@twogirls@momofsenior1 whoa whoa. I never once said that kids take easier classes at a public college to boost GPA with As. Where did you get that? I never said anything about grades at all. I said I knew two kids who took PE classes for credit and all I meant by that was that, when they took a lot of credits that semester, they weren’t all academic. I know someone at Scripps who did the same thing. Took five credits but one was choir. My comments had nothing to do with grades just workload. And they were referring back to Amherst’s option to take fewer classes this semester. You guys see what you want to see I guess. And I never said one thing about private schools having harder classes. Where did you see that?
And @momofsenior1 when I asked how you would feel if your D was asked to take fewer credits, that was to put you in the position of a parents whose school was asking that of them. I know that Purdue costs X no matter how many classes one takes. That’s my exact point. I was curious if you thought it was ok for Amherst to encourage kids to take fewer classes for the same tuition and what would you think if Purdue did that. Amherst did lower grad requirements by one credit since they are encouraging kids to take three instead of four classes. So, your comment about how Purdue would have to change requirements is spot on. Yes, they would lower requirements for graduation. And they would ask she take fewer classes for same tuition. That was my theoretical question.
So, again, I’m completely misunderstood. Never said public school classes are easier. Never said anyone was padding GPA.
“I understand that it’s like that at public universities. Some of those credits for kids taking so many might be easier classes. I’m sure very few kids can handle a really tough load with all academic classes. I remember when my nephew took a lot of credits - it usually meant he had a “physical fitness” class or maybe a low key music class like chorus.”
My apologies. You did not say that they take easier classes to get the A. You did, however, imply that if students take a lot of classes…some of those might be easier ones.
That could be true at both public and private schools…that was my point.
FWIW…I know kids at public schools taking 5 classes and doing quite well. No easier classes that you reference…all highly academic…and these were also top students in HS. Basically what I am saying…is that there are outstanding students at all types of schools.
I think you didn’t mean to, but this statement started the private vs. public discussion. You remember your nephew taking physical fitness and decided that public school kids taking so many credits b/c they maybe easier classes. Which is not true at all.
There are a few cardinal rules on CC, and if you violate them, don’t be surprised if you get challenged, even for well intended discussion.
-Public schools are not easier than private schools
-More expensive schools are not better than less expensive schools
-Technical schools are not better than LAC schools (same with degrees)
-Smaller schools are not better than big schools
-Etc.
@twogirls of course there are stellar students at public schools. I have no idea how my comments spiraled downward into a dis on public college education. What I guess I did not understand is that it seems there are quite a few students who take max credits with challenging classes. I didn’t know that. Good for them.
Like someone already said, there are easier and harder classes at publics and privates. Hopefully students will be self aware enough to register for the classes this semester that will work best for them since it will be such a different experience. I just didn’t love the idea that any school could “suggest” taking a lighter load. Allowing that seems ok but pushing for it does not.
We are anxiously awaiting details on how my S20’s chosen university will handle the uncertainty when it comes to who will actually show up in August vs. having housing for them all. tOSU currently has about 1,500 more deposits from freshmen than the last few years. The industry knows for certain that MANY students are dual-enrolled right now (and tOSU’s deposit is only $100, making them particularly prone to that, I think). Given their size, I suspect they are better than most at predicting the level of summer melt under a certain set of conditions…but this year is a tad atypical.
I’m scratching my head over how any of them can sleep at night worrying about the possibility of more kids actually showing up than they can house. They are allowing sophomores to petition for a waiver to live off-campus, and that request was due two days ago. What IF almost none of the sophomores elect to move off campus - I know that students generally snag their off-campus housing almost a year in advance. It is not like there are a bunch of empty apartments in Columbus. Their plan for the Fall is to thin out the dorms…but what if a large percentage of the Freshmen show up?
So, to try to imagine their coping mechanisms at the moment, I am trying to learn what guidelines colleges are trying to follow in terms of dorms. Some colleges are trying to get to all singles (that makes sense), but many are fine with doubles. Do the guidelines relate more to the number of students using a bathroom? (Many rooms/suites at tOSU now have private bathrooms). Or do the guidelines limit the number of people per square feet? Per elevator? Per entrance? Anyone understand this? What is the overall strategy for dorm living to limit spread, that is?
I have to wonder if tOSU isn’t going to require more skin in the game for incoming/returning students who are seeking housing so they can better predict their numbers? Their “swing” in numbers is HUGE - they could have 1,000 too many freshmen…or…1,000 too few. Perhaps require a larger deposit right now? Are any other colleges seeking this? I would send in the entire R&B $ today if it meant my son would have some sort of sense of where he’ll be living and if he can keep his current roommate. Heck, I’d be happy with assurance that he’d actually have housing on-campus! Every time I hear of a college which is not guaranteeing housing for freshmen my blood pressure shoots up 20 points.
Nearly one-third of courses will still be taught remotely — the announcement said it would be “rare” for a student to have a full in-person class schedule. An internal survey revealed that professors teaching these courses are considered “high risk” for COVID-19, and some large classes would not allow for social distancing.
I expect many parents will tolerate it for a year, hoping things will improve. If colleges are still largely online by fall 2021, we may see major shifts in attendance.
I have looked at many private and public colleges, FYI, and Princeton and Harvard (up until this past year) are notable exceptions to the rule, but most private colleges aren’t allowing AP credits. I actually have my own spreadsheet on many, many colleges and their AP credit/placement policies, along with other pieces of information about each college. I am by no means assuming Amherst is the whole world. You seem to have a problem with me, and some of your posts are very condescending.
Nearly one-third of courses will still be taught remotely — the announcement said it would be “rare” for a student to have a full in-person class schedule. An internal survey revealed that professors teaching these courses are considered “high risk” for COVID-19, and some large classes would not allow for social distancing.
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I don’t expect any school to have class all in person. Bowdoin has been straightforward from the beginning and they are hopeful that students will have half in-person and half remote classes. Emory with 2/3 of a student’s classes in-person is pretty darn good. Students and parents can’t expect all in-person classes next year. We know that many professors are older or maybe immune compromised and colleges should allow them to teach remotely. They need to accommodate them.
@ElonMomMD Do you know of any college offering all in-person classes?
@sylvan8798 Just curious: Do you not like the students at your college? From many of your posts, it seems like you view them with disdain and you don’t like their behaviors and the way they act.
I’m trying to remember what year it was 2015/2016? that tOSU did have many more matriculate than expected and student housing was expanded by booking hotels in the area for fall semester. So when I look at the larger class this year I’m wondering if they have more spots because that class has either graduated or at least moved off campus. I think with a longer move in period they’ll be able to adjust smoothly.
@ElonMom16 it does sound horrible, doesn’t it? And I agree about the cost.
And please, I don’t need people to tell me to give kids more credit to handle it or it’s ridiculous to say tuition should be lowered, etc. I get it, I really do, but it doesn’t mean one can’t just not like it and say such.
As far as AP credit, every private my kid applied to, 8 I believe, gave AP credit.
@homerdog How they’re doing it at Amherst is all classes of 35 people or more (not very many; only some of the intro STEM classes and some of the really big-ticket humanities classes) are online and for classes under 35 people (overwhelming majority), it will be up to the professor. From the vibes many Amherst professors are giving off, it sounds like most professors who are not old and/or immunocompromised will opt to hold classes in-person for classes under 35 people.
I wonder how things are at schools that rely on a large number of full pay foreign students, like Boston U or Mount Holyoke. I expect they will dig deep into the waitlist this year.
U Rochester, Northeastern, Grinnell to name a few more.
Some of these schools are going to be in a lot of pain, unless most internationals still attend remotely so at least the schools would be receiving the tuition dollars.
I haven’t really seen any school address what they are seeing from their international students with regard to deposits/intent to attend even if remote, whether incoming frosh or returning students.
Seems odd, makes me think the news is more negative (withdrawals, transfers, gap years) than positive (still in the US and will attend in person, will attend remotely from home country).
Physical education courses in colleges are typically 0.5 to 1 credit courses, or 1/8 or 1/4 the credit value of a typical 4 credit course. Also, the amount of work to train for a marathon can be considerable, so it is not like a marathon course is “easy credit paddling” (as an experiment, try training for a marathon, counting the hours per week, and dividing by 3 to get a college credit hour equivalent).
Boston Globe yesterday - “Faculty Grow Uneasy as Universities Scramble to Bring Students Back to Campus” - includes comments from professors at BU, Northeastern, Emerson, Lesley and also mentions Purdue, Notre Dame, U Chicago…link below.
In case you can’t access it, they interviewed some faculty who feel they weren’t adequately consulted in the planning process, some who feel they still don’t know enough what the plan is for their specific classes in order to be able to prepare, some who aren’t fans of the model in which they have a live in-person class which is also streaming for remote students (too much to manage at once in terms of i-person discussion plus discussion from remote students with potentially bad connections)…and all of it presents them with concerns about health/safety as well as more work/longer hours.