otium cum dignitate

Davidson's Grade Deflation Problem Continued

I've offered various personal accounts of Davidson's silly grade deflating practices.  A recent Wall Street Journal study only confirms my suspicions that such grading trends hurt Davidson alumni more then they help.

In a ranking of the top 50 undergraduate "feeder" schools based on the numbers of graduates attending top graduate programs, Davidson failed to make the list.  What is more upsetting is that many schools with lower academic rankings did somehow manage to make this top 50.

On a personal level, I think Davidson worked out fine for me in terms of law school admissions.  While my GPA was certainly lower than it would have been at other schools, I think Davidson's reputation as a grade deflating machine helped me get into schools like George Washington and Emory despite my relatively low GPA.  In the end, I probably got what I deserved in terms of admissions.  And I'm pretty sure that my Davidson undergrad education will further advantage me in the long-run. 

Still, though, it is alarming that I had heard of almost no one that had been accepted into top law, med, or business schools from my class this year.  Part of that is me just being ignorant, but it also shows that the numbers of Davidson grads finding success with admissions to these top schools is very low.

Summer Barista, Round 2

After a week of dejection stemming from my post-graduate unemployment and overall worthlessness, good ole Starbucks decided to welcome me back into it's ubiquitous corporate bosom.

In a somewhat humorous scenario, I couldn't decide whether to feel flattered or pathetic when two different managers of separate stores vied for my services yesterday morning.  In the end, the Vinings store, affectionately referred to as the "swamp" by my friend Dave and me, won me over.

While my time at the Vinings 'Bucks this summer shouldn't last for more than 7 or 8 weeks before I make my trek to England to visit Liz and then ultimately move to D.C. after that, I'm contemplating working out a transfer to a D.C. Starbucks to defer some of the $50,000+ I will be spending over the next year.  I have to admit, when it comes to jobs in the "service industry," Starbucks is pretty cool. 

Long-time readers of this blog will remember some of the more interesting and amusing stories from my stint at the North Carolina Starbucks last summer.  I imagine my time at the Vinings store will be far less chaotic, although potentially more embarrassing as I expect to be seen by numerous recognizable faces from years past. 

While trips home from college were often nostalgic in the way they made me appreciate and love Atlanta and being home, actually living here has provided a jolt of reality.  This city is overwhelmingly traffic-ridden and fairly boring overall.  I believe I'm getting ready to move on.

A review of Thomas Friedman's book should be upcoming...

PS3 Unveiled

After all this chatter about the new X-Box 360, it's about time Sony finally unveils the plans for its much anticipated PS3. 

Avid readers of this blog have probably figured out that I have a serious addiction to Madden football games.  My obsession with Madden and the NFL in general is so acute that I have traditionally cut myself off from the game as soon as the NFL season comes to an end.  Every year, February through August entails a brutal wait for the next season's Madden to be released. 

When EA sports revealed some video shots of its next-gen Madden game in a commercial during the NFL Draft this year, Madden aficionados collectively drooled in anticipation of the release of next-generation consoles from X-Box, Nintendo, and Sony.

Although X-Box plans to release its new 360 console this November, Sony will wait until next Spring to release the PS3.  Looking at the numbers, it seems Sony will have an edge in terms of sheer power, while its current edge in popularity among gamers is assumed to remain.

I'm definitely looking forward to Madden '06 this August for the PS2.  But the next-gen Madden next summer will mark a truly special moment in Madden's decade-old history as the best football video game available. 

A New Era

I officially graduated from college yesterday and received my diploma with a B.A. from Davidson. 

The whole weekend was great (except for the fact that it rained on Sunday and graduation was moved inside).  My entire family came to campus along with two of my grandparents.  Off Main, my now retired jazz quintet, played its final show at Summit on Saturday. 

After four years of a fairly consistent and predictable lifestyle, my immediate post-college days continue to feel pretty weird.  I think I am having a hard time disconnecting from the life I have developed over the last four years.  Unlike high school, college graduation is a much harsher detachment that can really take you by surprise if you're not ready for it. 

Luckily, I'm leaving Davidson with a number of things to show for my time besides my diploma.  I still have close friends that I intend to hang out with in the coming months and years.  After two years, my relationship with my girlfriend liz only continues to grow stronger by the day. 

I really can't wait for law school to begin in the fall.  At this point i'm basically 100% sure that I will be attending George Washington Law in D.C.  Fortunately, I should be living with my friend Dave from college in a new apartment beginning late this summer. 

I feel rather idle as of right now.  I'm in Atlanta for the summer and my plan is to get some sort of job (a return to Starbucks is in the making).  But I will also be making a trip to England to visit Liz and I'll hopefully make it out to Austin for a weekend to see her there too. 

In the meantime, I'll pre-occupy myself with this blog, my fantasy baseball team, and Thomas Friedman's new book.  I'm heading into unchartered territory at this point.  I knew what it was like to be a college kid.  This new post-college life is something i'm still trying to figure out.