Ricochet College Entrance Exam
We’ve all seen the surveys—the ones showing how poorly informed Americans are about basic stuff like history, civics, science, and geography. So let’s pretend Rob and Peter decide to take this problem into their own hands. Let’s help them create a Ricochet College entrance exam for 17 year-olds.
Can you think of some sample questions that would uncover a young student’s basic grasp of history, science, art, and music? (Perhaps there’d be a separate test for math, literature, and grammar, and we could add an essay at some point.) But let’s start with some short-answer questions/requirements.
I’ll start. Feel free to argue against any suggestion as too easy or hard (I don’t have a 17-year-old) or tweak my wording. Let’s try to remember, however, that we want solid but broad understanding. We’re not necessarily out to trick anyone. Okay….
Applicants should be able to:
1.) Identify the first three, and the last five, U.S. presidents.
2.) Label all the countries of the world with 90% accuracy. (Say there are 195 countries. That would mean an applicant would need to identify 176 correctly.)
3) Label a map of the United States.
4) Label the parts of an animal cell.
5) Label the organs and their basic functions in a human body.
Would we want them to be able to identify a musical piece or two? Perhaps identify elements that place a piece of art or architecture in a certain era? Which musical pieces? Which artworks? Certainly, there should be a Who Am I? section for which applicants would need to identify historical figures in 2-3 sentences. Who are the key people? Ideas?
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Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
I was with you, Ursula, right up to item 5). What's the spleen do again?
Jul '10
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
Along with basic algebra, geometry and trig I'd include a few questions about basic symbolic/propositional logic.
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
I'm a fan of "put the following events in their historical order" questions.
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
Ursula Hennessey: Let’s help them create a Ricochet College entrance exam for 17 year-olds.
Can you think of some sample questions that would uncover a young student’s basic grasp of history, science, art, and music?
Urusula, when I was in Boston University graduate school for journalism (I know, I know), I was a teaching assistant for one of the courses the freshman had to take. Few journalism courses required the reading of books, and when they did, these were universally awful books on the sociology of journalism or some other nonsense. The students were, however, supposed to read 2-3 papers a day.
This was 1980, but I well remember the appalling results on basic knowledge of American politics and culture. For example, when asked to identify "Jesse Helms," a number wrote down "civil rights leader"; I suppose Senator Helms regarded him thus, but believe that the more likely explanation was a confusion with another famous leader named Jesse. Ditto for "John Paul Stevens." Many confidently checked him off as "pope," which in a way he too was -- but not the way they supposed. The easier the test the more revealing.
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
Peter, after reading through your post on the Cold War, I assume you'd like Stalin, Khrushchev, and Lenin on the Who Am I? section? Or would you simply prefer to teach this course to incoming freshmen?
James -- gimme a sample one! (Well, not *me* but the readers ...)
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
I would start with some basic questions--like what are the three branches of government, who gave the Gettysburg address, what are some of the inalienable rights from the Declaration of Independence? Apparently, these are questions that over 60% of college students couldn't answer.
Jul '10
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
My first thought when reading this was
"Jeopardy again?"
All the science questions are/were invariably about biology. If they were about chemistry or physics, it would be so simple: Fe. What is the chemical symbol for iron? Or force equals mass times acceleration (of course in algebraic form - Newton's 2nd Law).
I'd ask
1. What are Newton's three laws of motion?
2. What are the Laws of Thermodynamics? Bonus points if they get the fourth.
Jun '10
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
I'm not sure I could name 176 countries, and I teach geography. The island nations of the Caribbean and Pacific are rather obscure, and not significant in any way except that they are sovereign.
However, for history knowledge, I would expect students to know the three periods of western history (ancient, medieval, and modern), and be able to describe the characteristics of each along with approximate dates.
For government, I would expect them to write an explanatory essay on the reasons for divided government and the role of each branch in the American system.
For economics, define the difference between capitalism and a command economy.
And for comparative religion, to know the basic tenets of each of the world's great five and the pedigree of each.
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
It seems I wouldn't have made it into college at all. Label all the countries of the world with 90 percent accuracy? I still couldn't do it. Parts of a cell? I remember there are prokaryotes, eukaryotes ... a nucleus, right? Oh, mitochondria, I remember that ... and what's the tail thing called? A flagellum?
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
Claire, that's pretty good. I'm sure Rob and Peter would give you credit for that one.
As for geography, I just know that my 4th grade students memorized all the countries of the world and most of them knew -- REALLY knew -- about 95% by the end of year test. Now, of course, they were studying JUST for that test (and for some reason -- their age? -- they found the challenge to be super-inspiring), but I would hope that they'd cycle back through world geography a few more times before and during high school. However, Paules is correct about those random islands. Maybe there's a way to do continental countries or something ...
I guess what I'm noticing is that it's hard to expect a basic knowledge in many areas. Maybe science isn't that important? But wouldn't a nurse, engineer, or doctor disagree? Is geography more important than identifying a Monet, a flying buttress, a Mozart? Probably. But what should a high school educated citizen know?
May '10
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
At the risk of sounding like an arrogant American, who cares about 90% of the nations in the world. Most nations at present are lines drawn on a map. They don't effect world events in a significant way. Why is this information important to know?
While I can name the parts of a cell, does knowing this make for a better citizen? If the point of high school is to produced citizen workers, I would much rather hope they know the basics:
How to balance a budget, basic macro and micro economics, be able to read at a 12 grade level, and able to figure out change for a dollar.
History wise, they need to know about America, why it is so great, how Western civilization stands apart from the rest of the world, and teach them about how evil places like China are.
Science wise: they need to know enough about science to understand how it works, how it can be twisted, and what statistical significance really means. In short, they need to understand what to ask for to know if they are being lied too.
I am not holding my breath.
May '10
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
There's no need to know anything anymore, general knowledge is just a Google or Wikipedia search away. Sure, that won't help much when you're in an argument, and your life will be less rich because of it, but so much communication takes place through slower electronic means that there's no reason to have instant knowledge. Instant information access is enough. Those Ann Arbor townies that win trivia every Monday night? Bathroom breaks and an iPhone. Knowledge is only had because of a love of knowledge; the practical reasons for knowledge are fading fast. You still need a general knowledge to know when you don't know something, but otherwise you just need to know where to look.
I thought "Zeppelin bassist" was coming.
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
Ugh, you're depressing me, Joe. In one way, I agree. We do need, probably, to stress more logic and critical thinking but I find it a bit shocking to accept that if it can be looked up, it's not worth teaching/learning. If it's true that there are, like, 7 people in the world who can turn off the Internet, maybe we should safeguard our next generation against relying on it to work as their brain? I'm not particularly impressed with people who can spout off millions of facts, but I do think there are some facts necessary to appreciate the lessons one could learn if he or she took a class from the "professors" of Ricochet College -- Drs. Robinson, Hanson, McGurn ....etc.
May '10
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
To some extent, I agree with Bryan. Knowing the parts of a cell or being able to identify most nations specifically (as opposed to regionally) is not practical knowledge for most people.
I would add questions about basic survival skills. I would also ask how one can cope during a prolonged absence of electricity in the case of a natural disaster.
Jul '10
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
[QUOTE]I guess what I'm noticing is that it's hard to expect a basic knowledge in many areas.[/QUOTE]
Balderdash.
There are many students in college who should not be there. Those are the ones who do not have basic knowledge in many areas.
Here's a test from 1910 for 8th graders:
http://www.eagleforum.org/educate/2004/july04/1910.html
The fact that Claire can recite mitochondria, etc. is because she was taught it once. The fact that she does not recall it now does not mean she could not at the time. Unless, of course, she failed biology...
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
Michael Tee:
Here's a test from 1910 for 8th graders:
http://www.eagleforum.org/educate/2004/july04/1910.html
Wow! What a great link, Michael. And to think that was for 8th graders! Fascinating ... However, do you think access to the Internet, for quick fact-checking, diminishes the need for memorization?
May '10
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
I think you're right, Ursula, I guess I was more referring to the Americans-are-this-dumb surveys. I think for college prereqs there's a higher bar, assuming you take the whole person liberal arts view of college, like people were discussing in the College Curriculum thread a few days ago (I don't).
Every time I try to justify simply knowing something, it comes down to a love of people and truth. If someone says "quixotic" and you think they're mispronouncing "chaotic," you probably won't think back to Spanish windmills, and your life will be worse for it. It's a bag of potato chips, filling you up and making you feel good, even if the calories are empty.
May '10
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
Wait, do we want people well trained in their respective fields, or are we looking to create well rounded people? Is a University to train people to know _everything_ or just everything about their chosen specialty (or major).
Why should a pre-med student need to know any geography at all upon entering college? And why should an accounting major need to know any of the organs in the body? We would lose a lot of great doctors and accountants if they needed to know geography before they could enter a university.
I can understand mastery of english and grammar in all fields, but geography and anatomy? If I asked a pre-med student to name the organs in my body, it should be a slam dunk 100%, but an accounting student? who cares if he knows where his brain is if he can tell me what I can and can't deduct from ny tax?
Jul '10
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
Ursula Hennessey
Michael Tee:
Here's a test from 1910 for 8th graders:
http://www.eagleforum.org/educate/2004/july04/1910.html
Wow! What a great link, Michael. And to think that was for 8th graders! Fascinating ... However, do you think access to the Internet, for quick fact-checking, diminishes the need for memorization? · Jul 29 at 2:38pm
I always loathe the poster with Einstein that says Imagination is more important than knowledge. Absolutely not. In science and engineering, without knowledge, you cannot use your imagination for a whit. You end up tilting at windmills.
For other subjects, I think that having the knowledge at your fingertips is more useful than having to consult a source. It's time that ends up being wasted, and time is a valuable resource.
What is more, one might fall prey to inaccurate information on the web. Wikipedia is notoriously bad, especially for students. I'll say that much.
As far as accountants, sociologists, historians, and scientists to have a broad knowledge base. Yes. They should. Otherwise, they can (and will) be hoodwinked by charlatans, otherwise known as politicians.
A University is not a Vocational Technical School.
Re: Ricochet College Entrance Exam
Ryan Gaines: Why should a pre-med student need to know any geography at all upon entering college? And why should an accounting major need to know any of the organs in the body?
I can understand mastery of english and grammar in all fields, but geography and anatomy? If I asked a pre-med student to name the organs in my body, it should be a slam dunk 100%, but an accounting student? who cares if he knows where his brain is if he can tell me what I can and can't deduct from ny tax? · Jul 29 at 3:22pm
You make a good point, Ryan. I suppose my argument would be that all of these skilled workers would also be voters, right? In that case, they should have some sense of the issues. In order to grasp the issues, one should know quite a bit about the Constitution, history (lest we repeat the mistakes), and some knowledge of international affairs (which would, it would seem, require some key geography understanding), perhaps a wee bit about health care (requiring, I grant you, very little biology, but still...). What do you think?