Going to college unready for it

[Kuciwalker]

The only people who love that sort of education are the ones who would take those sort of classes anyway. There's very little point in studying something if it is uninteresting and not useful.

For me, the freedom to choose the courses I want is a very large consideration in which colleges I want to go to.

[GePap]

Actually, there is quite a great deal of use studying things you are unfamiliar with.

But your attitude about the point of a higher education is the most common and popular one now, and also the one which I think invalidates the point of most people going to 4 year institutions.

It would be of more use to everybody to make most "colleges" nothing more then job preparation academies, because it seems that is what most people want. Save a real education for the few who actually want it.

[Kuciwalker]

BS.

Say someone wants to, for instance, do physics research. There's no particular reason he needs a broad background. However, this person CERTAINLY should go to college and then on to graduate school, even though he's doing it just as "job preparation".

Face it, the point of education - of all education - is to acquire useful skills and knowledge.

[Alexander's Horse]

this is why arts graduates rule the world and people like Kuci end up being our minions and technicians

[Kuciwalker]

I'm not planning on doing that

I want to double major in CS and Psychology, and get an MBA. NWIH would I ever do research for a living

[Alexander's Horse]

you know those people you see on campus supporting radical left wing causes, protesting against globalisation etc.? They're the ones who end up captains of industry, CEO's and top government officials

[Kuciwalker]

Or they end up like Sava. I'll pass

[GePap]

Since when are highly educated people the ones that rule the world?

That is the fiction that is hurting education- people think being educated mean being successful. That is not true, being successful is based on ambition and creativity, both things that are not taught academically in any way, which is why its a waste to give so many people an education they have no need or interest in.

So, let those who want to be rich get their asses into the working world now, and stop ruining education for those who actually want it.

[Alexander's Horse]

You wait - Sava will probably turn into some sort of ultra conservative pillar of the community and you'll have to call him "sir".

[Datajack Franit]

I´d rather call Sir a blister

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by GePap
Since when are highly educated people the ones that rule the world?

That is the fiction that is hurting education- people think being educated mean being successful. That is not true, being successful is based on ambition and creativity, both things that are not taught academically in any way, which is why its a waste to give so many people an education they have no need or interest in.

So, let those who want to be rich get their asses into the working world now, and stop ruining education for those who actually want it.

Who are you talking to?

I'm waiting for you to address my post.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by GePap
Since when are highly educated people the ones that rule the world?

They don't. But education is a condition of entry to the club.

The best education teaches people to be self aware and critical thinkers.

[GePap]

MOst people don't gain any useful skills or ideas in college, certainly not ones that will help them in their careers for ever.

As for people going into the sciences (a small minority), obviously in depth training and teaching is required above and beyond what they get in high school. The problem is that the university system has not yet farmed out the theoretical sciences like it has the practical side of science (like engineering) because of historical association. I personally value a true liberal education and think it worthy of anyone who wants to go into the hard sciences should get one, but that does not mean that letting people interested in the sciences skip everything else should be a mantra used with other majors in college that are far less streneous.

[Kuciwalker]

Why not?

[GePap]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse


They don't. But education is a condition of entry to the club.

The best education teaches people to be self aware and critical thinkers.

Since when? Education as a sign of class and status might be necessary for the club, yes, but what you actually learn is usually immaterial. Getting a degree today is like what having a nice wig before used to be, a sign of social position. JUst as back then, whatever is in the head matters not.

I went to a prestigious university filled with critical thinkers, and far more people for whom a good debate started and ended with sports and women (or men), but never delved into anything too "intellectual", cause that was boring.