Sometimes I take my age for granted. If I would have been born a year later, I would have probably been facing the reality that I might not have ever come to FAU. In case you live on Mars and have absolutely no idea of what is going on, in the last couple months, the state of Florida has cut the budgets of schools like FAU. That means all incoming freshmen for the class of 2012 might be getting rejected from FAU.
A lot of my high school friends are in this situation right now. It’s almost summer and a lot of them still don’t know whether or not they’re coming to FAU because of our recent lack of money.
By the looks of it all, incoming freshmen for the class of 2012 will be fewer and fewer because FAU is sending out more rejection letters to hopeful students due to the state budget cuts. In fact FAU is possibly rejecting something close to 2,000 qualified students because of this problem.
Not only that, but the atmosphere of FAU wouldn’t be the same.
I’ve often complained about FAU not being the “typical” college campus. FAU is a quiet campus compared to other big universities such as UF or UCF but with budget cuts, FAU could become what Harly Sushil, a student participating in the Save our Summer Classes rally, calls a “ghost town.”
“You think the campus is quiet on the weekends now?” says Sushil. “It’s going to be a ghost town.”
Incoming freshmen are not going to have the same college experience that I had. Even though this campus is not the traditional campus, there are some signs of human activity during the weekends. But with this immense lack of money, school will be emptier, less classes to choose from, and the entire atmosphere of a college campus will be ruined.
But for some reason, even with budget cuts looming and students rallying against them, I still didn’t pay attention.
Not only did I not care that much, but didn’t quite understand why it was such a big deal that summer classes were going to get cut (or that the budget was being cut for that matter) - after all, do people actually study during the summer?
Well, I was wrong. Now I am considering taking classes during the summer to speed up my education and I’ve realized what reducing the budget actually means for me. Some students might not be able to graduate on time because of fewer summer classes and some might not even get accepted to FAU for the very same reason.
In fact, according to this article from the Sun Sentinel , FAU's budget was cut by $6.3 million last fall and $3.3 million this spring.
Everyone is affected by this and I can’t believe I never realized how important and how much of a big deal this is. As a freshman, I’m affected by this because I still have three more years until I finish my education at FAU, three more years I have to face with the consequences of budget cuts, three more years with less summer classes, and maybe not even graduating on time because of FAU’s lack of money.
“This affects all of us,” said freshman Nadia Ismael. “Florida’s state budget cuts are changing the entire atmosphere of what school used to be. I’m just happy I’m transferring - I don’t think I can learn like this.”
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7 comments:
Okay, this one needs a bit of clarification.
FAU's freshmen class is set at 2,400 students. That means, regardless of how many applications they get, they can only take on 2,400 students.
Statistically, FAU regularly recieves 10,000+ applications for Fall term, admits about 50% of those and 40-50% of those admitted decide to attend.
However, this year college advisors are telling people to apply to more colleges because everybody is limiting their incoming classes. People who would ordinarily have been competitive for FSU are no longer in the mix, so they apply to UCF and FAU. This boosts the number of applications that FAU gets, maybe as high as 15,000 or 20,000, which means it can be more selective with its students.
Finally.
This so-called "brain boost" is a good thing because it means we'll get better students. For instance, I know two girls at work who have 1200+ SATs who are coming here after being denied by FSU.
Statistically, and from a common sense standpoint, a person with a higher GPA/SAT likely has those numbers because they're more responsible and put a lot of effort into what they do. A 3.5 student is more likely to form clubs, ace classes, go to football games, etc than your average 2.5 GPA "don't know what I'm doing with my life so I hang out in my dorm and smoke pot" beach bum.
So when we say 2,000 "qualified" students... they're qualified in the sense that they meet the minimum state standards for admission. If you look at those standards, you'd see that's not a lot - partly because the Florida Board of Education doesn't know what the hell it's doing (see the recent Academic Freedom Act for evidence).
Anyway, the 2.5ish kids tend to flunk out after the first year because - surprise - they don't go to class and do their work. So while these people were "qualified" as applicable for admission, they really shouldn't have been admitted in the first place.
Brogan said something to this effect a little while back about FAU admitting students they discovered "had no business being at the university" and would be "better served taking remedial classes at community college before stepping up to the university level."
The end result is that FAU stands to gain from this. The campus will be a better place because it's harder to get in here. (Although that doesn't mean these people will appreciate that FAU gave them a chance to go to college, so they'll rag on FAU every chance they get because it's not FSU... talk about biting the hand that feeds)
And regarding what your friend said... please. This place is ALWAYS a ghost town over the summer.
I'll tell you where this will affect you.
It will affect the funding to organizations like Program Board (they're getting majorly axed, ask them). It will affect the ability for student clubs to travel to conferences (not happening). It may translate to the closing of the Port St.Lucie campus and directing those kids to Jupiter. It will likely mean they turn the A/C up a bit (2-3 degrees) in your classes so it will definitely feel stuffy in there (happened a couple times before).
That's just what you have to do. FAU is an entity bound by a budget. In order to keep from sinking, we may have to swim with lead weights on our ankles awhile.
Thank you!
Your blog, especially this week, was poignant. Clearly this issue affects every FAU student.
However, I must disagree with the post/comment about your blog. Students with good grades and test scores in high school don't always translate those successes into college level successes.
Also, whose to say that those students that don't make it into FSU or UF won't apply and goto an out of state school instead? It seems just as probable that our state will lose some of the best minds coming out of high school as it is to assume that FAU will be their home of matriculation.
Look for classes to "disappear". Classes that are not regularly filled to capacity are more likely to get cut. Tuition will most likely increase. Some programs/clubs will probably be cut/reduced. Its one big fat shit sandwich cut into 26,000 pieces.
One more thing...
Can someone please tell the wanna-be-Kerry Bradshaw that her blog sucks? She doesn't approve ANY negative comments (even ones that do not use foul language). Maybe Dori, Michelle, or the writer of this blog can help her, because it seems that she learned everything she knows about journalism from Scott McClellan's book, "On the Background... I Don't Give a Fuck What You Think".
I'm not saying that Ana ought to be lynched/sacked, rather, tar and feathered; Lets teach her some humility through humiliation.
Its just a thought.
"However, I must disagree with the post/comment about your blog. Students with good grades and test scores in high school don't always translate those successes into college level successes."
That's right. Nothing in life is a guarantee. But you're more likely to get moderate to best results from someone with a proven track record than a person who was lazy in high school.
FAU believes these people will miraculously turn it around in college. Some do to become diamonds in the rough but look at FAU's own data... the number of diamonds in the rough are VERY few.
You can't say that just because you or your friends had 2.5's in high school and now have 3.5's in college that the system overall is a success. The larger picture, supported by the numbers, shows that it is not a success.
That's why media outlets like the Palm Beach Post have reported that we raised our admissions minimum to 2.6 (whoaaaa! watch out!) because we are taking on too many sinking ships in our harbor.
Because right now we have the ambitious workaholics that might good students surrounded by thousands of complaining do-nothings that feel like they should be congratulated just for dragging themselves out of bed for class... like FAU is privileged to be in their very presence.
I'm not saying that people don't deserve a shot at higher education. They do. It's called Palm Beach Community College. If you didn't do well in high school and feel you're better than that, put your money where your mouth is and prove it. If you've proven yourself able to handle the work, we'll welcome you with open arms and tell you that we want you to get involved in student organizations and national competitions.
Because great schools are measured by many things but graduates from great schools are valued by employers because those schools have put them through hell to be SURE those students know what they're talking about.
In contrast, you have Chemistry students graduating from FAU who don't know what a sub-atomic particle. You have journalism majors who disgrace the school by writing things like "your mad because." You have business majors who don't understand the economy.
I mean, come on. That's why the degrees mean less, the professors are demoralized and high school students are dissuaded from coming here.
The students are key to the success and prestige of the university.
College doesn't "teach" you anything... experiences (i.e. reading, working, etc.) do. There are graduates from every college that didn't pay attention and that do not know things they ought to (i.e. George Bush went to Yale; I rest my case).
There have been studies done (ask an Education prof.) that show that Students with good grades and test scores are just as likely to succeed in college as a student who didn't get good grades in high school and/or whom didn't test well.
Bottom line: FAU will lose out because of this "budget crisis".
Who is to blame?
The voters.
We (Floridians) voted for an Amendment this past January 29th that cut Property taxes an average of $240 per household. It was heralded as a "big tax cut" by (so called) Republicans and lobbyists.
What does $240 buy nowadays?
You can put gas in your car for a week.
You can buy two school books.
A Nintendo Wii.
Two pairs of Nike Air-Force-Ones.
Not much.
But people (lemmings) hear "tax cut" and cream their shorts.
This "tax cut" is responsible for the budget cuts in Florida schools and Universities. That is why there will be no Summer classes at FAU after this year. That is why more brilliant minds will be instead apply to out-of-state colleges rather than coming to FAU.
In no way whatsoever are these budget cuts a good thing.
Which of these sounds more likely?
(1.) "I was going to go to UF/FSU, but I couldn't get in because of budget cuts. Now I guess I'll have to take my 4.0 GPA to FAU. Yeah!"
(2.) "I was going to go to UF/FSU, but I couldn't get in because of budget cuts. Now I guess I'll have to take my 4.0 GPA to PBCC/BCC. Yeah!"
(3.) "I was going to go to UF/FSU, but I couldn't get in because of budget cuts. Now I guess I'll have to take my 4.0 GPA to an out-of-state school. Yeah! Florida sucks anyways!"
Answer honestly.
I agree and disagree.
You're trying to force my hand and say that 4.0 students, if not accepted at UF or FSU, will go to other excellent out-of-state colleges (like the University of Michigan).
However, you're ignoring the main reason why smart students stay in this state in the first place: Bright Futures. It only works in Florida and it's a full ride.
A friend of mine got accepted to Duke. You know how much schools like Duke cost? So he came to FAU on full scholarship instead. He's now doing very well and in graduate school.
So students can go out of state and pay the high OOS fees or they can accept full scholarships and stay in-state at places like FAU. Since I think they're more likely to do the latter, I'm going to go with the 4.0 coming to FAU. Nobody wants to be in debt, especially if it's $50k-$120k.
Believing that "college doesn't teach you anything" is a pretty ridiculous statement. Then why are you here? To pass time while the outside world teaches you everything? If that's the case, the average gas station attendant who didn't attend college should be infinitely more knowledgeable than your average college graduate since the gas station attendant didn't waste time pretending to get an education in college.
Professors relay the information but studying solidifies it. It's the yin and yang of a balanced whole.
Your Education professor was right but the devil's in the details. You said that a 2.5 and a 3.5 are just as likely to succeed in college. Right... "just as likely." Doesn't mean they will. FAU raised admissions requirements because they had hard data saying if you came to FAU with *this* high school GPA you were more likely to get *this* low GPA in your first semester at FAU. If you came in with a 2.5, I believe the average GPA for a first semester student was a 2.0. That's a C. That's saying you know the absolute "minimum" information. You call that success? It reiterates the point about being lazy. People with high GPAs don't settle for "minimums".
That being said, yes, George Bush did go to Yale. And he became the President. But he's a special case because he came from a family with oil money and schools like Yale dig that. If you take the *average* Yale student, they're much smarter, more dedicated and later on, they'll be very successful. Here's another example: MIT routinely admits people with near-perfect GPAs and SAT scores. A 1997 report showed that the aggregated revenues of companies founded by MIT graduates and affiliates would make it the twenty-fourth largest economy in the world. You can see the potential of admitting smarter students.
Most people know that college loans do not go against your credit rating; hence, when presented with the choice of going to FAU or a better out-of-state-school they are more likely to go to the out-of-state school instead.
Auburn actually does not cost that much for out of state students.
In California, the state counts your time as a student when determining residency; Florida does not.
How much do California residents pay for their college education?
So... why then wouldn't I (or anyone else with the opportunity) goto UCLA rather than FAU?
You wouldn't?
Those who wouldn't have reasons or responsibilities outside of their education that incline them to remain "local".
Fact
People get full ride scholarships in states other than their home state.
If you are smart enough to get into UF or FSU then you are probably smart enough to get into another top-tier University. I love FAU, but we're not there yet buddy
Any student with half a brain would choose to owe money to UM, Princeton, Emory, etc. than to goto FAU for free.
If FAU's budget is hard pressed enough to warrant removal of Summer terms and established degree programs, then how much money for "free rides" do you think they're going to have?
Logic... get some buddy.
Your argument would be better served without personal insults, buddy.
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