College

[RadarScope1]

One on the points that most college's try to enforce is how to think critically.

This.

Just remember, degree does not equal a job. I don't care if it's an MBA or PhD, you need to constantly build your resume.

And this.

The worst mistake you can make is taking out a shit-ton of loans thinking it'll all be OK because you're going to bone up on all this knowledge you couldn't get anywhere else, and thus walk into a job that's just sitting there waiting for you and your new piece of paper.

Another mistake is thinking that just because you're out of high school or college you won't have to do any bullshit you don't want to just because someone told you that you have to. It's only just beginning. Welcome to the real world. (That's not directed at anyone in particular in this thread - just a general thought.)

I've mentioned this in a couple of other college threads, and I'll just mention it again because it goes hand-in-hand with the idea that you don't learn it all in a classroom: Get internships -- as many as you can do. If your degree doesn't require it, do one or two. If your degree does require one, do two or three. Do a couple in different/related fields, too.

[dsheinem]

*the college professor monitors this thread closely, waiting for his moment to pounce...*

[dlmvii]

Attention new college students - communications classes are the worst part of college.
Especially if you go to Bloomsburg. Fuck those guys.

[dsheinem]

Attention new college students - communications classes are the worst part of college.
Especially if you go to Bloomsburg. Fuck those guys.

well played dlmvii, well played.

[trdbglr]

Here he comes...

Bam! I will molest the shit out of you little bastards!

No, I enjoyed college and it was totally worthwhile. A lot of it is about money, but so is what a lot of people in this thread seem to think, that college is just a job-ticket. I mean, it is, but when an Engineering major is required to read the Great Gatsby, or when an art student is required to take calculus, that's a good thing.

The career training angle of college is the ugliest part, and basically, because public high school is such a joke in the US (we all know), students come into college thinking, "well that was stupid, I can haz job?" Or they don't go to college at all, and the absolutely disgusting practice of student loans (it's so much like indentured servitude!) reinforces the whole thing.

I went to Ithaca college for a year, philosophy, then decided I didn't think I could enjoy college and just wanted the degree, so I went to a cheap state school, philosophy, and totally loved it, the people and the subject. So I'd say to people who are going into college, like, well this is gonna suck, drop that attitude cuz it sucks, and realize that you don't know what's out there, but that if you never look, you'll never find it.

Hold on, I gotta blow this Japanese business man. Brb (that was a sound effect--gross!)

[Luke]

*the college professor monitors this thread closely, waiting for his moment to pounce...*

I'll give you an opportunity.

That entire "Those who can't, teach" is bullshit. Hell, it's two bullshits.

In Universities and Colleges, and this varies of course, usually have professors that were previously very successful in the field of which they teach. In both under and post-grad, I was taught by some incredibly intelligent and successful professors. The real reason they even taught (mainly the business professors) was because they wanted a job that would pay them over $100,000usd a year, and wouldn't require as much work as their previous job.

I also had some lazy assholes for teachers. But that is a big part of College too, learning to deal with asshole professors. But now that I have my degrees, Fuck you Dr.Gooner. Your marketing course s-u-c-k-s. Reading a pre-made powerpoint presentation isn't teaching. I could learn in a minute what takes you an to read out loud. And no, girls don't think you're cool. I was never impressed when you talked about smoking a joint with Jimmy Buffet 20 odd years ago.

Seriously, I need to post the email this douche sent me for not going to his classes. I aced the class, but after one week of powerpoint, I just stopped going. I showed up for exams, but there was no need to go to class.

[Anayo]

I will try to explain why I created this topic.

Lately I'm enrolled in a psychology class. It's a rather strange 80% online 20% in class experience. My text book is an e-book I access by going to the mypsychlab website, since the dumb campus book store didn't get enough physical books in stock (but it's not a total loss since the e-book is cheaper and serves my purposes pretty well.)

I'm two modules into the class, meaning I've completed two exams. For each chapter, I sit in front of my computer and read the e-book. I keep a notebook on hand and write notes for all the boldfaced terms (like "dendrites", "amygdala", "Wernicke's Area", etc). After that, I go back through my notebook and read all the terms about six times. Then I make flash cards and shuffle through them for a couple of hours until I've memorized them. Then I go onto the mypsychlab website and do a multiple choice test. On the first test I got a 84%. On the second I got a 94%.

My ability to do this so proficiently is because I've been talking college classes for about two years and have practice in memorizing stuff for tests.

I am not a psychology, neuroscience, or nursing major. At the same time I'm not an idiot who doesn't enjoy learning new things; I've self studied to learn 600 kanji cause I love Japanese video games. I spent the better part of 2008 making an animated short film http://www.youtube.com/user/Anayo#p/a/u/1/QgJRyr5_1Vk. I randomly read "The Gulag Archipelaego" by Alexander Solzhenitsyn cause I wanted to know more about Soviet Russia. My GPA is somewhere around 3.6-3.7.

With MOST college classes (I have seen exceptions), I feel the emphasis is less on what I'm learning/accomplishing and more on meeting deadlines and doing stuff cause they tell me to. I'm a pretty intelligent guy, I just feel like classes make me use that intelligence to jump through hoops.

A year or so ago I was getting really impatient, but I'm sort of past that; I'm trying not to be anxious about the future and just take life as it comes. But I'm not impressed with college so far, and I doubt my opinion will change.

[Kebo]

I learned a lot in college, but partially because I liked to go above and beyond. I completed an 'honors thesis' as an undergraduate, which was like a poor man's master degree where I was able to conduct research of my own in a lab setting and ultimately defend the thesis to a committee. Could I have ever learned how to work in a lab by simply reading books? Certainly not, college does have things that you will not get elsewhere. My professors were researchers that taught, not the other way around. That's often the case at universities. No company will train me if I haven't even learned the basics of a science lab. Of course there are many other trained professions where one really can teach themselves the fundamentals, without college or professors. Computer programming, for example. The only caveat is that many employers want a degree to prove you've at least done something.

What did I learn? That lab work sucks and my calling is elsewhere. It's hard to change course after you've completed a degree. The ultimate lesson of college is that it gives you a chance to understand yourself better, and what motivates you. If you are not motivated by your work, life will be considerably less enjoyable than it should be. If you do not educate yourself, on your own time, you will be behind those that do. But who wants to educate themselves if they dislike their work? My advice to any college student would be to choose whatever you enjoy most, rather than what you believe will impress others or garner prestige. Even if you're halfway through college, it's never too late. Having to take other courses, other disciplines, can lead people to this realization. For some, it will seem pointless. I know it did for me, at the time. But for those that don't choose their trade correct the first time as an 18 year old, it's very useful.

[Limewater]

I will try to explain why I created this topic.

Lately I'm enrolled in a psychology class.

I think I found your problem.

[Beak]

Since college, I've learned two more languages and have had my writing published several times. I learned a lot in college and I'm sad I can't justify going to grad school in the Humanities (there are NO jobs for that in this economy); but regardless, by learning so much I've infinitely bettered myself.

A lot of people don't get the opportunity to go to college; even if you hate it, be thankful you're fortunate enough to seek higher education.

But, on the flip side, I can see how someone would think it's a waste. Within our college of business, a marketing degree is worthless (as far as what you gain intellectually); you don't have to attend class and you basically drink your way through your 4-5 years. My roommate's a marketing major and literally has learned nothing more than some basic math as he enters his 5th year.