Really? Does EVERYbody work that hard?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Harvey Mudd College
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<p>"Yes, the problem is that inner-city schools are weaker academically than private schools or top-tier public schools, but Mudd isn’t doing anything to help that problem. Sure, they accept them, but they kind of do throw them to the dogs, even if they are the same dogs as everyone else gets, and you get drop-outs as a result. "</p>

<p>You are asking one of the top technical undergraduate institutions in the country to alleviate its requirements or rigor? That will never happen. Period.</p>

<p>You have NO CLUE as to how far Mudd goes to help less-privileged kids. They probably do more than any other school. Between free Upward Bound (aimed at low-income under represented minorities) programs during the summer and every weekend throughout the year, Science Bus outreach programs, sponsored volunteer trips to areas that need aid, local volunteer work, and its drive for better general science/math education, Mudd has done more than its share of aid to those less fortunate.</p>

<p>It really ****es me off to hear complaints about Mudd giving someone an opportunity (probably with associated financial aid) and that person turning around and saying that the school is bad for it.</p>

<p>Let’s get into the topic of reverse racism here… which is really racism. I’m a white male and no one gives a **** as to what my heritage is. They see me as a privileged white boy with no heritage or social issues. Let’s rewind 60 years to WWII where HALF of my people (in the world) were systematically exterminated. This is part of my history that I don’t leverage even though it brings pain and discomfort with all the anti-semitism in the world today. It is time to move on and make the best of what I have…</p>

<p>And no, my early education and such wasn’t smooth sailing either. I worked my A$$ off to get where I am. I went from the bottom to the top because I WANTED TO. The best way to stick it to the man is the defy all odds and kick some serious butt. I’m not happy about dropping $200,000 on four years of education (it caused a lot of family financial problems) but I’m GRATEFUL for the opportunity awarded to me.</p>

<p>Nearly everyone has their cultural issues. Yes, some people have it harder than others but Mudd has tried to see people for their potential and wants to help. If your student is not prepared sufficiently (due to a lack of quality education) Mudd tries to recognize this challenge and see what you did with this barrier. They do not admit anyone out of pity (and I hope they never will) so they obviously thought that while this may be a challenge of a lifetime, that your son was worth the acceptance.</p>

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<p>“I still think that if you did not score 750/800 on Math II, do math problems for fun and think physics is easy, give HMC a pass.”</p>

<p>It is not about what your credentials are or if you think something is fun and easy. It is about whether you are up to the challenge.</p>

<p>People could learn a lot about going to the moon in the 1960’s. Only 20 days after our first American in space, President Kennedy challenged America to put a human on the moon before the end of the decade. Within 8 years, we had gone from being confined to our planet to walking on another.</p>

<p>…and to Kennedy it wasn’t about technological superiority. Prior to his assassination, he was discussing a joint moon effort with the USSR, which was not resumed after his death. It was about the human challenge to him. We managed to meet that “impossible” challenge.</p>

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<p>@ apathy: I couldn’t disagree more when you say Mudd takes students with less rigorous preparation “and throws them to the dogs”</p>

<p>They have multiple programs to help people catch up. It starts with Summer Institute, which is a few weeks of classes and leadership activities before Orientation. The program is specifically aimed at those from ethnically and economically diverse backgrounds. About 20% of the Freshman class attends, and those that attended this year seemed to have a smoother transition, especially socially.</p>

<p>They also send out physics and chemistry pre-tests during the summer to make sure everyone has the basics covered in those areas. For those that don’t do well on those, they have review sessions during the first few weeks of class. </p>

<p>There’s also Academic Excellence, the tutoring program for Core classes. There are separate sessions for math, physics, chemistry, etc. all taught by upperclassmen who are majoring in the subject they tutor. A fair number of people will go to these regularly, and almost everyone I know has gone once or twice.</p>

<p>With everything they do, anyone with determination and decent time management skills can do well.</p>

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<p>^ This is really good to know. Maybe I won’t be a failure after all haha.</p>

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<p>No, I am not asking that, why would I ask that? Did it seem like I came off that way? If so, I didn’t mean to.</p>

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<p>Don’t accuse me of things that aren’t true. I do have a clue what Mudd does. Yeah I did Upward Bound. It’s a good program, though many of my fellow tutors got really frustrated because their charges weren’t perfect little angels. I’m talking about Mudd’s own students though.</p>

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<p>I don’t say that the school is bad for giving them the opportunity. I say that the school needs to help them be able to keep that opportunity, not leave them to swim the rest of the way themselves.</p>

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<p>…No, let’s not get into that topic. Why are you bringing up reverse racism? In what way am I attacking white people? (nevermind my own opinions about the validity of “reverse racism”) I say Mudd needs to do better at recruiting and retaining lower-class, people of color, and I stand by that. And thanks for telling me I “leverage” my race, because you know, it obviously helps me gain privilege in all sorts of situations.</p>

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<p>You’re right about SI, but some people can’t do it cause of time restrictions and what-not. 20% don’t usually attend, this year they had unusually high attendance because of some super grant thing that was given to OID. I know not everyone takes the pre-tests. Maybe they should, but they don’t. That is probably their own problem. Also, AE isn’t very helpful from my experience. The tutors always seem to be overloaded with students when I go.</p>

<p>And again, the professors are incredibly helpful, but the help goes to those who know how to ask for it. Those Upward Bound kids, I had to ask them if they needed help on anything. On their own they never would have asked me, even when they were struggling with something. Being told simply to work harder might not be because the professor is uncaring, but because the student doesn’t know what to ask. People might be too intimidated, too embarrassed, just learned not to ask for help.</p>

<p>I think the college makes efforts, but I think they could specifically reach out better somehow to struggling students, maybe? I don’t know, academic advisory notices don’t seem to do much for people. It worries me when people struggle so much despite giving their best efforts. It’s soul-crushing. And again, disproportionately the people I know who are struggling that much come from lower-class backgrounds. And the makeup of the school, it’s overwhelmingly white.</p>

<p>I may have sounded harsh, but I think Mudd is a great school. For math and science. I would have transferred out of there if I didn’t think it was.</p>

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<p>Sorry Apathy,
Even though I quoted you, I was directing my frustration more at BiCoastalMamma. That probably makes a bit more sense, eh?</p>

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<p>Physics actually destroyed me when I first came to Mudd; I found EM really hard. Nevertheless Mudd trained me and now I in fact do find most of physics easy.</p>

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According to my son, the class of 2013 is one of the most well-prepared in Mudd history. For an “average” Muddfrosh this year, comparison with his classmates could actually be misleading and demoralizing… at least, it was for geek_son for a while. All’s well that ends well, in his case. Like BcM’s son, he found himself considerably less prepared for the Core than most of his peers. He struggled until late in the semester, but then it started to “click” right at the end. He says that’s the Mudd effect at work! I think AE was a godsend for him, and several of the profs were remarkably accommodating and helpful.</p>

<p>geek_son also told me that he knew of only one student who was likely to flunk out this semester. They call him “ITR X” (where X is his first name). This student showed up for chem lab only a couple of times this year… didn’t show up to class very often, and slept through class when he did. Perhaps he was conserving his energy for the ITR games, for which he showed considerable enthusiasm (for those who don’t know, ITR games are late-night battles that involve running around in tunnels armed with a 12" tube of paper wrapped in duct tape – not to be confused with “Ineligible To Register”).</p>

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<p>“Perhaps he was conserving his energy for the ITR games, for which he showed considerable enthusiasm (for those who don’t know, ITR games are late-night battles that involve running around in tunnels armed with a 12” tube of paper wrapped in duct tap"</p>

<p>Those games always annoyed me. I would be down in my lab working at midnight or later and then there would be screaming down the hall and then I would walk out and someone would come up and attack me with a tube and I was like “W.T.F., mate?”. One year I was on such a deadline that I had to challenge them to play silently. I think they’re glad I graduated.</p>

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<p>ok, but I think your remarks were still unjustified and uncalled for. Anyway, let’s put this behind.</p>

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Lol ITR games.</p>