[kosciusko51]

I think you are missing the point, which is that not all of higher education is watered down by an increase in the percentage of the populace that is going to college, nor are the academic standards of these schools being watered down by grade inflation.

Also, I seriously doubt you can back your assertion with a link stating that these schools only took the top 1% in the '40s. Besides, the number of college students going to college in the early part of the '40s was a bit lower than usual, due to a small issue called WW2.

[Born to Conserve]

“I think you are missing the point...”

I hope I’m missing your point because it going nowhere.

And as to your assertion that schools like MIT never took the top 1%, duh. If only 5% were going to college, and MIT only took those in the upper 20% of college students, that would be 1%. During the war, I am sure that MIT got somewhere above the first percentile — you know, developing radar and all.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I’m beginning to think you are not 1%er, or 5%er, but perhaps 35%er?