Reply to If TJ has such smart kids, why so much cheating?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
I've seen studies that argue standardized test scores are a more reliable indicator, and others (more) that indicate GPA is stronger. What seems obvious is that all of these things (standardized test scores, GPAs, essay, teacher recs, etc.) can be indicators of merit, and each measure has strengths and weaknesses, such that none should none of them should really be used as the one-and-only measure of "merit". Personally I do wish that standardized test scores were still one component of the evaluation process, but it seems more than a bit disingenuous, or perhaps more innocuously just misguided, to equate that one measure alone with the broader concept of "merit".[/quote]

Nobody is arguing for any indicator to be a one-and-only.  A true holistic evaluation should take in a lot of inputs.  Test scores, GPA, courses taken, math level, teacher recommendations, essays, and significant achievements all belong in a holistic evaluation.  [/quote]

Base ES and personal experience factors as well, I'm sure there are other things we could think of for a holistic evaluation, [b]many of which are currently included in the current process[/b]. But the outcry is that one factor has been eliminated (standardized test score) on the basis that this removes "merit" from the process. In the eyes of most who use that phrase, standardized tests are 1:1 with the concept of merit, which is obviously false on the face of it.

And when you DO include standardized tests, myriad parents start complaining when a kid with a lower score got in over their kid, blasting every other measure as subjective and/or biased, but having full blinders on when it comes to the similar limitations and bias of standardized tests. I don't know what the right answer is, but I do know that it's not as cut-and-dry obvious as many seem to want to oversimplify it down to.[/quote]

What do you imagine is included in the current process?  Math level isn't.  Rigor of courses isn't.  Standardized test scores aren't.  SOL scores aren't.  Achievements aren't.  Teacher recommendations aren't.  There honestly isn't much left in the application, which is why people think the process is no longer based on merit.

The only things included are GPA, which isn't counted heavily and is pretty meaningless when grades are so absurdly inflated, experience factors, a super trivial math problem solving essay, and a few fluff portrait of a graduate mini essays.  [/quote]

Even for college admissions grades are the most important measure of merit. [/quote]

This is clearly not true.

Between GPA and test scores, test scores are far more predictive than GPA.[/quote]

It's true that test scores are more predictive but it's also well known that colleges put more weight on GPA.  Many don't even require SATs these days.[/quote]

How do you distinguish between a bunch of straight A students?[/quote]

This isn't especially difficult. Harvard does it annually.[/quote]

Yes, mostly by using an objective test.

They also have a preference for legacy applicants, athletic recruits and (until recently) black/hispanic applicants.[/quote]

Back to the original point it's difficult for Harvard to differentiate these applicants since they literally have thousands of applicants with a perfect 1600. [/quote]

This would be a reasonable retort if it were even close to true, but the best estimates put the annual number of perfect SAT scores somewhere between 300-1000.[/quote]

That's really odd since I'd read Harvard could fill their entire class with applicants with UW 4.0 and 1600 and that's several thousand slots.[/quote]

In a recent year, Harvard had 361 applicants with a perfect SAT score.
We know this because it was discovered during the harvard lawsuit.[/quote]

The year I took the SAT, there were 7 perfect scores.[/quote]

The test got a lot easier about 30 years ago and scores are far far higher these days.[/quote]

I wonder why. 
I know why. 
We all know why.[/quote]

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