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Ireland's big school secret: how a year off-curriculum changes teenage lives

(www.theguardian.com)
204 points joveian | 3 comments | 16 Oct 24 17:36 UTC | HN request time: 0.002s | source
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petesergeant ◴[16 Oct 24 19:11 UTC] No.41862683[source]▶
> What he really wanted to close was the cultural gap between rich and poor

This sounds great!

> Then there is the financial aspect of TY: some parents just can’t afford it.

oh for fuck's sake

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alephnerd ◴[16 Oct 24 19:26 UTC] No.41862852[source]▶
Yep! Good extracurriculars are expensive.

I remember taking part in Debate, MUN, XC, DECA, Wrestling, Quiz Bowl, Volunteering (NHS/CSF), and a bunch of Olympiads in HS and there was always a cost associated with participating (either a fee or the need to travel to the place hosting the EC).

Unsurprisingly, this meant ECs would skew upper middle class and upper class. Sadly, these same ECs are also blockers for college admissions.

I might get hate for this on HN, but this is why I support unweighted GPA, relative class ranking, and SAT/ACT for college admissions - sort of like what the UCs do. It's the least bad option out of the other options. Alternatively, going open entry with university admissions and then ramping up the difficulty with weedout classes is a good option as well.

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1. rahimnathwani ◴[16 Oct 24 20:21 UTC] No.41863433[source]▶

  unweighted GPA, relative class ranking, and SAT/ACT for college admissions - sort of like what the UCs do
UC admissions decisions don't use SAT or ACT scores.

Relative class ranking is a poor measure for students who gained entry (by merit) to a selective high school.

Like if you do well in middle school and get into Lowell by the skin of your teeth, should you be penalized for being in the bottom 10%?

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2. alephnerd ◴[16 Oct 24 20:45 UTC] No.41863683[source]▶
> UC admissions decisions don't use SAT or ACT scores.

Ope. I forgot that changed after COVID.

Pre-COVID SAT/ACT was required.

> Like if you do well in middle school and get into Lowell by the skin of your teeth, should you be penalized for being in the bottom 10%?

Someone is always going to be penalized no matter what. Most schools in California as well as nationally are not specialized or gatekept via entrance exams like Lowell was.

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3. rahimnathwani ◴[16 Oct 24 21:01 UTC] No.41863827[source]▶

  Most schools in California as well as nationally are not specialized or gatekept via entrance exams like Lowell was.
Right, but 'school' is not the relevant unit. 'Student' is the relevant unit.

Imagine the top 10% of middle school students in SF go to Lowell. Half of those will be in the bottom half of the graduating class.

So 5% of students in SF (half of the best 10%) might not get into their UC of choice, just because they managed to get into Lowell.

That's a lot of students' futures we're talking about. Why penalize half of the best students in SF?