The art and fickleness of admissions

[alizarin]

Ohhh, I want to play too!

It would start with an double headed axe throwing contest. Except the targets are pins. Pins suspended in three inch strings from angry bees. Angry at you, because their hive is duct taped to the axe you're holding.

Next, the badly stung applicants would have to run a mile, timed. Carrying their desired advisor yoda-style on their shoulders. Also holding the professors full coffee mug. No spilling allowed.

As soon as they cross the goal line they are given an irrelevant and seemingly nonsensical test consisting of the parts "Recognizing medieval English words no longer in use" and "High school math with focus on rote learning geometrical formulas" ...wait, sorry, ETS owns the right to that one.

So instead they have to recite the alphabet backwards.

Next up is drunken karaoke with classics such as "Carry on wayward son", "Don't Stop Believin'", the Soviet national anthem and tequila shots.

Survivors will face the final test, living under poverty line in a foreign and unknown city for 3 years while working an unpaid and stressful job 60 hours a week while hoping that they will somehow, one day, make something of their lives. Or maybe that's the prize for winning?

I feel this is a very nice parody of the application and admissions process, especially within the subjective faculty review conducted by graduate art schools.

[_alyssaryan_]

How about a Harry Potter style "Tri-Grad Championship?"

After all, I'm sure most of us would rather face a flaming mad, psychotic Hungarian Horntail than take the GRE's again....

YES.

This reminds me of something else, though... an idea that could add even more fun to the mix. There has been a Tri-wizard Tournament. Obviously. There has also been a Tri-wizard Drinking Tournament. Complete with duels, costumes, and challenges. But what about a Tri-Grad Drinking Tournament? I think this could encompass: 1) the bizarre food games mentioned earlier, 2) the tequila shots mentioned earlier, 3) the Guitar Hero/Rock Band challenges mentioned earlier, and 4) costumes - not mentioned earlier but always fun.

Other challenges to include: limbo (I like this idea, and the pinatas full of candy/tears), reciting the alphabet backwards (this could be the "weed out" activity at the very beginning - do a tequila shot, say the alphabet backward. Kind of like spinning with your head on a bat and then running a marathon - same amount of dizzy, but far less running), and oh... HIDE AND SEEK. Whoever finds their future adviser first wins.

Edited February 11, 2010 by _alyssaryan_

[The Knife]

I should warn you all, it was standard practice at my elementary school to teach all of the students the alphabet backwards. To this day I still know it just as well as forward.

[Branwen daughter of Llyr]

YES.

This reminds me of something else, though... an idea that could add even more fun to the mix. There has been a Tri-wizard Tournament. Obviously. There has also been a Tri-wizard Drinking Tournament. Complete with duels, costumes, and challenges. But what about a Tri-Grad Drinking Tournament? I think this could encompass: 1) the bizarre food games mentioned earlier, 2) the tequila shots mentioned earlier, 3) the Guitar Hero/Rock Band challenges mentioned earlier, and 4) costumes - not mentioned earlier but always fun.

Other challenges to include: limbo (I like this idea, and the pinatas full of candy/tears), reciting the alphabet backwards (this could be the "weed out" activity at the very beginning - do a tequila shot, say the alphabet backward. Kind of like spinning with your head on a bat and then running a marathon - same amount of dizzy, but far less running), and oh... HIDE AND SEEK. Whoever finds their future adviser first wins.

Another challenge to add to this...

Drunken "Summarize Proust" Contest (taking the idea from my current Monty Python's Flying Circus marathon...)

[rogue]

Roller derby death match. It's the only way I might have a chance, as I suck at most of those other things.

[BlueSwedeShoes]

ROUND TWO: The ad coms do not review application materials, but rather use them to create paper maiche pinatas. A select few pinatas are filled with confetti & candy, signifying admission. The others are filled with ashes and tears. Applicants are gathered and told to start bashing.

Haha, love it.

And let's not forget, in this mish-mash of bizarro Tri-Wizard olympic cutthroat competition, some of the other important tests used for graduate admission.

Such as Bear Beer Hockey-Pong, a strange mix of Beer Pong and Bear Hockey.

Imagine!

+ =

[pea-jay]

People with small [girl] hands are at a serious disadvantage (mostly w/ Guitar Hero b/c expert is ridic). If I could rock the vocals, then I'd be all for it (only on Rock Band, though... Guitar Hero's vocals are sooo picky).

How about Dance Dance Revolution then?

[pea-jay]

i'm all up for an old fashioned treasure hunt at the prospective university. Applicants would be given a certain amount of time to solve the university's Riddle and find the treasure (a fully funded scholarship). The riddle would be pieced together from obscure clues, phrases and images hidden and in plain sight around campus. Prospective students would have to look under desks, find certain library books and solve problems (which are related to the intended course of study) along the way. And oh yeah, they would not be invited guests so they would have to evade campus security at every step. The contestants with the best times would be fully funded and get first pick of advisors. Those that didnt make the top rank would get in, but be obligated to pay

[hydrangea]

People with small [girl] hands are at a serious disadvantage (mostly w/ Guitar Hero b/c expert is ridic). If I could rock the vocals, then I'd be all for it (only on Rock Band, though... Guitar Hero's vocals are sooo picky).

How 'bout the Guitar Hero, with a DDR option for fellowship consideration? That way small hands aren't a problem for girls (or guys...), and agility determines funding.

http://www.collegehu.../tag:ddr/videos

(sorry for the repeated response. I didn't see the second page till after posting, but I'll leave this up for the link )

Edited February 12, 2010 by hydrangea