Chasing My Dreams Instead of Attending College
If I was asked three years ago, “Are you planning on going to college?” I would have replied, “Of course, what other choice do I have?” Little did I know that there are several other options other than attending a four-year college. College students rarely ask what they are supposed to be learning while obtaining their four-year degree. “Will I learn anything in college that will actually help me in my career or future?" This question is one that every student should ask themselves, but few do. Why exactly are you attending college for? Better opportunities? More money? Or are you going just because everyone else is? Zachary Karabell, the author of What’s College For?, wrote an article titled …show more content…
While traveling abroad, last semester, I signed up for a MATH 101 course since I was too old to attend an Azerbaijani school. The concepts I was learning were ones I learned back in middle school. I soon became bored and felt like the class was a waste of my time instead of a learning experience. Karabell is also noticing this trend, “colleges now spend an inordinate amount of time on remedial education, on the teaching of basic skills that students in the rest of the developed world learn in high school” (p. 254). I don’t want to spend money learning concepts and skills I already know. Furthermore, for as many million of students attending every year, the process of applying is still really confusing. As an upcoming freshman, last year, I was so nervous about screwing up my classes and that I might graduate late. Karabell writes, “The requirements for a degree are confusing, and no one takes the time to explain why you need to take the courses you have to take. A surprisingly high percentage of students emerge from the classroom convinced that the whole thing is a waste of time and money that could have been better spent” (p. 256). I don’t want to be one of those students who feel like they wasted four years of their
If I was asked three years ago, “Are you planning on going to college?” I would have replied, “Of course, what other choice do I have?” Little did I know that there are several other options other than attending a four-year college. College students rarely ask what they are supposed to be learning while obtaining their four-year degree. “Will I learn anything in college that will actually help me in my career or future?" This question is one that every student should ask themselves, but few do. Why exactly are you attending college for? Better opportunities? More money? Or are you going just because everyone else is? Zachary Karabell, the author of What’s College For?, wrote an article titled …show more content…
While traveling abroad, last semester, I signed up for a MATH 101 course since I was too old to attend an Azerbaijani school. The concepts I was learning were ones I learned back in middle school. I soon became bored and felt like the class was a waste of my time instead of a learning experience. Karabell is also noticing this trend, “colleges now spend an inordinate amount of time on remedial education, on the teaching of basic skills that students in the rest of the developed world learn in high school” (p. 254). I don’t want to spend money learning concepts and skills I already know. Furthermore, for as many million of students attending every year, the process of applying is still really confusing. As an upcoming freshman, last year, I was so nervous about screwing up my classes and that I might graduate late. Karabell writes, “The requirements for a degree are confusing, and no one takes the time to explain why you need to take the courses you have to take. A surprisingly high percentage of students emerge from the classroom convinced that the whole thing is a waste of time and money that could have been better spent” (p. 256). I don’t want to be one of those students who feel like they wasted four years of their