Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
College is the new Kindergarten. (tho not quite as effective life skill teaching / or attentive learners)
The Atlantic also published this article SEPTEMBER 2015 ISSUE
The Coddling of the American Mind
In the name of emotional well-being, college students are increasingly demanding protection from words and ideas they don’t like. Here’s why that’s disastrous for education—and mental health.
Colleges are not to blame for high schools failing to teach graduates how to read at a "proficient" level.
Not knowing the basics of civics, history and science also are grade and high school system failures.
A certain political party has been systematically defunding public education for years and siphoning off tax money earmarked for schools into private school vouchers, thus impoverishing the public school system.
.
THIS, in spades! History & civic are HS topics. By the time students graduate college, it's been 406 years since they took those courses. And I wonder what science topics were on the test.
Public schools have been undermined since Reagan started the movement for vouchers. But even many private high school grads wouldn't remember their 11th-grade civics or history lessons after college.
Much more than HS, IMO college helps you organize your thoughts, analyze, compose a cogent analysis, and learn to structure your own further research. Those skills are applicable to a broad variety of jobs, and for lifelong learning, as well.
48 hours of studying a week for a typical college student on top of class hours?
You're insane if you think that's what it is.
For good students in somewhat competitive programs/schools I would say maybe 40-50 total. Which is almost the same as a day job. Except most people with day jobs aren't working all that time. So ... school is harder than work, although I'm not sure if that applies to my 'current' job.
I see a lot of flaws in the education system, but it's an environment I personally do well in. It's merit based unlike the extreme nepotism and inequities you see in the workplace.
3:1 is appropriate appropriate outside of the classroom... but not all for studying A 3 credit course would typically involve:
- 3 hours of lecture
- 3 hours of reading
- 3 hours of studying
- 3 hours of academic research in a lab with professors and phd students
A lot of students will cut down and skip lecture since that's the least important of where you spend your time... which academic research being the most important part of a college education.
For a 12 credit semester (minimum full time) this is only a 48 of time. For a 15 credit semester, that would only be 60 hours of time. This still leaves you 108 hours for everything else.
I do agree that there's a lot of flaws in how people approach higher education. There's a lot of people who just go to pass the classes and leave without the actual college education. But these people are in it for the piece of paper and that's what they get.
studying 40-60 hours a week in full time college is unrealistic and impossible if students have to work to make ends meet
It's not expected that you work many hours in college (during undergraduate programs). A work-study is a maximum of 20 hours, with most students working less.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,744 posts, read 58,090,525 times
Reputation: 46231
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasLawyer2000
It's not expected that you work many hours in college (during undergraduate programs). A work-study is a maximum of 20 hours, with most students working less.
Really?
Some don't have that choice / luxury.
I had a FT job + additional PT jobs during each of my 5 college programs (3 were engineering degrees), as did many of my classmates / coworkers (often they were on GI bill, raising a family...sole wage earner + FT college).
Maybe for a 'Momma's boy' (parent provided college), but there is a whole herd who don't qualify for that.
Including my siblings, spouse and siblings, ALL of our kids / nieces / nephews... 100% worked FT during college.
For us... college was good at occupying 'spare' time that we didn't have. We all made it through just fine. Many with the gold ropes and hoods. (while working FT). 100% of the cohort in my last master's program were employed FT. All but one had family obligations as well. (Family responsibilities make work (and college) seem simple, especially for moms).
I had a FT job + additional PT jobs during each of my 5 college programs (3 were engineering degrees), as did many of my classmates / coworkers (often they were on GI bill, raising a family...sole wage earner + FT college).
Maybe for a 'Momma's boy' (parent provided college), but there is a whole herd who don't qualify for that.
Including my siblings, spouse and siblings, ALL of our kids / nieces / nephews... 100% worked FT during college.
For us... college was good at occupying 'spare' time that we didn't have. We all made it through just fine. Many with the gold ropes and hoods. (while working FT). 100% of the cohort in my last master's program were employed FT. All but one had family obligations as well. (Family responsibilities make work (and college) seem simple, especially for moms).
If you didn't qualify for financial aid because of your parents making too much, but had parents which chose not to contribute to your education... you're in a bad position. Colleges expect parents who have the money to contribute. Your family has the money but chooses not to for some reason. Higher education isn't built on people working during college.
Colleges expect parents who have the money to contribute. Your family has the money but chooses not to for some reason.
Why should parents be expected to contribute? It's nice for the student if they do, but the student is 18 or older. An adult. At that point the parents no longer owe the student anything, not even health insurance.
Why should parents be expected to contribute? It's nice for the student if they do, but the student is 18 or older. An adult. At that point the parents no longer owe the student anything, not even health insurance.
There is legal emancipation at 18 versus the social norms of financial support until 21. For example - divorced parents pay child support and provide health insurance until age 21, pass the legal age of 18.
TexasLawyer 2000's point was the social norm. College financial aid is based upon parents' ability to pay. If a parents refuse to file for financial aid or to contribute, it's a no-win situation for students.
The bigger question of "What's College Good For?" depends on the student. Both my kids worked hard in high school and college. They got great educations.
For students who parties or need remedial courses, it's a waste of time and money.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
