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Who: Kimball Corson. Text and Photos not disclaimed or that are obviously not mine are copyright (c) Kimball Corson 2004-2016
Port: Lake Pleasant, AZ
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Why Top Universities Are Better

27 June 2017 | Pago Pago, American Samoa
Kimball Corson
There is a sentiment among the population that one university is a good as another, none are truly better and a degree from one is about the same as a degree from another. That is patently false. Employers know it. Institutions know it and the universities themselves know it. But why is the contrary true?

First, top universities have higher admission standards and get smarter and more able students. Secondly, they have much lower student faculty ratios. Chicago for example has professor for each seven students. Classes are small. Third, only tenure track faculty are used for teaching in most cases. No TA's that can barely speak English. No adjunct faculty paid $12/hour for teaching an occasional filler class or section.

Fourth, the faculty are much better and are paid much more. The is competition is fierce for the best faculty. Starting salaries at top universities are uniformly about $115,000 a year for new assistant professors last time I looked. They are better teachers, have better research ideas and generally do better. Additionally, Chicago, for an example I know, gives out many awards annually of $25,000 each for excellence in teaching. Fifth, top universities get and have the top senior faculty. They often but not exclusively teach the graduate students and get the best undergrads interested in going to graduate school.

Smarter and more able students, top quality teachers, smaller classes, much interactive discussion, both during and after class totally blows away on-line education or the instruction in huge lecture classes common to most state universities where students rarely even meet their teachers who are often TA's or adjunct faculty. The level and quality of discussion and scope and depth of learning is much greater. Just a totally different experience.

The American public knows better, but pretends not to because admission is tough and many did not get accepted. It is fashionable in the extreme to disparage the students of top universities but I have lived and worked among them my whole life so just don't believe it. The few exceptions do not break the rule and even they have a tendency to come around later.
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Vessel Name: Altaira
Vessel Make/Model: A Fair Weather Mariner 39 is a fast (PHRF 132), heavily ballasted (43%), high-aspect (6:1), stiff, comfortable, offshore performance cruiser by Bob Perry that goes to wind well (30 deg w/ good headway) and is also good up and down the Beaufort scale.
Hailing Port: Lake Pleasant, AZ
Crew: Kimball Corson. Text and Photos not disclaimed or that are obviously not mine are copyright (c) Kimball Corson 2004-2016
About:
Kimball Corson: I am a 75 year old solo sailor, by choice. However, I did take on a personable, but high maintenance female kitten, now a full grown cat, named KiKiPoo when she is sweet, or KatKatPo after she has just killed something like a bird or bat. [...]
Extra:
Although I was a lawyer and practiced law with good success for thirty years, creating significant new law, I never really believed in the law, the politics of law or in the over reaching self-interest of most lawyers I met. Too much exposure to Nietzsche and other good and seriously thoughtful [...]
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Profile

Who: Kimball Corson. Text and Photos not disclaimed or that are obviously not mine are copyright (c) Kimball Corson 2004-2016
Port: Lake Pleasant, AZ