagship from large state, graduated with honors in one of its most competitive majors) and said "isn't that a party school?" I just rolled my eyes. I don't want to work with people like that.

I can see that but this was a very low level HR screener and i think she was just that dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And they do this because they get too many applications, and they know EC and essays are suspect. Even Duke discounts essays these days because of AI and the fact consultants write them.

Duke does not discount the essay. Essays are not suspect.

https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2024/02/duke-university-undergraduate-admissions-changes-numerical-rating-standardized-testing-essays-covid-test-optional-ai-generated-college-consultants