tallbutshort
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2009
- Messages
- 237
Well, I'm not sure I agree. The entire purpose of selectivity is attempting to enroll those most likely to finish the course in the "fastest" time. Those most likely to ...
And in that vein, SAs are FAR MORE SELECTIVE than the Ivies numbers aside for this simple fact ... Not only could Ivy students not complete the course, they'd not be appointed. Why? One simple reason ... most of them would not pass the CFA. It's that simple.
Thus ignoring the attempts to put a round selectivity statistics into a square appointment hole ... I'd bet a dime to a dollar more SA kids'd be admitted to Ivies than Ivies'd ever get into SAs. No brainer if one simply backs up and looks at the reality of this. As you've noted, the admissions is different. And it is that difference that ultimately makes the point.
Well then I suppose we shall just have to agree to disagree. But we can continue trying to convince each other since it's good fun
The service academies are harder to graduate from than Ivies and therefore more selective? Seems like a non sequitur to me. Selectivity has a great deal to do with level of interest.
If we look within the military at the Air Force and the Army, the same principles are at work. The Air Force's enlistment standards are higher than the Army's. They can be, because more people are interested (especially with the economy in the crapper). But if we're going to be completely honest, our soldiers have it a little harder than our airmen. Does that make the Army more selective? No, at least not in my book. Actually that's not a very good example, but it's 2 in the morning so you'll have to forgive me. My point was the more interest you have, the more selective you can be, difficulty is irrelevant.
Let's just agree that, as a general rule, you have to be really smart to get into an Ivy League school. Now if you are an incredibly intelligent kid that could have gotten into an Ivy and you actually want to go to a service academy, you probably can. Because if you do have that desire, you'll get involved in sports and seek leadership positions and all that jazz. The CFA is a ridiculously easy test to pass (especially if you're a girl...and I get to say that because I am one ). It really isn't a barrier if you truly and genuinely want to attend a service academy. The fact is, most of the Ivy kids don't.
Now let's just agree that, as a general rule, you have to be really well-rounded to get into a service academy. You have to be smart AND athletic AND other things. But you don't have to be AMAZING at anything. To get into an Ivy, you need to have something AMAZING.
I got into a service academy. I didn't get into an Ivy (actually i didn't apply to any Ivies...but Stanford rejected me ). Don't worry, I took stats, I know my personal anecdote means nothing. But I'm guessing that's how it would be for the vast majority of the SA kids.