WASHINGTON - TelAve -- It appears that this generation of university students - dubbed "snowflakes" because they feel privileged, and unduly sensitive to even the tiniest perceived slight - are also often dumber, or at least much less academically prepared, than many high school students and their college predecessors, notes public interest law professor John Banzhaf, citing a new study (https://www-chronicle-com.us1.proxy.openathens....) from the University of California at San Diego.

For example:
■ The number of incoming students whose math skills fall below middle-school standards increased nearly thirtyfold — representing roughly one in eight freshmen — despite the fact that they had strong high-school grades

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■ Two out of five students with "severe deficiencies" in math also needed "remedial writing instruction" and were required to take additional writing courses to reach the high-school graduate level
■ Students can't do middle-school math or write a coherent paragraph

While the pandemic is being given much of the blame, Banzhaf suggests other likely causes:
■ An entitlement generation, which expects a trophy just for showing up
■ Grade inflation, where students expect and often demand a high grade for mediocre performance
■ Elimination - or at least less reliance - on standardize tests to accurately measure and compare ability
■ Over reliance on social media, which wastes time and an oversimplify issues
■ A "just Google it" mentality discourages having to actually learn anything
■ Too much classroom time for indoctrination producing ideological zealots rather than informed citizens
■ A dramatic decline in the time many students spend studying and preparing for classes

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■ Efforts for universities, under DEI, which can lead to admitting more unqualified and under-qualified applicants
■ Reliance on information from social media which is inaccurate, misleading, or even completely wrong

Having stupid - or at least uneducated and gullible - college graduates in the future is dangerous for a democracy which depends upon an informed citizenry, and upon corporate and governmental leaders with the requisite skills to make informed decisions, argues the law professor.

JOHN F. BANZHAF III, B.S.E.E., J.D., Sc.D.
Professor of Public Interest Law Emeritus
George Washington University Law School
"The Man Behind The Ban on Cigarette Commercials"
FAMRI Dr. William Cahan Distinguished Professor,
Fellow, World Technology Network,
Creator of the "Banzhaf Index"
Founder, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH),
(703) 527-8418
http://banzhaf.net/   jbanzhaf3ATgmail.com   @profbanzhaf