Have you ever heard the saying, “It was a bump in the road”? These speed bumps can make people in cars go two different directions. Either it sends them careening off the road, or they go over it and keep moving forward (Reed). For college students, this bump is prerequisite classes. Each year, college freshman students are eager to begin their next journey involving their education while being free of the high school guidelines. This excitement comprises of finally being able to select specific classes they are interested in. Their enthusiasm ends short when students see a gate in from of those classes blocking their path. Computer Science majors will find out they need to pass a history class, English majors have to complete a math course, and Accounting majors will need to endure an entire science lab (Cohn). Flashing back to those dreadful and uninteresting hours spent in high …show more content…
The president of Complete College America said, “we think we are doing them a favor by letting them explore without guidance, but we’re really steering them away from success” (Kolodner). Generally, a major will require about 120 credits to complete. When you do the math, students will need to take an average of 15 credits each semester to even complete that amount during the four years (Kolodner). One of the reasons why many students find it impossible to finish college in four years is because of these useless prerequisite requirements they need to accomplish the first two years. Added onto all of the other stress that comes with college, students cram their schedule to make this a little more possible. But what comes with cramming also come forgetting material that you might have learned during that time. In Alyssa Pracz view, “It would be much easier to do this if the four years and thousands of dollars were spent cultivating skills that are essential to the student’s ability to pursue his or her intended career
Entry to community college allows just that. Addison explains, “just follow any one of the 1,655 road signs, and pop your head inside—yes, independent film, a first independent thought, a first independent study” (212). Many potential college prospects are turned away because this self-discovery found in community college cannot be found in private college; however, Addison insists that community college is the golden ticket to regain these would-be scholars. To begin, acceptance is necessary for admittance to many colleges—not community college. In the words of Addison, “down at X.Y.C.C. it is still possible to enter the college experience as a rookie” (213). Any student desiring education, preparation, and self-discovery does not need to look any further than community college, which, for some students, is the only shot at the college experience. On top of this, community colleges provide opportunities like no college—public or private—could. Community colleges provide introductory courses that could not be found in regular institutions; this allows students to explore and get their feet under them. To find and pursue an interest proves more difficult at a college because intense classes are provided from the beginning, whether students have declared a major or have yet to decide. In sum, Addison claims that an atmosphere designed
Going to college gives students the chance to step out of their comfort zone, try new things, and discover who they are while pursuing a degree that may, or may not, interest them. In today’s world if a student drops out of college society assumes they are unintelligent, while in reality they could have come to the realization that being amazing at a trade job is better than being mediocre at a desk job. There has to be a way for students to want to finish college and find what they are learning interesting. If something doesn’t change, the system of postsecondary education will become a thing of the
Firstly, not all classes need to be tailored to the student’s chosen career. Just because he or she is not going to go into business or chemistry or whatever the class in question may be does not mean that it could not benefit them to investigate as many subjects as possible. Kirn naively argues that seniors try “to earn a grade they don’t need” as they endure through their final high school year. This is incorrect. College freshmen are notorious for changing their major, and though I cannot say for sure how often young adults change career, I do know that their desired career is not guaranteed. Therefore, continuing to explore while in the late teen years could help later i...
The main advantage to this is that it allows students to discover their interests. For instance, if a state requires that a student must take three years of chemistry or three years of physics, the student may choose one of those subjects and specialize in it. This in some way will help the pupil choose a college major and maybe a career.
I have often wondered what it would be like to experience the freedom of choosing my own class schedule. This has to be infinitely more stimulating and enjoyable. I am also aware that college will be significantly more challenging, but I have always found it easier to study for a class that interests me. I am willing to accept the fact that as long as I am in school, there will be required courses which may not engender excitement or enthusiasm; however, success should not be as difficult to achieve due to the maturity that is developing during this last year of high school. In addition, I have gained an understanding of the benefit of being well rounded. There is value in all classes taken. It helps to know that even my least favorite subject will contribute to the ultimate goal of personal and career development.
In college, students receive a higher education making it a lot more challenging than high school classes. This is specifically so if students did not have a challenging academic experience in high school. Classes are chosen based on major and curriculum. Professors typically give three to five assignments per week but this, of course, varies on the major. One major difference when it comes to classes is that in college, students are able to choose their schedule that will fit their newly adult and busy life, whereas in high school you are not able to do
My path to a college education has been filled with bumps, potholes, detours and roadblocks. The signs often read "yield" and "do not enter." The path has not always been clear, but I've kept my eyes opened, focused on the road ahead, and the experience has made all the difference.
In Barnett and Hughes’ (2010) article that focuses on the “three important milestones” that lead to college completion, the authors dissect the best practices used across the country by colleges and high schools to get their students on the track to success in college. They found that dual enrollment of classes, which occurs when high school students are allowed to take college courses at the same time, and earn college credit upon completion, addresses the three main milestones identified. Dual enrollment also adds value for students and assists in helping students become acclimated to college. Although some states have restrictions on who can take dual enrollment, (ex. Must have a 3.0 GPA) the focus seems to be shifting away from those restrictions to target the populations that may not have been interested in post-secondary education (Barnett and Hughes, 2010).
In today’s competitive world students are more focused on the grade that will be obtained at the end of the course and not concerned with actually leaning about the subject at hand. Students want to obtain a 4.0 GPA and make sure they made good use of the thousands of dollars spend on tuition. According to author Bill Coplin, in his essay, “Lost in the Life of the Mind” he states that “most students and their parents will pay as much as $160,000 only if they believe a college experience will lead to a better economic future” but as we all know it, a high education sometimes leads nowhere. With the high competition in the work force students have to take low paying jobs that are irrelevant to their career
Within recent decades, college has become a more easily available path than it has been for the past generations. In a current news release, The Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that, “Of the 2.9 million youth age 16 to 24 who graduated from high school between January and October 2014, about 68.4 percent were enrolled in college in October” (BLS Economic News Release from April 2015). When a student graduates high school, most of them intend to continue on to college. They have the idea that, while there, they can break away from all the general classes and just focus on what they want to learn. However, for almost all students, they find that this is not the reality. Just like high school, they find that they have to take approximately two years in general studies in order to attend and graduate with the major of their choice. General education classes should not be required because a majority of the information learned has already been covered in past years. Most of the courses do not benefit a student 's major, and the total amount of required hours for these classes can become a big waste of time and money.
According to the NCES, nationwide, thirty to sixty percent of college freshmen require remedial courses in order to meet college admission requirements (2004). In Texas, 38 percent of Texas students enrolled in two-year colleges and technical schools and 24 percent of students at four-year public institutions took remedial courses during the 2006 academic year (Terry 2007). Twenty-eight percent of colleges in the United States report that students spend at least one year in remedial programs making it impossible to earn a degree in 2 or 4 years (NCES, 2003). These students have graduated from high school unprepared for participation in college courses. Unprepared student face both academic and financial barriers. Not preparing students for coursework and careers after high school is expensive. Remedial education courses are estimated to cost student one billion dollars annually. In addition, according to the ACT, despite participating in remedial classes, students who require remedial classes are significantly less likely to graduate from college (2005).
Students go to college in search of knowledge, a new lifestyle, and the hope of a job after graduation. For many young adults, college is a rite of passage into an independent, mature new lifestyle. Not only is higher education a rite of passage, for some, it is also an opportunity to have a better life. Overall, college is a wonderful part of many people’s lives, yet the way the college education system is conducted wastes students time and money. College is basically composed of two parts: general education classes and major specific classes. General education courses are the source of wasted time and money, and should not be required of students. A few of the problems associated with general education classes are that they are basically a repeat of high school, unfortunately they can be the demise of students, they are costly, and they waste time.
College success has become a most desirable goal. However, many students struggle through college. In fact, according to the Website Ask.com, approximately 15 percent of college students receive a degree. Because I’m willing to earn a degree like many other successful students, I find that college is the stepping stone to my dream goals. I know that college is difficult, but I realize that attaining my dream of a college education will require me to understand the benefits of what I’m learning, to prepare for obstacles, to seek advice, and to create effective and reasonable strategies will help me achieve my goals.
One of the most stressful aspects of high school and ultimately college is the ability (or lack thereof) to form good study habits. One may often hear the dramatic tale of a college student staying up all night in order to receive a good grade on his or her test the following morning. This student either completely fails the test, or does really well. These results depend on the students themselves and their ability to study in this manner. In this essay, I will compare and contrast fellow two of the most popular forms of studying—periodic and cramming—in an effort to allow high school students to effectively choose which form may best work for them.
College students must find time in their busy schedules to study. In order to keep up they must do daily assignments. Reading every night helps to prepare for the exams. Taking notes in class and out of class are also necessary. Students also have exams at the end of the semester that require hours of studying. Waiting until the last minute and then cramming it all in is often a final resort. Many students who have kept up just go over and recall the information. All students must find time to study in order to pass.