<p>
[quote]
So what, exactly, is your point?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Shhhh... They like to feel like they are paying for something special.</p>
<p>hawk, when i was clearly talking about michigan as a whole, you went on to say that "you agree with me that michigan engineering is top 10 or top 15 in engineering circles", when in reality, michigan engineering is top 10 period, none of this top 15 nonsense, as far as I can tell, I haven't seen a ranking of Michigan Engineering as a whole ranked below Top 10.</p>
<p>Hawkette. You just can't handle the fact that Michigan's PA is higher than most of your private schools and they are indeed a peer of them. You are the one who likes to denigrate Michigan, not raise it up where it belongs. Michigan is more prestigious and higher ranked than all of the schools you mentioned in your latest post. Get over yourself already. By the way, did you get rejected at Michigan?</p>
<p>It isn't keefer. Hawkette just can't bring herself to accept the truth.</p>
<p>rjno,
It's very revealing how U Michigan folks give absolutely no credit to their true peer colleges. Do you really think that graduates of U Michigan are generically seen in the real world as appreciably different than those from BC, NYU, UNC and UT? My impression is that in their home markets, each is equally or better regarded vs UM, just as U Michigan would be equally or better regarded in its home region vs this group. Do you agree?</p>
<p>I can handle very easily that U Michigan is well regarded in academic and professional circles. I just don't think it is as highly valued as you, at least not in the real world. Somehow you interpret any dissenting comment and not bowing down and kissing the U Michigan ring as somehow dissing the school. There are a lot of good places out there. U Michigan is one of 'em. So are BC, NYU, UNC, UT. If you’re looking for truth, that is it.</p>
<p>Couldn't get in eh? LOL</p>
<p>Oh, rjno,</p>
<p>You're so clever...and a Michigan man to boot. Heart swoons......</p>
<p>NOT!!</p>
<p>I'm not so clever. But at least I will admit where I went to school. How about you Hawkette?</p>
<p>"i'm pretty sure we both agree that getting a history degree from Michigan doesn't carry the same weight as Duke in terms of getting jobs in Investment Banking. But they are not that far apart as you seem to think. In the math/science/engineering/business majors, Michigan grads do just as well as Duke grads."</p>
<p>Even if this is true (which isn't), why should Michigan deserve a higher PA than Duke?</p>
<p>Ask the experts IPBear. They just might know more than all of us. :-)</p>
<p>Since when did the administrators at "peer schools" become experts at rating other schools? PA is ludicrous.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Michigan deserve a higher PA than Duke
[/quote]
Michigan offers greater breadth/depth of distinguished academic programs than Duke. That is what the PA score is measuring...</p>
<p>Of course it is IPBear. Only private schools should be rated at the very top right?</p>
<p>"Only private schools should be rated at the very top right?"</p>
<p>rjkofnovi,
That's not what I'm stating. In fact, I got into UMich from out of state, and it was one of my top choices. What I'm saying is that PA is inaccurate. How much does administrators at University of Dayton in Ohio know about the undergraduate program at Rice and vice versa? Not well enough to make an accurate rating.</p>
<p>Sorry i'm appearing so defensive IPBear. Without PA scores, schools like Michigan wouldn't be even rated in the top 50, let along top 25. The USNWR ratings have always been skewed heavily to favor private schools. The PA evens the playing field out a little bit.</p>
<p>
[quote]
We also know who prepares the syllabus, who prepares the assignments, and who grades test/exams, and who offers comments on the papers. Well, I happen to believe that all those elements should have one source, and that it is surely NOT a professor named "STAFF" or some unknown glorified minimum-wage earner.
</p>
<p>Well, I don't disagree with any of this. But unless I'm misremembering, all these things WERE done by the professors---all tenured full professors, all leading lights in their fields---in the introductory Anthropology course I took, and Intro to International Relations, and Intro to American Politics---the only three big (100 or so) classes I ever took at Michigan, all optional courses, by the way, which I took because the professors had well-deserved reputations for brilliance as scholars and in the classroom. The TAs led a once-a-week discussion with a small group, that's it. The professor wrote the syllabus, gave the lectures, gave the assignments, wrote the exams, and to the best of my knowledge graded the exams.</p>
<p>So what, exactly, is your point?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>My point, BClintonK, is that your account which probably dates back several decades and describes the organization of a Honors College might be quite distinct from today's environment at large research universities. </p>
<p>While you're entitled to "sticking to your story" that is based on the "best of your knowledge," should you not consider that others might prefer to rely on testimonials that tell different stories, and happen to be more timely and more accurate?</p>
<p>^ xiggi, have you taken any classes at a large research university?</p>
<p>Oh, by the way, BK, you do not have to take my "word for it," you can take one of ... your own:</p>
<p>
[quote]
<p>Teaching Experience</p>
<p>As a Graduate Student Instructor at the University of Michigan, I have had the opportunity to be involved in nearly all aspects of college-level teaching. Responsibilities included leading weekly discussion and review sections, lecturing, creating in-class activities and written assignments, grading papers, writing examination questions, and guest lecturing.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Sorry! I did forget that, at Michigan, there are no TA's but GSIs!</p>
<p>March 25, 2008</p>
<p>
[quote]
Picketing graduate student instructors at the University of Michigan this morning shut down construction projects at Michigan Stadium and the Stephen M. Ross School of Business.</p>
<p>Today was the start of a planned two-day walkout by members of the Graduate Employees Organization, which represents 1,700 graduate student instructors and staff assistants who are bargaining for a new contract with the university.</p>
<p>The typical graduate student instructor teaches 16.5 to 20 hours per week during the eight-month academic year, receiving a salary of $15,199, university-paid health and dental benefits and a full tuition waiver, according to the university.</p>
<p>Graduate student instructors teach about one-quarter of all teaching hours at the university.</p>
<p>The union held a one-day walkout in 2005 during the last round of contract talks.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>... Next!</p>
<p>keefer,
There aren't many GSIs at Michigan, huh? It's kind of hard to refute truth, you know.</p>