[user1239321421]

I went to ETH Zurich, Switzerland for both my BSc and MSc degrees.

The undergrad program that leads up to the BSc degree is ridiculously easy to get into (Swiss nationals even have to be accepted into the program by law AFAIK -- I'm not Swiss) but the first year of that program is so absolutely horrendously hard to survive (one massive set of 10 or so finals at the end of year 1) that you literally come out of your first year with five kilos off the scale and pale like a ghost (I'm Caucasian ... ?).

At any rate, point being at ETH Zurich in particular and other European unis in general (again AFAIK) the goal is to survive and get your degree whichever way you can.

Grade inflation at "top notch" American unis with their laughable grading standards, the constant availability of extra credit to push up your final grade at will, and the weird financial and social hurdles that applicants are presented with utterly confuse me.

Speaking of which, tuition fees at ETH Zurich were 750 CHF per year (830 USD).

[rayiner]

Top notch American universities have ridiculously easy grading standards because the filtering happens at the admissions stage. Harvard's undergrad has something like a 5-6% acceptance rate. Admission requires being on the ball since age 14 so you can apply with a perfect high school GPA, getting at least in the 98th percentile on the SATs, and doing a bunch of extracurricular and service projects while maintaining that perfect GPA.

After that, the fact of whether you're smart and hard working is presumed. The grade inflation exists to make college a fun experience where you can try out different sorts of classes without prejudicing your chances at jobs and graduate school later.

[Edmond]

I have always found it amusing that the virtue of hard work is bestowed on kids who make it into the most selective American colleges. Another way to look at it is that, it is precisely hard work that these kids(or at least their parents on their behalf)are trying to avoid.

In other words while the rest of us will have to slug it hard until the moment of death (quite literally for many), once you enter a school like Harvard it's all gravy for the rest of your life. Basically put in about five years of hard work to get into Harvard and live a cushy life from then on, sweet deal indeed.

I have meet people who went to Harvard and the kind of accommodation they get is mind blowing to a state-school Joe like me. I dated a girl who was interning in DC a couple years back from Harvard law school, she had the whole summer to turn in what was a five page paper. Mean while I had to write 10+ page papers practically every week in b-school at a public school and if I missed the due date, the penalty can be anything from losing some points to getting no points.

[rayiner]

I don't think Harvard grads tend to autopilot the rest of their lives. That said, one of the purposes of going to Harvard is to avoid risk. Harvard students tend to come from the upper middle class (but not from "fuck you" money), and going to Harvard helps minimize the risk of falling out of that class. Hence the popularity of banking, consulting, federal government, etc, among Harvard undergraduates.

[user1239321421]

You're not on the ball since age 14 - your parents are ages 14 - 17 or 18 and you try and take over after that.

This is the problem with Harvard et al.: you get in b/c your parents have the financial resources to keep you on the ball until its time to sit your Harvard admission exam (or w/e the procedure to get). Financial resources will come in the form of being able to spend quality time with you (and teach you about keeping the ball close) instead of seating you in front of the telly or private tutoring etc.

European unis on the other hand (bar top notch British unis which are another kind of messed up) operate on the principle of offering young adults a bright future if they man / woman up and bash their heads through some severely tough undergrad years.

Social mobility and stuff ...

[secstate]

At this point what is the logical argument for assigning grades during the four years of study, then? Why not simply rubber stamp a 3.9 GPA on everyone's curriculum vitae and call it a day?

Oh wait ...