[dngl]

So I'm taking a battery of tests to give the state an idea of how I am performing scholastically (so they can pretend their schools made me smart) reading ******** essay after ******** essay answering questions such as "what is Danny waiting for?" or "What should Bud Bryant do now?" and having my intelligence insulted by the embarrassingly easy questions when, all of a sudden, I see a poem from Pablo Neruda that I have to analyze. [expletives] who created the test had two questions: "What do wings symbolize?" and "What is Neruda's viewpoint regarding poetry?" What an insult to such a great poet! At least I get paid a grand of scholarship money...

 

[carlo]

the whole standardized testing system is a joke man... i'm totally with you on this one.

 

[Neruda]

lemme guess....was the poem you analyzed entitled "poetry"?

 

[secretagent44]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jon Beilin At least I get paid a grand of scholarship money...

Cry me a river....

 

[royboy2k]

Yep they are stupid. Here's a little story about testing in Minnesota:

We have these "basic standards" tests that must be passed in order to graduate from high school. I passed them in 8th grade because they are so damn easy (except for kids who have English as a second language, but that's another topic). So that's no big deal, but recently they started these "comprehensive assessment" tests that are supposed to judge our progress or some ****, I don't really know because our administration never really made it clear to the students (sounds like your test Jon Beilin, except mine was in math).
The problem is that the test really has no effect on whether or not we graduate, so rumors spread and as a result over half the junior class skipped the test (me included)! This even prompted a write-up in the paper declaring it a test boycott, which is maybe a little overboard since we just didn't feel like coming, but it was cool nonetheless.

The bad part: I ended up taking the test the next day.

 

[dngl]

Quote:

Originally posted by Neruda lemme guess....was the poem you analyzed entitled "poetry"?

And the winner is... Neruda!

Quote:

Originally posted by secretagent44 Cry me a river....

I'm not complaining. $1k for 12 hours is fiiiine by me! I just think there are better ways to get ideas for educational reform.

 

[daycart1]

Hey, Jon, bring your scholarship to UCI, and we'll do some philosophy in class and headphones after! We can face your Melos off against my Zotl, etc.. Much better than standardized junk!

 

[dngl]

I've got my mind set on Oberlin right now, but we should still chill some time and compare all our amps and 'phones... We're certainly pretty close.

 

[RMSzero]

Oberlin, the only team my school can beat in football every year.

What are you planning to do?

 

[dngl]

Some sort of research science but I am not sure of the field just yet... looking at chem or physics mainly. BTW, my cousin goes to your school.

 

[daycart1]

Jon, Oberlin is a fine choice (except for the miserable weather--I'm originally from Buffalo...)
I discovered as an undergrad at MIT that lots of folks who think they are interested in basic science are really cut out for engineering. But many do, of course, stick with the science.

I do hope there is some kind of get together out here before the big Headroom show arrives in L.A., but I guess that isn't so far off now.

But drop me a PM if you're planning to be in Irvine anytime soon.