College rants: I am so pissed!

[silenus]

@Algher

Sadly, this I have been on the side of asking for those transripts. Let me tell you why:

1. We have to shred those transcripts after a period of time. Privacy laws get in the way.

2. Some admissions folks will ignore some of the data, so to cover our own ass we have to ask for all-new transcripts. I have personally caught people applying to a graduate program who had never actually earned their BA. These SAME people had gotten into other schools who had not bothered with checking out all of the paperwork.

3. Different schools have different methods for calculating GPA as well (wipe out classes re-taken, ignore sailing grades, GPA in major, GPA of quant classes, etc.).

I will run a “ask the former grad school admissions officer” thread one of these days if there is demand.

You know, I would almost accept that, but…

All of my major classes, and almost all of my minor classes, for that matter, were on the same campus I was applying at. That campus issued my diploma. That same campus admitted me to a graduate program. The program I was seeking admittance to had a lower GPA requirement than the one I had been in before. There is also the whole “every class you have ever taken, anywhere, in any subject” bullshit. If I didn’t use the units for my degree, then they are completely irrelevant to the discussion we are having and you don’t need to know them for my grad school application. My right to Privacy trumps the university’s nosiness.

[Queen_Bruin]

@Monster104

Everyone else, including many if not most of the profs at those campuses, treated it like High School reincarnated.

Well that sure as hell wasn’t my experience. Although admin was a general clusterfuck, the teaching and classes were above-par at my JC. They were supposed to bring my skills up to university level and did. I didn’t get into Berkeley and UCLA because my JC learning experience sucked, that’s for sure.

[Algher]

@silenus

You know, I would almost accept that, but…

All of my major classes, and almost all of my minor classes, for that matter, were on the same campus I was applying at. That campus issued my diploma. That same campus admitted me to a graduate program. The program I was seeking admittance to had a lower GPA requirement than the one I had been in before. There is also the whole “every class you have ever taken, anywhere, in any subject” bullshit. If I didn’t use the units for my degree, then they are completely irrelevant to the discussion we are having and you don’t need to know them for my grad school application. My right to Privacy trumps the university’s nosiness.

I was not allowed to see the transcripts of undergrads from the same university applying to grad school without them bringing them to me in printed form - this is because of the right to privacy.

The other grades ARE relevant. They speak of your total package and ability to perform regardless of interest, not just your desire to crush the stuff that interests you.

[smiling_bandit]

@Algher

Problem here is that native English speakers don’t seem to want to get advanced degrees in math anymore. This then fills the lower level classes with foreign grad students. Officially they have passed the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), but that is far from sufficient.

Which in turn is caused by horrendous math education on the Primary and Secondary levels. It wasn’t until I started taking Calculus this semester that I learned some basic stuff and started seeing that math could be fun as well as frustrating.

[Jamaika_a_jamaikaiake]

@Algher

Problem here is that native English speakers don’t seem to want to get advanced degrees in math anymore. This then fills the lower level classes with foreign grad students. Officially they have passed the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), but that is far from sufficient.

Are you sure it’s not just that there are more foreigners than Americans in the world applying to US grad schools? That would be my guess. Also, in my experience, the math grad students from China and India are just better prepared. (FWIW, I am a native-born USA-er finishing his PhD in Math)

As for you TOEFL comment, an earlier post of mine hopefully will mitigate your opinion some: cite

[Algher]

@Jamaika a jamaikaiaké

Are you sure it’s not just that there are more foreigners than Americans in the world applying to US grad schools? That would be my guess. Also, in my experience, the math grad students from China and India are just better prepared. (FWIW, I am a native-born USA-er finishing his PhD in Math)

As for you TOEFL comment, an earlier post of mine hopefully will mitigate your opinion some: cite

Interesting cite - many thanks.

I don’t know the exact numbers on grad student applications for math, I admit.

[Spezza]

Ok, here is my rant.

First year in my Masters program. Going to school out of my home town. Got a room, but I don’t want to move there until I absolutely have to - saving money. So, frosh week I nearly avoid but am told I need to be there on Thursday to “register”. Show up and presto, after signing two sheets and giving them $50 I am “registered”. Ok, no classes till Tuesday. (I only have class on Tuesdays and Thursdays.) Ok, get an email Sunday night, one class on Tuesday cancelled. Ok, but here is the frigging deal, on Wednesday evening the largest - secular - university in Canada closes down for the rest of the week for Rosh Hashana!!

So here I am, paying very good money for a Masters degree and three of my first week classes are cancelled because of a Jewish holiday. Not only that, but I get to make those classes up, and the readings, on the weekend.

I am hoping all of my university’s eating establishments have shut down during daylight hours this month to accomodate our Muslim students.