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Reflection on critical reading and thinking skills
Reflection on critical reading and writing
Critical thinking, reading, writing and rhetorical skills
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My ideal college experience rests on the notion of academic flexibility and confidence. Throughout the next four years, I want to immerse myself in intellectual realms that I currently may have no knowledge of. Since the academic opportunities at the College of Arts and Sciences heavily rely on interdisciplinarity and a balance of breadth and depth, my studies here will fulfill my desire for a heightened appreciation of the world and our place in it. Penn’s One University policy will also prove essential for me, as I will eventually want to expand my horizons beyond the borders of the arts and sciences subjects.
The College’s emphasis on the cultivation of critical reading, writing and thinking skills, coupled with its aim of teaching the arts of asking questions and pursuing answers through research, will perfectly respond to my intellectual desires. For instance, I will utilize the Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships to take part in, or initiate, research in the humanities that will address my interest in computational literary analysis.
The Integrated Studies Progr...
Every year there are thousands of students planning and tracking their goals. Seniors in high school are faced with the tough challenge, while the Juniors are left to worry another year. Finally, the point comes a student’s life where they must make one of the most important decisions in their educational lifetime. That choice is, which college to attend, and it is a very scrutinous process. Two of such colleges are the University of Iowa and St. Ambrose University, and although similarities like majors and minors are evident, there are many other differences including student life.
Picture this. You are heading off to college to begin the next chapter of your life. It is a moment you have always been waiting for. You are past the high school drama, and are ready to start taking classes that will allow you to obtain a degree in something you have always been passionate about. It’s your first week on campus and you are invited to a party being hosted by a group of upper classman. You show up to the party and immediately are handed a red cup with what you know is something you shouldn’t be drinking. You take a sip anyway and soon start talking to that guy in the corner who at first seems friendly, but soon begins to take advantage of you. Just like that everything changes. This is a situation millions of people face every
Imagine a cardiovascular surgeon about to crack the sternum of a dying patient; tension is high while the clock of life ticks desperately slower and softer for the poor soul on the cold steel table that saw death the hour before. Is it logical that at that moment the purveyor of life is contemplating whether his freshmen philosophy class back at SMU has thoroughly prepared him for what he is about to do? Not likely. In higher learning institutions, liberal art classes like philosophy are not meant to be directly applied to one’s life or career; however, they are structured and devised to be a strong base that the individual can expand upon through scientific learning and experience. This is precisely the reason colleges and universities require and place much emphasis on these classes; nevertheless, there has been a shift away from the liberal arts towards the direction of highly specialized areas of science and business because of their growing integration in everyday life. Although people need a limited number of liberal arts classes to attain a basic understanding of ourselves and our evolution, state universities are aptly moving towards technical education, because, in this fast paced world, many people don’t have the time or money to spend studying the humanities alone.
"College of Arts and Sciences." The Writing Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. .
Lieber, Ronald B. "Something Else to Think About." TIME/The Princeton Review: The Best College for You and How to Get In. Spring 1997: 82-84.
N. p. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2011. Print. The. Moran, Darcie.
On December 10, 2009 at Hamilton University in Clinton, New York, college professors debated current college curriculum (Liew). They talked about how their college could make the leap from being good to being great. At the 22nd American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges conference held in Long Beach, California on November 14, 1996, the topic of changing curriculum was discussed (“Mich”). The University of Louisiana, Lafayette, is eliminating its philosophy major, while Michigan State University is doing away with American studies and classics, after years of decline in enrollments in those majors (Zernike). The purpose of a college education is to meet the student’s needs so that they can compete and understand the connection between a degree and a job that will enable them to compete with other world economies, give them a well-rounded education that will enable them to earn a higher income, and retain a lifetime full of knowledge....
It’s late at night and I am slaving away on my computer finding my perfect school. The search so far has been redundant. Another glance at the prospective colleges list and my heart skips a beat: University of Pennsylvania, I read. My mouth instantly goes dry. All the usual words come into my mind: it’s an Ivy, inaccessible, remote, impersonal, unachievable .Certainly not my type of college. Reluctantly, I log on to the website and I am in shock. Here before me is a world completely different from what I expected: it’s interactive, diverse and exciting. It is exactly what I am looking for.
"Tomorrow is the first day of what I will become." I wrote this in my diary the night before my first day of college. I was anxious as I imagined the stereotypical college room: intellectual students, in-depth discussions about neat stuff, and of course, a casual professor sporting the tweed jacket with leather elbows. I was also ill as I foresaw myself drowning in a murky pool of reading assignments and finals, hearing a deep, depressing voice ask "What can you do with your life?" Since then, I've settled comfortably into the college "scene" and have treated myself to the myth that I'll hear my calling someday, and that my future will introduce itself to me with a hardy handshake. I can't completely rid my conscience from reality, however. My university education and college experience has become a sort of fitful, and sleepless night, in which I have wonderful dreams and ideas, but when I awaken to apply these aspirations, reality sounds as a six thirty alarm and my dreams are forgotten.
A good curriculum pinpoints the marks of significance so that the student does not meander aimlessly over the terrain, dependent merely on coincidence to uncover the milestones of human achievement. Most students enter college expecting that the university and its leaders have a clear vision of what is worth knowing and what is important in our heritage that all educated persons should know. The goal of the MOSAIC is to learn what communities past and present have done and are doing to confront, challenge, and overcome systems of power including but not limited to global capitalism, state oppression, and racism. In these classes students study a wide range of ideas about work from the eighteenth century to the present. These ideas have been engendered by scholars in various disciplines such as Philosophy, Science, Economics, Political Theory and Literature. In curriculum design, clarity and intentionality are the most essential elements in the development of program outcomes. And these instructions have been eloquently identified with the Intellectual Heritage Program at Temple. The program aims to impart a complex set of meanings that includes but not limited to decorum, demeanor, modesty, etiquette, manners, morals, propriety, and humaneness. MOSAIC provides tools for lifelong learning (Greek history, and the qualitative and quantitative disciplines of the classical liberal arts) including both historical and more recent literary works. The program exhibits grounding in both the Western and the Eastern scholarly traditions; study subjects in relation to each other and with attention to contemporary relevance; and build on theoretical knowledge through moral obligation and service to the community and society. Such knowledge allow us to preserve the great accomplishments of the past, help us understand the world we live in, and give us essential tools to imagine the
Prompt: Describe two or three of your current intellectual interests and why they are exciting to you. Why will Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences be the right environment in which to pursue your interests? (Please limit your response to 650 words.)
What attracts me to and excites me about Columbia is the juxtaposition of unique elements that serve to make a unique, dynamic campus environment. Columbia has a small undergraduate enrollment, but its community extends into one of the largest cities in the world. This allows me to take advantage of the opportunities offered by New York, such as internships, while still being a part of a smaller community, allowing for greater interaction with other students and professors. This combination of divergent ideas seems to extend itself to become a fundamental aspect of Columbia’s identity. Columbia’s core curriculum reflects this ideal. The University offers a diverse set of classes outside my major. The core curriculum will provide me with a
When I first enrolled here at State University, I never thought I would ever be in the position to graduate. Finishing college was a huge goal growing up but it was also my biggest fear. But after three and a half years of dedication I plan to get my degree in the fall. Getting this far in college was not easy, it took encouragement from family, dedication, and assistance from others to reach this position.
What will I do for the rest of my life? Every person asks this question at some stage of their life, usually during their later teenage years. As a high school junior, I am now asking myself this question. After considerable thought, I have devised a tentative plan for my future. I realize that some of these plans and goals may change over time, but with a plan, the first steps of the journey can begin. To prepare me for the journey, I have taken very challenging high school curriculum, such as Honors and Advanced Placement courses. These classes will not only assist in my admission to college, but have also helped me to develop strong study skills and time management.
must stick with it. A cabinet could be opened at home and a variety of tasty