1. College Board Adds SAT Diversity Score
Yesterday, The College Board added a program to the SAT that takes an adversity score into account when reviewing applicants. The goal is to factor in cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds of students, deciding who is really outperforming adversity. The College Board has stated that the data is being drawn from sources like the US Census that includes contextual information on students attending a particular high school, SAT and ACT performance scores, average number of AP courses taken, percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch as well as neighborhood information such as average family income, familial structure and stability, educational attainment, housing stability, and crime. Just keeping it real… the business world doesn’t grade on a curve.
(Source: EdSurge)
2. Amazon Offers Employees $10K to Quit
Amazon is offering $10K and three months of gross pay for employees to quit their current jobs and join its delivery service program instead. This new business consists of “entrepreneurs” running their own fleet of delivery trucks. Amazon claims the delivery partners can make up to $300K/year, however, there’s a catch. Employees must invest $10K into the company and have liquid assets of at least $30K. Seems reasonable. This incentive comes at a time when Amazon is struggling to execute on its one-day shipping and is increasing automation in warehouses, putting some workers out of jobs. However, a spokeswoman for Amazon said this delivery service program was in the works before the one-day shipping announcement, “however, our continued investment in our Delivery Service Partner network aids our ability to deliver to customers faster.” Is it worth it? Amazon has also stated that “We do not guarantee results of any kind, including [if] a delivery company’s [earnings] will exceed the owner’s investment in his or her business.” Sneaky, sneaky.
(Source: The Hustle)
3. Mocktails | The New Millennial Trend
Mocktails, nonalcoholic drinks consisting of a mixture of fruit juices or other soft drinks, are surging in urban settings such as the Bay Area and New York City. Even alcoholic bars are starting to partake in this trend as beer sales are declining and millennials are trying to cut back on drinking as much. This cohort consumed 159.6M cases of wine in 2015, more wine consumption than any other generation, and 25% of millennials with financial stress use alcohol to cope. A lot of stylish startups are popping up across the globe, embracing this market opportunity. One such establishment, Quince, is focused on allowing “everyone at the table to feel included in a special experience, regardless of their personal restrictions around alcohol. It’s not only about pairing different flavors together — it’s about the ceremony of holding something in your hand. That helps nondrinkers from feeling like they’re sitting at the kids’ table.” Drinking has always seemed like an integral part in a young adult’s social life, however, now that new alternatives are opening up, some of this stress from those who want to cut back on drinking is beginning to resolve. We’re unsure if buying a $13 unalcoholic drink is the solution though.
(Source: The Hustle, The Atlantic)
