Going to college unready for it

[GePap]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker


There's a reason God invented student advisors.

It's also pretty obvious from the course names...

That's not the issue.

Most people in HS have created an elaborate sotry about how they know what they want to do in life. This story may or may not be true. If someone is made to take a variety of classes, they may either strenghten their faith in their previous plan, or realize that in fact what they thought they wanted to do is not what they have a passion for at all.

I think the sooner people make this decision, the better.

I chose all my classes, but there is a difference between choices devoid of a context and choices within a contaxt and designed to try to better the student.

[Kuciwalker]

Most people in HS have created an elaborate sotry about how they know what they want to do in life. This story may or may not be true. If someone is made to take a variety of classes, they may either strenghten their faith in their previous plan, or realize that in fact what they thought they wanted to do is not what they have a passion for at all.

Then let those who are doubtful take a variety of classes. I'm quite confident about what I want to study and what I want to do, and I don't want to waste time when I could be getting the most possible out of my university.

[Alexander's Horse]

I told my kids education is about giving yourself options in life so they should try to do their best at everything.

I also told them to follow the things they like and they would find their way.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker

Then let those who are doubtful take a variety of classes. I'm quite confident about what I want to study and what I want to do, and I don't want to waste time when I could be getting the most possible out of my university.

Getting the most out of a university would be learning about thing you might never have known existed.

[Kuciwalker]

No, getting the most would be learning as much as possible about the things I need to know.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
No, getting the most would be learning as much as possible about the things I need to know.

And yet you persist in the fiction that you already know what that is.

Maybe you should read a bit more Socrates.

[Kuciwalker]

And yet you persist in the fiction that you already know what that is.

Knowing which knowledge I must have and which skills I must acquire is different from actually possessing said knowledge or skills.

In order to be an engineer, I have to know calculus. I know this. That doesn't mean that I know calculus. I do, but that's beside the point.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
Knowing which knowledge I must have and which skills I must acquire is different from actually possessing said knowledge or skills.

In order to be an engineer, I have to know calculus. I know this. That doesn't mean that I know calculus. I do, but that's beside the point.

That is not the point. The "fiction" is that at your age you "know" what it is that you will do, and want to do, with your life. Maybe, maybe not. It takes a great ego thought to think that the answers and the path is already set, and that all you have to do is find out how to walk down it.

Whatever, this is the fundamental difference in view between us as to the meaning of education. For you education is a means towards another goal. I view education as a goal in and of itself, additional to any other goals we might want to achieve.

[Kuciwalker]

That is not the point. The "fiction" is that at your age you "know" what it is that you will do, and want to do, with your life.

It's not a fiction.

My dad decided he wanted to be an actuary at 15, and started studying for the first exam. Guess what? He became an actuary.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker

That is not the point. The "fiction" is that at your age you "know" what it is that you will do, and want to do, with your life.

It's not a fiction.

My dad decided he wanted to be an actuary at 15, and started studying for the first exam. Guess what? He became an actuary.

Yes, of course, Cause the random example of 1 single human being out the of tens of billions that have lived proves a point.....

As I said, "maybe, maybe not".

[Kuciwalker]

Yes, of course, Cause the random example of 1 single human being out the of tens of billions that have lived proves a point.....

I think I'd be more qualified to decide whether I know what I want to do than some random stranger on the internet.

[Kuciwalker]

College students are adults in every sense of the word. There's no reason to try and force judgement on them.

[mrmitchell]

My dad decided he wanted to be an actuary at 15, and started studying for the first exam. Guess what? He became an actuary.

Your dad sounds like a nerd.

As many as you need to educate your college-ready population.

In fairness, the problem is perhaps not the number of colleges, but the number of seats they need to fill -- which amounts to the same thing. College enrollment expanded dramatically during the baby boom, both for demographic reasons and because being in college kept young men out of Vietnam. The problem is, once colleges got used to those huge numbers, they were reluctant to shrink again. The result is a need to accept students who are not equipped fro college, and wouldn't have been accepted at one even a generation ago.

Well, what should we do here and now?

[GePap]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
I think I'd be more qualified to decide whether I know what I want to do than some random stranger on the internet.

You'd think, right?

[GePap]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
College students are adults in every sense of the word. There's no reason to try and force judgement on them.

Wow, "force". you know, it is a pity asking some person paying 40,000 as year to go to an institution to maybe try to learn something brand new that they might have never considered for about 3 hours for 16 weeks. Yep, its like being in the Gulag or something. How Totalitarian....