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hampster · 05-09-2008, 10:37 PM

unless there are at least 10 LACs out there that don't engage in the practice and still have other things to offer.

Harvey Mudd, CalTech, et al are more rigorous than Reed, but these schools generally have stronger students.

I agree Danas that Reed probably attracts the same type of students attracted to Bard and Hampshire, but you're wrong to imply that the academic expectations at Reed (if that's what you're implying) aren't up to snuff for the reasons I've already mentioned simply because the former two don't have very high academic expectations (though I hear that's changed[ing] at Bard).

And if it's the case that the low graduation rate is largely due to the kinds of students the school attracts, unless you can show that Reed turns people off, the low graduation rate only tells me that the students it attracts tend to go off in other directions compared to other schools. I know at Hampshire students are encouraged to go out and pursue their interests and goals even if said interests and goals lead to not graduating from the college. There's no "now that you're here, we're going to do everything we can to make sure you graduate" mentality. Completion isn't equivalent to learning and being challenged.

DSC, a degree that's not earned is meaningless, but what does that have to do with the quality of education at an institution? Those who dropped out could have been getting a great education while they were attending. It may not be a reflection on the institution as much as it is on the students who drop out. If everything about CalTech were the same except it had a 15% 6 year graduation rate because it, for example, started attracting alot of flaky math whizzes, it would still be as good as it is today.

And while it's true that other schools require a thesis, but how many of those lack grade inflation? How many of those schools require all of that Reed requires? Also, there's a world of difference in the academic environment fostered when a school requires a thesis and not merely when it is "encouraged."

05-09-2008, 10:37 PM	#75
hampster Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 60	Lack of grade inflation puts you in the top 10... unless there are at least 10 LACs out there that don't engage in the practice and still have other things to offer. Harvey Mudd, CalTech, et al are more rigorous than Reed, but these schools generally have stronger students. I agree Danas that Reed probably attracts the same type of students attracted to Bard and Hampshire, but you're wrong to imply that the academic expectations at Reed (if that's what you're implying) aren't up to snuff for the reasons I've already mentioned simply because the former two don't have very high academic expectations (though I hear that's changed[ing] at Bard). And if it's the case that the low graduation rate is largely due to the kinds of students the school attracts, unless you can show that Reed turns people off, the low graduation rate only tells me that the students it attracts tend to go off in other directions compared to other schools. I know at Hampshire students are encouraged to go out and pursue their interests and goals even if said interests and goals lead to not graduating from the college. There's no "now that you're here, we're going to do everything we can to make sure you graduate" mentality. Completion isn't equivalent to learning and being challenged. DSC, a degree that's not earned is meaningless, but what does that have to do with the quality of education at an institution? Those who dropped out could have been getting a great education while they were attending. It may not be a reflection on the institution as much as it is on the students who drop out. If everything about CalTech were the same except it had a 15% 6 year graduation rate because it, for example, started attracting alot of flaky math whizzes, it would still be as good as it is today. And while it's true that other schools require a thesis, but how many of those lack grade inflation? How many of those schools require all of that Reed requires? Also, there's a world of difference in the academic environment fostered when a school requires a thesis and not merely when it is "encouraged."