Universities And Colleges example essay topic

Colleges and Universities: Learning How to Learn Every year, millions of dollars are spent on toward education. That's a major expense in anyone's life. But what are we really paying for? With a hundred thousand dollars and four years, a degree can be acquired in just about any field.

Imagine the greatest doctor in the world. Imagine her saving lives everyday. Now picture that same doctor not knowing how to change a diaper, pump gas, or even balance her own check book. Naturally, society would be more apt to avoid that physician. How could this be? That's the question parents' and professors alike are asking everyday.

If colleges and universities are preparing students for the world of work, who is going to prepare them for the world? Remember that first day of school, standing before numerous doors of vast opportunities and excitement? The possibilities seemed endless. Though as the years pass, it seems that one by one those doors begin slamming in our faces. Contrella 2 A small boy fails a fourth grade math test. He begins to get discouraged and becomes completely turned off by anything math related for the rest of his academic experience.

He begins to wake up every morning for school because it is part of the routine, not because of the excitement of learning. By tenth grade, he is completely fed up with the idea of school in general. He does what is needed to get by, while getting tossed among a variety of teachers who mundanely write him off. When he is ready to enter college, he chooses classes that well trained apes could pass. (We often have to wonder how things such as 'ultimate Frisbee', make an enrollment list.) His main objective: Get out. With that college degree, he can find a descent job that pays enough to pay the bills and put food on the table.

The cycle finally ends. It's sad to think that this could ever happen, but reality shows us that it can happen any day of the week. Benjamin R. Barber put it best when he stated "Americans do not really care about education - The country has grown comfortable with the game of 'let's pretend we care' " (75). It is almost as though society has been programmed. Birth, schooling, work, death. That describes a basic life pattern.

Is that enough? What happened to self-fulfillment and genuine interest in learning? Intellect seems to be falling by the wayside, while ignorance inhabits all. Quick! What congressional Medal of Honor recipient survived World War II and went on to become a famous movie star? Now, lets' be honest.

Even if one-fourth of a group of people answered correctly, Audie Murphy, how relevant has it been in their every day life? Do Americans who know all aspects of advanced calculus really leadContrella 3 more fulfilling lives than those who merely tally their monthly budget or balance their checkbooks? Curriculum is a big problem on every branch of higher learning. Barber points out "there is nothing in Homer or Virginia Wolf, in Shakespeare or Tony Morrison that will advance students is climbing to the top of the American heap" (75). In order to gain real world experience, students need to be given hands-on experience. This obscure barrage of knowledge that we drill into the susceptible minds of our students is merely background for a Jeopardy audition.

Of course many informational classes are needed for a thorough education. If even in an accident we can be thankful when the Doctor remembers what the hipbone is connected to and how to repair it. However, many Universities go to extremes to punch a lifetime of knowledge into a four-year experience. To truly become well-rounded individuals, we must understand all aspects of life. The science of laundry and sorting by color is just as important as the periodic tables.

Sometimes we just need to substitute some Uncle Tom's Cabin for a little Uncle Ben " 's Rice. Two, four, six, eight who do we tend to separate? Our sports hero's, of course. Americans go to great lengths to show their athletic support, so why should our school systems be any different? Beginning at adolescents our superstars of tomorrow strive for excellence. We cheer them on in Jr.

High. We award and praise their achievements in High School. We root for them all the way through our favorite Colleges. Then what? Naturally, the star quarterback of any state University is a local hero. He is failing English, but he is leading the team to its second straight championship.

Contrella 4 The professor decides to slip him a "B" on the next test, making him eligible to play. All seems well again. He plays once more as thousands of young fans look upon him not only a role model, but as a god. All of this glory must eventually come to an end. What happens then? A very elite few ever make the professional level.

The rest are left behind as yesterday's news and with no real future. A College then moves on to its next prey, rather, superstar. Colleges use these star athletes to gain popularity and increase enrollment. They keep their athletes sheltered from harm's way until after their fourth year. Then they " re forced to hit the road hard. What kind of a role model is that?

If children watch a man with a golden arm and spaghetti for brains cashing in million dollar checks every month, and a social worker bringing in pennies a week, they will stay away from social work even if they have no athletic talent. (Barber 78) So to all of these multi-million dollar Universities, give our children back real role models like Rosa Parks or their teachers. Today in our society, educational methods are simple. Reward the good; punish the bad.

Praise the smart; insult the slow. That doesn't sound quite right. There are no stupid people, because everyone learns at their own level and pace. So we insult our slower developing students. We make them feel foolish until they slowly slip through the widening crack of our society.

Back when I was trudging up my last few steps of public education, I witnessed something quite disturbing. An individual was tainting the reputation of not only the school district but the entire community. The superintendent in collaboration with the schools' faculty proposed a deal to the troublesome junior. Contrella 5 They were willing to hand over a High School Diploma in return for the students' consistent absence. With a diploma, even some of the most reputable schools are likely to consider average or below average students for admission. E.D. Hirsch adds that 'It is unclear how long our best universities can maintain their excellence when the students who enter them and who will subsequently staff them are ill prepared' (65).

We need to spend more individual attention on lower level learners and make it okay to ask questions again. It's time to take a big step back and look where to place the blame. Americans need to stop accepting failure as fate. We need to get back some gusto and strive for excellence. If colleges no longer wish to be a part of the real world, and try to pull the wool over your eyes, pull it back a take a good long look. Are Universities and Colleges really preparing us for all that life has to offer, or are we simply buying ourselves a place on the American payroll?