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Mary Aig

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Is Higher or University Education killing or building dreams slowly? What should students expect when progressing iinto higher education?

Why would most top universities aim to accept top grade earners from high school with the intention of kicking them out after the first/second year at the university? Quite often by making the structure of the curriculum unnecessarily hard.

This realization comes from few first year students who were top grade earners from high school and now were kicked out of the university for not meeting the standards, which of course is the GPA faculty requirements. I wonder how these " I need to at least pass, get an A, just get a B" attitude intend to prepare these students for the future.

Universities are beginning to reverse the meaning of earning a university education, and in turn killing the creativity of the intellectual minds of students.

It is not that these first year students did not make the efforts to keep up with their grades, but if the focus in the minds of these students has been or is still "I need to at least pass, get an A, just get a B", how does this motive help a lot of students (future leaders/ world-contributors) affect the world when universities encourage these students to "shoe-box" their ideas by nurturing the mentality of " You need a certain grade to get into a certain program".

Universities intend to keep their "name" (reputation) and still make more money off students, especially International students, whose parents are still struggling to give them the best and some look up to these top universities as a guardian for their children. This, arguably has indefinitely caused high suicidal rates.
Even if the university is a money making industry, shouldn't these universities think to start re-evaluating this perspective they are choosing in working with the first year university students? many "could have been" Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, and Martin Luther(s) are been lost in the process of achieving a university education. So that other students are not surprised but prepared, what should they keep in mind before going into universities?


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    Oct 30 2013: I could approach this many ways ... students not mature enough ... schools are money pits ... research schools VS educational facilities ... K thru 12 did not prepare them ... etc ... a valid argument could be made for all..

    One of the issues is that we have been sold the idea that you are a failure if you do not go to college. Many of the people who drop out of college could have went to a tech school and been successful.

    I have a view that many do not share. Junior Colleges sort this problem out. The cost is less and classes smaller. You can save by living and eating at home. Easier to join a study group in a class of 30 than to seek a group in a lecture hall of 200. Easier to adjust to being a number and not a person. Allows time to "grow up". Entering a university at 22 / 23 is a lot different that at 18.

    Do military service and then go to school ... many of the same reasons.

    Do a mission for your religion ... many of the same reasons.

    Go to a Liberal Arts College prior to University. Many of the same reasons.

    A butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker ... at 18 few have a clue what they want as a lifes work.

    Yeah school have problems ... but many of the wounds of school are student self inflicted.

    You have made a general plea but I sense there is a root cause to your question. Is there anything specific you can share and we can address?

    I wish you well. Bob.
    • Nov 10 2013: Bob, You nailed it.

      As a younger man I was upset that fledgling Professors had little practical experience.
      They were given much to much responsibility and allowed to teach when yet unfit.

      I believed that university's educators should be a the very top of the intellectual chain, and
      have had "hands on experience" from the "real" world, instead of the "self-published" world.
      With accomplishments heralded.

      I believed that universities should guarantee their products the same as any other business.
      I believed that Tenure was bad.

      I believed that universities as a group, leaned towards non-profit Corporate irresponsibility,
      and didn't contribute to a positive course for geographical government, while filling the
      open personnel requirements to the hilt. .

      The proof? I just looked around. I enjoyed Saturday football. Big then, much bigger now.

      Today, I watch the geographical government of the USA.
      George W. Bush -- Two Terms
      Barack Obama -- Two Terms
      Go figure.

      ps: I watched as Janet Napolitano fled the DHS early on and missed the mess.
      Today she runs the largest university in California, and gets ready to run the nation.
      Go figure.

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