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<p>Maybe that kid excelled in some of the other areas that executives reportedly prize? Or maybe not. Maybe he is also a bad collaborator, not a critical thinker and lacking in problem-solving skills. Maybe he acquires those skills on the job and commences a meteoric rise to the top. Maybe his true mediocrity catches up with him. But the people on this thread debating the rigors of math programs at this or that university are overlooking an important point from the article that launched this thread, namely that …</p>
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<p>My own limited experience with interns and entry-level staff has led me to believe that what college grads could really use more of is “the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively in writing.” Mind you, I’m not hiring engineers. I will say that a former BF of mine, who was happy to party his way to an engineering degree as a barely-B student at Johns Hopkins, says that his greatest advantage over other applicants has always been his ability to write well. I always did like the way he could use a semicolon.</p>