bleabot
Moon
Set phazors to dance, Mr. Warf.
Posts: 109
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College
Mar 6, 2010 23:21:06 GMT -5
Post by bleabot on Mar 6, 2010 23:21:06 GMT -5
I got accepted to my college of choice, so I'll be attending that come this fall. It's bittersweet...I know I'll love it there, but I also know that, even with scholarships, I'll be completely broke for the next decade.
Fun. xD
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College
Mar 7, 2010 16:12:37 GMT -5
Post by katefosh on Mar 7, 2010 16:12:37 GMT -5
I've been accepted and should be going at the end of september. I'm quite excited for my course, but part of me thinks maybe I should take a year out...
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Post by thebee96 on Mar 8, 2010 8:04:24 GMT -5
Dan, I whole-heartedly agree w/ your opinion of education, if for a different reason. In my algebra class Friday, my teacher ADMITTED that we would probably never use polynomials in life. He says it teaches us problem solving. With our ever evolving thirst to challenge our minds, we were doing this w/out institutions. It depends on what our generation defines as knowledge; ours is facts, but it is evolving into problem solving, the ability to know and the ability to figure things out. I believe we are not evolving into a society where everyone has a seperate role, but where everyone puts forth their KNOWLEDGE and PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS to solve a problem. W/ the internet giving us information to learn and push our brains, this is becoming more real every day.
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College
Mar 8, 2010 13:39:31 GMT -5
Post by zAkAtAk on Mar 8, 2010 13:39:31 GMT -5
I'm going to become a doctor and not go to college. Instead, before I operate on someone, I'll just google it.
FACTS ARE FREEEEEEEEEEEE
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College
Mar 15, 2010 13:16:50 GMT -5
Post by newschooled on Mar 15, 2010 13:16:50 GMT -5
This was my response to Dan's "An open letter to educators" or whatever it was called. I stumbled upon this thread and figured it was appropriate.
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College
Mar 15, 2010 13:46:02 GMT -5
Post by RandiKthxxx on Mar 15, 2010 13:46:02 GMT -5
Well I'm not necessarily in the "applying" stage, I'm only a junior, but I am working on my transcript, SATs, AP exams right now and I plan on attending college after graduation. Just gotta hope I get accepted somewhere. I want to do a sports medicine program and maybe if I like it, then I'll actually try and become a real doctor.
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zeromerc
Meteorite
This above all to thine own self be true
Posts: 35
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College
Mar 15, 2010 15:36:53 GMT -5
Post by zeromerc on Mar 15, 2010 15:36:53 GMT -5
I do believe that institutionalized education is still a requirement in society mostly because any idiot can put a web page up.
I dont know how I feel about the social norm of everybody must go to college, but even with out higher education as we know it institutionalized education will not go away for a very very long time even if its only in the capacity of a verifier
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pnla
Meteorite
Posts: 40
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College
Mar 19, 2010 21:24:22 GMT -5
Post by pnla on Mar 19, 2010 21:24:22 GMT -5
Ok First off, If I want to look into new classes, I will take the intro class myself. The college is not my mother at the dinner table telling me to eat all the vegetables that we have to offer. I think this is my new favorite quote Ok so here's the thing. Dan is right and wrong. Is he wrong to drop out? No, not everyone needs college to pursue their dream career. How many singers and actors do you think went to college for that? Sure they may have went to college, but as a backup plan studying something else like business, something they could fall back on. And Dan said he has money saved up if he needs to go back, so that's enough of a back up plan for him. Its not his Mom is going to kick him out on the street if his Secret Project doesn't work out. Is he wrong about colleges needing to change? No way. Colleges need to change, though it also stands true that others already have. There are colleges out there that have small class sizes dedicated professors only require the classes you need for your major, but there are others like the one Dan went too. So yes, some do need to change. Now this is coming from the perspective off someone who is going to college in order to be a teacher, a Jr. High reading teacher to be exact, a Jr. High reading teacher who is currently enrolled in a Bio class... Now I don't know about you but the Jr. High I attended did not at any point offer a Bio class. I understand needing to have a little knowledge on different subjects incase I substitute, but there are certain things I will simply never teach. Not to mention that there other students studying things like English and Accounting that I'm fairly certain will never under any circumstance need to know what solvent is best at dissolving the lipids of a cell membrane. So why do colleges make us take these courses? Thats the million dollar question isn't it. Sure many will try to through out some crap about it being for a 'well-rounded education' but the bold face fact is the million dollars. They just want money, if you didn't take the classes you didn't need you would be taking less classes be there for a shorter amount of time and they would be paying for professors who are teaching small and small amounts of students and therefore would probably face a decrease in pay. It all boils down to money. Now this capitalist nature of colleges and universities isn't the only thing that needs to change, and definitely not even close to the most important thing that needs to change. What really needs to change is their education. Go up and ask your professors and see just how many of them have a license to teach, or ever took and Edu Psych class. My guess is the number you'll come up with will be somewhere around zero (unless your psych major at least). You don't need to have any type of education on pedagogy ( basically the study of good effective teaching) you just need a Bachelors Degree, or a Masters, or a Doctorate depending on the level you'll be teaching at. So most teachers simply don't know how to teach, or are just teaching as a part-time job till they get their masters. I'm at a Community college so most of my teachers just have a Bachelors and let me tell you, biggest block heads I've ever seen, when it comes to teaching, not the subject. Perhaps I'm just jealous that I'm gonna have to go through three standardized tests just to pass onto the next two years of my schooling, but it really annoys me that most of my teachers are more under-qualified to teach than me. So the thing Dan was wrong about? We are never going to leave institutionalized education behind. As crappy and annoying as it is, as long as it'll take to change, there simply isn't a way we can leave it. First off certain things need to be taught by a teacher. Sadly enough though this is one of things that is being left behind. Many people have been making the joke "oh I can perform heart surgery by just looking it up on google cause facts are free!" but this is already happening to an extent because of online schools. Now nothing against them in general, for some things they are a great way to learn, but I've also heard of online colleges that give people licenses to work as a carpenter and auto mechanic all online. Now certainly that can't be safe. And there are a lot of Doctoral degrees, some medical, that can be earned 100% online. Knowing that I guess you can perform surgery just by looking it up, it would just take a really really really long time to read all the facts. Yah, facts are free but experience is what makes someone educated on the subject, experience that, in some cases, can only be safely gained in an institute. However there is still one major thing that we need that will never allow us to leave institutionalized education behind, PROOF of education. That degree, as many of you mentioned, is something we need in order to obtain a good and decent job. However, many of you are acting like it's the piece of paper itself that is worth so much, and if one does not have it, or is not trying for it, than one must be worth nothing. Like having the piece of paper proves you have the knowledge and not having it p roves you don't. But, because facts are free a person without a degree could know more on a subject than the person teaching it. What makes it important isn't because it states that you have the facts needed to complete a job, but because it proves you know the facts needed to complete a job. Until there's a fast effective way for you to prove to your possible employer that you know the facts, there is know possible way we can leave the Degree Program behind. I'm REALLY sorry that was so long...
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College
Mar 22, 2010 15:49:15 GMT -5
Post by sarahendipity on Mar 22, 2010 15:49:15 GMT -5
I am soon going to be applying to college. I am currently a junior in high school, and I am doing some college visits over April vacation and this weekend. Don't get me wrong, I REALLY want to have a higher education, but my parents are making the process of getting in much more stressful than it needs to be. I really want to go to an art school around the Boston area and major in film; my parents want me to stay at home and go to a school nearby and get a liberal arts education. Yes, I do think that liberal arts is very important, but it really does not work for everyone. I find that when I am forced into work that is completely uncreative and mundane, I just can't seem to focus. I would die in Math or Science courses (however, I am pretty fond of History and English because they both have sort of philosophical aspects to them which I like). I know that going to an art school will really help me focus on the specific things I want to focus in my life, but I don't know what to do about my parents! And the ironic thing is, my top choice school, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, is where my dad went! Why do they want me to do something I will end up hating?
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College
Mar 22, 2010 20:23:31 GMT -5
Post by llluminati on Mar 22, 2010 20:23:31 GMT -5
Where's the option for people who are too young to attend college? I'm only fourteen years old and have three years of IB to get through before I attend college.
In an objective point of view, however, college is really about making connections and learning about how to learn and live. The fact of the matter is that the pure knowledge gained from college, albeit overrated is almost essential to success. I don't like concepts behind higher education, but I still recongnize the importance of it.
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bleabot
Moon
Set phazors to dance, Mr. Warf.
Posts: 109
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College
Mar 22, 2010 20:29:00 GMT -5
Post by bleabot on Mar 22, 2010 20:29:00 GMT -5
sarahendipity College is your choice. Nothing about it is for your parents to decide, plain and simple. I know one can argue that while living under their house you follow their rules, but this is about your future, not some mundane teenager...uh...thing. I don't know you, your parents, or your situation, but I personally think that the best course of action is just discussion. If you are completely hellbent on going to art school, I'm certain they'll let you go, even if they're a little disappointed. I'm lucky in that my parents -- and family in general -- have been 100% behind me no matter what career I mentioned.
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College
Mar 23, 2010 21:29:02 GMT -5
Post by Natalie on Mar 23, 2010 21:29:02 GMT -5
I'm taking a couple online classes and I absolutely HATE them. I'm so unmotivated to do them, mainly because there is almost NO interaction between anyone and I'm just kinda doing stuff and not really seeing anything come of it.
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College
Mar 23, 2010 21:49:13 GMT -5
Post by jmejia1187 on Mar 23, 2010 21:49:13 GMT -5
YOU LEFT OUT "I ALREADY GRADUATED" I have a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Vermont, and I have had plenty of research experience in the Northeast on carnivorous plants. What do I put in the poll? In any case, the discussion continues...
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College
Mar 23, 2010 22:30:39 GMT -5
Post by Karson on Mar 23, 2010 22:30:39 GMT -5
I am planning on going to university in 2011. I graduate this year. Although I did slack off quite a bit in my earlier years and now I have to complete some courses I missed.
I want to get into computer science. Though I need to finish up math to get in. So hopefully I can do that next year.
I just really want to get away and go experience living alone and going to school by myself.
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College
Mar 23, 2010 22:53:42 GMT -5
Post by Dimstow on Mar 23, 2010 22:53:42 GMT -5
For anyone who cares, I want to tell my story, my decisions and reasonings, and my opinions formed from what has happened to myself and those I know personally. I graduated from a reasonably small high school in 2009, I graduated as a salutatorian, and throughout my time in high school I had taken 7 different AP courses (for those of you familiar with them) including Calculus AB and BC, and English Literature and Language. I was applied for several scholarships (37 I believe?) and had applied for and fairly confident in my decision to go to a the University of Oklahoma, while I was denied several scholarship (In large part due to turning them in late, my father went into intensive care while we were in Kentucky, because I have a separate car insurgence from my parents I couldn't legally drive and my father was the only other person of driving age, I was stuck in Kentucky for 4 weeks while he recovered) but I was accepted for 4 scholarships, totally a little more than $2000. 2 years previous to this my older sister graduated from the South Western Oklahoma State University with a degree in English B.A. (I don't know what B.A. stands for, if someone would inform me, that'd be swell) She spent the remaining 2 year my high school education trying desperately to put her degree to use, she had written several book, but she was really trying to get a journalist position, a newspaper job, writing for magazines, something of that nature, but she spend 2 full years searching desperately for a writing job (She ended up moving 4 times, each of which involved someone telling her that their city needed a new journalist) At the end of 2 years (Roughly, this happened about midway through my senior year, her graduated happened before the beginning of my sophomore year, so....2.5 years?) she made the desperate decision to join the military, very much against her personal wishes, to take advantage of the MANY benefits of joining our armed forces. After watching my sister struggle through her situation I was second guessing my decision to go to a large university immediately after high school, with the scholarships I had been accepted for my student loads after 4 years at OU would still total well over $50,000. When I graduated I decided to take 1 year away from school, use that time to take up a full time job, move away from my parents, and then attend the community collage that's located in my home town(Obviously a year hasn't passed yet, so...that's what I'm doing with my life! ) Now, another concept I want to explain, my mother teaches at the University of Tulsa (about 60 miles away from my home town) and I have known several of the other Professors at TU for a vast majority of my life, and because I have known them for a very long time I have throughout this year asked to attend several lectures from their year 1 classes. Now, I don't claim to have a complete comprehension of what is being taught inside of TU, much less all universities in the US or the world But from what I've seen, taught by 2 men and woman (excluding my mother of course) who I have admired my entire life, and have indeed shaped many of my views and thoughts. Those courses taught those students Nothing. Much like what Dan Brown said the Professors spoke to the class for 1-2 hours while the students wrote down what was said, the professors forbid (very publicly) the sharing of information between students, and those professors answered a very very select few questions, ignoring the vast majority of questions that their student desired to propose. I still plan on attending a small community collage (Roger's State University in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, in case your curious) starting in August of this year, but the more time goes by, the harder it is to justify spending $32,000(That's the cost of 4 years at Roger's) for a diploma that has 0 guarantee of landing me a career. My plans are not changed and will not and have no been effected by Dan Brown's video on education BUT what he said did have truth to it, from what I've seen personally universities do nothing but teach facts, facts that can and should be able to be found elsewhere, and while getting a degree helps to progress towards a career it does not give the type of career security to justify it's insane cost. The internet (currently) does not serve as a replacement for education, and I will never say otherwise, but it is the greatest form of mass communication of ideals, beliefs, and knowledge that humans have ever created I think that it could, and should eventually replace institutionalized education. And I for 1 will be thrilled is/when it does.
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College
Mar 24, 2010 16:19:45 GMT -5
Post by zAkAtAk on Mar 24, 2010 16:19:45 GMT -5
I still plan on attending a small community collage (Roger's State University in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, in case your curious) starting in August of this year, but the more time goes by, the harder it is to justify spending $32,000(That's the cost of 4 years at Roger's) for a diploma that has 0 guarantee of landing me a career.Neither does a high school diploma. Why even get that then?
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College
Mar 24, 2010 16:21:56 GMT -5
Post by Dimstow on Mar 24, 2010 16:21:56 GMT -5
Neither does a high school diploma. Why even get that then? To answer you in a smartassed and uncaring way It's free
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College
Mar 24, 2010 16:28:07 GMT -5
Post by zAkAtAk on Mar 24, 2010 16:28:07 GMT -5
Neither does a high school diploma. Why even get that then? To answer you in a smartassed and uncaring way It's free Since when is education free? Also, what's the unsmartassed and caring answer?
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College
Mar 24, 2010 18:01:30 GMT -5
Post by RandiKthxxx on Mar 24, 2010 18:01:30 GMT -5
It's free, in the sense that you don't pay tuition to go to a public high school.
But nothing's free, clearly school gets paid for by taxpayer dollars.
I think that's what he was trying to say. I don't know. I don't know anything anymore.
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College
Mar 24, 2010 23:44:04 GMT -5
Post by noobsensei on Mar 24, 2010 23:44:04 GMT -5
I still plan on attending a small community collage (Roger's State University in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, in case your curious) starting in August of this year, but the more time goes by, the harder it is to justify spending $32,000(That's the cost of 4 years at Roger's) for a diploma that has 0 guarantee of landing me a career. Just because you don't have a guarantee doesn't mean that college isn't worthwhile. Let's play the odds here. If you have an 80% chance of getting a good career with a college degree, and a 20% chance of getting a good career without a college degree (I'm just pulling numbers out of the air here), would it make sense to get one? You may not have a guarantee, but your odds are a lot better with the degree.
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