AP English LanguageName:
ate:
AP Opening Synthesis Question, 2013-2014
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
This is the prompt for the in-class essay you will write on Monday, September 9th.
About halfway through Chapter 3: “The Trouble with Geniuses, Part 1,” Gladwell writes
“The psychologist Barry Schwartz recently proposed that elite schools give up their complex admissions process and simply hold a lottery for everyone above the threshold. ‘Put people into two categories,’ Schwartz says. ‘Good enough and not good enough. The ones who are good enough get put into a hat. And those who are not good enough get rejected.’” (83-84)
In a footnote below that, he continues
“To get a sense of how absurd the selection process at elite Ivy League schools has become, consider the following statistics. In 2008, 27,462 of the most highly qualified high school seniors in the world applied to Harvard University. Of these students, 2,500 of them scored a perfect 800 on the SAT critical reading test and 3,300 had a perfect score on the SAT math exam. More than 3,300 were ranked first in their high school class. How many did Harvard accept? About 1,600, which is to say they rejected 93 out of every 100 applicants. Is it really possible to say that one student is Harvard material and another isn't, when both have identical—and perfect—academic records? Of course not. Harvard is being dishonest. Schwartz is right. They should just have a lottery.” (84n)
Carefully read the followingeight sources. Then synthesize information from at least three of the sources and incorporate it into a coherent, well-developed essay that argues a clear position on whether Harvard should have a lottery for admissions and supports your argument.
Make sure your argument is central; use the sources to illustrate and support your reasoning. Avoid merely summarizing the sources. Indicate clearly which sources you are drawing from, whether through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. You may cite the sources as Source A, Source B, etc.
You may also bring these sources, including the book, to reference in class, and you will have the entire period to write. Do not write or outline the essay beforehand.
I will score and give comments on your essay, but it will not count in your term grade as it is for diagnostic purposes only.
SOURCES
Source A – Chapter 3: “The Trouble with Geniuses, Part 1” from Outliers (required)
Source B – other chapters fromOutliers
Source C – “Top Schools Harvard, Princeton, Williams Continue Reign in U.S. News Best Colleges
Rankings” from US News & World Report
Source D – excerpts from Harvard College Office of Admissions website
Source E – “How sunny weather lowers the college admissions bar” from The Boston Globe
Source F – “Illiberal Arts” from The New York Times Sunday Book Review
Source G – “On College-Entrance Exam Day, All of South Korea Is Put to the Test”
from The Wall Street Journal
Source H – “Research Says: Actually, Where You Go To College Matters” from NPR
Sample Synthesis / In-class Essay Rubric
While I will not be grading this essay, this is the rubric I will use to give you feedback. Almost all of the rubrics for the year will be similar if not the same.
Trait / A / B / C / DIdeas
- Main idea
- Evidence / Essay focuses on a complex main idea and supports it with specific, detailed evidence; shows the writer understands nuances of prompt or passage / Essay has a clear main idea that is supported with adequate evidence; shows writer understands main idea of prompt or passage / Main idea may be overly broad or evidence may be lacking; writer may not completely understand prompt or passage / Idea difficult to ascertain or woeful lack of evidence; writer misunderstands prompt or passage
Organization
- Lead
- Body
- Conclusion
- Transition / Essay is organized in a way that adds to the content; intro establishes main idea and grabs attention; points in body build on each other; conclusion extends argument or explains its importance / Clear, logical organization / Organization gets in the way of content in some places / Organizational problems make essay hard to read
Word Choice
- Clarity
- Precision / Word choices are precise, vivid, and clear / Word choices generally clear, could be more precise or vivid / Some vague word choices; writing needs to be more precise, vivid / Word choices often make meaning difficult to discern
Voice
- Personality / Personality of writer is evident from the essay; voice is appropriate to assignment / Personality of writer shows up occasionally; voice is mostly appropriate to assignment / No personality shows up; voice is somewhat inappropriate to assignment / Writing problems make voice impossible to ascertain; voice is inappropriate to assignment
Sentence Structure
- Variety
- Complexity
- Clarity / Sentence choices are clear, varied, and complex / Sentences are clear, with room for either more variety or complexity / Sentences are in need of more complexity or variety / Sentences need both much more variety and much more complexity
Mechanics
- Citations
- Usage / Textual citations formatted correctly; few if any basic usage errors / A few errors in textual citation or basic usage / Errors in textual citation or usage get in reader’s way / Errors in textual citation or usage make meaning hard to discern
Source C
Top Schools Harvard, Princeton, Williams Continue Reign in U.S. News Best Colleges Rankings
Among the many new rankings released are schools that provide the best value to students.
By Katy Hopkins September 12, 2012
The 2013 edition of the U.S. News & World ReportBest Colleges rankings is out, with stability at the very top of both theNational Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges lists.
Harvard University and Princeton University remained tied for the top spot in this year's list of Best National Universities, which are typically large institutions that focus on research and grant bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Williams College still reigns as the lone No. 1 among National Liberal Arts Colleges, schools that emphasize undergraduate education and grant at least half their degrees in liberal arts majors such as philosophy, English, and history.
There was slight movement right below the top National Universities. Last year's five-way tie for fifth dissolved, withthe University of Chicago bumping up to tie with Columbia Universityat fourth and the California Institute of
Do you go to a top-ranked school?
Technology sliding down to 10th. Further down the rankings, one of the biggest moves was made byRensselaer Polytechnic Institute, which leapt nine spots from a tie at 50th to a tie at 41st.
Among the National Liberal Arts Colleges, Vassar College jumped up four spots to crack the top 10, tying with Claremont McKenna College. Harvey Mudd College rose from 18th to tie for 12th, and Bard College moved up 15 spots, from a tie at 51st to a tie at 36th.
The top-ranked Regional Universities—schools that offer many undergraduate degrees, some master's, and few doctoral programs—also continued their strongholds in each quadrant of the country: Villanova Universityremains first in the North, while Rollins College, Creighton University, and Trinity University remain at the top in the South, Midwest, andWest, respectively.
There was some juggling, however, among the top Regional Colleges—schools that grant fewer than half their degrees in liberal arts disciplines and, like the Regional Universities, are grouped into four geographic quadrants. In theNorth,Cooper Unionnudged out theUnited States Coast Guard Academyfor the top spot, and downSouth,High Point UniversityoutseatedJohn Brown University. The top Regional Colleges in theMidwestandWest,Taylor UniversityandCarroll College, remained in the same spots from last year.
At schools across the country, debt is a top concern for students and their parents. A majority of studentsborrow for college—and some amount ofdebt can be healthy—but it's important toresearch your optionsbefore you take out a student loan. For reference,U.S. News provides a list of the colleges that graduatestudents with the most debt, on average, as well as a list ofcolleges where the most students receive merit aid.U.S. Newsalso ranksBest Value Schools, which provide students with the highest academic quality at the leastnet cost.
Another piece of the college investment question comes after graduation: Will your school and your major help you to land a job? To help students identify employers recruiting from their colleges,U.S. Newshas added a "Jobs and Internships" tab on each school profile page. Users can alsosearch by field of study or locationto find jobs and internships that employers are looking to fill with graduates from specific schools.
For students with a clear career path in mind, several updated rankings lists may help themnarrow their college options.U.S. Newshas ranked theBest Undergraduate Business Programsand theBest Undergraduate Engineering Programs—each of which includes specialty rankings, such asBest Accounting Programs,Best Finance Programs,Best Chemical Engineering Programs, andBest Computer Engineering Programs.
Beyond the rankings, which also include new lists ofUp-and-Coming SchoolsandA+ Schools for B Students, users can find a vast array of information onU.S. Newsschool profile pages, and in articles and blog posts written to help studentsfind the right school for them.
Source D - excerpts from the Harvard College Office of Admissions website
Source D.1 - Applying to Harvard Frequently Asked Questions: High School Preparation
Are there secondary school course requirements for admission?
There is no single academic path we expect all students to follow, but the strongest applicants take the most rigorous secondary school curricula available to them. An ideal four-year preparatory program includes four years of English, with extensive practice in writing; four years of math; four years of science: biology, chemistry, physics, and an advanced course in one of these subjects; three years of history, including American and European history; and four years of one foreign language.
Is it to a student's advantage to take advanced, accelerated or honors courses?
Yes. Although schools provide different opportunities, students should pursue the most demanding college-preparatory program available.
Must a student have certain grades or marks to be considered for admission?
The Admissions Committee recognizes that schools vary by size, academic program, and grading policies, so we do not have rigid grade requirements. There is no single academic path we expect all students to follow, but the strongest applicants take the most rigorous secondary school curricula available to them. We do seek students who achieve at a high level, and most admitted students rank in the top 10-15% of their graduating classes.
Source D.2 - A Brief Profile of the Class of 2017
Class Profile
StudentsTotal
Applicants35,023
Admitted2,048
Matriculates1,664
Yield81.2%
Admitted from Waiting List20
Geographical Breakdown
New England17.3%
Middle Atlantic22.7%
South16.8%
Midwest8.7%
Central2.3%
Mountain3.2%
Pacific17.9%
International11.1%
Intended Field of Concentration
Humanities17.7%
Social Sciences27.4%
Bio Sciences23.1%
Physical Sciences8.9%
Engineering12.5%
Computer Sciences2.7%
Math7.0%
Undecided0.7%
Ethnicity
African American11%
Asian American20%
Hispanic or Latino12%
Native American or
Pacific Islander3%
Average Financial Aid Package for Freshman Scholarship Holders 2012-2013
Total Budget$59,800
Parents’ Contribution$12,100 (20%)
Student Assets & Summer Work$1,300 (2%)
Harvard, Federal & Outside Scholarships$44,250 (74%)
Job Offer$2,150
Statistics are updated as of July 1, 2013
Source D.3 - Learning at Harvard
Harvard contributes to society through two primary activities — teaching and research — in which the University's range and quality are superb. Harvard's faculty and academic facilities — laboratories, libraries, museums, and research centers — are unsurpassed by those of any institution. The depth and breadth of the curriculum are vast, extending well beyond course offerings to many other special programs and research opportunities. Perhaps most important, Harvard offers its undergraduates the privilege of studying with exceptionally talented and motivated peers from all around the globe.
Among Harvard's most valuable intellectual assets are its students. Although they come from many different places and backgrounds and have a striking variety of talents, ambitions, and convictions, all possess a passion for learning. That energy can be felt in and out of the classroom. At least as much learning occurs in dorm rooms and dining halls as in labs and course lectures. Because undergraduate enrollment is comparatively small, there are many opportunities to get to know fellow students well. Late-night talks and dinner-table debates are very much part of the daily experience of the women and men at Harvard College.
Source E
UNCOMMON KNOWLEDGE: SURPRISING INSIGHTS FROM THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
How sunny weather lowers the college admissions bar, and more
(Wesley Bedrosian)
April 20, 2008
AS IF HIGH school seniors didn't have enough to worry about: the odds of getting into a college are affected by the weather on the day their applications are reviewed, a recent study suggests. The author of the study gained access to 682 applicant files, each with 16 different academic and extracurricular ratings, along with recommendations from two reviewers. The applicant's file also included the date each reviewer's recommendation was made, which allowed the author to link the recommendations to the weather. (The admissions offices, the author verified, all had windows.) Applications reviewed on the sunniest days were more than 10 percent likelier to be accepted, and the good weather prompted reviewers to give less weight to academic achievement.
Simonsohn, U., "Clouds Make Nerds Look Good: Field Evidence of the Impact of Incidental Factors on Decision Making," Journal of Behavioral Decision Making (April 2007).
Source F
Illiberal Arts
‘Is College Worth It?’ and ‘College (Un)bound’
ByAndrew Delbanco June 21, 2013
More than a century ago, the president of Harvard, A. Lawrence Lowell, issued a warning to America’s colleges and universities. “Institutions,” he said, “are rarely murdered. They meet their end by suicide. . . . They die because they have outlived their usefulness, or fail to do the work that the world wants done.” Most of the institutions he had in mind are still around today, but the doomsday talk is back. William J. Bennett, secretary of education under President Reagan, and Jeffrey Selingo, an editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education, believe our system is self-destructing. Their tones are different — Bennett and his co-author, David Wilezol, write in an expectant mood of good riddance, while Selingo is sympathetically alarmed — but their views are grimly consistent. College costs are up. Learning and graduation rates are down.
Bennett’s basic argument is a familiar one, at least from conservative pundits: “Too many people are going to college.” In the search for employment, he believes, a college education confers less advantage than is commonly assumed and leaves students with crushing debt. He would prefer to see the United States emulate countries like Germany, where most young people are tracked into vocational training, and he wants more Americans who do go to college to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics rather than what he calls “irrelevant material.” Before attempting college at all, students should “critically evaluate the data: student-loan debt, return on investment, lifetime salary earnings, academic performance, skills training . . . and so on.” This seems an improbable strategy for most adolescents and a surrender of hopes and dreams, especially for those whose parents have not gone to college themselves.
Selingo doesn’t propose early sorting, but he agrees that the roughly $1 trillion students owe to private and public lenders are often wasted on empty pleasures, citing as an example the 645-foot-long river-rafting feature in the “leisure pool” at Texas Tech. My own sense is that most colleges are filled with hard-working students and teachers. At underfunded, overcrowded community colleges, which enroll more than a third of the almost 18 million American undergraduates, there aren’t many leisure pools.
But student debt is certainly too high, and Bennett and Selingo are right that the financial structure of college is breaking down. Private universities face a decline in federal dollars attached to research grants; endowment returns are unlikely to achieve the double-digit norms of a few years ago; and the relentless rise in tuition (which Bennett blames partly on the ready availability of government grants and loans) is unsustainable. At public institutions, which enroll three times as many students as private colleges, the problems are worse. After a sharp drop in the state appropriations that once kept the price of attendance affordable, tuition there has been rising even faster.
Bennett approaches these issues from a strong anti-government, pro-business perspective that leads to some odd contradictions. He commends for-profit universities even though at many for-profits graduation rates are low and student debt levels high. He scolds the federal government for violating “simple, sound banking principles” by lending money to students with “no credit history” but praises “private banks that, at large risk to themselves,” do the same thing.
Even if there were a quick fix for the fiscal problems, other problems remain. According to Selingo, today’s students “regard their professors as service providers, just like a cashier at the supermarket or a waiter in a restaurant.” He sees “a power shift in the classroom” as students evaluate their teachers through questionnaires “eerily similar to customer satisfaction surveys from department stores.” And, all too often, when professors evaluate students we know the result: grade inflation.
What to do? Selingo envisions a fundamental shift in how degrees are awarded — not on the basis of credit hours completed but on competency demonstrated. He sees students taking instruction, whether at a traditional college or through an independent online provider, using “adaptive learning technologies” that “adjust to the speed at which an individual student learns.” Each student’s progress would be continually tested and achievement recognized by a certificate or “badge” that would be more reliable than today’s diplomas, which are essentially based on time spent in class rather than on how much students have actually learned.