College Rants

[Rageaholic]

HUH?

You hate mandatory attendance because it makes you do homework? Which helps you actually learn the material in the first place?

I don't even understand this. Honestly, if you don't want to go to class, don't go to school.

No... WHat I'm saying is if attendance is going to be manditory, then why make assignments due on the date you're going over the chapter. Otherwise, I see no reason to come to class if all we're doing is going over what we were already supposed to read.

[Greenday]

No... WHat I'm saying is if attendance is going to be manditory, then why make assignments due on the date you're going over the chapter. Otherwise, I see no reason to come to class if all we're doing is going over what we were already supposed to read.

That's a pretty common practice. "Read this chapter in preparation for class discussion on it." It's so you don't sit there and have no idea what the teacher is saying.

[TehShush]

That's a pretty common practice. "Read this chapter in preparation for class discussion on it." It's so you don't sit there and have no idea what the teacher is saying.

I understand having the students read ahead, I don't understand having the homework due before the teacher goes over it. A student can easily answer questions by looking through the textbook; however, they won't understand the material as they should, as they would if a teacher explained the finer details along the way.

[BroomJockey]

I understand having the students read ahead, I don't understand having the homework due before the teacher goes over it.

you know a better way to ensure students actually read the text before class?

[HYHYBT]

It sure seems all wrong to me; it ought to be read -> class -> homework. Reading is preparation for the class, where you get extra information and clear up anything you didn't quite understand, THEN homework on what you've learned. Possible exception if whether the homework is correct or not doesn't affect your grade, because in that case it could be useful in helping to see what to ask about. But grading before teaching is just wrong.

[Rageaholic]

But grading before teaching is just wrong.

Exactly! It makes no sense!

[Rageaholic]

I agree with that. Oh, it's supposed to make us well rounded. That's cool, but I can get by just fine without knowing the philosophies of people from a few thousand years, basic writing (learned that awhile ago), history (learned more history than an intro class can teach me), politics of diversity, sociology, etc. etc. I'm a Forensics major. Give me chemistry, biology, physics, criminal justice. Not stuff that are completely unrelated to what I'll eventually do.

Do not get me started on this. Almost half of the courses I will be taking are GE courses. That's simply too much when you're just starting out, not sure what you want to go into. For instance, I would like to check out computer programing because I think that's a marketable career, but I have to take all these humanities courses and two DIFFERENT science courses (biology is a requirement too... and I hate biology). I mean, I'm sure it's nice to know these things, but most of these things I learned in high school, why do I need to know them again in college? I think that's the problem with education in general; years and years spent on math, history, reading, and science, but such little time to get to decide on your own major. At least that has been my experience.

[Depot Denizen]

I'm a 5th year senior at UVM in Vermont. I started taking classes at the CC of VT half a year after I got out of highschool, I was already working 2nd shift at a fulltime job at Dartmouth at the time. A year and a half later I gave up my decently paying job (I was doing computer ops in the server room, nothing grand but I got to hang out with the sys admins all day when they were there) to go to my 4-year uni.

I've never been a model student. There have been a few subjects and classes I've excelled at, and others that I just had a horrible time with. My first year was challenging even though I wasn't working, and I ended up picking up a job doing tech support for the uni that following fall.

Before I know it I'm working ~40 hours a week at the helpline doing IT support for staff/faculty/students/emeriti, and juggling 12-16 credits a semester. It sucked, but I had to stick with it. More than a few times I thought about throwing in the towel and begging for my old job back. I failed a few classes and learned some lessons, and now I'm less than three months from my B.A. in Computer Science. Whoopee.

Now, I'm working a full-time job at the hospital doing IT support on graveyard shift (That's right folks, 8pm-6am) and taking ten credits. I could have taken more, but I'm already stretched out thin. I've persevered and despite all of my setbacks I'm making more than most of my friends combined. I'm also saddled with $100,000 in student loans, but that'll be paid off eventually.

Lessons learned: be the prof's friend. Approach the prof and give the prof offerings. It will appease the prof. Try to be on-time and offer input when called on. This too, will appease the prof and make the prof's light shine upon you. Ask questions when appropriate, for the prof will bestow much wisdom. And if you think you're in over your head: talk to the prof, for they may grant you amnesty and guidance.

Despite my experiences at college, I know I'm going to get bored after next summer and I'll probably go after my Master's in CS or something else. I really want to get into robotics, I had a very good experience with a hands-on class I took with it. I'd like to try my hand at teaching as well. But for now my focus is on surviving undergrad and 3rd shift.

I actually liked my GE classes. I had a lot of fun with anthro and Greek writings, and I aced psychology. I ended up taking Japanese to see what it was like...and now I'm a fourth-year Japanese minor as well. I was originally Physics and Poli Sci until I got my ass handed to me by the physics class and realized I was barking up the wrong tree. Don't be afraid to change majors, unless you're dead set on it. Hell, there's no shame in having to take an extra year for your classes.

I wasn't one of the studious students who earned a scholarship or tons of grants - and you guys rock, seriously. If you can get those 4.0s then keep it up. My girlfriend is one of those smart, talented people who works hard and does really well. Her loan amount is piddly for the effort she's put in. The only thing I ask is to not put everyone else down, and most of you guys are good about that. Unfortunately $20k a year hasn't been friendly to me...but knowing what I do now, I probably would have done a lot better as an undergrad.