Graduating from Kalamazoo College is like a circus, in which any senior or alumni can attest to the series of fiery hoops to jump through or the dangerous trapeze acts. The culminating year of a college student allows little room for the deadly disease, commonly referred to as senioritous, with SIPs, finishing requirements, coursework, extra-curricular activities, job and/or graduate school searches, and the infamous comprehensive exams. With so many activities on a typical fourth year’s plate- students, faculty, and administration has started wondering… what benefit exists for students when taking “comps?”
[Insert reportage about initial purpose]
“Everyone thinks comps are stupid,” boasts Thomas Greer, economics major. Having already obtained a job in Chicago next year, passing the exam on the first try did not finish high on his list of priorities. Recently, he took it for the third time. However, Greer shares good company with a number of students who chose not to take the test seriously. He, along with many of his classmates, subscribe to the “no one has ever not graduated because of failing comps” philosophy.
[Insert Dave Kelly]
Most departments allow their students to retake comps as many times necessary to pass. As the number of do-overs increases, the amount of information students must know decreases. For example, comps in the economics department first consist of the administration of the ______________, a national standardized test focused on the information covered during the first two classes plus an essay section comprised of six prompts based on the concepts of the three required upper level courses. The second round consists of five essays of a similar nature to those in the first. The next exam has only fifty multiple choice questions. This practice of “dumbing” down the content begs the question: if everyone eventually passes, why have them in the first place, it only wastes, both students’ and faculty members’ time?
One answer to that question exists in the awarding of honors to students for exemplary performance on their comprehensive exam. Doing well on the exam shows a particular student’s aptitude for their field, while giving the school another opportunity to venerate the hard work of an undergraduate. [Insert reportage based on honors received from comprehensive exams]
Some also argue that comps are a good way to measure professor aptitude in terms of preparing students on a national scale. It provides a standardized scale and performance can be judged against other schools, instead of comparing students within one department. Additionally, if Kalamazoo College students are outperforming others attending schools of the same caliber, it is an excellent marketing tool for the continued recruitment of the best and the brightest students.
Finally, in some areas, with specialized grad school entrance exams, studying for comps can essentially kill two birds with one stone. The Psychology department uses the Psychology specific GRE to help to better prepare students who plan on attending graduate programs after graduation. In some instances, this required students to learn new information that would help them in the long run, if their path followed the common psychology trajectory. However, not every department bases its examination off a national model.
Seemingly beneficial for science students, with graduate school in mind, comps would seem like a good refresher. Jennifer Thomson, Chemistry major, who will attend the University of Michigan in the fall, disagrees. “I loved my SIP- you need math and English on the GREs. Comps in the sciences do nothing, except waste time” she laments. She sees her SIP as an integral part of her K-Plan, as many other students and cannot see the value of comprehensive exams.
Holly Muir, Religion and Psychology dual major, who will attend law school at the University of Detroit Mercy agrees, “if you do a SIP in your department you shouldn’t have to take comps to prove that you’ve learned something.” In comparison, the SIP, for many, represents hundreds of hours of work experience and/or research connected to knowledge attained during their individual K- Plan. Contrary, comprehensive exams are nothing more than a superficial regurgitation of information. Religion majors, for instance, answered prompts written by professors, on a moodle site. Since the responses were submitted over the internet students could prepare essays or outlines ahead of time, from the privacy and comfort of any computer.
The future of comprehensive exams hangs in the balance. The Committee for Kalamazoo College’s Future, has this graduation requirement under review. Thomas Evans, music professor and committee member, asked his students for their opinions. Most of the seniors in the class, either “boo-ed,” laughed, or provided strong arguments for why they seem useless. A few talked of how they prepared them for other examinations. However, a consensus remained that each department should choose whether or not to force their students to take them. Evans, an advocate for students, promised to share their thoughts with his colleagues.
[Insert reportage from the CKCF]
For years, rumors have raced around campus, saying that with each graduating class, the abolishment of comprehensive exams. Depending on the decisions of administration students may or may not have to waste their time preparing. However, one thing remains certain, each member of the Class of 2007 will, indefinitely, have passed comps by Sunday, June 11: graduation day.
[Insert reportage about initial purpose]
“Everyone thinks comps are stupid,” boasts Thomas Greer, economics major. Having already obtained a job in Chicago next year, passing the exam on the first try did not finish high on his list of priorities. Recently, he took it for the third time. However, Greer shares good company with a number of students who chose not to take the test seriously. He, along with many of his classmates, subscribe to the “no one has ever not graduated because of failing comps” philosophy.
[Insert Dave Kelly]
Most departments allow their students to retake comps as many times necessary to pass. As the number of do-overs increases, the amount of information students must know decreases. For example, comps in the economics department first consist of the administration of the ______________, a national standardized test focused on the information covered during the first two classes plus an essay section comprised of six prompts based on the concepts of the three required upper level courses. The second round consists of five essays of a similar nature to those in the first. The next exam has only fifty multiple choice questions. This practice of “dumbing” down the content begs the question: if everyone eventually passes, why have them in the first place, it only wastes, both students’ and faculty members’ time?
One answer to that question exists in the awarding of honors to students for exemplary performance on their comprehensive exam. Doing well on the exam shows a particular student’s aptitude for their field, while giving the school another opportunity to venerate the hard work of an undergraduate. [Insert reportage based on honors received from comprehensive exams]
Some also argue that comps are a good way to measure professor aptitude in terms of preparing students on a national scale. It provides a standardized scale and performance can be judged against other schools, instead of comparing students within one department. Additionally, if Kalamazoo College students are outperforming others attending schools of the same caliber, it is an excellent marketing tool for the continued recruitment of the best and the brightest students.
Finally, in some areas, with specialized grad school entrance exams, studying for comps can essentially kill two birds with one stone. The Psychology department uses the Psychology specific GRE to help to better prepare students who plan on attending graduate programs after graduation. In some instances, this required students to learn new information that would help them in the long run, if their path followed the common psychology trajectory. However, not every department bases its examination off a national model.
Seemingly beneficial for science students, with graduate school in mind, comps would seem like a good refresher. Jennifer Thomson, Chemistry major, who will attend the University of Michigan in the fall, disagrees. “I loved my SIP- you need math and English on the GREs. Comps in the sciences do nothing, except waste time” she laments. She sees her SIP as an integral part of her K-Plan, as many other students and cannot see the value of comprehensive exams.
Holly Muir, Religion and Psychology dual major, who will attend law school at the University of Detroit Mercy agrees, “if you do a SIP in your department you shouldn’t have to take comps to prove that you’ve learned something.” In comparison, the SIP, for many, represents hundreds of hours of work experience and/or research connected to knowledge attained during their individual K- Plan. Contrary, comprehensive exams are nothing more than a superficial regurgitation of information. Religion majors, for instance, answered prompts written by professors, on a moodle site. Since the responses were submitted over the internet students could prepare essays or outlines ahead of time, from the privacy and comfort of any computer.
The future of comprehensive exams hangs in the balance. The Committee for Kalamazoo College’s Future, has this graduation requirement under review. Thomas Evans, music professor and committee member, asked his students for their opinions. Most of the seniors in the class, either “boo-ed,” laughed, or provided strong arguments for why they seem useless. A few talked of how they prepared them for other examinations. However, a consensus remained that each department should choose whether or not to force their students to take them. Evans, an advocate for students, promised to share their thoughts with his colleagues.
[Insert reportage from the CKCF]
For years, rumors have raced around campus, saying that with each graduating class, the abolishment of comprehensive exams. Depending on the decisions of administration students may or may not have to waste their time preparing. However, one thing remains certain, each member of the Class of 2007 will, indefinitely, have passed comps by Sunday, June 11: graduation day.
1 comment:
As one of the last Kalamazoo College seniors to actually pass their comps, I would definately have a few things to add to this story, so I'm looking forward to the interview! I really like yuour piece so far, though. You presented it from a few different perspectives, which added a lot to the piece
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