WSJ Article: Students Are Using a ‘Backdoor’ to Attend Their Dream Schools

[Anonymous]

I've heard UF is a very easy school to transfer into after 1 year at another school especially if in-state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TLDR; kids who don’t get accepted to big flagships are just enrolling in online program, moving near campus and doing everything else like regular undergrads. Schools make money, kids are happy.

It’s pretty smart, honestly.

+1

Why are we begrudging people for using a program the university established? We want people to go to college, but then demean certain methods of doing that if they aren’t “traditional?”

100%.

Some people (like the PP who wrote "cringe") are ignorant about the fact that there are a lot of kids who have significant events that derail their academic progress and opportunities like this help them stay on track.

To look down on it shows your lack of civility.

Stop gaslighting. It is cringe because it demonstrates how utterly backwards priorities have become at some US schools. These alternative pathways prioritize the “social experience” and school brand over academic rigor, while padding the school’s bottom line. That’s disgusting. And it’s a disservice to all students, particularly the ones you reference above, who would likely benefit from extra support. Online classes will never be a substitute for in-person instruction. Attending lower tier school would make far more sense than this option, if the objective is to get an education

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always thought the primary purpose of going to college was to get the degree for better job opportunities. The college experience is just a byproduct.

But standards are being lowered if 1200 SAT 3.4UW kids get into UF via a backdoor if my kid needed a 1500+ and 3.9uw. What does that say about the classes and value of that degree?? Unless the weed out is real and these kids are all communications or sports management or elementary ed majors.

This is gross.

Why? It’s not my post, but if kids can’t cut it academically, yet still claim to have a degree from a selective flagship, it diminishes the value of the degree. This is an absolute sham.

I think you mean if they are not able to be admitted based on high school stats only. That is not the full picture of 'cutting it academically'. I suppose if you look at college only as some sort of merit badge or bragging right, rather than a means to an end, then it would matter. Get out of your bubble.

[Anonymous]

I want to see the intersection between this thread and the one about da kidz cant reed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TLDR; kids who don’t get accepted to big flagships are just enrolling in online program, moving near campus and doing everything else like regular undergrads. Schools make money, kids are happy.

It’s pretty smart, honestly.

+1

Why are we begrudging people for using a program the university established? We want people to go to college, but then demean certain methods of doing that if they aren’t “traditional?”

100%.

Some people (like the PP who wrote "cringe") are ignorant about the fact that there are a lot of kids who have significant events that derail their academic progress and opportunities like this help them stay on track.

To look down on it shows your lack of civility.

Stop gaslighting. It is cringe because it demonstrates how utterly backwards priorities have become at some US schools. These alternative pathways prioritize the “social experience” and school brand over academic rigor, while padding the school’s bottom line. That’s disgusting. And it’s a disservice to all students, particularly the ones you reference above, who would likely benefit from extra support. Online classes will never be a substitute for in-person instruction. Attending lower tier school would make far more sense than this option, if the objective is to get an education

So much hyperbole to mask insecurity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always thought the primary purpose of going to college was to get the degree for better job opportunities. The college experience is just a byproduct.

But standards are being lowered if 1200 SAT 3.4UW kids get into UF via a backdoor if my kid needed a 1500+ and 3.9uw. What does that say about the classes and value of that degree?? Unless the weed out is real and these kids are all communications or sports management or elementary ed majors.

This is true of all the top state flagships, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always thought the primary purpose of going to college was to get the degree for better job opportunities. The college experience is just a byproduct.

But standards are being lowered if 1200 SAT 3.4UW kids get into UF via a backdoor if my kid needed a 1500+ and 3.9uw. What does that say about the classes and value of that degree?? Unless the weed out is real and these kids are all communications or sports management or elementary ed majors.

This is true of all the top state flagships, unfortunately.

Why unfortunately? The state school's purpose is to educate kids in the state, not to be a feather in the cap of DMV parents bc of the OOS admissions rate.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think I’d have picked this option for my kids but I also had no idea it existed. My own kids greatly benefit and prefer in person classes so I’m glad they found schools that worked for them. At the same time, there are plenty of bright, hardworking kids who don’t make the cut who would have been successful if they had. Sometimes it was just one semester with a traumatic event/illness (happened to my own kid) or the requirement to take a course in an area they struggled with that will never matter in college or their career (think foreign language). These kids deserve a chance and I think it says something about their grit that they are willing to try the back door rather than walking away from their dream.

[Anonymous]

How many of the kids doing this actually manage to transfer in? We know a family whose kid did this with Clemson and didn't end up transferring and then went elsewhere. Don't know the details.

I wouldn't want this for my own kid - I guess maybe it makes sense if you're confident they'll be able to transfer in.

How does it impact their ability to get ECs, researchips, and internships they'll need to actually get a job afterwards?

[Anonymous]

And these kids admit to gaming the system, taking the Texas A&M gym class to get an A, and taking their harder classes at the community college. No one "deserves" to go to a top school, you earn it. If I were a UF admit with a 1500+ SAT and 3.0+ gpa, I'd be annoyed, but everyone deserves a trophy I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TLDR; kids who don’t get accepted to big flagships are just enrolling in online program, moving near campus and doing everything else like regular undergrads. Schools make money, kids are happy.

It’s pretty smart, honestly.

I did this during a year I temporarily unenrolled from college. Snuck into cafeteria with my enrolled girlfriend

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TLDR; kids who don’t get accepted to big flagships are just enrolling in online program, moving near campus and doing everything else like regular undergrads. Schools make money, kids are happy.

It’s pretty smart, honestly.

+1

Why are we begrudging people for using a program the university established? We want people to go to college, but then demean certain methods of doing that if they aren’t “traditional?”

They see education as a competitive tool, not a way to improve society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everybody knows Harvard extension is like the “Great Courses” dvd series. What these kids in the WSJ are doing is different.

What's the difference?

Harvard Extension also has (or had) in-person classes taught by faculty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always thought the primary purpose of going to college was to get the degree for better job opportunities. The college experience is just a byproduct.

But standards are being lowered if 1200 SAT 3.4UW kids get into UF via a backdoor if my kid needed a 1500+ and 3.9uw. What does that say about the classes and value of that degree?? Unless the weed out is real and these kids are all communications or sports management or elementary ed majors.

I don't know what it says. Maybe your should investigate the classes and the degree, not the high school stats of the students.

[Anonymous]

I started at UIUC 40 years ago (ugh). Parkland existed then. Parkland students could live in the private dorms. I knew of a few but have no idea how many live on UIUC campus rather than at home. Academically, it’s no different than students who start at their local community college (e.g., Oakton, College of Lake County etc for those of you from the Chicago area).