UC follows ANU score-dropping

The UAI (or TER as I knew them) are a joke.

There are plenty of people who, when given a chance at Uni, actually do well. Then there are others who get the “score” needed and drop out after 12 months.

Basically Uni UAIs are a joke. Irrespective of what you get, as long as you have the money to get in you’re fine. There are lots of kids who should be in Uni but miss out by 1 point and don’t have the money to get in.

My daughter completed her schooling in Queensland, and her score there equated with a score of 77 in NSW. She was admitted to an Arts degree at Sydney Uni where she scored mainly credits and majored in English and Philosophy. She then completed a Masters degree externally where she achieved mostly credits and distinctions. I believe that UAIs don’t always reflect the ability of our Year 12 students, as many don’t come into their own until they’re studying subjects they really like and have the freedom to work to their own timetables.

Ahhh,

But remember that the Year 12 scores are actually generated from a random number generator based on the performance of other classes, so none of this counts.

When my wife did a stint in college I was able to play with the marks spreadsheet used there. Wow, I have never seen so much statistical mumbo jumbo. I’ll never forget setting up a dummy class, where 12 of the 13 students got 99/100 and the 13th got 98/100. The marking sheet them declared that all the students were a ‘c’ grade, except for number 13, where they were ‘e’.

Shit in * statistical mumbo jumbo = shit out

All the TER is, is a randomiser that helps to guide the student into what society believes that they should be doing.

I’ll never forget listening to an education minister (in the late 80’s so I can’t remember which one) say that Australian students have to drop their expectations if Australia was to be a competitive force in Asia.

I don’t believe that we can compete with Asia for labour jobs. We have to use our brains.

I have no doubt there will come a time when some old folk will get to reminisce about how going to uni once meant something.

It’s pathetic to see the students’ association complaining about the decision, as if it devalues their effort in attaining the scores they did to get into uni. The average and SD of marks at ANU won’t change a bit.

I for one welcome our new underachieving overlords.

(Unfortunately) uni’s effectively operate as a commercial entity and as such those less ‘profitable’ courses will no doubt disappear.

They changed aspects of mine. The point I guess I’m making, is that sometimes courses dry up when lecturers who are ‘right up to date’ either can’t be found, or when Unis don’t bother updating courses.

Nor did they change engineering.

(in the same form, that is. Technological advances, for example, can change the face of an industry).

er, do those industries still exist?