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+--- Thread: Is college too easy? (/showthread.php?tid=113174)
Is college too easy? - Grace62 - 03-05-2011
The results of some recent research suggests that yes, college is too easy, and American college students are not learning much, nor developing much in terms of critical thinking and other important skills.
As a parent with her oldest headed to college next fall, this is not encouraging, although his first choice is an academically rigorous liberal arts school. (Doesn't have the acceptance yet, fingers are crossed.)
Any recent grads or parents of recent grads out there? What do you think...is enough learning taking place, or just 4 years of fun?
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/05/opinion/05herbert.html?hpw
Re: Is college too easy? - mattkime - 03-05-2011
probably true for many. except those that challenge themselves.
Re: Is college too easy? - Mini 9 - 03-05-2011
College is too easy for which to go into debt.
I have been reading/editing/forwarding in college debt horror stories to my kids every day.
The bottom line is make sure you
1. Can get the degree (you are willing/able/ready)
2. Can pay for it....or go into debt only enough that your future income can readily pay it back
3. Get a degree that earns real money, not just accolades. (fries with that?)
If it's easy for anyone, and they meet the above, great! But if it's too easy, I suggest that number 3 above is being violated.
But, no, the school I attended tried to flunk frosh out, unless you went for a liberal arts degree.
Re: Is college too easy? - Chakravartin - 03-05-2011
My first two years of college were mostly about learning new social skills and throwing away my bad study/writing lessons from high school.
The next 2 years were when I started to learn academic subjects well.
...and honestly, I didn't learn how to study properly until grad school.
Re: Is college too easy? - PeterB - 03-05-2011
Yep, that article has been making the rounds of my friends and I. Unfortunately, I think there's a lot of truth there. Ask yourself this: current students, if they're presented with an instructor who is going to really teach them the material and challenge them, versus one who is perceived as "easy", which one do you think they'll choose? Now, admittedly, not all students are alike, and I've had the good fortune to have some students who'd take on the challenge, but they're a relative rarity.
Re: Is college too easy? - Manlove - 03-05-2011
If it wasn't easy, then not enough people could go and the college system (and the educational system in toto) would not make enough profit.
Profit is the motive.
Stupid people have and make money, therefore we should take it from them and one way we can do that is to convince them that their stupid children should go to college (when they might be better off with vocational study or god forbid, apprenticeships).
It's a great system if you don't give a toss about having an educated populace.
Re: Is college too easy? - microchip - 03-05-2011
Generally speaking, I think so. I don't think they demand enough intellectually out of students. I prefer to put my effort toward places that demand my genius and talent, not just attendance.
In all fairness, maybe 3 courses I've taken in the past 2 years have been truly difficult and *extremely* worthwhile, but I'm still left with the broader picture.
Re: Is college too easy? - graylocks - 03-05-2011
students have gotten the message that a degree is necessary for a good job. take enough credits somewhere, anywhere, and you'll get a degree. doesn't necessarily mean you had to bother getting an education. and it seems whether you have an education or just a degree there's no guarantee that there is going to be a job for you.
my son is a junior in high school. he's only recently got the memo that perhaps his high school GPA matters in terms of how a college admissions officer views his application.
Re: Is college too easy? - fmgtech - 03-05-2011
Some people might argue that social experiences in college are just as important and valuable as academic achievement.
Re: Is college too easy? - space-time - 03-06-2011
Manlove wrote:
If it wasn't easy, then not enough people could go and the college system (and the educational system in toto) would not make enough profit.
Profit is the motive.
Stupid people have and make money, therefore we should take it from them and one way we can do that is to convince them that their stupid children should go to college (when they might be better off with vocational study or god forbid, apprenticeships).
It's a great system if you don't give a toss about having an educated populace.
so true, yet so sad