Why this is completely disheartening...
Come a little bit closer...Let me look at you
I gave you the benefit of doubt, it's true
But keep in mind my darling
Not every saint is a fool
Source
So, this month's topic for Debate is "Colleges and Universities in the United States should end their early admissions programs," and the more I read, the more depressing things become. Although my odds of winning the lottery are still significantly lower than being accepted into a top college, it sure doesn't feel like it's all that much.
Facts for everyone to chew on:
- Last year 49% of Princeton's entering class was accepted under Early Decision. Total enrollment: 1230 students
- At Brown University for the entering class of 2004, 41% of applicants with a relative attending Brown were accepted as opposed to 15% of regular, non-alumni, applicants
- A table I found highlighting the entering class of 2001 and their average tests scores and such between regular and early admissions breakdowns; essentially, the average test score is around 10 points lower for early applicants as compared to regular applicants
Things like this make applying to college suck. Do I fully expect to attend the U next year? Yes, but I would still really like to go to Columbia. Delving into the inner workings of college admission about a week before you plan on applying to all these colleges really lowers your expectations, which is probably a good thing, but I would like to be optimistic some day. Just once, and only for a little while.
All this leads back to the fact that I have two pro cases written and I still don't have a con case written and I need two by tomorrow around 11AM. I have bits and pieces of a con case and an idea I'm mulling over but I think it would be a counter plan, so I don't think I can use it.
Still, isn't that what you want to know? How incredibly low your chances of being accepted into college are? And why can't people exist in the middle? No one talks about those of us that fall in the middle on the economic scale. It's frustrating.
All right, I'll go finish my con cases. But aren't you depressed by the stats I just dropped? If you aren't, I can drop some more just for good measure.
posted by Kara @ 5:29 PM
11 Comments:
*pats* If anyone has a chance of getting in, it's you, Kara.
Thanks. Doesn't make the statistics any less depressing.
Cinsidering the fact that I am already in the college of my dreams, it doesn't depress me that much. It does a little, though, and wouls have really depressed me a lot more before I applied for college. I know you have what it takes to get into any of these colleges. It's not your fault they think all genius is hereditary. If it was strictly hereditary, and I got half of my dad's intelligence instead of all of my mom's, I'd be an idiot. That's just the ay it is. So obviously they don't know anything. Wow, even I don't know what I'm talking about anymore...Here's what I was trying to say: Kara, you're very very smart.
I would say the topic committee has done their job. They have created a timely and relevant topic.
My thoughts on the subject are posted over at PFdebate.com.
Counterplan? Pretty much every neg case I wrote last year was called a counterplan at some point, don't worry about it.
According to the Rostrum, it's permissable to present a "suitable alternative" in a public forum round. I believe that's how Kubas and Sarah won JV state last year.
Sweet. So saying that Early Admissions aren't a big of a problem as say Legacy Admissions would be okay?
I think it would. Run it by Pritschet, though. He knows all of the rule-type stuff.
You can always keep Harvard as your safety school. And you could even apply to Dartmouth just for the heck of it; once you get in, you'll realize that it's way better than Columbia ever was anyway.
Legacy? The only way that would work is if you can prove that legacy admissions will become more prevalent after you get rid of Early Admissions. That's more of a disad than a counterplan, but sadly, it's probably a disad without a uniqueness.
SICK! Grrr...what happened to values?
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