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FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
Taken from the FRC Blog, 9/20/13: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...s-list-changes
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But, I trust that like altering Chairman's, this decision was discussed by many, so I assume it is for the best then if multiple officials agreed on it. And I do like the new interview portion of it now. What I would like to see, however, is modifying Dean's List the same way Chairman's was - selected candidates would be eligible to win at any regional they attend, not just one. |
Re: FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
Interesting change. I personally think in theory it seems like a good idea, as it puts a face to the essay, and truly gives the judges a feel for who the students are.
With that said in practicality time will only tell if it works or not. With that said I'm excited to see this change and what happens. As for the Sophomore/Junior Requirement, I understand this brings Dean's List Recipients more in line with FIRST's intent of the award, however I feel this part of the change isn't going to go over exactly well. Many teams still treat it as a Senior Award, and many students are going to get left out because of this. |
Re: FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
I don't know how you can really justify nominating a sophomore for this award. I feel like this is something that a student has to demonstrate over the years (sort of like Chairman's for a team), meaning that a sophomore won't have had time to prove himself or herself.
On the topic of interviews, I think that's a better way of doing this, as it can be very difficult to ascertain the quality of a student solely based on an essay written by a mentor. |
Re: FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
Re - the Junior-Sophomore aspect: I fully agree and support this change, and it's the way I think it should have been all along.
My current Senior, on the other hand, has a different perspective. |
Re: FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
Does this automatically disqualify entrants from teams that do not advance to their district championship?
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Re: FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
I agree 200% with the interview component, however I completely disagree with the Sophomore/Junior restriction. Seniors who have been with their team/program for four years have had more time to make an even bigger impact, and they should be recognized for that, wether it will show up on a college application or not.
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Re: FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
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Re: FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
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Otherwise, the junior-sophomore restriction isn't the best scenario, however it fits directly in line with FIRST's intent of the award. Nominating juniors is something that was strongly encouraged in the rules since 2012(and even part of Dean's HW that year). |
Re: FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
While I wholeheartedly agree with interviewing candidates, I am at odds with the decision to restrict entrance to sophomores and juniors. Like others have said, some students may not flower until their late junior/early senior year in terms of productivity and FIRST talent. Late comers may become the support beams to various teams, but would not be recognized.
That being said, I can see why FIRST wants to get colleges to value the Dean's List higher. It's not exactly a hidden truth that top tier institutes prefer to see science fair medalists, science olympiad champions, and winners of various other awards over FIRST, the reason being that while those other activities have individual winners, FIRST is a team sport, and as such, anyone can write FIRST on their applications. FIRST introduced the Dean's List initially to honor students, but there still was the problem of FIRST not being weighted as much as individual awards in academia. FIRST is pushing the award to be given early in the student's career so they can place it on their college application, thereby giving their FIRST activity as much weight as winning the state science fair or something similar. The negative of this? We are limiting our pool of applicants and filtering out some of the higher quality applicants from the pool. Limiting the pool of applicants might make it so students get more credit for FIRST on their college applications, but FIRST is eliminating the potential to award a more deserving person of the highest honor a FIRSTer could get. |
Re: FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
Personally, I like the Sophomore/Junior part of this. While it's great to recognize graduating seniors who did a fantastic job (and that's something I would encourage every team to find a way to do), an award like this should mean something more than just recognition.
A Dean's List finalist is someone everyone in FIRST should be able to look up to. It's hard to do that if you never see that individual again, which is a sad part of graduating - once you're off to college, there isn't time for much else (And I'm a strong proponent of graduates taking at least a year off from FIRST to get the college experience before coming back as a mentor!). By recognizing Sophomores and Juniors, we give them another year or two to use that recognition and title to help affect FIRST in their community before they go off to college. So, as a community lets change how we treat the Dean's List. Lets look at it not as a recognition award that we forget the next year. Lets look at the students who win it as the ones we'll turn to to help enhance the entire FIRST community over the next year! |
Re: FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
I am torn on the decision to do the interviews for District areas at the District championship, I think it will put a large burden on the Judges as well as teams that do not qualify for District Champs. I like what someone suggested of a Skype interview maybe the week prior to try and fit them all in.
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Re: FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
While I'm glad that FIRST is trying changes in the ways of selecting the 2014 Dean's List, I have reservations in the fact in the restriction to sophomores & juniors. My first thought: why exclude a class of student that may have some of the most collective experience in the FRC program? In my years outside of high school and working with students, many came to their peak in their senior years in the effect they had on the FIRST culture. As a Dean's List Winner myself, I can say I understand the intent; but I can't say I agree. But then again, this could bring some new developments to the award that we could never have imagined in the realm of college & university relations, or opportunities to future DL finalists & winners, the latter of which I've wanted for finalists for a while. My final thought: let's see where this goes.
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Re: FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
I like the interview part, but the sophomore/junior limitation really saddens me.
First of all, because of all the great seniors that won't be able to receive the award. I know some seniors who deserve Dean's List, and weren't submitted in their junior year because that year's seniors received the honor. I think starting this limitation in 2015 would be wiser, to allow those who waited a chance. Secondly, because that seems like a very american-oriented decision, that doesn't really consider the international teams. In Israel, senior year is THE most relevant year to receive Dean's List, and I don't know about Canada, but if I remember correctly they can still use Dean's List for their college applications in senior year. (And yes, I'm being self centered and am aware of that). The limitation should be country based IMO. |
Re: FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
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Re: FRC Blogged - Something New – FIRST Dean’s List Changes
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The older the achievement, the less impressive it appears. A year may not be a long time, but it can still have a big difference on the way those you're trying to impress (colleges in that case) look at your Dean's List Finalist status. I learned that on my flesh (through a different achievement, not Dean's List). |
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