re: Current enrollment numbers for SEC Schools

frick that diploma mill shite.

I attended both a highly regarded private university as well as Texas A&M.

The classes at Texas A&M were more rigorous.

The Professors at Texas A&M are glad to weed out the weaker students.

quote:

---

I attended both a highly regarded private university as well as Texas A&M.

---

When? In the late 1970s? Get out of here with that weak shite. Things have changed, Grandpa.

I understand a little better now, but what "qualifies" the 10% in the Texas educational system to even go to College in the first place?

Are they ready for that in the first place? Texas is a large and complex State to begin with, with a huge population. Don't actual test scores play any part in this or just GPA's from high school. It seems slightly corrupt.

Any State High Schools in this Country can inflate what they deem a "Top 10%".

College Entrance Exams should take care of that to begin with.

It should be HARD to get into college. For a reason.

I would side with the University of Texas right now on your decision. A University's main function is to provide the best possible education to the most deserving...not the most accepted. Glad you initiated a Cap in this regard.

quote:

---

Yeap, it's causing a huge devaluation of the Bachelor's Degree.

---

You're mixing up cause and effect. The devaluation of the Bachelor's is a product of the greater insistence on it (or its vocational equivalent) as a minimum prerequisite for most upwardly mobile professions. It's an important distinction (and not just because of the irony of devaluation being created by greater valuation.) This creates a greater demand, which, in turn, spurs institutions of higher education to accommodate them in the name of greater profits. Big schools are taking in more students because more people are desperate to become students in order to gain even a introductory foothold in the job market.

I have a couple teacher friends who went to college to become teachers (as opposed to took teaching jobs in lieu of some other profession.) They both had their Master's degree before they even applied for a teaching job, and both were in their fields, not education. Twenty years ago, that would have been much rarer than it is today because the basic expectations for employability have risen sharply.

Universities are based on research funding mainly

The amount of research has only increased at A&M
over the years in many academic disciplines

quote:

---

Mister Tee
Current enrollment numbers for SEC Schools
I understand a little better now, but what "qualifies" the 10% in the Texas educational system to even go to College in the first place?

---

In Texas it is the top 10% rank in your class by GPA. So if you are the 12 percentile guy in a top public school in Texas you are S.O.L. If you are 5th percentile in the worst school in Texas, you get automatic admission to A&M or Texas (or any of the state schools).

The "embracing of the 10% rule" deal that the Horn fan talks about isn't totally embraced. There is a conflict within the administration. There are two sides. One side is like the Texas guys. They want to curb admission and improve academics. The support in the article linked above cites the ability to recruit minority students as one of the main reasons to keep the 10% rule. The other side could be termed the "land grant" side, who feel the university should be available to any student who wants to attend.

It is a complex matter for the university. The fact that the state just spent 10 years with a governor who was pro 10% and appointed BOR members with such views hasn't helped the situation.

Personally, the growth numbers are alarming to me. I wish the university would develop the system schools and encourage attendance in those. Maybe kind of a hybrid of what Texas has. Maybe just accept top 5% to the main campus and the next 5% can get into the main campus after completing 2 years at one of the system schools if they meet certain criteria. Something like that would go a long way in addressing both issues.