um..... what????

Bison13

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May 26, 2013
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I know we have a few educators on here. interested in your thoughts on this



My assistant coach is a UM grad, BS in Data Science. He said this has been coming for a while because the school lets in too many kids who dont belong there. Whether that be due to having inflated GPAs from HS or being admitted due to another factor such as race, child of alumni, etc. there are kids who just cant do the work and cant handle a professor not allowing them to miss class, turn in assignments late or redo exams.
 

nittanyfan333

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Oct 6, 2021
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My assistant coach is a UM grad, BS in Data Science. He said this has been coming for a while because the school lets in too many kids who dont belong there. Whether that be due to having inflated GPAs from HS or being admitted due to another factor such as race, child of alumni, etc. there are kids who just cant do the work and cant handle a professor not allowing them to miss class, turn in assignments late or redo exams.

Appreciate the insight. Makes logical sense, but begs the larger question of WTF? is this the "participation trophy" methodology coming home to roost?

I keep being reminded of how true this Hopf quote is:
'Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.'
 

Bison13

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May 26, 2013
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Appreciate the insight. Makes logical sense, but begs the larger question of WTF? is this the "participation trophy" methodology coming home to roost?

I keep being reminded of how true this Hopf quote is:
'Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.'
It's absolutely true. We have made everything easier for kids in education and they never get held accountable so thats the other issue. AI does all the kids work, then when its late you still have to accept it, even if its 6 weeks late.

My asst, who is Asian, also has some other interesting items that he told me when I sent him a similar article last week. I wont post because it will become political.
 

psuro

Heisman
Aug 24, 2001
9,564
20,978
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I know we have a few educators on here. interested in your thoughts on this




"um - what????" meaning University of Michigan.....what??????

I don't know if your thread title was a play on words......but if so - very well done...

Well Done Laughing GIF
 

BobPSU92

Heisman
Aug 22, 2001
44,788
36,625
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My assistant coach is a UM grad, BS in Data Science. He said this has been coming for a while because the school lets in too many kids who dont belong there. Whether that be due to having inflated GPAs from HS or being admitted due to another factor such as race, child of alumni, etc. there are kids who just cant do the work and cant handle a professor not allowing them to miss class, turn in assignments late or redo exams.

When I lived in Michigan years ago, I worked career fairs at um for my employer. Despite um’s reputation, I was thoroughly unimpressed with many of the undergrads that I met. And that’s coming from me. We contacted just a few students for interviews. After a couple of years, we stopped attending their career fairs.
 

Bison13

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May 26, 2013
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When I lived in Michigan years ago, I worked career fairs at um for my employer. Despite um’s reputation, I was thoroughly unimpressed with many of the undergrads that I met. And that’s coming from me. We contacted just a few students for interviews. After a couple of years, we stopped attending their career fairs.
I used to teach the highest level math classes we offered in our HS, Calc BC and IB HL math so I knew who the true best students were and wrote lots of letters of recommendation. We didnt have many apply there but always a couple per year. It always surprised me when a few of them would get wait listed at UM but year kids who were not as strong, but still solid students would get in. For a school held in such high regard they let some kids in who wouldn't get in to UMD without going to community college
 

Catch1lion

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Oct 12, 2021
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I used to teach the highest level math classes we offered in our HS, Calc BC and IB HL math so I knew who the true best students were and wrote lots of letters of recommendation. We didnt have many apply there but always a couple per year. It always surprised me when a few of them would get wait listed at UM but year kids who were not as strong, but still solid students would get in. For a school held in such high regard they let some kids in who wouldn't get in to UMD without going to community college
Admissions games are a bit of a crap shoot .
 

NittanyPirate

Senior
Feb 18, 2007
364
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What if it doesn’t “curb the crisis” for those that fail?
I think the best way to curb the crisis is to give all first semester students a unicorn on their report card.
 

razpsu

Heisman
Jan 13, 2004
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The next 10 years will be challenging since the policies of Covid at schools dumbed things down. Thank goodness we were in South Carolina during it. Now when they go to college they are shocked that results matter. Working for it and the fact that they may fail if they don’t study hard are new in their world. My last daughter going into psu now. Thank goodness her two sisters did well and witnessed that and drove her to be better at school and everything. She has stepped up well and now she should be ready.
 

bdgan

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We were allowed to take an elective pass/fail when I was at PSU. I took astronomy and there was only a midterm and the final. I missed most classes and didn't study at all since all I needed was a D. Back then our professor posted grades by SS number outside his office and I think my midterm grade was about 55%. I was scared to death so I started attending class and studying. The last class before the final the professor recapped by telling us that 55 was a B. Son of a B!!ch!
 

bdgan

All-Conference
Oct 12, 2021
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The next 10 years will be challenging since the policies of Covid at schools dumbed things down. Thank goodness we were in South Carolina during it. Now when they go to college they are shocked that results matter. Working for it and the fact that they may fail if they don’t study hard are new in their world. My last daughter going into psu now. Thank goodness her two sisters did well and witnessed that and drove her to be better at school and everything. She has stepped up well and now she should be ready.
I think it's more than a covid problem.

Recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results show that over 30% of U.S. high school seniors lack basic reading skills, and about 45% lack basic math skills, marking the lowest performance in decades.
 

Steve JG

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I think it's more than a covid problem.

Recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results show that over 30% of U.S. high school seniors lack basic reading skills, and about 45% lack basic math skills, marking the lowest performance in decades.
I live in Madison wi supposedly the 5 most educated town, right next to west high school which used to be a top performing school. Now 50% high school students not reading proficiently! It is a social cultural problem in how kids are raised and how they are educated. I am faculty at med school and work mainly with residents so people been through college and med school and I am very often the first person ever in their educational life to tell them they got something wrong. It’s doctoring, people lives and all so really need to be correct. And they will proceed to argue, complain or submit formal grievance.
 

Bison13

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May 26, 2013
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I think it's more than a covid problem.

Recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results show that over 30% of U.S. high school seniors lack basic reading skills, and about 45% lack basic math skills, marking the lowest performance in decades.
double those for Baltimore and DC public school students. Until students and parents are held accountable for anything, it wont go up.
 

nittanyfan333

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Oct 6, 2021
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It is a social cultural problem in how kids are raised and how they are educated.

This is why I believe this is the participation trophy generation coming home to roost. There's been an entire generation of kids raised to believe that as long as they just show up they're good. no need to work hard. And in turn they've been fed that line of garbage through school and eventually into life. These are the kids that think they can get a degree in anything they want, regardless of ROI, and if they don't find they job they THINK they are entitled, they just move back in with mom and dad.

sad sad times

good times have made soft men, and now soft men are making hard times.
 

Bison13

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May 26, 2013
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This is why I believe this is the participation trophy generation coming home to roost. There's been an entire generation of kids raised to believe that as long as they just show up they're good. no need to work hard. And in turn they've been fed that line of garbage through school and eventually into life. These are the kids that think they can get a degree in anything they want, regardless of ROI, and if they don't find they job they THINK they are entitled, they just move back in with mom and dad.

sad sad times

good times have made soft men, and now soft men are making hard times.
Very true about those expecting to get any degree they want. Kids who squeak by in Algebra 2 as seniors think they are going to be some type of engineer.

Me - "Why do you want to go to school for engineering?"

Student - "They make a lot of $"

M - "you do know that you will need to take multiple math and physics classes, right"

S - "why? I just want to be an an engineer to get that bread"

M -"because thats how you get a degree in engineering, you pass all the classes required for the degree"

S- "but I dont like math and should still be able to get that job"

M - "but you have to prove that you can actually do the things that you need to do to be an engineer"

S- "thats not my fault, they should just hire me and I'll get someone else to do it"

This is an almost word for word conversation with a student. Guidance Counselors are awful as well, telling kids terrible things that lead them to terrible decisions.
 

BobPSU92

Heisman
Aug 22, 2001
44,788
36,625
113
Very true about those expecting to get any degree they want. Kids who squeak by in Algebra 2 as seniors think they are going to be some type of engineer.

Me - "Why do you want to go to school for engineering?"

Student - "They make a lot of $"

M - "you do know that you will need to take multiple math and physics classes, right"

S - "why? I just want to be an an engineer to get that bread"

M -"because thats how you get a degree in engineering, you pass all the classes required for the degree"

S- "but I dont like math and should still be able to get that job"

M - "but you have to prove that you can actually do the things that you need to do to be an engineer"

S- "thats not my fault, they should just hire me and I'll get someone else to do it"

This is an almost word for word conversation with a student. Guidance Counselors are awful as well, telling kids terrible things that lead them to terrible decisions.

Jesus.
 

razpsu

Heisman
Jan 13, 2004
14,310
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We were allowed to take an elective pass/fail when I was at PSU. I took astronomy and there was only a midterm and the final. I missed most classes and didn't study at all since all I needed was a D. Back then our professor posted grades by SS number outside his office and I think my midterm grade was about 55%. I was scared to death so I started attending class and studying. The last class before the final the professor recapped by telling us that 55 was a B. Son of a B!!ch!
I took Astronomy and the professor said to the class, for those that think this is going to be easy think again. So definitely not pass or fail in that class.
 
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razpsu

Heisman
Jan 13, 2004
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I think it's more than a covid problem.

Recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results show that over 30% of U.S. high school seniors lack basic reading skills, and about 45% lack basic math skills, marking the lowest performance in decades.
Yes. Because 6 years ago they weren’t going to class for two years in some states. Virtual was a joke. So many from first grade to 8th grade fell behind. We were happy that our kids were in 9th grade and 7th grade at the time and by September of 2020 in South Carolina they were back in class, so they only missed April May of that year in class. So these are now 7th graders going into college that were of that age in 2020. Just wait until the then, 3rd-6th enter college. Ouch.
 
Last edited:

retsio

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Feb 18, 2003
334
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Wife is from Michigan, attended MSU, close friends with Dr. Surgeon at UMich hospital and family, his children went to UMich now Dr. and lawyer - very good students and focused.
We lived in MI two different times for much too long to assist family and more, etc. - and there are local stories that are not reported nationally. We lived just west of AA, football Saturdays are unending hell - experienced travel to all of that state.
The management of the University and the intent of most of the population is simple - nothing shall disparage the University of Michigan brand, the logo and the reputation of the school. The UMich hospital system is another story - it is beyond excellent.

During our residence there, the UMich dept of admissions admitted the incoming class was too much the same - good grades, educated, talented, the same race, family structure and wealthy. A search was needed to bring in students with differences to balance the class and future difference of opinions -- the name of this culture shift -- Affirmative Action.
This has since been outlawed by the US Supreme Court, but continues evidently under the radar. The Dems created a slogan around this effort as DEI - we must 'include everyone', to the disaster of today.

I would not put anything past UMich in pursuit of anything or everything.
 

nittanyfan333

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Oct 6, 2021
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Very true about those expecting to get any degree they want. Kids who squeak by in Algebra 2 as seniors think they are going to be some type of engineer.

Me - "Why do you want to go to school for engineering?"

Student - "They make a lot of $"

M - "you do know that you will need to take multiple math and physics classes, right"

S - "why? I just want to be an an engineer to get that bread"

M -"because thats how you get a degree in engineering, you pass all the classes required for the degree"

S- "but I dont like math and should still be able to get that job"

M - "but you have to prove that you can actually do the things that you need to do to be an engineer"

S- "thats not my fault, they should just hire me and I'll get someone else to do it"

This is an almost word for word conversation with a student. Guidance Counselors are awful as well, telling kids terrible things that lead them to terrible decisions.


...... i may cry.

this is so freaking sad.

single parent that had to pick up a second job to pay for things/second parent needing to start working, puting little johnny in front of the "babysitter" giving him social media/screen brainrot, paired with little johnny being fluffed about every aspect of his life and told he can do what he wants, then throw in a dash of remote "learning" for a few years....

Rome is falling
 
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rigi19041

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Apr 1, 2026
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double those for Baltimore and DC public school students. Until students and parents are held accountable for anything, it wont go up.


We had good schools, good healthcare, affordable housing, affordable education and liberals demanded change.

The left caters to the poor. Problem is the more we do for the poor the less they do for themselves. Hoodienomics fails.
 
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rigi19041

Sophomore
Apr 1, 2026
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I live in Madison wi supposedly the 5 most educated town, right next to west high school which used to be a top performing school. Now 50% high school students not reading proficiently! It is a social cultural problem in how kids are raised and how they are educated. I am faculty at med school and work mainly with residents so people been through college and med school and I am very often the first person ever in their educational life to tell them they got something wrong. It’s doctoring, people lives and all so really need to be correct. And they will proceed to argue, complain or submit formal grievance.


How would you know who is the most educated when the educators are against standardized testing?
 

bdgan

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Yes. Because 6 years ago they weren’t going to class for two years in some states. Virtual was a joke.
I agree 100%. IMO this was largely caused by bowing to teachers unions. As bad a covid was it wasn't as bad as the flu for school age children. It wasn't much worse than the flu for working age adults. It was really bad for seniors.

That said proficiency rates have been declining for a log time. The school shutdowns just made it worse.
 
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Sep 10, 2013
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I think it's more than a covid problem.

Recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results show that over 30% of U.S. high school seniors lack basic reading skills, and about 45% lack basic math skills, marking the lowest performance in decades.
You can find these scholars on teen takeover vids. Guns not optional
 
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