Scholarly Sips - The School & Campus News Dispatch

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IN THIS ISSUE

Scholarly Sips - The School & Campus News Dispatch

1. The Colleges with the most 2024 Olympic Medals

• Here are the Colleges with the most 2024 Olympic Medals— Stanford (39 medals); Berkeley (23 medals); University of Texas, Austin (16 medals); University of Southern California (15 medals); UCLA (14 medals); University of Virginia (14 medals)

2. Eton College Cracks Down on Smartphones: Swaps Pupils' Devices for Basic Nokias

•  The world’s most famous boarding school, Eton College in the UK, has announced a significant change in its technology policy by banning smartphones for pupils starting this term. Instead, students will be provided basic Nokia handsets capable only of making calls and sending texts, usable only outside school hours. This decision, aimed at balancing the technological benefits and challenges in educational environments, reflects a growing trend among schools. Research from Policy Exchange supports such bans, showing clear benefits in school performance and student well-being. Other schools, like John Wallis Church of England Academy, have adopted similar measures, leading to notable decreases in detentions and truancy.

3. End of Affirmative Action Spurs Major Shifts in Demographics at Elite Colleges in the US

• The Supreme Court's elimination of affirmative action in admissions has led to notable demographic shifts at elite U.S. colleges. Amherst College saw its Black student enrollment plummet from 11% to 3%, while Hispanic student numbers dropped from 12% to 8%. Conversely, white and Asian American student percentages increased from 33% to 39% and 18% to 20%, respectively. At Tufts University in Massachusetts, Black student representation fell from 7.3% to 4.7%, with white students rising from 46.8% to 49.3% and Asian American students slightly decreasing from 20.3% to 19.7%. Similarly, MIT reported a drop in Black students from 15% to 5%, with Hispanic students declining from 16% to 11%. Matthew L. McGann, Dean of Admissions at Amherst, lamented the changes, stating, “The incoming class is not as racially diverse as recent classes have been.” Justin Driver from Yale Law School highlighted the potential for a "lost generation" of Black students if innovative solutions are not found, emphasizing the need for creative yet constitutional approaches to admissions policies. These statistics underscore the profound impact of the Supreme Court's ruling on racial diversity within higher education.

4. Bowdoin College Shatters Fundraising Goal, Secures Over $542 Million in Historic Campaign

• Bowdoin College, one of America’s most prestigious small liberal arts colleges, has triumphantly surpassed its $500 million fundraising target, amassing $542.8 million to bolster its core initiatives. This landmark fundraising effort, “From Here”, the largest in the college’s history, drew contributions from nearly 20,000 alumni and friends. The funds are primarily allocated to enhance financial aid, academic programs, and career development. This achievement underscores Bowdoin's dedication to maintaining its status as a need-blind, no-loan institution that meets the full financial needs of all admitted students (including international students). For a full list of US colleges in addition to Bowdoin that are need-blind for international students, click here.

5. Indian Students Pivot to New Global Educational Frontiers Amid Tightening Visa Rules

• As visa regulations stiffen in traditional study destinations like the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, Indian students are increasingly turning to alternative educational hubs. Shalini Lambah of Migrate World notes a shift towards countries such as Ireland, the Netherlands, Finland, Singapore, and South Korea, driven by more favorable migration policies and educational opportunities. This trend is part of a broader movement as Indian students abroad are expected to reach 2 million by 2027, seeking advantages like lower costs, student-friendly policies, and promising job prospects in emerging destinations.

6. Caltech outstrips Harvard as America’s most selective university in 2024

• The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has clinched the title of the most selective university in the United States for 2024, overtaking Ivy League giants with an acceptance rate of just 2.7%. According to data from the Chronicle of Higher Education's annual Almanac of Higher Education, Caltech's stringent admissions surpass even Harvard's 3.2% rate.

7. Northeastern University's Acceptance Rate Plunges to 5.2%, Rivals Ivy League

• Northeastern University has seen a dramatic decline in its acceptance rate to 5.2% for its Boston campus, placing it in the ranks of elite academic institutions like Harvard and Brown. This record low, down from 20.5% in 2020 and 37.9% in 2010, comes as applications soared to nearly 100,000 this year. A key draw for applicants is Northeastern's distinctive cooperative education model, or "co-op," which integrates classroom studies with professional experience in students’ fields of interest. This model involves students alternating semesters of academic study with full-time employment in positions related to their academic or career interests, providing up to 18 months of real-world experience before graduation. This hands-on approach not only enhances learning but also significantly boosts employability, with 93% of Northeastern alumni employed or in graduate school shortly after finishing their degrees.

8. Princeton Leads Forbes 2024 College Rankings

• Forbes has announced its 2024 U.S. college rankings with Princeton University claiming the top position for the second consecutive year. Excelling in all 14 evaluation criteria, which assess educational quality, financial aid, and career outcomes, Princeton boasts a competitive 6% acceptance rate. Here's a look at the top 10:

  1. Princeton University

  2. Stanford University

  3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

  4. Yale University

  5. University of California, Berkeley

  6. Columbia University

  7. University of Pennsylvania

  8. Harvard University

  9. Rice University

  10. Cornell University
  
  For a full list, please click here 

9. Brown University Welcomes Record Number of International Students

• Brown University's International Mentoring Program (IMP) celebrates its 25th anniversary by welcoming its largest cohort of international undergraduates ever, representing over 80 countries. As part of Brown's commitment to becoming need-blind for all international undergraduates from the next incoming class, the IMP offers crucial support, helping students navigate college life in the U.S. Arin Idhant, a junior and mentor in the program, highlights the lasting connections and community support fostered by IMP, underscoring its role in easing the transition for international students.

10. UK Teenagers Report Lowest Life Satisfaction in Europe, Study Finds

• A "happiness recession" is gripping British teenagers, with 25% of 15-year-olds reporting low life satisfaction—the highest in Europe, according to a new study by the Children's Society. This contrasts sharply with just 7% among their Dutch peers. The study, which analyzed responses from 27 European nations, highlights significant disparities in well-being, particularly among girls and children from disadvantaged backgrounds in the UK. Key factors contributing to these low scores include food poverty, increased school absences, and lengthy NHS waiting times for mental health support. The pandemic and rising living costs have exacerbated these issues, pushing more families into poverty and impacting young people's mental health significantly.

11. Nine-Year-Old Indian Photographer Shines at Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards

• Shreyovi Mehta, a talented young photographer from Faridabad, India, has been honored as the runner-up in the '10 Years and Under' category at the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024, organized by the Natural History Museum in London. Her photograph "In the Spotlight," which beautifully captures two peahens in Bharatpur's Keoladev National Park, stood out among nearly 60,000 entries from 117 countries. She will receive her medal at a ceremony on October 8, with the exhibition set to open on October 11. To participate in future competitions, click here

12. Teenage Innovator Creates Functional Nuclear Fusion Reactor for School Project

• Cesare Mencarini, a 17-year-old student from Cardiff Sixth Form College, has remarkably built and operated a small nuclear fusion reactor as part of his A-Level Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). His groundbreaking project, which achieved plasma generation, marks a significant feat as it's claimed to be the only nuclear reactor constructed in a school environment. Mencarini’s work earned him an A* in his A-Levels and was showcased at the Cambridge Science Festival, reflecting his exceptional skills and potential future impact on the energy sector. His next goal is to enhance his reactor's capabilities in collaboration with leading UK universities.

BEFORE YOU GO…

ON THIS DAY TODAY

4 September 2024

Google Celebrates 26th Anniversary: From Stanford Dorm to Global Domination

On September 4th, Google marked its 26th anniversary, celebrating its evolution from a simple research project by Stanford students Larry Page and Sergey Brin to the world's most visited website. Originally named BackRub, Google was conceived to organize vast amounts of information on the internet using a novel PageRank algorithm. Today, Google not only dominates internet search but also impacts technology, business, and culture globally, embodying innovation and growth from a modest beginning.

JOKE OF THE DAY 😉😄

A visitor to Harvard asks a professor, "Excuse me, but would you be good enough to tell me where the Harvard Library is at?"

"Sir," came the sneering reply, "at Harvard, we do not end a sentence with a preposition."

"Well, in that case, forgive me," said the visitor. "Permit me to rephrase my question. Would you be good enough to tell me where the Harvard Library is at, idiot?"

QUOTE of the DAY 💡💡

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”

– Bernard M. Baruch

and DON’T FORGET…