Student's View

Should student infractions appear on a student's transcript?

2010-09-27T21:59:00.004-04:00

Yes, I think it is important for the college to know the history of a student receiving demerits or detentions. The college or university has the right to know what type of student they are accepting into their school. Since applications already pose the question, "Have you ever been charged with a crime or any pending charges?", it should be necessary to inquire about a student's behavioral background. It presents a better perspective on the students character and testifies to the pride and integrity of the student.
Marina C. 2011
What do you think?

Don't Ask and They Don't Have To Tell

2010-05-09T20:07:00.004-04:00

Today, we are asking a question that will certainly stir up some discussion. Below, two high school students give their perspective on this issue.

Given all the weight/ importance of standardized tests, like SAT scores and GPA in high school/ college, should powerful people such as political officials and CEOs, be required to disclose their grades?

Throughout my high school career, I’ve strived to do my best. Now as a junior (in high school), there is so much emphasis placed on the SATs, my GPA and what colleges I want to get into.

Grades are important but powerful people should not show their grades to the public because I believe that a good GPA is just an aspect of personal achievement. This is why, not everyone who has good grades becomes important. Having great grades does NOT guarantee that you will be a CEO, president of the United States or be important and influential of today’s society.

As Robert Collier once wrote, “success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”To achieve an important position, there is a lot to consider about this person. This person is important because of his ability, attitude, personal relations, effort, interest in the field he works in and moreover, just plain luck (i.e. being in the right place, in the right time, fate or destiny).

In the real world, outside of school, when you’re getting a job, what does the employer look for…he looks for experience, personal presentation, and most importantly credentials, such as a license or a diploma. They don’t care whether or not you had an 80 average or a 100 to get the license.

Hence, I am not trying to undermine the power of having a high GPA; I know it requires discipline and consistency. Life and success is about “more than grades.”

Tatiana '11

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Since college standards are very demanding, it should be required that politicians reveal their college transcripts. If there are two candidates running for an office and their personal, financial, and college backgrounds are known to the public, it would allow voters to make a better judgment call based on the candidate's profiles; and therefore vote for the more qualified candidate.

For example, our current President, Barack Obama graduated from Columbia undergrad and Harvard Law, yet his transcripts are sealed. This creates a doubt as to whether he was accepted to these schools based on merit or diversity quota. Based on this information, there is skepticism whether he is qualified for the position he holds. Colleges need to reevaluate the availability to the public of college transcripts and not create an uncertainty when they seal records for certain politicians.

Marina ‘10

Should Students include video with their applications?

2010-03-07T21:01:00.008-05:00

Youtube and College admission

To Impress, Tufts Prospects Turn to YouTube
By TAMAR LEWIN

Published: February 22, 2010

Lee Coffin, the dean of undergraduate admissions, said the idea came to him last spring as he watched a YouTube video someone had sent him. “I thought, ‘If this kid applied to Tufts, I’d admit him in a minute, without anything else,’ ” Mr. Coffin said.

For their videos, some students sat in their bedrooms and talked earnestly into the camera, while others made day-in-the-life montages, featuring buddies, burgers and lacrosse practice. A budding D.J. sent clips from one of his raves, with a suggestion that such parties might be welcome at Tufts.

A few students created elaborate productions.

“We’ve got some who are really good with the technology,” Mr. Coffin said. “There’s a real technical savvy out there in this generation, and this lets them show off their splicing, their stop action, their animation. Some of the engineering applicants show us what they’ve made. One kid is talking, and then all of a sudden, he’s in the water, to show off his underwater camera.”

So, what do students think?

I personally think the idea of colleges encouraging video applications is a good idea; so long as they don't/can't make it a mandatory thing. I think it helps to add another dimension to the college application process, and gives colleges the opportunity to view the applicants doing the things they love to do, as well as giving the students the chance to show their specific talents or hobbies.

Mike S. ‘10

Your thoughts??????

SAT/ACT: Who benefits?

2009-11-04T22:03:00.002-05:00

Should the SAT and ACT exam be eliminated in lieu of a college/university based exam?

Tests Vs College

When kids think of Colleges and scholarships they immediately think about the SATs and the ACT exams. Both tests are examinations of the student’s test taking ability and knowledge in select subjects that a college would find most “appealing”. The problem with the tests is not only the stress it puts on students but also the lack of actual knowledge. For example the two tests are in complete contrast to each other.

The SATs is the most commonly known test in New York (me being a new York student) and it is a standardized test, that is meant to determine our knowledge in Math, Science and Writing. However, the knowledge isn’t solely in what we have been learning throughout our high school career but our actual test taking ability. I personally see a huge flaw in this process. The flaw is; a lot of students are nervous people. They get extremely nervous about tests, especially the SATs. They go into this room thinking that if they don’t score high on the SATs they won’t get into the college of their choice, will not be able to afford to go to school and will never be able to fulfill their dreams. The idea for the SATs is also a strange idea. It allows people who are good at test taking to arrive at schools that they may not have the grades for, but disallows the person who is an excellent student but an average test taker.

The other major test is the ACTs test. A test that is used to examine a students’ knowledge on all 4 years of his or her career. Questions from Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, Algebra etc are seen on this test. This test does seem to be more effective for analyzing a student’s learning capability but it is also just a test of memorization and analytical questions. Some colleges may look for these skills in a student but sometimes it is far from the point. Some questions in certain sciences may not affect someone who is going for a degree in something completely unrelated to science.

Finally there is a suggestion that may allow colleges more help and less stress on students. Colleges may forget about tests all together (unlikely) or colleges may allow specific tests for made and for their college alone. Problems may arise such as location of the test, or the grading process. However, there is always a simple solution. A lot of college courses of today allow test taking online, with a set time limit and certain rules. Since the college already allows test taking online, why not an aptitude test online that allows the college to view possible candidates for their school? I personally have talked with students about the idea and most seem to like the possibility of specific tests for the colleges of their choosing. Some on the other hand asked the question of “what happens if we apply to a lot of colleges”. This seems to be an odd statement. People who want acceptance into one or two specific schools will have a high chance if they were to take that specific college’s aptitude test two to three times than the SATs or ACTs multiple times.

In conclusion it seems that many colleges are starting to pull away from the SAT scores and the ACT scores because they see the stress it puts on a student and the lack of accuracy in the scores. Also, the idea of specific tests for colleges is a possibility but completely optional. Obviously Ivy League schools still look at the SAT scores, but this is where I pose my question. Wouldn’t it be easier if Harvard or Cornell wrote up their own test, and made it as difficult as they deemed necessary? That their test would be up to par with their own skills and abilities?

Matthew L Espejo

Grade 11

Helicopter Parents

2009-07-10T13:20:00.003-04:00

Is it right to call the parents of high school students helicopter parents given today's complex world?

Well personally i believe parents like that really need to let their kids go and do things on their own. Its really annoying to have parents watching and trying to help with everything we do and calling them just gets them more involved and then you really cant shake them off you. However, when it does come to things like college i wont mind if my parents help because they went through college so they probably know way more than i do on that scenario.

Matt, high school junior.

What do you think?

Facebook: To view or not to view?

2009-04-27T20:49:00.010-04:00

We asked a high school junior: Should a parent (or college) monitor a high school students Facebook account. Here is his answer:

My personal opinion is that parents and/or colleges should be allowed to look at facebook profiles, but only to a certain extent. I don't believe the decision on whether or not to accept a student to a college should be weighted solely on some stupid thing the kid put on facebook while he was drunk out of his brain. Also, I believe that people should be allowed to voice their opinions on facebook; after all, that is the point of the website: for teenagers to feel as though other people actually care about what they have to say because no one wants to hear it in the real world. I would say that parents/colleges shouldn't view the accounts, but the obvious rebuttle to that statement would be that if they want to have privacy, they shouldn't have made a facebook in the first place. M.S., high school junior

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