Sonia Sotomayor for USSC?

[Valmy]

I've been to both a state University and an elite liberal arts college and there wasn't any difference in the classroom dynamic. A vocal minority controlled the discussion and must people didn't offer their opinion unprompted.

Clearly all those kids were stupid jocks.

[citizen k]

I'm saying that people who are functionally illiterate should not be admitted to top tier state colleges.

Which state colleges should admit the functionally illiterate ?

[Valmy]

Which state colleges should admit functional illiterates ?

The ones in Mississippi.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Which state colleges should admit the functionally illiterate ?

UTSA needs to stop doing that.

Also, Valmy, did you ever see this article?

http://www.texasmonthly.com/2008-11-01/feature.php

[alfred russel]

People get into colleges all sorts of ways.  I guarantee you, nay I double dog dare you, that if you are an incredibly talented musician or actor or so forth you can get into the Fine Arts department at a University with grades and test scores that would get you rejected at other departments.

I am getting a little frustrated here.  You seem to be obsessed with this ridiculous and frankly untrue stereotype that athletes perform poorly when in fact they perform better than the average non-athlete student.

I am very well aware, and fully support, not just looking at grades and test scores to admit people to college. Any school that wants to let in a marginal applicant that otherwise wouldn't be accepted because they are an exceptional musician, actor, or running back is fine with me (though I'm not excited about the running back idea and don't see it contributing as much to academic life).

If the stereotype is ridiculous and untrue, how do you address the numbers for Georgetown? Yes I know that a lot of athletes graduate--I'm not sure that correlates to better performance. It probably has something to do with them being guided into easier classes that use subjective grading, effectively forced into attendance, and having tutors make sure they cross their ts along the way.

[jimmy olsen]

If the stereotype is ridiculous and untrue, how do you address the numbers for Georgetown? Yes I know that a lot of athletes graduate--I'm not sure that correlates to better performance. It probably has something to do with them being guided into easier classes that use subjective grading, effectively forced into attendance, and having tutors make sure they cross their ts along the way.

You're looking at the Basketball team that has like a dozen guys. What about the average for every student athlete at Georgetown? There must be hundreds.

[jimmy olsen]

Also, how does an exceptional actor or artist contribute more to academic life on Campus than an exceptional running back? The running back's performance will be witnessed and enjoyed by a much greater percentage of the student body than the artist and the actor.

[alfred russel]

If the stereotype is ridiculous and untrue, how do you address the numbers for Georgetown? Yes I know that a lot of athletes graduate--I'm not sure that correlates to better performance. It probably has something to do with them being guided into easier classes that use subjective grading, effectively forced into attendance, and having tutors make sure they cross their ts along the way.

You're looking at the Basketball team that has like a dozen guys. What about the average for every student athlete at Georgetown? There must be hundreds.

If you want to look for that, go for it, but it is more the high profile sports that would be the worst offenders.

[alfred russel]

Also, how does an exceptional actor or artist contribute more to academic life on Campus than an exceptional running back? The running back's performance will be witnessed and enjoyed by a much greater percentage of the student body than the artist and the actor.

Theater, film, and music are academic disciplines. People that have practical experience and excel in those fields can bring something extra to the campus and classroom. A running back's performance will be enjoyed voyeuristically, like a stripper's.

[Berkut]

Also, how does an exceptional actor or artist contribute more to academic life on Campus than an exceptional running back? The running back's performance will be witnessed and enjoyed by a much greater percentage of the student body than the artist and the actor.

Theater, film, and music are academic disciplines. People that have practical experience and excel in those fields can bring something extra to the campus and classroom. A running back's performance will be enjoyed voyeuristically, like a stripper's.

How is watching a running back run somehow different from listening to a musician make music, other than your irrational insecurity over athletes?

[alfred russel]

Also, how does an exceptional actor or artist contribute more to academic life on Campus than an exceptional running back? The running back's performance will be witnessed and enjoyed by a much greater percentage of the student body than the artist and the actor.

Theater, film, and music are academic disciplines. People that have practical experience and excel in those fields can bring something extra to the campus and classroom. A running back's performance will be enjoyed voyeuristically, like a stripper's.

How is watching a running back run somehow different from listening to a musician make music, other than your irrational insecurity over athletes?

As I was trying to say in my post, the point of preferential admission for a musician shouldn't be motivated by the concerts that could be hosted. Most schools have music majors--don't you think having a real musician in the class would add something more to those classes than just someone who got a high SAT score?

Alas, you can still not major in football, or stripping. But at least you can watch.

[Berkut]

Also, how does an exceptional actor or artist contribute more to academic life on Campus than an exceptional running back? The running back's performance will be witnessed and enjoyed by a much greater percentage of the student body than the artist and the actor.

Theater, film, and music are academic disciplines. People that have practical experience and excel in those fields can bring something extra to the campus and classroom. A running back's performance will be enjoyed voyeuristically, like a stripper's.

How is watching a running back run somehow different from listening to a musician make music, other than your irrational insecurity over athletes?

As I was trying to say in my post, the point of preferential admission for a musician shouldn't be motivated by the concerts that could be hosted. Most schools have music majors--don't you think having a real musician in the class would add something more to those classes than just someone who got a high SAT score?

No, not really. And who says some musician in college is a "real" musician anyway? Aren't ALL the students "real" musicians? They are their for their potential right?

I don't see what this huge advantage is to having an exceptional musician is that makes them somehow superior to an exceptional athlete.

I think you are just trying to come up with a pseudo rational justification for your dislike of athletes.

[dps]

Also, how does an exceptional actor or artist contribute more to academic life on Campus than an exceptional running back? The running back's performance will be witnessed and enjoyed by a much greater percentage of the student body than the artist and the actor.

Theater, film, and music are academic disciplines. People that have practical experience and excel in those fields can bring something extra to the campus and classroom. A running back's performance will be enjoyed voyeuristically, like a stripper's.

How is watching a running back run somehow different from listening to a musician make music, other than your irrational insecurity over athletes?

As I was trying to say in my post, the point of preferential admission for a musician shouldn't be motivated by the concerts that could be hosted. Most schools have music majors--don't you think having a real musician in the class would add something more to those classes than just someone who got a high SAT score?

Alas, you can still not major in football, or stripping. But at least you can watch.

Most public universities these days have open admissions AFAIK.  If you have a high school diploma and some means to pay your tuition and fees, you'll be admitted, no matter how bad your HS grades and test scores.  If they're going to admit students who barely graduated HS and got 850 on their SAT's who are working their way through college or whose parents have the money to send them, I don't see why there is a problem with admitting students with the same lack of academic acheivement on an athletic scholarship as well.

Now, you may not like open admissions, and that's a different issue.  But that argument was lost about 40 years ago.

[garbon]

Public universities are the only type. Georgetown is a good example.

[The Brain]

Is she a front for her relative Javier? Is this all a Commie plot involving law, high jump and a black president?