Want a higher GPA? Go to a private university.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by 1stSoon2BePhD

Also, I am feeling the lack of inflation in science grades right about now and I don't like it ooooonnnneee bit!

Or, there's another explanation for why you're receiving the grades you're receiving.

Also, across disciplines there's more grading leniency in graduate programs when departments get beyond the "gatekeeper" stage and focus on mentoring relationships, student retention and time to degree. The doctoral professor who was a hardass in your 1st and 2nd years won't necessarily be so once you've gotten to the "soon 2 be" years.

[1stSoon2BePhD]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Also, across disciplines there's more grading leniency in graduate programs when departments get beyond the "gatekeeper" stage and focus on mentoring relationships, student retention and time to degree. The doctoral professor who was a hardass in your 1st and 2nd years won't necessarily be so once you've gotten to the "soon 2 be" years.

The hardest part is that some are trying to weed out weak links while others are more nurturing. So my first semester, I had two nurturing professors who "only want to see students doing well" and now I have a hardass.

And not surprisingly, I am learning MUCH more from the hardass because I have to study harder!

[AGDee]

The underlying assumption in making their conclusion is not valid, in my opinion. That underlying assumption is that since the students at the private school have higher GPAs, it has to be due to grade inflation. Is it possible that they have significantly smaller class sizes, higher caliber professors and more stringent GPA admission requirements in the first place? While the SAT score is supposed to be the equalizing factor, is it possible that a lot of kids who had good SAT scores but lousy GPAs could only get into the public school?

I hate when research makes causal statements based on correlations alone. There are correlations that students at private schools get better grades than students at public schools. How can the assumption be that it's due to grade inflation?

ETA: Maybe a better test would be how they do on the GRE or GMAT after they've completed four years of education. Perhaps they do better.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by AGDee

The underlying assumption in making their conclusion is not valid, in my opinion. That underlying assumption is that since the students at the private school have higher GPAs, it has to be due to grade inflation. Is it possible that they have significantly smaller class sizes, higher caliber professors and more stringent GPA admission requirements in the first place? While the SAT score is supposed to be the equalizing factor, is it possible that a lot of kids who had good SAT scores but lousy GPAs could only get into the public school?

I hate when research makes causal statements based on correlations alone. There are correlations that students at private schools get better grades than students at public schools. How can the assumption be that it's due to grade inflation?

ETA: Maybe a better test would be how they do on the GRE or GMAT after they've completed four years of education. Perhaps they do better.

I think that is a very valid criticism.

[Dionysus]

Getting a higher GPA is not the only perk of attending a private univesity.

If you attend a private university the less likely you'll have classmates (or *gasp* roommates) that wear lime green nail polish or wear backwards powder blue baseball caps. Where in the hell are state schools doing their recruiting these days?

[starang21]

LMAO.

most of the kids i knew in liberal arts in undergrad dropped out of engineering school.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by starang21

LMAO.

most of the kids i knew in liberal arts in undergrad dropped out of engineering school.

Because engineering requires a special kind of person with the ability to entertain him or herself.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Because engineering requires a special kind of person with the ability to entertain him or herself.

LMAO!

palmetta and fistina are my best friends.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by starang21

LMAO!

palmetta and fistina are my best friends.

There's so much wrong with this. LOL.

[VandalSquirrel]

As someone who came from the Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, and is living in the College of Science now, I find it fascinating to watch the hard science people struggle with concepts that are more subjective, or dare I say "ambiguous." There's a class project we're doing, and the science and facts of these people, A+, the ability to integrate it with culture and reality, not so much (for some, F-). One of my classmates was so angry with statistics because it wasn't concrete enough for her, and I operate within that framework so well I just didn't understand what her problem was if she's capable of calculus and above. Perhaps some of it comes from attending college in the post (post) modern era, but I can fully accept that a) my hypothesis is based off the best information I have at this point, and it is likely to change and b) I will never know or understand everything, and I can accept that, and so will my peers.

Yay post post processual archaeology, and kooky people like Ian Hodder and Shanks & Tilley.