Every year at about this time, the Washington Post
recycles its "lots of qualified kids from Northern Virginia aren't getting into UVA these days" story. It usually comes a bit closer to the April notification deadline, but action in Richmond to force UVA (and its lesser cousin in Williamsburg) to cap out of state students appears to have forced the editor's hand.
For all the kvetching, UVA and William and Mary are both admitting 2/3 of their first year classes from among the residents of the Old Dominion, this without any kind of a quota. That Lee Seidner of Fairfax was not admitted to UVA with his stellar qualifications is indeed unfortunate, but it does not--even when rolled up with the stories of others like him--constitute rationale for a forced 75% limit as some legislators would require.
But then again, let's look at Mr. Seidner. He appears to be a white male, which renders him unremarkable. 1300 on the SAT's i s "solid work, Joel" (name the flick), but it isn't setting the world on fire. The stat I find most misleading is the 3.99.....were it to be on a 4.0 scale, I'd be impressed. But I suspect that "AP" and or "honors" classes provide a bump there, many of which are on a "5.0" scale
Be that as it may--2/3 of every first year class in Charlottesville are Virginians. 1/3 come from 49 other states and from around the world. I think this is a reasonable proportion. I'm sorry Mr. Seider must suffer through four years in Blacksburg, truly sorry. But not sorry enough to upset the apple cart.
"name the flick" - Risky Business, perhaps Tom Cruise's finest performance to date.
ReplyDeleteI'll see your quote and raise you one...Well, Mr. Seidner, "the world needs ditchdiggers too!"
Caddyshack?
ReplyDeleteGive that man a ceegar.
ReplyDeleteNoonan!
ReplyDeleteWell what the heck, after all he is a white male. That's almost as bad as being oriental.
ReplyDeleteBut who'd wants to go to UVA anyway? Their sports suck, the coeds ugly (though more than willing) the climate sucks, the education is ok but nothing to write home about. It just seems to be betwixt and between. If you want an easy party school with lots of hotties, hellraising and sports go to UofF or Flawda St. If you want a hoity-toity school that will get you a job and membership in the club (although not necessarily academically challenging) go to any Ivy League...if you can.
Or, if you're like me, take what the hell you can get.
Hammer, vases and rugs are oriental, people are Asian.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome.
The Northerers academic trail of tears starts in CT, NY and NJ, heads south through DC (Georgetown) and into VA (THE University of Virginia), hits Duke and UNC. As a friend from University of South Carolina said, the remaining Yankees were greeted with the consolation of "Hey, our women are stupider and they drink more."
ReplyDeleteOn a more serious note, I read a broadly similar article written by a Harvard grad and volunteer alumni admission coach who lamented "yet another perfect kid who won't be getting into Harvard." The girl in question not only excelled in everything in school, but did research at a university in NYC and overseas in the summers. So it goes.
For the state universities, as I've heard you say for more years than I care to recount, out-of-state students pay more when they are there, give more as alumni and generally have higher test scores and grades than the highly qualified kids from the home state.
The real question - set aside elite universities and flagship state Us - are we just warehousing most of the kids going to "college" today?
Great article a few weeks ago asks the same question about law school - where most of the students go in thinking they have a legit shot at partner track at a prestigious firm, a fate that only the top 1/3 of the class from the top 1/4 law schools will go to. Law school, lacking labs and research facilities, is an insanely profitable course of study to offer. And since you can lie on your U.S. News and World Report scores about average starting salary, % of employed grads, etc., gullible wannabees buy into the myth, taking on a quarter-million dollar debt to graduate into no job, or at best, a job that many hate.
I'd be real interested to know how many legacies are admitted at the power schools. That's what worries me.
ReplyDeleteFor example: Conrad Hilton is a smart guy makes tons of money then marries a woman who just so happens has a killer bod and rides the pony like a pro, but ain't exactly a Rhodes Scholar. A generation later we get Paris Hilton, who with her money would have gotten into Stanford if her Daddy or Granddaddy had gone there. With tutors she may have made it through and be working for a large multinational bank.
I think that's what we have now, a lot of idiots from good well connected families running some of the largest most powerful firms in the country. All of a sudden you have an "Idiocracy" instead of a meritocracy.
Don't get me wrong, there's always a place for a girl like Paris Hilton, she's a very gifted and talented young lady, it just ain't running CitiCorp.
NavyAustin asked, "The real question - set aside elite universities and flagship state Us - are we just warehousing most of the kids going to "college" today?"
ReplyDeleteYes.