Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Too many people who believe they can just ride on the coat tails of their high school stats for the rest of their lives.
There are some very "average" students admitted to MIT as well--average for college bound high school kids. Even MIT likes to have a "diverse" student body. There are plenty of kids that choose to go elsewhere, even though their stats are way above those that got into MIT. MIT is flat out expensive. Plenty of kids from our area get into these "top" schools but chose elsewhere because money is just better.
I'm not sure why you think that, but alright... I received my BS (aero engineering) from Embry-Riddle Prescott, and MS (aero engineering) from USC.
My undergrad school is well-known within aerospace, but it is nowhere near MIT as far as selectivity is concerned. Regardless, I loved it there, and am doing quite well for myself as an engineer.
Well, USC is a great school for engineering (not that I'm saying your undergrad school is bad), probably regarded as on par or close enough with MIT in some fields.
So, there you go. That'll help you some. Just like an MIT undergrad helps others.
These are many of the reasons I mentioned earlier; but, how do we know if these students would have performed better at more selective schools when so many are choosing open access schools? There have to be reasons for why these students are choosing open access schools: more guidance during the admissions process, closer to home, flexible class schedules, sometimes cheaper tuition rates, sometimes free childcare, etc. What if the student really needs to be close to home and work in order to take care of family members? I would like to think that most people aren't so cruel as to leave a sick or disabled family member on his or her own or leave younger siblings to fend for themselves just so that they can attend a selective college.
I'd like to think that, too. However, there's a difference between doing the bold and simply leaving the family home for college. Usually, the high school student is not the primary care-giver for either category. Sometimes, I think it is the culture, or just the kid him/herself who feels s/he shouldn't leave home. When I was in college, I had a roommate from Appalachia who was the first in her family to go to college. Her perspective was much different than mine, which was that the kids were expected to go to college, and the parents/other sibs would take care of things themselves, generally with the parents taking care of the other kids.
Who would have thought that selective schools with top students graduate them!!
The surprising thing isn't that selective schools with top students graduate them. What was surprising (to me) is that top students who go to open access schools graduate at lower rates than top students who go to more selective students. I would have thought that top students graduate at similar rates regardless of what school they attend.
What was surprising (to me) is that top students who go to open access schools graduate at lower rates than top students who go to more selective students. I would have thought that top students graduate at similar rates regardless of what school they attend.
In my opinion, that is likely a function of external circumstances, which has already been discussed.
All things equal outside the classroom, top students should have an easier time succeeding academically at open enrollment colleges.
These are many of the reasons I mentioned earlier; but, how do we know if these students would have performed better at more selective schools when so many are choosing open access schools? There have to be reasons for why these students are choosing open access schools: more guidance during the admissions process, closer to home, flexible class schedules, sometimes cheaper tuition rates, sometimes free childcare, etc. What if the student really needs to be close to home and work in order to take care of family members? I would like to think that most people aren't so cruel as to leave a sick or disabled family member on his or her own or leave younger siblings to fend for themselves just so that they can attend a selective college.
We don't know what would have happened with any individual student. All we can do is study the behavior of groups.
And yes, sometimes students have good reasons to go to an open access school, but for some of them, those will turn into the same reasons they don't finish.
It's not really the fault of the school, but on the other hand, another school might have been in a better position to help students past obstacles.
There are some very "average" students admitted to MIT as well--average for college bound high school kids. Even MIT likes to have a "diverse" student body. There are plenty of kids that choose to go elsewhere, even though their stats are way above those that got into MIT. MIT is flat out expensive. Plenty of kids from our area get into these "top" schools but chose elsewhere because money is just better.
Not really. MIT, like Harvard and other schools with insanely low accept rates, is one of those places where people are quick to sniff disapprovingly at kids who don't have perfect grades but gain admittance. But they as an institution know what they are doing. Everyone who is there is there for a reason. They are not "average" LOL.
Not really. MIT, like Harvard and other schools with insanely low accept rates, is one of those places where people are quick to sniff disapprovingly at kids who don't have perfect grades but gain admittance. But they as an institution know what they are doing. Everyone who is there is there for a reason. They are not "average" LOL.
They also do pretty well on financial aid.
Actually, yes there are--like I said, average for college bound students. Not everyone at MIT has perfect GPA"s and test scores. I know several kids with 3.8ish GPA's and 30 ACT's that were accepted to MIT--and Harvard, etc., and lower stats in some cases. They have other qualities the school wants though....
I also know kids that did have perfect GPA's and test scores that were not admitted to MIT and similar....
Actually, yes there are--like I said, average for college bound students. Not everyone at MIT has perfect GPA"s and test scores. I know several kids with 3.8ish GPA's and 30 ACT's that were accepted to MIT--and Harvard, etc., and lower stats in some cases. They have other qualities the school wants though....
I also know kids that did have perfect GPA's and test scores that were not admitted to MIT and similar....
Yeah, that was my point. Not all of them have perect scores, which pisses people off and makes people pull out words like "diversity" or "legacy" or "sports" or whatever, but really it's because a school like that is not just interested in grades. MIT has a specific type of personality they like, as does Harvard, etc. Sometimes the kids you are calling "average" (who are still very good students) fit the profile they are looking for. That's just the way it works.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
