@1NJParent “But do you do that by denying a more talented applicant because of some biological factor?”
More ‘talented’ based on what criteria? Test scores? HS grades? Past performance?
Talent to DO what? Create yet another game? Create better algorithms for selling ads? Figure out how to get people to reveal more personal information that can be sold? Create better tools for mass surveillance? To do whatever they’re told to do?
I haven’t yet seen how standardized tests and high school grades can be used to accurately predict creativity, innovation and leadership. Perhaps they can predict ability to meet goals/fulfill tasks others define for them (“tell me what grades/scores it takes to get into XYZ and I’ll work my butt off to get them”), but it seems CMU is looking for more.
Read this again: “Several faculty members noted that students had become increasingly grade obsessed and felt this related to the focus on improving their test taking ability in high school, to the detriment of building critical thinking skills. The students, said one faculty member, often struggled with reconciling their high school understanding of CS and the new understanding of the field as it is taught at Carnegie Mellon, especially when they first came up against the more abstract courses like Fundamental Data Structures and Algorithms”
Look, if kids are ‘capable’, ‘qualified’ and ‘talented’ they’ll do well no matter where they go to school. Not getting into CMU isn’t the kiss of death. And there is, as always, a big measure of chance involved. Crap happens. Life ain’t necessarily fair. But whining about it sure ain’t gonna make it better although I suppose it might make one feel better…