Frisco ISD has 113 students named 2022 National Merit Semifinalists (loans, lawyer)

[jiping]

Originally Posted by cordata

If acing the SAT is easy compared to college classes how would the test prep help the graduation rate?

You don't run before you can walk. Those 50% who cannot ever graduate from UT aren't academically prepared - they lack basic grasp of high school math and reading. They may never be able to, but they could really use some tutoring service or repeat a grade if they are honest to themselves.

Originally Posted by Wittgenstein's Ghost

Exactly.

The last year that I can find data for the number of perfect SAT scores is 2014, and there were 583 perfect scores out of about 1.7 million test takers. That's about 1 in 3,000 test takers. The idea that it is harder to graduate from UT than it is to get a perfect SAT score is just silly.

Acing the SAT does not necessarily mean perfect score. You can say it's 1450+, whatever. It's more difficult to achieve As in a college courses because the depth of knowledge is different and you are competing with a more selective group of people.

Again, "graduate from UT" with 3.00 minimum GPA is such a low bar. We are not even talking about continuing to apply for a prestigious graduate school program that requires 3.4 or 3.5/4.0.
Kids should get to be kids? Yeah. There's more to becoming a good adult human than going to college. More kids should go to HVAC trade school instead.

[platon20]

Originally Posted by jiping

There's more to becoming a good adult human than going to college. More kids should go to HVAC trade school instead.

Exactly right.

I'd tell my son to get a good trade school certificate as an electrician or HVAC tech rather than get some BS degree from Harvard in East Asian Poetry.

[Taub201]

Originally Posted by platon20

Exactly right.

I'd tell my son to get a good trade school certificate as an electrician or HVAC tech rather than get some BS degree from Harvard in East Asian Poetry.

Well, if they were low to middle income, they would go to Harvard for minimal cost. I worked with an investment banking analyst who got a Art History degree from Harvard. However, she was probably born on third base with a strong batter at the plate.

[platon20]

The basic fact of the matter is that the majority of white parents are losers compared to East/South Asians when it comes to raising their kids for academic performance.

East/South Asian parents, even if they are dirt poor, will 99.9% of the time put a huge focus on academic performance in school.

Compare that to the majority of lower class white parents, the only thing they care about is if their son gets to play sports. They could care less if he makes Cs/Ds and barely passes. As long as he makes the bare minimum passing grades to play football, that's all they care about.

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

Originally Posted by jiping

Kids should get to be kids? Yeah. There's more to becoming a good adult human than going to college. More kids should go to HVAC trade school instead.

Right, because the only two options are SAT prep at five years old or trade school.

[DFWGuy422]

Originally Posted by platon20

Exactly right.

I'd tell my son to get a good trade school certificate as an electrician or HVAC tech rather than get some BS degree from Harvard in East Asian Poetry.

These are two extreme alternatives. To each their own when it comes to college, but I think that unless you know for sure that what you want to do doesn't require a college degree, college makes sense if you can handle it academically/emotionally. And picking Harvard probably isn't the best example here. I'm not Ivy-obsessed, but the job opportunities available to a Harvard grad with any degree are likely numerous. This is especially true considering the networking opportunities available there. Plus, someone picking such a random field likely wouldn't be looking at Harvard in the first place. Just my $.02.

[widespreadfan]

Originally Posted by platon20

The basic fact of the matter is that the majority of white parents are losers compared to East/South Asians when it comes to raising their kids for academic performance.

East/South Asian parents, even if they are dirt poor, will 99.9% of the time put a huge focus on academic performance in school.

Compare that to the majority of lower class white parents, the only thing they care about is if their son gets to play sports. They could care less if he makes Cs/Ds and barely passes. As long as he makes the bare minimum passing grades to play football, that's all they care about.

Lots of racial generalizations in this post. What does the skin color have to do with a family emphasizing academics or athletics?

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by widespreadfan

Lots of racial generalizations in this post. What does the skin color have to do with a family emphasizing academics or athletics?

Are you joking?

[4Movingeast]

Originally Posted by Wittgenstein's Ghost

Right, because the only two options are SAT prep at five years old or trade school.

Seriously! One of my boys is considering dropping AP Chem for on level bc their foundational year (last year) was not high quality and you know what? He's not interested in medical school at all. He's great at math but loves ELA and History classes more. Consider us going against the grain but I always said I was going to let them focus on the AP classes they enjoy and will benefit them and we'll deal with the repercussions of not doing every single one. If my guys go to a "No Name" university I am fine with that. I hope they find work that is meaningful and not soul sucking. I'm so tired of the fear tactics. They get up at 6, practice at 630, home at 430 M-W, game Th night, and I am just seeing that some of this is just pointless. If he had a drive for med school I would encourage him to dig in but he doesn't.

[pisekar]

Originally Posted by 4Movingeast

Seriously! One of my boys is considering dropping AP Chem for on level bc their foundational year (last year) was not high quality and you know what? He's not interested in medical school at all. He's great at math but loves ELA and History classes more. Consider us going against the grain but I always said I was going to let them focus on the AP classes they enjoy and will benefit them and we'll deal with the repercussions of not doing every single one. If my guys go to a "No Name" university I am fine with that. I hope they find work that is meaningful and not soul sucking. I'm so tired of the fear tactics. They get up at 6, practice at 630, home at 430 M-W, game Th night, and I am just seeing that some of this is just pointless. If he had a drive for med school I would encourage him to dig in but he doesn't.

It is a risky approach in my opinion. My family encouraged me to go to medical school which I had zero interest (Actually, I did not have a real interest except reading when I was in high school). I gave up and followed their advice and became a physician - the best decision of my life.