At UC San Diego, one out of every eight incoming freshman do not meet middle school math standards

[Mwfan1921]

@blossom

Y’know who is really good at teaching HS math? Expert HS math teachers. They are people with subject matter expertise in math AND a degree in education AND who have studied (and continue to study) pedagogy and go to conferences where they learn from Master teachers who have developed really creative ways of teaching math.

Sadly there are precious few of these teachers.

@blossom

So in states with a robust community college system- I ask again, what is gained from duplicating the remedial track, but this time at the four year college university level? If the solution is to beef up the resources as kids transition from CC to the four year university, isn’t that more effective than UCSD compensating for weak HS prep??? If a CC has figured out how to teach these kids who need remediation, why re- invent the wheel at the flagship?

I definitely understand your point about duplication between CC and 4 year college. Yet as far as we know, virtually all four year publics offer remedial courses (or co-requisite courses, or whatever fancy terms are put in place.) Part of the issue is that some students don’t have easy access to a CC, and some don’t have the luxury of living at home while they attend CC. Regardless, meeting students where they are makes sense. Costs more, but these schools are all just trying to plug vast holes in learning.

@Ohno2

They too should not be taking the spots of better prepared applicants.

Until there are data showing ‘better’ prepared applicants are being denied admission, I’ll hold off on making this assumption. I do want to shout from the rooftops that having a test score that shows college readiness does not mean the student doesn’t need a remedial course.

Likewise, having a test score that shows college readiness doesn’t mean an applicant is ‘better’ qualified.

Likewise, having a high test score doesn’t mean an applicant is ‘better’ qualified either.

@Ohno2

And, in fact, the Dartmouth report suggests that low SES kids actually benefit when competitive schools require test scores because they can better assess those students’ achievements in context.

Ah yes, the shadowy Dartmouth data that many leaders in the industry have asked to see, to no avail. I expect the sample size of low SES students who applied TO to Dartmouth and were denied, but whom Dartmouth somehow got a test score for is….not large. Could even be single digits, maybe a couple dozen. Who knows. The only thing we know for sure is that qualified students without a test score and/or with a test score below D’s published ranges aren’t applying. That doesn’t seem like a good outcome. But, if that’s what a school believes is best for them, that’s their prerogative.