<p>Hey all,</p>
<p>This article, taking off the December NY Times article about "elite colleges," says gives Hamilton as the example of "that does not ensure the core skills and knowledge that are the tools of career success and civic responsibility," and suggests that students go to a cheaper school instead. I'm wondering what you all think. </p>
<p>Read the article. Unsubstantiated garbage. A subjective list of “core competencies” is posited as the ideal, and any place that doesn’t fill the list with checkmarks is somehow unworthy. By that definition, Brown and Amherst are F’s and I’d wager a majority of the colleges and universities discussed most frequently on CC are wanting to some degree. E.g., Brooklyn College apparently requires courses in composition, while Hamilton reportedly does not. Demerit! Apparently it doesn’t matter that Hamilton is big into writing across the curriculum and that perhaps more of their students are accomplished writers to begin with…Brooklyn College requires courses in civics and US History/Government, Hamilton apparently doesn’t. Score one for Brooklyn College!</p>
<p>To further clarify, the NYTimes article is cited, but the Hamilton College/Brooklyn College comparison is apparently the ACTA author’s conclusion…</p>
<p>I don’t think I will waste my time by reading the article, I’ll accept Ford1998’s assessment that it is garbage. This is such an old argument, is a school like Hamilton worth the expense that I can hardly muster up the enthusiasm for it anymore. I got to go to a school like Hamilton and I know what I gained from the experience and it can’t be quantified in some type of assessment.</p>
<p>the article is based off of a website that has given Harvard a “D,” while Texas A&M was given an “A” …no offense to the latter, just stuck out to me when I read the list. therefore, I’m going to dismiss the article completely.</p>
<p>I just checked the “grade” applied by this survey to Colgate which has a long-standing and well regarded core curriculum. It too earned an F rating.</p>
<p>My conclusion is that there is a political angle to all of this which we might as well disregard. Simply put, it’s all too tiresome. Hamilton College is in good company. And it’s certainly well regarded and supported by its alumni, largely due to the diligence and efforts extended by its Board, president and faculty.</p>
<p>Again, fear sells. What makes a great college graduate is far more complex than the core curriculum. It’s how you take advantage of an array of opportunities and challenges during the college years.</p>