Comments on: Greviously pointless average

By: T

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:27:29 +0000

Having colleges appreciate you might first begin with learning to spell “grievous.”

By: St George

St George — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 18:05:41 +0000

I think what this whole discussion shows is that unfortunately US schools in general put far too much emphasis on GPAs. The British system classifies you by a general grade - 1, 2:1, 2:2, 3 - grouping together whole intellectual demographics. This means that, while making grading less transparent, more value is placed on endeavours outside of the classroom. Which is as it should be.

By: Still Just a Transcript.

Still Just a Transcript. — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 05:43:42 +0000

Who says this has anything to do with east-west coast demographic groups? There are people from all over the country who aren’t all “northeastern” (and I’ll bet the NE doesn’t all share the lifestyle you attribute them)
Some people just don’t want to run for a bunch of groups when they can have friends outside arbitrary acapella groups and ethnic pride and “I’m a rich white guy who travels a lot” stamps in my passport.

Transcripts record grades! If these people are good at jobs or not, don’t presume they’re all soulless losers.

By: Guess who

Guess who — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 04:52:22 +0000

Actually, you’re absolutely right. The university does want us to be “soulless academic automatons” if you haven’t noticed. Well, they want the Wharton kids to, and the rest of the kids want to be Wharton kids, so it basically amounts to that. See, higher GPAs mean better jobs, which means more money (which eventually means more donations for the school, of course).

Then again, it could just be that the companies doing the recruiting have done their homework. If they want to hire kids who will be the best at doing a boring, task (rather than thought) oriented job, they probably optimize their operations by hiring a student with a high GPA rather than one with, well, a life.

Interesting, though, that this distinctly east coast attitude is bothering you despite your parading the “northeastern” lifestyle as superior to that of the west. Following a rigid path and punishing those who stray from it seem extremely “eastern” (and ivy) while taking chances and, well, living are definitely emphasized more back west. Could it be that we agree on more than you think?

PS - I can’t believe you’re blogging on this POS platform that doesn’t even allow me to link my blog to my name…

By: Stanley also in Exile

Stanley also in Exile — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 03:23:43 +0000

But how often do you actually sing, HMMMMM?

By: honest question about perspective

honest question about perspective — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 02:05:08 +0000

Seconding “not university’s job”s comments, have you ever considered that people who run about joining everything and demand attention for their own resume padding are the boring machines?

By: Not me

Not me — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 02:03:28 +0000

Who cares?

By: Employers' and others' job, not University's

Employers' and others' job, not University's — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 01:59:40 +0000

You’re right that more than GPA are important, but putting extracurriculars and summer activities on a transcript is pointless. IT’S A TRANSCRIPT! If a business or other hirer looks for those students with high GPA’s and ignores all other variables, then that business is just stupid and its their fault. The university isn’t faulting you personally for anything. And those kids who don’t do lots of extra things aren’t necessarily empty and soulless automatons. It may be that they just aren’t joiners, are shy/taciturn/solitary/anti-social in some way or other, and the compulsive joiners who want to do everything in the world (and none of it neccesarily well or perhaps only to pad a resume) are the automatons.

By: c'mon.

c'mon. — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 01:41:10 +0000

“Does the University want us all to be soulless academic automatons that live and die by our GPAs?”
Perhaps there are, gasp, students at Penn who are able to keep a high average and participate in extracurriculars. I’m not saying it’s easy, but it can, and is, done.

By: Gent

Gent — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 01:39:39 +0000

Damn right. I hate the 4.0 kids who spend their lives with their heads in books, never taking a moment to see the opporunities around them. They waste not only their lives but their ability to make a difference.