<p>No one is answering my question. :-)</p>
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<p>[How</a> the SEED School Is Changing Lives - CBS News](<a href=“http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/21/60minutes/main6506911.shtml]How”>http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/21/60minutes/main6506911.shtml)</p>
<p>^Haven’t finished it, but I like what I’ve read so far. </p>
<p>First, because it’s in DC. I went to school there for seven years and it reminded me of “Club Med”. Some folks thinking it’s a great spot for a vacation, and some living in the equivalent of a third world country. </p>
<p>I also like that it’s a lottery, and not something you have to test into. If they can make a difference regardless of what comes through the door, that’s impressive. </p>
<p>I don’t think any one thing is going to fix “the problem”. Not one charter school, not one university with affirmative action. It takes great parents, bright, hardworking students, adequate resources, personalized education plans, equal opportunities, politicians, physicians, economists, anthropologists, sociologists, college administrators…</p>
<p>But IP, I’m not sure what the story means to you.</p>
<p>PS Check out the comments. Now THERE is some social commentary! “Affirmative Action”…such a small piece of the puzzle.</p>
<p>I answered your question, IndianParent. Even though it’s kind of silly.</p>
<p>Speaking of silly, fabrizio–no amount of smoke and mirrors will alter the fact that if colleges look at some objective critieria like grades and scores, URM enrollment will drop if AA is dropped. It’s ridiculous to suggest that “holistic” admissions will solve the problem–unless, as I suggest, the colleges simply engage in a sham.</p>
<p>But clarify this–does it matter to you if Harvard were to have only a couple of percent black students in the class? Do you see that as a problem or not? You are suggesting all these other things that might prevent that result without looking at race. Do you really, honestly, think that any of those would maintain even current levels of URM enrollment?</p>
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<p>That however is what I have been saying all along. It is NOT in any way a matter of innate talent. It has all to do with the upbringing. The kids are removed from their home environment, and pushed hard. Voila, and they succeed. Same for Asian kids.</p>
<p>We do need better schools and better jobs for parents, but as the experience from the example that Fabrizio posted, African American kids in upper-middle class districts and top-notch school districts still do worse than their peers from other races.</p>
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<p>Why can’t these leaders go to other not name brand but just good schools, like the LACs that people are always encouraging Asians to go to? Why would you give up a sure shot at improving humanity just to ensure that these other kids go to Harvard? Is it all about trophy hunting?</p>
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<p>I agree. Why do you think that is the case? Why do URMs have low grades and scores, and what are your thoughts on how to improve it?</p>
<p>“That however is what I have been saying all along. It is NOT in any way a matter of innate talent. It has all to do with the upbringing. The kids are removed from their home environment, and pushed hard.”</p>
<p>Just to be clear, that is NOT what I’m saying. Innate talent DOES matter, some, and upbringing matters some, but it’s not “all to do with it”. And FWIW, there is no “voila” for 10 percent of those kids.</p>
<p>As I’ve said before, I believe there are maybe hundreds of factors, and then there is the timing of them. So many "tipping points’. I do not believe there are simple answers, or simple solutions. I’m sure I am biased by my work, but I feel most people have no idea just how many things can go wrong, or at least be less than optimal, for a child. Sometimes I am just amazed that we survive as long as we do! That makes me very grateful.</p>
<p>I think there is a lot of benefit to believing that there are so many factors towards success that we can simply discount the ones that are in our control. That way we can blame everybody but ourselves.</p>
<p>If I were Bill Gates I would open hundreds of such boarding schools for URMs, and churn out Ivy Leaguers who qualify by means of merit, and not AA.</p>
<p>I’ve read a number of times that one big problem is the amount of vocabulary many kids have heard before the age of 3. It’s a problem that needs fixing before they even get to school. (I think one of these studies was posted somewhere on this thread.) I’m not sure schools can make up for it. I don’t think it’s just vocab. I think it’s neural networks.</p>
<p>“I think there is a lot of benefit to believing that there are so many factors towards success that we can simply discount the ones that are in our control. That way we can blame everybody but ourselves.”</p>
<p>Or we can have some humility instead of being pompous and arrogant.</p>
<p>I haven’t said anything about discounting things that are in our control. I just haven’t limited “us” to looking at “parent pushing” as the primary determinant of success.</p>
<p>Hello? You didn’t think I meant YOU did you?</p>
<p>I’m just saying, knowing what I know, I just cant figure out how I got so lucky/fortunate/blessed. </p>
<p>Sure, I’m black and all (?), but I was born healthy, with more than my share of innate ability, to two parents who stayed together, and raised us to know we could do anything, but also around folks who struggled and lost, through no obvious fault of their own. </p>
<p>I am fairly good looking (well, at least when it counts), I don’t struggle with my weight. </p>
<p>I dated some real losers, but DIDN’T MARRY THEM OR HAVE CHILDREN WITH THEM. Again, knowing what I know, that is the luckiest part of all. And the guy I married is way more than I deserve. </p>
<p>Okay, I deserve him. I don’t want to sound TOO neurotic.</p>
<p>And I was probably born at just the right moment in history to make the best of all of that. Sure, I take advantage of opportunities; for me, I learned early enough that even a modicum of effort can pay off in a pretty big way. That is VERY reinforcing! But how much of the rest can I take credit for?</p>
<p>I answered your question IP</p>
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<p>but you never replied; you just changed the question.</p>
<p>now the question is </p>
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<p>Do you make it a habit of changing the question if you don’t get the answer you were hoping for?</p>
<p>Asking probing questions to bring out the true bias in an individual takes a few iterations, Lima.</p>
<p>But it was already pointed out that all you uncovered were your true biases.</p>
<p>nuff said!</p>
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What, the crystal ball only works for these Asian kids? What if aliens appeared on earth with the secret to world peace and cures for all diseases, but they would only turn them over if Harvard admits only aliens this year–should Harvard accept? That question makes about as much sense as yours.</p>
<p>And let me just add–are you suggesting that Harvard should lay off half of its faculty to accommodate all these new STEM majors?</p>
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<p>Actually, I did think of using aliens first. Seriously, what would you do? </p>
<p>I will of course go with the aliens.</p>
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<p>Actually, I did think of using aliens first. Seriously, what would you do? </p>
<p>I will of course go with the aliens.</p>
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<p>Why would that be necessary? You still have 1000 kids to accommodate them. </p>
<p>However, it is kind of funny that instead of recruiting professors to teach kids what kids want to learn, you seem to prefer recruiting kids to allow professors to teach what the professors want to teach.</p>
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Welcome to academics.</p>
<p>Seriously, though, 300 pages of posts? If we had been talking about solving the debt crisis, maybe America wouldn’t be in such a crappy place.</p>