The Grothe Effect

[bulls96go]

bottom line, just because a kid is good with books and academics, does not make them worldly.

To Sheriff's point, what you got in HS is not necessarily an indicator of future success.  

I saw a statistic a few years ago, and it basically noted that the overwhelming majority (like 65 - 70%) of all Fortune 1000 CEO's were C students in high school with an upper 2.x GPA.  Most did only slighly better at college, but used college for other aspects like sports, clubs, greek, etc...  It was their social skills combined with their degree that has propeled them, not the degree alone.

That being said, if I look at my high school graduation class, and the kids who were all honors/student govt, etc, many of them are Doctors, Lawyers, Politicians, or in other high ranking positions...  Those were the kids with the high SAT/GPA's..   (not me by the way, I was the C/B student in HS).  

Anyway, I think it is good we are moving up in the world.   UF has an enterance GPA average of 3.9 now.  It  is like a 1300 something SAT too....    We are not there, but certainly attracting the best students is a good thing...

hard work trumps talent almost every time.

the "hard" C student has to work to move forward, that work ethic serves them well in their lives hence the ceo's ect.

case in point BBQ vs Ford...is there any doubt that if FORD had BBQ's work ethic he would be a super start right now with his talent.

ford may still get there...

[JerseyBull06]

I lobbied friends to vote against the Property Tax reduction.  We are lucky enough to be retired.  So why the heck should I pay taxes so kids get educated?  Thinking like that is why Florida's schools aren't in such great shape. 

Amen!

off-topic:

I have my accounting degree from USF and they do have a very good program that does a great job of preparing you for the CPA exam...unfortunately if you're like me and your interests are outside of financial accounting and being a CPA it's still a great program but not something they really cater to.

OrlandoBull: nothing but respect that you got your engineering degree...I spent 2 years as an engineering major and I don't care how smart you are it's impossible to get a degree in engineering without hard work too.

as for teachers...if I could do anything in life I'd probably be a history teacher or work with history in some form, instead I have an accounting degree and am in business. why? because as much as I want a fulfilling job I want the ability to be self sufficient which is very difficult to do on a teacher's salary. The pay does turn away a lot of potentially good teachers. 

when I started school I was sitting in a presentation for the college of engineering and they told us two things....first to look at the two people sitting next to you because statistically one of you wouldn't graduate from that college because over a third of students who started the degree wouldn't finish that degree. And what really hit me: most of you were the top 5% and higher in your high school class, get over it, because now what most of you are is average.

on-topic:

I don't think the success of the football program is the only thing helping USF academically...but I think it's definately a factor

[IncrediBULL]

bottom line, just because a kid is good with books and academics, does not make them worldly.

To Sheriff's point, what you got in HS is not necessarily an indicator of future success.  

I saw a statistic a few years ago, and it basically noted that the overwhelming majority (like 65 - 70%) of all Fortune 1000 CEO's were C students in high school with an upper 2.x GPA.  Most did only slighly better at college, but used college for other aspects like sports, clubs, greek, etc...  It was their social skills combined with their degree that has propeled them, not the degree alone.

That being said, if I look at my high school graduation class, and the kids who were all honors/student govt, etc, many of them are Doctors, Lawyers, Politicians, or in other high ranking positions...  Those were the kids with the high SAT/GPA's..   (not me by the way, I was the C/B student in HS).  

Anyway, I think it is good we are moving up in the world.   UF has an enterance GPA average of 3.9 now.  It  is like a 1300 something SAT too....    We are not there, but certainly attracting the best students is a good thing...

hard work trumps talent almost every time.

the "hard" C student has to work to move forward, that work ethic serves them well in their lives hence the ceo's ect.

case in point BBQ vs Ford...is there any doubt that if FORD had BBQ's work ethic he would be a super start right now with his talent.

ford may still get there...

I'd disagree with you a little on this.  The top jobs go to the brainiacs.  The top scientists, researchers, doctors, etc, are usually reserved for those with the highest grades.

Now in teh business world, where entrepreneurs rule, it is a differnt story.  The C/B student who did a little partying and soclaizing is useually at the helm.  That is because they can deal with customers, employees, etc...   Most of them are self made or work their way up via the school of hard knocks..

In the real world, being smart but with no work ethic, will kill you - that we all agree on.  But we are talking from a student perspective.  The kids who treated things with some level of seriousness (ie school, sports, etc) will carry that passion with them into life.   The real world requires people to treat everything with a level of seriousness (if you want to be succesful).  

I think people can be haphazard in life, but it will cost them in the $$$$ Salary category.   I have worked with a lot of these people.  NO drive or ambition, and willing to accept what little life will give to them on a silver platter.