re: LSU "Holistic" admissions?

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I think the better comparison is GPA and IQ: I would rather have a kid with a 130 IQ and a 2.8 than a student with a 110 IQ and a 3.5.

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I agree with you. But some SJW will say " some kids are just not good at IQ tests" or IQ test is designed by racists/sexists.

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I'm confused on this. Are you saying that being taught that a B is as bad as an F is the reason for grade inflation?

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Sort of. I wrote that in a mini rage, so it doesn't flow well.

There is a sizable group at any high school that believes that a B is just as bad an an F - they have panic attacks if they get a B on an assignment. The pressure from these students (and their parents) has caused teachers to be more lenient on grading, which has caused grade inflation.

I can't count the number of times in my college classroom I have received blank stares when I state something that should be completely obvious to the average American, much less a group that has done nothing but be a student all their life.

Just this morning, I had a student confused because I wrote "Do not write an academic paper in first person" at the end of his paper. Had no idea what first person meant.

High School GPA: 4.1

"LSU's standards aren't very high to begin with"

With the exception of Vanderbilt and maybe Florida, LSU's standards are on par with the rest of the SEC schools.

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A lot of high IQ kids are bored if not challenged in class.

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Yea, I want another kid who can't self-start.

Please. The sooner a kid learns that in life you sometimes have to do boring tasks to get ahead, the better. If they can't get into college because they can't self-start, then I think that college is better off without them.

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LSU's standards aren't very high to begin with

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Now imagine lowering them. This will lead to massive increases in dropout rate and an increase of remedial classes needed.

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Oversimplification really.

Tell me more about this 3.4 student vs the 3.9 student.

Did the 3.4 student come from an academically challenging high school? High ACT score? etc.

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Kid with 3.9 GPA from a traditional public school (non-magnet, known to be easier, no AP credits, weak electives, etc.)? Average ACT score? etc.

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Exactly. This is reinforcing my point.

Trust me, I understand that when you introduce subjective criteria into an admissions process, it brings with it the danger of turning the process into a frankenstein-ish monstrosity.

But IMO, boiling down a college application into a couple of numbers (GPA, standardized test score) is what is oversimplification.

It's the integrity of the university and their admissions office that should be on trial. Not the concept of a holistic admissions process.

Gpa was invented by the white man to hold people of color down

It stands for “gross privilege assay”

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But IMO, boiling down a college application into a couple of numbers (GPA, standardized test score) is what is oversimplification.

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No, it's not. It's a proven better predictor of success (graduation) than holistic. The kids with low scores and high essay don't graduate.

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The kids with low scores and high essay don't graduate.

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I never made an argument that students with low test scores should be admitted to a university. (As an aside, what do you mean by "high essay?")

A holistic admissions process shouldn't be a cover under which to accept low-performing students. It should evaluate a student based on the total value they can potentially bring to the university's academic environment.

Now, in regards to this particular topic, the schools I have in mind are ones where it's pretty much a given that nearly all admitted students will graduate. So using "propensity to graduate" as a variable in what makes a student valuable to the academic environment is fairly irrelevant (as I alluded to in my first sentence of this post). Exactly how that value is defined would depend on the particular mission/purpose of the university.

For example, the military academies operate a fairly holistic admissions process.

I'm not familiar with LSU's particular situation, so I won't assert an opinion whether a holistic admissions process is a good model for them or not. I'm just saying a holistic admissions process is not inherently a bad thing. I think it's a good thing, depending on the school and how the process is wielded.

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LSU is moving from using GPA and ACT to a Holistic review that includes essays and letters of recommendations.

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We all know why they're doing this.