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Mrs Whiggins

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Everything posted by Mrs Whiggins

  1. Pit stop on the way to one of several state parks? We didn't go that way since we were further north but Pedernales Falls is a great place to hike around.
  2. No doubt--with the second largest population in the States, it will never disappear unless some sort of educational crisis occurred and I'd hate to see that. For all the grief higher ed gets, it's of benefit to society and the world. A&M opened up that campus adjacent to their main one (because they've got lots of space that UT doesn't) so that students can attend classes at Blinn and then go over to the other campus near A&M to get a degree from A&M Commerce or some other qualifying school. I expect it is so the students that want to mingle with the regular A&M aesthetics can do so with sports passes etc. I have no idea how popular the alternative campus option is. The pull of the mothership may be strong for some. I do know a friend of one of my children went to play at a system school on on athletic scholarship and then decided to finish out at that campus because the drive home was shorter (had a girlfriend) and seemed to be okay with it. So, I agree. Everyone wants the OG and that is not going to go away. But UT has done an amazing job with UTD and if they can keep that momentum going in a positive direction it may pay off. I know there are people on here with careers in higher ed that would assuredly have more insight than my totally guessing observations.
  3. You're also correct in that Austin is always going to be the nationally ranked premier shining beacon on the hill. But it cannot support the numbers. It just cannot. However, if the Lege and the system leaders (for the various systems) would set aside some personal agendas and grievances (straight face here), shoring up specific programs at specific schools might alleviate some of the problem. For example, why is A&M so dogged about pouring money into the McAllen campus (2018) when there are already schools in the area, including UT-RGV (not too far away) and South Texas College (in town). Those funds might be better spent elsewhere.
  4. I don't know much about it either, but the process does have several conditions that can create potential explosions. I'm guessing that they've taken preventative measures to avoid that but I'm just guessing... Safety first!
  5. That Guaifenesin is great when I've got lung issues.
  6. FWIW, it's important to remember that the terms 'dual credit' and 'Advanced Placement' are not interchangeable. AP credits do not have to be used if the student wishes. My two oldest used some and not others. For example, the oldest elected to not use AP credit for all the calc due to wanting to have a course with 'familiarity' and for the refresher (Chem major). For the CAP requirement at UT, I'm not sure that any AP work counts towards the 30 hours?(check their FAQ if they have one). I think that is applied after the transfer to Austin. Have no idea about actual dual credit hs coursework but I expect that to be the deal breaker because of the way dual credit works (slightly different than AP). Your youngest is to be commended for taking the more academically challenging path. It shows diligence, ambition, intelligence, and dedication to their studies. All qualities that aid in student success in higher education. There are still many doors open and paths available. It may seem a disappointment to your student now, but chin up and onward.
  7. it's a bit of a shame that unis figured out this was a cash cow and tightened up the rules on residency. Back in the day when one could obtain a DL, voter registration, and a part time job after a certain time had passed it was actually a potential benefit to the State--the reason being that students who went to that trouble often ended up staying in state permanently and contributed to the work force and paid taxes, etc. Overall not sure that the data support that any longer because those avenues are gone. As long as a certain % of state taxes subsidize tuition, I can see an institution's argument because of the investment, but somewhere back when the tuition deregulation discussions were happening, it's too bad that of all the agendas, not one truly discussed positive outcomes when investing in the citizenry. So yeah. Sucks.
  8. I'm an advocate for the top % rules. Is it great? No, but without it, this uni plus A&M could easily become taxpayer supported SMU type universities if it were eliminated. So many students from wealthy suburbs that have access to quality education, opportunities, academic support outside the classroom (test prep, etc) and honestly, family wealth IS undeniably one of the biggest predictors of success in college. The idea that taxpayer supported state universities were to educate their young citizens who would then go on to be productive leaders and taxpayers was a noble one from the beginning, but looking back at how access to that was restricted, at least the current system attempts to address that. Students from certain backgrounds often have the means and the ability to obtain higher education anywhere, even out of state or private. Less so for other students. As has been mentioned multiple times, the State and citizenry kicked the can down the road for elevating other system schools to alleviate the stresses placed upon the "Flagship" campuses to the tune of 63K+ applieds to UT-Aus in 2023. 19K were admitted and of those, I think around 9K ish were enrolled. Realistically a student from anywhere in the state who qualifies can apply and be admitted via this rule. Is that so bad? Sure it's a numbers game and not all of those students will attend. Some have grand opportunities elsewhere, some flat out cannot afford it, some are tied to their locality and the distance to Austin too far, some know the chasm is too wide for success. For 2023, 64% of enrolled students were top 10% qualifiers. Of the current undergraduate population on campus, over 9,000 students are first generation. May they go forth and change the world.
  9. Relax. A university education, especially at UT, is designed to provide a student with whatever life presents. I cannot express this enough. I understand your point, but the talk about 'useless' degrees is counterproductive. But enough about that. IIRC, the UT Advertising program is ranked nationally and if you examine the course requirements (degree plan) it requires courses in a wide breadth of areas. It also requires business courses, including some marketing courses I *think*. Again, the skills learned in college (or learned previously and honed in college) are not just about acquiring breadth and depth of knowledge, but how to think and then think some more and assess what exactly one learned throughout that experience. Alas, our underdeveloped brains and maturity often mean we don't appreciate those learning experiences until far after we leave. You know this, but it bears repeating. If he's excited about it, that is a huge hurdle right there. As an aside, I have neighbors from that 'other' school and they also talk about 'useless' degrees. Never mind that a high percentage of students who major and then graduate with degrees in engineering end up in another field (like one of my neighbors). Finding a degree plan that is flexible and well rounded can serve students who think they want to go down one path and suddenly find themselves lost and uninterested. Best of luck to your student!
  10. Think of it as a safe space? Austin is weird. San Antonio is 'ethnic,' and DS is 71% white?
  11. *fist bump* During school I had a federal work study gig in a campus library. Later when my children were small, for 5+ years volunteered once a week in the elem library at their school. I loved it. Nothing quite as thrilling as matching children to books that engage their interests and have them coming back for more and more to read. For some students, that library was a refuge from the negativity they faced from peers, from family members, from certain teachers; having a half an hour to sit by themselves w/o interruption to momentarily escape into another world and then be able to place that world in their backpack until their next visit.
  12. Naw, sometimes at 11, they just derive comfort from that one thing. Our kids didn't get to eat out much but they each had that one treat or place that was just theirs. Since I was usually the one carting them around everywhere, sometimes I'd ask my husband to do those kinds of visits so that they could have a little time together. But there is a definite hierarchy in bagel quality.
  13. Oh I know it. Reading opens minds and broadens perspectives and that's dangerous. Everyone on this board knows why slave owners didn't want slaves educated or the Taliban to allow girls to attend school past twelve years. If many Indigenous children had been allowed to remain on the reservation and studied in both their own language and English (or Spanish or French depending), those students would've grown up to accomplish all sorts of things.
  14. The sad thing is, the locals keep voting in candidates that are wholly unqualified and batshit crazy in their state legislatures. It's like back when Cawthorne won in NC over Morris Davis. Davis had real qualifications and no Nazi background so of course Cawthorne gets elected. In Michigan, Arizona, et al, it's too much of the above combined with no $$ but they'll still pull it off because....stupid.
  15. Governor MeeMaw (as @Bama Chick used to call her) saying she wants more parental supervision in libraries is playing coy. She means she and her like-minded pals want more parents telling other parents exactly what anyone can or cannot read. Considering that 41% of Alabama 4th graders read below grade level, I say put any and all kinds of books in the library. Fat chance very many patrons can read well enough to know what they say.
  16. You. You sir are a good dad.
  17. I *think* I see where you're coming from. The same roots that considered policy for the 'deserving poor,' instead of does this policy address poverty. It's somewhat been morphed into a modern day 'they deserve to be poor,' as an overarching policy by certain factions. Or perhaps all factions. When something is so deeply embedded into culture, it can be hard to untangle one's perspective. Or is that not it?
  18. Someone chuck a bag of Rittenhouse's fruit snacks in her basket for me, k? Gotta train granny!
  19. The rationalizations these guys come up with...yep, that's real ALPHA talking there big guy. Especially the slut shaming. He ought to listen to her song catalog and one song in particular, hehe.
  20. I don't know how old she was when that clip was filmed, but the convo between her and her father there--he's so worried, but she won't let him talk over her because she understands how easy it would be to step back and do nothing. With her status and privilege and wealth, one could argue she is not taking as extreme a risk as some of her fans (for simply existing) but that she is galvanizing people (on the right side of history as she stated) to vote, to speak up, to not allow the hate machine to silence the right to exist and live life with the freedoms that are the right of everyone, not just the chosen few--that will register with those who wish to concentrate and retain the power of oppression. Good for her; may she have many allies in the fight.
  21. What about a Honda Accord Coupe? I think they made some sporty models around 2006-2008 that might fit your price if you look around? They made some that are vanilla but I seem to remember seeing some that were a little more vroomy.
  22. I haven't been on this thread, although I do read it now and again. But the commentary regarding fasting ended up becoming useful. The past week and a half I had developed a gastro issue, something that is rare for me, other than the occasional tummy bug that the kids would bring home. We don't eat out much so I had only ever had food poisoning (salmonella) once many years ago, so I was a little concerned to have suddenly developed extremely painful abdominal cramping and acute (and I mean acute) diarrhea. No vomiting, just the other end. It was going into the weekend so I drank water and spouse insisted on mixing up powdered Gatorade so I drank that too, alternating. Three days in and he suggested a probiotic drink which I tried. That was a big nope which I paid for the rest of the day. After five days of liquids and taking sick days, managed to get in to a PA since my PCP was out and the convenient care affiliated with our insurance was full of flu and COVID patients and it seemed like maybe they needed more immediate care than I did, although I was getting pretty darn weak. But you're right, after awhile, you don't feel hungry so much. The amount of weight loss triggered their system (from my last visit) so now I get to provide a lovely sample and await the results. Hopefully the organs will be okay, but I'm beginning to think I didn't wash the lettuce I got from HEB as thoroughly as I could've (I have a salad for lunch daily) and I picked up a case of e-coli. Would not recommend for weight loss. But fasting, if only clear liquids counts, does affect one's weight.
  23. If the convoy wishes to sit in a circle and hold hands, it's a better outcome than I might've predicted. I hope they remember to pick up their litter when finished and leave their campground pristine.
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