Leaving (Even) the Best Behind

(Source: I don't care. Who has 10 minutes to spend on this kind of thing??)

A Lunchtime RANT from the blogger:

This was on my morning's Facebook feed: "Find the mistake." How about playing a similar game with education data?

A new study by a group of economists (!) analyzes the effect of the “Top 10%” rule on college enrollment in Texas, using an unnamed large urban district as its subject pool.  You can find that study here, along with other misinterpreted, irrelevant, and misleading work that makes one reconsider Stanford's place in higher education.

The study does provide some interesting insight by comparing those who make the cutoff (a lot of white females) to those who miss the cutoff.  The researchers found that this rule does not lead to an increase in enrollment, as these students were going to college, anyway.  The rule does affect which college they attend, though.  Students tend to matriculate at UT-Austin or A&M at the expense of private colleges and other highly-selective institutions.

Lost in the overall focus of this study was one key figure.  "Fortunately" for me, it was shown on a bar graph. The figures were derived from the researchers' calculations. Think of this like Facebook; see if you can spot the MISTAKE we're making:

Yes, you can remark that these white females choose flagship schools. That's fine. That's comfortable. Here is what is NOT FINE:

A full 42% of students who finished in the top 10% of their class in this district did not matriculate ANYWHERE! 

In fact 45% of the top 10% never took an ACT or SAT. These are the "successful" students of the bunch, not the castoffs.  We're not even considering the top 25%, let alone reconsidering the full 70% of high school graduates that die on the vine after high school.  This is just how we treat the top 10%: cutting it to less than 6% at the start--or in the case of the others, the "finish."

Out of the best and brightest students, Texas' education system has managed to kill off almost half the dreams, half the potential, half the incredible upside from this "large unnamed urban school district." That's unconscionable, immoral, and absolutely RIDICULOUS.

Down here, we call that "A Texas Miracle."

Send those smart kids to STC. Send the others, too. We'll give them a future, since nobody at UHS (Unnamed High School) seems to care.

"There are important questions that our paper does not address."

No kidding.

Sub-Zero Coke

In the course of a week, I lost my wife and a billion dollars.  March Madness is awful. One bright spot seemed to be the Coca-Cola Zero's Bracket Challenge.

I'm supposed to receive a $50 gift card, as well, to the sporting goods store of the "sponsor's choice." My guess is it's Scheel's Sporting Goods; all I have to do is drive to Iowa to redeem it.  Today, though, it hit me: my team isn't supposed to be here.  What's on the line tonight?  What is the prize if your #7 team wins it all???  Maybe you get a t-shirt!  I'd wanted one, but the "Bracket Challenge Gear" disappears amazingly fast.  Each year, I end up with credits I can't use.  Still, it seemed worth at least one more check on their site to see what was on the line tonight.

I became very interested when I saw the Coke Zero bracket with the prizes:

That's incredible!!  Who would have thought that my fortunes would turn like that?  If they win, I'm going to the Final Four in Indianapolis!  I wanted to learn more about where I would stay and if I'd get to meet Frampton or something.

When you dig for things, though, you realize this is too good to be true:

a.  Championship Game Grand Prize - A check for $50,000; Championship Game First Prizes (if any and up to 10, depending on which team wins the Championship Game) - Trip for 2 to 2015 NCAA® Men's Final Four Tournament in Indianapolis. SEE OFFICIAL RULES FOR COMPLETE PRIZING AND PROGRAM DETAILS.

Oh. I'm not GOING to the championship game, in all likelihood.  However, others who did the same things as me (and got just a little luckier) WILL be attending.

Also in the FAQ section:

1. If the Championship game winner is a Seed one team, the person with that corresponding team game piece will be the potential winner of the $50,000 prize. If a seed 2-16 wins the Championship game, all participants with the game piece corresponding to the winning team will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win the grand prize of $50,000 and one of ten trips for 2 to the 2015 NCAA® Men's Final Four Tournament in Indianapolis, IN.

Once you get to the OFFICIAL RULES, things get even worse.  Now the upper limit has dropped to six (6) winners.  No reason to put that out front.  Keep it tucked underneath messages that will tell you completely different things.

Championship Game First Prizes (if any, and up to 6, depending which team wins the Championship Game of the Tournament, see details in Section 8, above): A trip for 2 to Indianapolis, IN for the 2015 NCAA® Men's Final Four®. Trip package includes round trip, coach-class air transportation for 2 from a major airport near winner's home (determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion); 4 nights' accommodations at Sponsor's choice of hotel (single room, double occupancy); and 2 tickets to the 2015 NCAA® Men's Final Four®, which includes the National Semifinals & Championship Final Games (seat locations to be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion). Winner must travel on the dates specified by the Sponsor, surrounding the 2015 NCAA® Final Four® game, or prize will be forfeited. Travel must be round trip. Sponsor will determine airline and flight itinerary in its sole discretion. No refund or compensation will be made in the event of the cancellation or delay of any flight. Travel is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in these Official Rules, and those set forth by the Sponsor's airline carrier of choice as detailed in the passenger ticket contract.

If you live 250 miles away, Coke will pay you $0.40/mile to travel to/from Indianapolis. This Coke Zero Bracket Challenge is a HUGE promotion, and it means very little at the end to just about anyone who got involved.

I appreciate the free sodas...though they tend to "not quite materialize" after the tournament is finished. It takes months to get them, anyway. The downloads may be nice, but it will depend on the song choices. I'm not sure if the "Movie Money" will be useful at my local theatres. Still waiting for that "Frank's Used Sporting Goods" gift card...probably without any actual address to said place.

The problem is this: Coke told me it mattered, so I told people it mattered. I believed them. I viewed the initial, most public statement and took the Coca-Cola Company at that. Only curiosity led me to this kind of disappointment. Now, I guess I hope Kentucky wins.  Many will be close enough to earn that sub-IRS rate for travel.

It doesn't matter if it's a wife walking out after 23 years or a soft drink company strongly implying that this time will be different.  You should know up front, and be allowed to guard your heart and soul accordingly.