Jeff Lebowski |
09-18-2006 02:16 AM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeWaters
why emphasize undergraduate research? because lack of research puts undergrad students at BYU at a competitive disadvantage.
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And yet BYU grads tend to be highly successful in top-notch grad schools. And every year BYU has to turn away a larger and larger number of students. It's not nearly as dire as you portray it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeWaters
I don't think schools will be veering towards the BYU model. It's failed model. Rather BYU is creeping towards the standard model. This is evidence that eventually they will adopt the standard model, or give up on any sort of excellence whatsoever.
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Obviously, you believe that the only legit model is the top-tier research school model. In reality, there are only 30 or so truly top-tier research schools. Then there is a huge middle. According to US News and World Report (I figure you won't take my word for it), BYU is somewhere in that middle.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeWaters
Looking back, I had some really terrible professors. They were nice guys, they could teach the material (largely straight from the textbook). But they in no way could prepare the students or even really advise them for success in academia. I've looked at some of the credentials of the new hires in my dept. They look to be mid-tier folks. Actually doing some research, but not top-tier stuff. Of course, this is a big improvement over the deadwood.
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That's too bad. Like I said, it varies a lot from dept. to dept.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeWaters
But then again, I don't think the church should be in the decision of designing bridges, researching antibiotics, or building the next buckyball. But who am I?
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You seem to be a bit schizophrenic here. Which is it? Should BYU try to be a top-tier research school, or fold up the tent and quit?
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeWaters
If I could do it over again, I would not have picked my major (microbio), and might not choose to go to BYU. BYU's true resource are the overqualified students it receives. It's too bad they can't capitalize on it.
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I will agree with you there. BYU gets better students than they deserve. At the same time, they let in 30,000 students and turn away many more. There is a big demand.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeWaters
And it's too bad the Mormon movers and shakers know from the outset that BYU is not the ideal place to practice their craft, due to lack of institutional support.
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This comment makes me chuckle. These "movers and shakers" are among the best and brightest and yet they are too stupid to know what they are getting themselves into. They know exactly what they are getting into, and many of them choose to be there anyway.
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