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To be honest, although I am a college grad myself, someone could go to the library and study and read on a variety of subjects and become smarter than many college grads without even taking one official college course
I disagree. It's one thing to read something leisurely and it's another thing entirely to read something because you will be tested on it. When you are tested on a subject, there is more pressure placed upon you and thus you tend to retain more and focus on tiny details ie learn the subject better.
I disagree. It's one thing to read something leisurely and it's another thing entirely to read something because you will be tested on it. When you are tested on a subject, there is more pressure placed upon you and thus you tend to retain more and focus on tiny details ie learn the subject better.
I disagree with you. There are plenty of people that read things, even casually, and simply incorporate it into their web of knowledge, while I've met plenty of college and post-graduate students that would memorize and memorize for tests. Once the test was taken, only the most general information was retained.
I disagree. It's one thing to read something leisurely and it's another thing entirely to read something because you will be tested on it. When you are tested on a subject, there is more pressure placed upon you and thus you tend to retain more and focus on tiny details ie learn the subject better.
I disagree. College is typically nothing more than a platform for individuals to push their own agendas from their soap boxes all under guise of scholarly wisdom.
Its non-sense. I have found out that many of my professors in college had really errored the logic when applied to the real world. I am in a very technical field, and have learned WAY more from experience than I would have ever learned in a classroom.
Of course, most college professors will claim to be experts in their field, but then one must ask why they are teaching rather than performing.
College sets the foundation for implementation of technical skills in each independant study area, while teaching college kids how to manage time and be responsible for themselves. But in all actuality, its nothing more than basic training for the real world.
Those that sit in college for 20 years earning degree after degree, thinking that it somehow makes them intellectually advanced and great scholars are the biggest fools of them all.
Some people don't retain things well under pressure. That's why "cramming" has been shown to be generally unproductive.
Your argument is weak. Cramming isn't synonymous with pressure. By pressure, I mean you are studying with a focus in mind that you must retain what you read because you will be tested on that. You don't have to cram to experience pressure. That is far different than someone who can read something leisurely who is aware he or she isn't being tested on it.
Furthermore, cramming is considered unproductive because of time constraints not pressure. It is believed that to form memories, people need a certain amount of sleep and recall before new memories are formed. Cramming the day before a test is considered unproductive in this sense.
Last edited by azriverfan.; 11-24-2009 at 11:47 AM..
I disagree. College is typically nothing more than a platform for individuals to push their own agendas from their soap boxes all under guise of scholarly wisdom.
Its non-sense. I have found out that many of my professors in college had really errored the logic when applied to the real world. I am in a very technical field, and have learned WAY more from experience than I would have ever learned in a classroom.
Of course, most college professors will claim to be experts in their field, but then one must ask why they are teaching rather than performing.
College sets the foundation for implementation of technical skills in each independant study area, while teaching college kids how to manage time and be responsible for themselves. But in all actuality, its nothing more than basic training for the real world.
Those that sit in college for 20 years earning degree after degree, thinking that it somehow makes them intellectually advanced and great scholars are the biggest fools of them all.
I disagree. I don't think they are mutually exclusive. Just because you learn skills in real life, I doubt you would have a base to apply those skills without college providing basics.
Your argument is weak. Cramming isn't synonymous with pressure. By pressure, I mean you are studying with a focus in mind that you must retain what you read because you will be tested on that. You don't have to cram to experience pressure. That is far different than someone who can read something leisurely who is aware he or she isn't being tested on it.
Furthermore, cramming is considered unproductive because of time constraints not pressure. It is believed that to form memories, people need a certain amount of sleep and recall before new memories are formed. Cramming the day before a test is considered unproductive in this sense.
And the best way to learn about a topic is to have a genuine interest in the topic. People outside of academia who pursue their interests will learn just as well as someone in school, especially considering that the person in school has to balance their interests with other course requirements. The person pursuing knowledge solely because of genuine interest will be able to devote time and resources to his study that the student must allocate among different topics.
I disagree. College is typically nothing more than a platform for individuals to push their own agendas from their soap boxes all under guise of scholarly wisdom.
Those that sit in college for 20 years earning degree after degree, thinking that it somehow makes them intellectually advanced and great scholars are the biggest fools of them all.
And the best way to learn about a topic is to have a genuine interest in the topic. People outside of academia who pursue their interests will learn just as well as someone in school, especially considering that the person in school has to balance their interests with other course requirements. The person pursuing knowledge solely because of genuine interest will be able to devote time and resources to his study that the student must allocate among different topics.
Earning a degree and receiving an education means you will be asked to study topics that you are not interested in. Even in one's major or "field of interest" there will be topics one isn't interested in pursuing but is required to complete one's mastery in that field. In medical school, I didn't find biochemistry fascinating. You would not find me going to a library and reading a biochemistry textbook. Nonetheless, biochemistry was necessary to understanding pharmacology and human physiology. If one goes to a library and only reads topics he or she is interested in then that individual is not receiving a complete education. I couldn't qualify as a physician if I only studied topics in medicine that I was interested in. I also think there is merit to receiving a well rounded education which means taking courses in an area outside of his or her major.
I'm sorry but you are not going to make a sound argument that one can go to the library and read some interesting books and receive the same education as people who attend college and work hard to earn a degree. It's not the same. I'm not saying that going to the library and reading isn't powerful and educational but it isn't a substitute in practical terms. Having the pressure to pass exams and take classes one doesn't like also teaches one discipline
Last edited by azriverfan.; 11-24-2009 at 04:05 PM..
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