

IBM opening new Computer Science focused High School in NYC - flipp
http://vox.fastcompany.com/1692372/ibm-reveals-details-about-its-nyc-high-school

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_delirium
The fast-tracking angle is interesting: this is essentially high school plus
community college rolled into one, but with an apparent hope that it'll be
closer to a 4-year-college degree in quality due to greater preparation in the
high-school years and coordination between the high-school and college
curricula (it's one six-year curriculum, not a 4-year HS followed by 2-year
college). Plus some employability boost from IBM's preferential hiring.

I do worry a bit about lock-in at an early age, though. A 14-year-old is young
enough that a decent proportion may turn out not to really want a career in
computer science after all, especially because I suspect decisions on whether
to go here or not will in many cases be either made by or strongly pressured
by parents. Will the curriculum be broad enough that a 20-year-old who's
successfully completed it could plausibly get a job doing something _other_
than working for IBM or a similar company? Or could they even leave at 18 with
a normal HS degree and go to a 4-year college in a different major? The
article is unclear about whether the 6-year-to-associates-degree part is
mandatory, or if there's a possibility of opting to earn a normal high-school
diploma after 4.

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drfugly
At that early age I wonder how much CS specific training is going to be given.
Also with IBM's current focus on not just being a tech company anymore I would
dream that the education is a bit diversified.

Maybe having a specific goal to drive for will make it easier students and
teachers to focus on a certain goal but I don't think that it'll make the
students less able to switch tracks if needed.

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znt
I wonder what the curriculum will be like. Are they going to teach computer
programming basics and methodoligies or is that school going to be a
"corporate coder" machine which spews out .Net or Java developers suited for a
cubicle job for IBM?

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bd_at_rivenhill
_Students will be chosen to attend using the standard New York City lottery
system--one third of selected students will be below grade level, one third
will be at grade level, and one third will be above._

I want to thank flipp, Fast Company, and IBM for saving me $10: I don't need
to go see "Waiting For Superman" now because it's all in this sentence. Why
wouldn't they just start with the most qualified applicants and fill slots
until there are none left?

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jj_aa
I've never gone through the system, but my first guess would be it's probably
so that all the slots aren't given to kids from ideal, wealthy homes, raised
with tutors and computer camp, but that there's some room in there for kids
who might be really bright, but also dealing with effed up home situations
that knock a couple points off their standardized testing. Or who are bored as
fuck in their current school but would really come alive at a CS-focused
school where they can learn alongside the most qualified applicants. Because
school isn't a consulting firm or a hedge fund.

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bd_at_rivenhill
I can understand adjusting for socio-economic class, but why bring in kids
that are working below grade level? Why not place them in a remedial program
instead?

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forgotAgain
Its interesting but I can't bring myself to trust the motivations of IBM.

There are two possible scenarios here: First IBM is being straightforward and
they are trying to help redevelop the US education system. Second they are
trying to develop a cheaper source of US labor.

The recent history of IBM would indicate the latter scenario is more likely.

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mtraven
Nice, maybe Google would be interested in doing something similar in the Bay
Area? And by next September please so my high-school aged junior nerd kid can
enroll? Thanks!

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astrofinch
Reminds me of <http://steve-yegge.blogspot.com/2006/07/wizard-school.html>

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Tichy
Somehow, without knowing the details, this makes me excited. Could there be a
school where you actually learn something useful? It seems like an earth
shattering concept.

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markbao
Very cool. Though I can't imagine the gender ratio there will promote a huge
social aspect...

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w1ntermute
Well, it is in NYC, so I doubt the more sociable guys will have any trouble
finding some extracurricular poontang.

