What Would You Do?

Parents Forum
1

<p>Congratulations. You have just been appointed president of a new undergraduate school called Haryalton. You have virtually unlimited resources and can now offer easily the best undergrad education on the planet. Your faculty consists of the best qualified personnel in their respective fields. All of your graduates are guaranteed either job placement, or the grad school of their choice. Every one of the Fortune 500 companies has signed an agreement to hire your grads in preference over all others. </p>

<p>You are located in a safe area with near-perfect climate.</p>

<p>Due to your trillion dollar endowment you can offer all of the students a totally free ride for all four years. You are also fortunate enough that you are not constrained by any federal or state laws so you can pick you first class of 1500 students without legal or financial considerations. You can expect at least 25000 applications for the 1500 places a 6% acceptance rate. </p>

<p>Now, all you have to do is determine the acceptance criteria? </p>

<p>What would you do?</p>

2

<p>Take the top Pell Grant students.</p>

3

<p>^ :slight_smile: I like cheer’s suggestion.</p>

4

<p>Actually I wasn’t expecting such a good answer so soon! Playing devils advocate, what if your Pell Grant students turned out to be 80% male and 20% female with 45% URM mix? </p>

<p>Does it seem fair to eliminate most middle and upper income students?</p>

5

<p>Since when is college admissions fair?</p>

6

<p>“Does it seem fair to eliminate most middle and upper income students?”</p>

<p>Well, you said “most”, not “all”. That’s currently the way it works at the multi-billion dollar privates, only in reverse. </p>

<p>You’d end up with a fantastic institution, like Berea, only even better!</p>

7

<p>I guess that is the point of my thread. I read so many comments about how unfair AA is, and how this kid got into that school with scores less than mine. I want to know if there is a better way or not? I am giving all these people who keep on griping a forum to tell us what we can do about it.</p>

8

<p>I’ve often wondered why wealthy Asians have not established a University that competes with HYPSM–Harpyford if you will. That is what has happened historically in situations where smart minorities are concerned. Brandeis, BYU, Georgetown?</p>

<p>Then in 50 years they can struggle with diversity issues.</p>

<p>If you’re looking for an AA arguement you won’t get one from me. I do believe however that minority groups need to defend at times and I would feel the need to create an education powerhouse were I Asian in America today.</p>

9

<p>More likely it would be 70% female.</p>

<p>I can live with that. ;)</p>

<p>Middle class, shmiddle class. There are lots of paths for them.</p>

10

<p>I think we should only let the top SAT scorers in. ;)</p>

11

<p>“Middle class, shmiddle class. There are lots of paths for them.”</p>

<p>Median family income in the U.S. is roughly $52k-$53k. Berea allows students with family incomes well above the median, up to a little over $60k. So I guess that would take in a good share of the upper middle as well.</p>

<p>I’d give 'em all surfboards along with their laptops. ;)</p>

12

<p>What would I do? Change the name of the school.</p>

13

<p>Forget applications. Do a straight lottery with every HS graduate having the same chance.</p>

<p>Teach at the maximum level. No remedial classes. No curve. </p>

<p>We could test every theory and supposition.</p>

14

<p>Accept the first 1500 students with complete application packets received and I would make it an ED binding acceptance so you would know they were all coming.</p>

15

<p>I’d sign every member of the high school all-american football and basketball teams.</p>

16

<p>^^^I second that. Nothing beats going to a NCAA football/basketball championship school.</p>

17

<p>If I have that opportunity, I would make it a teacher-training college with a six-year program. In my selection I would focus on students who are truly well rounded. That is, a potential science teacher who will also excel in math, language and one area of humanity. These students will go through a broad liberal arts curriculum for the first three years. In their fourth year they can specialize, not only in a teaching subject but also in the kind of schools that they will teach in. Practical training will start in their third year.</p>

18

<p>I’d accept only those students who agreed to do six years of public service upon graduation! Oh wait, we already have several institutions with that requirement.</p>

19

<p>See entry under “Olin College of Engineering”. They had a totally new school in 2001, just like your situation.</p>

20

<p>I can think of a lot of experiments worth trying. For this first post, let’s just play with admissions criteria to our tuition-free school.</p>

<ol>
<li> Only veterans</li>
<li> Only those with top 2% SAT scores</li>
<li> Only those with at least six AP classes and an average score of 4.8 on tests</li>
<li> Only those who have earned Eagle Scout or Gold Award</li>
<li> Only those who have lived at least two but no more than four years outside the US</li>
<li> No one under 25</li>
<li> Do a lottery</li>
<li> Only students from Zip codes with bottom quintile incomes</li>
<li> An all-men’s college (there are only two left in the US)</li>
<li> A larger-scale version of Deep Springs or Berea – everyone works</li>
</ol>