“I got out” bad for recruiting

[Gold1]

He's right

 

[TromboneJacket]

This is true. The shaft is mostly gone from Tech. Its a real shame, because based on my grades in high school, I probably barely got into Tech. But I graduated with a 3.2 because I worked my butt off. I don't care how smart you are, a certain percentage of people play video games all day, drink all night, and skip classes and goof off. Letting these people slide through is terrible. Tech is a lot easier than it used to be. Now on the flip side, our reputation is a lot better (in my opinion) than it was when I was there 25 or whatever years ago. So (I believe) our average student IS a lot better of a student than a long time ago and that does matter with retention. In fact I used to curse the 'system' when I was at Tech because if the class was full of Einsteins and professors had their set curve, 20% of Einsteins would fail out each class...and why was that fair? ....Its because a certain percentage of Einsteins do play video games all day, drink all night, and skip class, etc.

Its a new world. And its okay.

Now if someone wants to argue that humanity has changed and 10% or whatever of students don't play video games all day or drink all night etc etc I'm happy to have that debate. I can't imagine the basic profile of a human in that regard has changed.

As someone who recently graduated from Tech, the shaft is very much still around. I don’t know anyone in engineering who played video games and drank alcohol all day. I don’t care how Tech used to be; if you don’t put in the work, you’ll fail out. I had a class for which every single day I poured hours of intense study, effort, and every study strategy I knew into, not to mention the hours I spent in the professor’s office getting help on concepts that caused me to struggle, more than I put into any class before or since, and for my blood sweat and tears I got the only D in my academic career. Maybe Tech is easier than it was. Maybe that used to be every class. But to claim that Tech has gotten so easy that people are getting through without putting in work is frankly a huge insult to the people who are spending sleepless nights working like crazy. And sometimes the grades don’t reflect the amount of work; people can have comparative advantages and disadvantages after all. Sorry to go off on you a bit, but I promise that if anyone is getting through Tech with minimal effort, it’s because that person is so insanely smart that they don’t need to study.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

As someone who recently graduated from Tech, the shaft is very much still around. I don’t know anyone in engineering who played video games and drank alcohol all day. I don’t care how Tech used to be; if you don’t put in the work, you’ll fail out. I had a class for which every single day I poured hours of intense study, effort, and every study strategy I knew into, not to mention the hours I spent in the professor’s office getting help on concepts that caused me to struggle, more than I put into any class before or since, and for my blood sweat and tears I got the only D in my academic career. Maybe Tech is easier than it was. Maybe that used to be every class. But to claim that Tech has gotten so easy that people are getting through without putting in work is frankly a huge insult to the people who are spending sleepless nights working like crazy. And sometimes the grades don’t reflect the amount of work; people can have comparative advantages and disadvantages after all. Sorry to go off on you a bit, but I promise that if anyone is getting through Tech with minimal effort, it’s because that person is so insanely smart that they don’t need to study.

“But to claim that Tech has gotten so easy that people are getting through without putting in work” - I can’t speak for anybody but me, but I certainly didn’t mean to imply that. I had tons of professors who had their set curve...so it didn’t matter how smart you were or how hard you worked - the grades were put to that curve. So your only shot was to outwork everyone else. I think Tech is a lot more selective now, so the average student is much more prepared and is in fact much more talented/smart. But that is only one piece to the puzzle. The professors and philosophy at Texh had to change too to have the retention rates we have. Because again, 25 years ago if we had a class full of people just like you, they still would have been put in to that same grade curve in many classes. It’s dramatically different to have a very hard class, but one where everyone does have a theoretical chance of an A if they all work their butts off versus one where it doesn’t matter what you do because they have their curve. I don’t know if I’m splitting hairs or if then even makes sense. But I’m certainly not trying to imply you can get through Tech while loafing around.

 

[GT_05]

As someone who recently graduated from Tech, the shaft is very much still around. I don’t know anyone in engineering who played video games and drank alcohol all day. I don’t care how Tech used to be; if you don’t put in the work, you’ll fail out. I had a class for which every single day I poured hours of intense study, effort, and every study strategy I knew into, not to mention the hours I spent in the professor’s office getting help on concepts that caused me to struggle, more than I put into any class before or since, and for my blood sweat and tears I got the only D in my academic career. Maybe Tech is easier than it was. Maybe that used to be every class. But to claim that Tech has gotten so easy that people are getting through without putting in work is frankly a huge insult to the people who are spending sleepless nights working like crazy. And sometimes the grades don’t reflect the amount of work; people can have comparative advantages and disadvantages after all. Sorry to go off on you a bit, but I promise that if anyone is getting through Tech with minimal effort, it’s because that person is so insanely smart that they don’t need to study.

Sorry for the sleepless nights but I was glad to read your post. I’m glad to hear that the rigor is still there. I also had a lot of sleepless nights, often doubted my abilities, and was pretty down sometimes because I was always saying “no” to doing things I really wanted to do. I should probably hate Tech but I love it. Go Jackets!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TromboneJacket]

“But to claim that Tech has gotten so easy that people are getting through without putting in work” - I can’t speak for anybody but me, but I certainly didn’t mean to imply that. I had tons of professors who had their set curve...so it didn’t matter how smart you were or how hard you worked - the grades were put to that curve. So your only shot was to outwork everyone else. I think Tech is a lot more selective now, so the average student is much more prepared and is in fact much more talented/smart. But that is only one piece to the puzzle. The professors and philosophy at Texh had to change too to have the retention rates we have. Because again, 25 years ago if we had a class full of people just like you, they still would have been put in to that same grade curve in many classes. It’s dramatically different to have a very hard class, but one where everyone does have a theoretical chance of an A if they all work their butts off versus one where it doesn’t matter what you do because they have their curve. I don’t know if I’m splitting hairs or if then even makes sense. But I’m certainly not trying to imply you can get through Tech while loafing around.

I appreciate the clarification. I agree that curves can be a real pain. I've generally felt that a curve should be a temporary solution to a class whose average is too low and that if a class needs to be curved then the course material and presentation need to be reworked. Ideally, a class should have the desired grade distribution without a curve, but I've definitely experienced professors who used curves to hide the fact that no one in the class could absorb more than 40% of the information. I also think that a curve should never be implemented to artificially decrease the class average, but luckily I've only heard of that happening once, and it was a low-level econ course with plenty of other professors and sections.

 

[tmhunter52]

Sorry for the sleepless nights but I was glad to read your post. I’m glad to hear that the rigor is still there. I also had a lot of sleepless nights, often doubted my abilities, and was pretty down sometimes because I was always saying “no” to doing things I really wanted to do. I should probably hate Tech but I love it. Go Jackets

 

[bke1984]

I honestly never say, "I got out." I loved my time at Tech and did incredibly well. I honestly never understood the frustration from everyone...most of the times when people weren't doing well it was a result of:

1. Not going to class
2. Not doing homework
3. Not going to office hours or asking for help when needed

Every one of those things is the result of having time preoccupied by something...be it games (video/sports), girlfriends/boyfriends, parties, etc.

Tech basically prepares you for what it's like in the real world. If you screw around and don't work you fail out at Tech...if you screw around and don't do your job you get fired. Pretty simple if you ask me...

 

[ilovetheoption]

This has always stuck me as self evident.

Gt fans paint almost invariably paint their time at gt as miserable, and focus on the negative. Yeah, there are SOME football players who want that, but most people (myself included) would say "...uhhh, no thanks"

You guys do a horrible job of making the georgia tech experience sound at all desirable

 

[bke1984]

This has always stuck me as self evident.

Gt fans paint almost invariably paint their time at gt as miserable, and focus on the negative. Yeah, there are SOME football players who want that, but most people (myself included) would say "...uhhh, no thanks"

You guys do a horrible job of making the georgia tech experience sound at all desirable

I guess this is just a common phrase for people from Virginia

 

[RamblinWreck92]

...I had a class for which every single day I poured hours of intense study, effort, and every study strategy I knew into, not to mention the hours I spent in the professor’s office getting help on concepts that caused me to struggle, more than I put into any class before or since, and for my blood sweat and tears I got the only D in my academic career. ...

That describes my E-mag experience to a freaking "T", pun intended.

 

[RamblinWreck92]

This has always stuck me as self evident.

Gt fans paint almost invariably paint their time at gt as miserable, and focus on the negative. Yeah, there are SOME football players who want that, but most people (myself included) would say "...uhhh, no thanks"

You guys do a horrible job of making the georgia tech experience sound at all desirable

Well, we could say how awesome it was and how much fun we had and describe all the parties and hot women.

But they'd find out soon enough that we're a bunch of damn liars.

 

[Skeptic]

At Tech, we "get OUT" of the Institute. In the cesspool, many get put IN an institute, and there's no getting out of that kind of institute.

It may be fine for the "in" people. A lot of us aren't. And I would guess any attempt to get fans involve converts from all over. "Get out" sounds like, well, just a jailbreak. Got to be a better one than that.

 

[Skeptic]

Yes, one that required use of advanced mathematical techniques under high stress to escape in time. I’m sure there’s a joke about a Shaft in there too.

Never been in one but I think a) quick decision and b) fleetness of foot are 1 and 2 and there is no 3.

 

[GTpdm]

“The few. The proud. The Marines.”

“I got out.”

One expresses pride in facing a challenge to become elite. So does the other. Only one of the two, though, makes for good branding.

I’m with Todd.

 

[4shotB]

You guys do a horrible job of making the georgia tech experience sound at all desirable

Actually, Georgia Tech did a lot to shape our narrative. Am I glad I went there? Yes, it was a great investment...the ROI on the blood, sweat and tears was tremendous. Was it fun? No, it wasn't. It's nothing like most schools at all with the exception of the service academies. I'm glad I got out. It was not for the faint of heart but I'm glad (I guess) that they are trying to change the culture.

 

[FredJacket]

I haven't read this entire thread. What I have read is quite entertaining. If TStan is thinking through the implications of "I got out" for the overall future health of GTAA....then I conclusively conclude:
1) He's a genius who's turning over every rock OR
2) He's lost in minutiae

Even though I got out back in the day, with by all accounts an internationally respected degree from The Institute, I am clueless on which it is...I'll trust him to know better than I; but it seems much ado about nothing.

How about this for a compromise...?
Tech Athletes "got out" of their Russell gear!

 

[Animal02]

I saw that earlier. I'm not sure I agree, although I do understand what he's saying. To me "getting out" is sort of a badge of honor, and maybe we could capitalize more on it and what the long term ramifications are.

Isn’t the proper term “Escaped”

 

[Animal02]

Actually, Georgia Tech did a lot to shape our narrative. Am I glad I went there? Yes, it was a great investment...the ROI on the blood, sweat and tears was tremendous. Was it fun? No, it wasn't. It's nothing like most schools at all with the exception of the service academies. I'm glad I got out. It was not for the faint of heart but I'm glad (I guess) that they are trying to change the culture.

I don’t know...I had lots of fun at Tech.....and the GPA to prove it.

 

[Animal02]

“But to claim that Tech has gotten so easy that people are getting through without putting in work” - I can’t speak for anybody but me, but I certainly didn’t mean to imply that. I had tons of professors who had their set curve...so it didn’t matter how smart you were or how hard you worked - the grades were put to that curve. So your only shot was to outwork everyone else. I think Tech is a lot more selective now, so the average student is much more prepared and is in fact much more talented/smart. But that is only one piece to the puzzle. The professors and philosophy at Texh had to change too to have the retention rates we have. Because again, 25 years ago if we had a class full of people just like you, they still would have been put in to that same grade curve in many classes. It’s dramatically different to have a very hard class, but one where everyone does have a theoretical chance of an A if they all work their butts off versus one where it doesn’t matter what you do because they have their curve. I don’t know if I’m splitting hairs or if then even makes sense. But I’m certainly not trying to imply you can get through Tech while loafing around.

When I was there, the students that “barely got in” often did better than the h.s valedictorian that breezed through H.S.

 

[jacket_fan]

I thought TStan wanted to promote Tech as an elite academic school? Seems like the tradition of "getting out" would fit right in with that vision.