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Re:Ask HN: What's the hardest problem you've ever solved? by max76 on Saturday November 17, 2018 @11:21PM (#18478862)
Some classes are on the critical path to graduation. I wouldn't suggest delaying an entire degree because one or two classes have bad exams.

Cheating to avoid memorization is childish, but let's not forget that students are usually children, or still in the process of maturing into adults.

Re:Ask HN: What's the hardest problem you've ever solved? by 1000units on Sunday November 18, 2018 @03:35AM (#18479404)
It's already terrible enough the extent to which higher education has become an infantilizing scam in the US.

Failing to learn critical coursework should delay graduation, and cheating should result in expulsion. These are good things.

Re:Ask HN: What's the hardest problem you've ever solved? by effie on Sunday November 18, 2018 @05:49PM (#18482921)
In a perfect university teaching environment, yes. However, in real life sometimes cheating is necessary. Real university environments are flawed, rules and requirements often stacked against the student. They have to pay up, get a massive loan, endure narcis/dumb teachers and stupid administratory requirements, and educate themselves despite that environment. After a lot of invested time and money donated by state/parents, if faced with particularly nasty course exam they are unable to pass in a legal way, it would be crazy to fold and waste all that investment.
Re:Ask HN: What's the hardest problem you've ever solved? by slededit on Sunday November 18, 2018 @01:56PM (#18481884)
University students are legally adults and we’re considered so until recently. I don’t thin infantalizing young adults is healthy.
Re:Ask HN: What's the hardest problem you've ever solved? by max76 on Sunday November 18, 2018 @05:23PM (#18482814)
In the US the legal age of adulthood is 18. This is very far from the actual maturity point. It's not infantalizing to be accepting and unsuprised when a 18-22 year old does something childish.

Edit: Being a child, and acting childish is an important part of the life cycle that allows development. We seem to be bumping into some biological limits on how late we can extend it, but if it were possible I would.

Re:Ask HN: What's the hardest problem you've ever solved? by slavik81 on Sunday November 18, 2018 @08:04PM (#18483489)
When I worked in baseball concessions as a teenager, the employees who were the most responsible and dependable were the university students. The older workers tended to be more experienced, but some of them were a little sketchy and a couple were fired for showing up drunk.

There is a tremendous variation between individuals. Part of the point of the university degree as a credential is to identify those people who are responsible enough to complete the program. I graduated at the age of 21 and immediately became an Engineer in Training, working on code that could kill people if it behaved improperly. I took that responsibility very seriously, and I'm thankful that my employer and coworkers took me seriously in return.

I fear that a focus on age tends to lead to prejudice. If you just want to ensure young adults can be allowed to make mistakes without ruining their lives, I would encourage you to expand your goal. There are many adults who could benefit from a bit more compassion and forgiveness. We don't need to restrict it to the young.