necoandjeff wrote:
> "John W." <worthj1970@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:73fde4f0.0409161058.b46fa48@posting.google.com...

> > There's nothing wrong with tests, but when the tests are geared
> > towards producing a higher score there's a problem. Just like in
Japan
> > and English tests; I have met folks who came to the US to study and
do
> > research who had good test scores, but really knew nothing about
the
> > language and how it's used in daily life.
> >
> > An interesting aside. Somewhere I read/heard about a survey of
youth
> > around the world and their perception of how they'll do on math
exams;
> > Korea ranked on the bottom and the US on top. When the actual
results
> > were released the roles were reversed.
>
> Says a lot more about confidence (arrogance?) than it does about math
> skills...

Yep. My wife and I have discussed this and we figure this iss why the
US consistently produces academic research in such quantity, if not
always quality, despite performing poorly on math as a whole.
Stubborness has led many people (myself included, perhaps) to get a
graduate degree when perhaps they should have stayed digging ditches. I
think the freedom to be arrogant/confident/etc. is one reason why she
wants to do research here and not in Japan.

John W.