the Sam Jackson College Experience

Just took the weekend off to forestall a downward spiral into information addiction (too late?) or something like that. Or not so much weekend as Sunday, and Saturday was finishing up things for work. Spent time with my dog and read newspapers but not websites–all that sort of thing.

But in doing so–there was no escape!

The NYT put out a big education section this sunday, as they are apt to do, and it focused a good deal on college-things. Consequently I feel largely compelled to write something about it and, don’t worry, I will. But it won’t be seen until sometime tomorrow–maybe later tomorrow, because I’m going to go to Ikea.

Anyways, don’t freak out, just be patient.

Parents aren’t exactly doorbusting at keggers across the nation (Van Wilder aside) but they are getting more involved than ever, says the Boston Globe. Make that Elizabeth Benton of the New Haven register, via the Associated Press. Link to NHR article here–registration required. Globe has the same text, just published it four days later. Use bugmenot. Moving on:

Parents getting more involved in kids’ college life
http://www.boston.com/news/loc…
By Elizabeth Benton, New Haven Register | July 27, 2006 [AP]
They have researched discount textbook outlets, campus safety, even individual professors. But they are not honor students; they are not students at all. They are “helicopter” parents, so dubbed for their tendency to hover, prepared to swoop in at a moment’s notice lest harm befall their progeny.

College administrators across the nation and state have reported a burst in parental involvement in campus activities and student life over the last decade. While some campuses have welcomed the trend, adding institutionalized support for the onslaught, some have raised concerns about over-parenting.

The University of Vermont, for instance, has received national attention for hiring “parent bouncers” to keep moms and dads at bay during orientation events.

But Joan Boughton, associate director of Student Life and Parent Relations at Western Connecticut State University, said, “We don’t see any of this as negative. We see parents as partners in education. We don’t dissuade them, we welcome them.” [...]

This is bad news for any self-respecting teen. It’s bad enough when parents (not mine so much, but one hears stories) try to dominate their son / daughter’s college process, but when they try to murder their child’s college life and replace it with some parent-centric evil doppelgänger? That’s just not right. I would expect this from the parents who never let their kids go off to sleep-away camp (cruel, wicked parents) but not from the general parenting public on such a broad scale. First because, separation anxiety aside, teens and their parental units are often not on the best or friendliest of terms. I can’t imagine any scenarios where heavy parental involvement would be greeted warmly and seen as endearing. No, more likely it would inspire tantrums and heated, angry exchanges. Yet it “college administrators” are any source, it’s worse / better than ever before.

Read the rest of this entry »

Providence College, in an effort to bridge a “Student accessibility gap” (read: increase its applicant pool) has implemented a new initiative whereby they will no longer require undergraduate applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of the admission application. (emphasis mine)

http://www.providence.edu/Admission/Undergraduate/Test+…

The new “test-optional” policy is effective immediately for students applying for admission in September 2007 (Class of 2011). Prospective students who choose not to submit standardized test scores will receive full consideration, without penalty, for admission.

The new policy is the second strategic initiative launched by Providence College to close the “student accessibility gap” since Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., assumed office as president one year ago. He has pledged to attract more applicants from under-represented populations, including economically disadvantaged students from urban schools. [...]

But, it isn’t permament. Not yet, at least. They want to make sure the quality of their applicants doesn’t drop. At other highly competitive test-optional schools, this hasn’t been the case–those without standardized tests submitted (usually because the scores were low) but who were accepted did, statistically speaking, just as well as anyone else. GPA-wise, at least. From my touring / info sessioning experience, even the least sincere admissions officers will say that they wish they didn’t have to take the standardized tests into consideration, but that they must reluctantly do so as it’s “part of the system” or some other excuse like that. In reality, it gives highly selective colleges another means to distinguish themselves from other institutions (i.e., high test scores = high prestige, as its perceived by the public, as they are marketed to) and it just contributes to that aura and mystique that leads to applicants, which leads to rejections, which leads to higher selectivity, which leads to… more money for the college.

The test-optional policy at Providence College will be offered as a pilot program for the next four years, after which time it will be evaluated before permanent implementation. If test scores are available, students will be required to submit them after enrollment, to support academic advisement and to assist with the necessary studies for assessment of the pilot program. [...]

We’ll see how this one works out. And, oh, sorry to seem cynical–I don’t mean to be here, really. The monks are legit. Providence College does seem quite sincere about it, as evidenced by cute past statements they’ve made, like this one from their President: “Universities and their teachers should not treat students as consumers whose demands have to be met for fear of losing market share. ” Thanks to Delaney Kirk for pointing me out to that one.

via Chronicle of Higher Ed. 7/26/06

Here’s a list of all those colleges in the US (4 year universities) that are SAT / ACT test optional.

[tags]test-optional, providence college, SAT, ACT, monks, catholics, college admissions[/tags]

As just about any High School senior could tell you, the most important factor in their college search is their impression of one person who they will know for around an hour. Wait, what? No, really: Kids just can’t get over college tours as being a crucial piece of the college-judging process.

Personally, I feel that guides like Fiske need to acknowledge the tour’s importance and realize that all tour guides are not created equal. If they provided a ranking of a school’s average tour quality, students would know whether or not to feel short thrifted by their tour experience. This could be done quite simply, using only one criterion: The guide’s ability to walk backwards. Admission officers, listen up: This is the #1 most important “pull” that a school can exert on a student. That’s right. So make sure those guides can walk backwards with confidence and authority.

Tour Guides at University Master Diplomacy and Deal with Reality
By KATE STONE LOMBARDI
July 5, 2006

[...] despite all the money that colleges and universities spend on brochures, Web sites and other marketing efforts, high school students and their parents often base their impressions of an institution on the young man or woman who has led them around campus for 45 minutes.

“We know that the campus tour has the biggest impact on whether a student decides to apply to Tufts or not,” said Kerrin Damon, its assistant director of admissions.

Ms. Damon said the university had done surveys, querying those who enroll and those who do not, as well as students who visited Tufts and decided not to apply. Historically, the campus tour, which is given all year but draws heavily throughout the summer, is cited as the biggest influence on students’ decisions, she said. [...]

So while Colleges and Universities are hopefully putting their best feet forward (or, backwards, as the case may be) to ensure a fine touring experience, I would still caution fellow students to think twice before becoming 100% prejudiced against a school by virtue of a bad tour experience. A sample n of 1 is not representative of the student body! Likewise, if you have a perfect tour, don’t sign the Early Decision form right then. More applications means more rejections means more prestige, so colleges will be training their tour guides to be as appealing as possible. The article I just linked in fact describes the tremendous lengths colleges go to to groom their tour guides. Sometimes at the expense of full disclosure or complete honesty.

Then again, what did Oscar Wilde say? “It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances.”

Always do your research!

[tags]College Admissions, College, college tours, tour guide, walking backwards, university, Fiske[/tags]

For those of you not hip to the jive of the GLBTQETC community, trans+ means “trans positive,” as in, accepting and welcoming to transgendered / transsexual people. I still think “trans+” was a bad tagline to grab for that submovement, because it does sound like some sort of disease, but regardless. I discovered yesterday that Harvard Business School has, in the words of site Christian Public Relations, “introduced a third gender” [to its application form].

Let me preface this brief by saying that, though it is reporting on fact, it’s presentation is downright hilarious. To me, at least. Maybe not to “family-minded christians” from the heartland. But, I’m one of the godless east coast liberals. So there you have it. I also like “AgapePress,” that sounds very christian.

WDC MEDIA NEWS
Christian News and Media Agency
Harvard Introduces Third Gender
2006-07-25 –

(AgapePress) – Prospective applicants to prestigious Harvard Business School no longer have to be of the male or female gender. One pro-family leader in Washington, DC, is criticizing the school for legitimizing transgenderism.

Before completing an application, students looking to enter the Harvard Business School MBA program are asked to fill out an online profile that offers three choices of gender: female, male, or transgender. The form also asks prospective applicants if they would be interested in learning more about the school’s “lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender” community.

Bob Knight, director of the Culture and Family Institute (CFI) at Concerned Women for America, says “it’s not compassionate” for Harvard to encourage people to reject their “God-given natures.” But then Knight considers the source.

“I’m not surprised it’s coming out of Harvard,” he says, “because they’ve flirted with the idea that, in terms of sexuality, anything goes, and they’ve given intellectual respectability to it.” Knight continues, sharing that he feels it is “harmful” that Harvard, one of the most prestigious colleges in America, now thinks there are three sexes instead of two. “That kind of thing trickles down to other institutions,” he laments.
[continues]

So, right wing christian news source aside, that’s nice! It’s good to see such a prestigious institute of higher learning adopting a more welcoming policy towards people who… aren’t male or female. As long as they’re human, it’s fine by me.

[tags]Harvard University, Harvard Business School, Harvard, trans+, transgendered, transsexual, christian news, family values[/tags]