Comment by _aavaa_ | Hacker News Reader

Comment by _aavaa_ | Hacker News Reader

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I’m not arguing against proctored exams I’m arguing against:

> proctoring that includes checking biometrics, taking photographs of the individual for posterity, oral examinations, etc.

While I personally do actually believe test like that would be better than the kinds of exams being taken by students while at university I don’t see it as a realistic option for entrance exams. That sort of thing is simply not part of North American educational culture to a large degree. And for medical schools people practice and study and drill for months in order to prepare themselves for it.

Also, for most colleges and universities it simply makes no sense to introduce such an exam (or any at all) since they accept everyone who applies; they need to in order to remain financially viable.

Ah, now I see your point. I suspect the culture will change with the times assuming people want to give any credibility to universities moving forward. I remember how rampant cheating was where I went (decades ago) that I already put very little weight into degrees.

I hope so. Though the economic realities often take precedence. The university of Waterloo is one of their most prestigious universities, so they might be able to create more rigorous entry requirements (though that does bring up the question of “are you really teaching students to be competent or simply pre-filtering for only competent students”). But they can only do this if it doesn’t impact their ability to stay solvent.

> I don’t see it as a realistic option for entrance exams.

This isn't even an entrance exam. It's an extracurricular event for high school students that people primarily write for fun...

> since they accept everyone who applies;

This on the other hand doesn't describe Waterloo CS at all.

> extracurricular

A) I know this. B) If it gives you a significant benefit to admissions, it will quickly become a metric to be gamed.

> doesn’t describe Waterloo CS

Sure and I’ve said as much in another comment, but the person I replied to was making a broad comment about higher education in general.

I actually don't believe that CCC gives you significant benefit to admission in the faculty of math compared to other factors like ECs and actual Average.

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