I hate college and everything related to it.

[A.duc.H.duc.]

nuf said

I have that in t-shirt form, but I want the sweatshirt.

[Tommy T.]

My granddaughter couldn't figure out why she should go so far from home and spend a reasonable amount of extra money to go to Dartmouth instead of Ohio State.  Basically, I told her that everything you guys hated about college was OSU and it wasn't Dartmouth. 

In 11 years of public schooling, I either disdained or detested all but one teacher (a seventh grade math teacher in his first year of teaching -- he left at the end of that year to play in the Cleveland Symphony). 

In five years of full time college at two institutions, I found several good teachers and about 100 who were excellent examples of "those who can, do; those who can't, teach."  I taught my own Economics 101 course -- literally.  The grad TA would come into the room, avoid all eye contact, look out the window and say "Today we will discuss GNP and GDP.  Mr. Taylor, would you explain the difference between the two and why they are useful or important?"

However, I would say that you get out of college what you put into it.  I graduated with 220 credit hours with four concentrations and honors in a thesis based, independent study program that was probably what got me into law school.

Then I went to Harvard Law School. To a man (no women professors at HLS in '65), my professors were possessed of extreme intellegence, were outstanding at transmitting not only essential knowledge of the law but also the philosophy behind the law, the methodology that applies the law and the professional and judicial ethics that makes the system work.  All of my professors were accessable to students and involved with student life.  I received a letter from one congratulating me on receiving the highest grade in his class.  Since grades were assigned blind on the basis of a single, year-end exam, he had made some special effort to find out who I was after filing his report.  I later found out that he had also written a letter of encouragement to the student who received the lowest score in that class.  That student might have thought about dropping out, but instead went on to become general counsel at Monsanto, as I recall.

I believe that there are a lot of bad colleges, especially in the public sector and among the non-residential institutions, that are little more than salary sources for their faculty and administration.  If you are unlucky enough to find yourself in one of those, work hard to position yourself as a likely transfer candidate (good grades and a teacher or two that will write a recommendation for you).  When you interview your transfer candidate schools, you now know what to look for and what to beware of. 

I'm descended from three generations of carpenters who went from building barns for themselves and their neighbors, to a construction business, to a regional construction and lumber company that did work for architects like Saarinen, Roche and Weisse.  To make that happen, my dad majored in civil engineering at Purdue and his bother studied architecture at Illinois.
After both me and my cousin proved totally inept at all aspects of construction and business management, they hired a graduate of Indiana U. business school to be general manager and he eventually bought them out when they retired. 

Regardless of your trade, education is a valuable asset.  It may come as an apprenticeship or at trade school.  It may come at a poor college where you have to dig hard for what you mine or it may come at a quality instution where an enlightened faculty guides you carefully.  In any case, don't give up on education as a concept.  Just find an application of education that fits your needs and style.

Good luck.

Tommy T.

(Oh my God!  Was this eliteist?  Gosh, I hope not.  I know eliteist is bad.  Sorry, if it is it's only because my critics have misconstrued my remarks for their own gain.  Oops, sorry.  I was thinking that this was the Politics Forum there for a minute.)

[NeufUnSix]

A college that expects you to know every red tape detail without ever having been informed about it? I'm shocked and amazed.

I've dealt with two universities so far (and they won't be the last, I'm doing an MA and a phd next) and they are never anything less than completely obtuse. Oh, you didn't know about (blank)? It's right here, on the website, accessible from your pin-controlled student account under heading blah blah blah...

[NvrSummer]

College was a great time, I'd do it over again for sure, but I wouldn't want to go back now.

I majored in CM, and like my job most of the time.  I have the absolute utmost respect for the trades people, and I often wish I would've stayed in the field rather than moving to the office.  I bust my ass at work, but I still don't get the satisfaction of actually completing something with my hands and brain.  Now I mainly just shuffle paper around between different bureaucratic agencies, none of which like to make any sort of decision.  It'd be nice to work in a construction world where people actually make decisions, do what they say and say what they mean, and make a f'in decision once in a while!!!

Sorry minor vent....

[ducatiz]

College was great.

It only seems like a big deal because you're at that stage of life where many people think they actually will make a huge difference (hence the widespread political activism).  It's not a big deal and you'll survive if you just hang on.

Don't forget to drink, smoke, screw and eat lots of cat.  That is the real purpose of college.

When you finish, then enlist.  Learn how to think, then learn how to live.

[Statler]

meh.  'effin lawyers.... they're a dime a dozen around this forum.     


a good bartender is worth so much more.   

[ducatiz]

meh.  'effin lawyers.... they're a dime a dozen around this forum.     


a good bartender is worth so much more.   

oh i agree

unless the lawyer is also a bartender

i was a "certified mixologist" in college.  good tip money and great way to meet ladies.. LISTENING HE-MAN?  SKELETOR SPEAKS!

[He Man]

Im looking for a bartening job right now. VERY HARD IN NYC, so im working as an electrician/carpenter right now.

Today is wednesday and i did not recieve their letter in the mail. WHO WOULD OF GUESS? The only letter i EVER got from them is a "Youve been accepted, heres the cost of going here and finaid info" Im gonna call back tomorrow. Its almost pointless to chew someones ass there because no one gives a make the beast with two backs.

I am majoring in Civil Engineering and looking to go to law school. 2 years and i have ~82 cumulative credits. This is my 3rd year in college. What sucks? i am the LAST ONE to make the beast with two backsign register. wtf?
Whats not so sucky? All my classes are already pretty deep into my major so there shouldnt be to many people competing for that class. Hell i dont think this school has more than 2-3 Calc III classes anyway.

On the worst side, my bike is in the shop till the end of the month, and i have to take the make the beast with two backsing subway to orientation, can anyway say, 1.5 hours to get there?

[He Man]

AHAHAHAHA

I got my letter from city college today, except. well, just keep reading if you want to know how brilliant this school is.

Today i got my letter and while im eating my slice of pizza i went to open it. I notcied, strange, it costs .59 cent to mail this thing, its pretty thick, what the hell could be in it? WTF, its already open. But wait. the person wetted the envelope seal, and sealed it to ANOTHER envelope. That persons name? Karlion Henry. Initials KH. Poor bastard next to me ( my initials are also KH, well its really KXH, but i leave teh X out on most forms) didnt get his letter.  his is sealed though, he doesnt have a postage stamp on his.

Is Karlion Henry a dude or a chick? Who has a first name for a last name? Either way, should i open it or not? Maybe theres a phone number in it. I could probably go to his/her house and deliver it, but i dont have anyway to get to his house (bikes down). Can anyone find a fone number with just an address?

[SacDuc]

Can anyone find a fone number with just an address?

There's this new thing called the World Wide Web or "Information Super Highway" if you will. You could try using that.

http://www.whitepages.com/10583/reverse-lookup

sac

[He Man]

That was the first thing i tried, and it didnt give me a number. Then i looked up the address on google maps and i found out why.

[ducatiz]

That was the first thing i tried, and it didnt give me a number. Then i looked up the address on google maps and i found out why.

freeality.com is your friend.

[Speedbag]

I mentioned earlier how I hated college for the most part. However, the final straw for me, pertaining to my college experience, came a few months after graduation. I had taken my first engineering job after a summer of searching and interviewing. Then one day I got a bill in the mail for $10 from my alma mater, for a so-called 'placement fee'. Hmm, I thought, how interesting since the university made absolutely no effort to 'place' me in any position. I laughed and tossed it in the trash.

And so it went, the bill came every quarter or so for the next year or two. And went in the trash. Then one day, the normal bill came along with a nice note that it was to be turned over to a collection agency if not paid.

Now I was pissed. Not only had they blown well over twice the original bill amount in postage alone (not counting administrative costs, which were probably ludicrous) sending it out, but THEY HADN'T HELPED ME GET A make the beast with two backsING JOB!!!! So I sent them a nice letter, eloquently and elaborately explaining the content of the last sentence and including a future-dated check for $10, and went on to recommend they roll both up tightly and cram them up their collective bureaucratic asses.

make the beast with two backstards. 

[Grampa]

I just looked into night welding classes at out local JC..... I think I'll sign up.

the goal....

make a whizzer powered board tracker

similar to   

[He Man]

I just looked into night welding classes at out local JC..... I think I'll sign up.

the goal....

make a whizzer powered board tracker

similar to   

how much is it? APEX has a course here in the city, and they certify you. My brother did it, and he does some amazing work. (hes an artisit, so being perfect is his thing) but its 3 months long 5x a week and $16,000. They have an xray machine on hand to check your welds so you know what your doing wrong too. neat stuff.

Speedbag, what kind of engineer are you? Im majoring in Civil Engineering. What im going to do with that degree? I dont have a damn clue. Its just the only major that i actually look foward to taking classes in. Im hoping to do Law school afterwords too. How hard was it to find a job? Were you being picky? or did you just not have any luck at that point in your life (after graduation).
Did you ever get any word back about the letter?