Why do I pay more tuition for stupid courses I don't need?

[Dooga Blackrazor]

I agree that being a broadly learned person is important; however, the required credits issue can be a bit complicated. I am going to be forced into a basic Arts class, which will be a complete breeze. I don't mind learning about business, music, or art, but I don't want to memorize and not engage the material. The lack of choice in my school causes me to be unchallenged and I'm completely frustrated. Another unfortanate occurance is the instance of having to choose between two undesired courses, due to lack of teachers. I'm taking a Political Science course, and because of the public school system the class never gets to discuss anything interesting. I've spent hours writing notes on the basic principals of democracy, and have spent little time debating political issues with the class, it seems that it's a crime for someone to get offended.

In theory it's easy to criticize students for not enjoying a variety of subjects, but schools are more complicated than people think. Students often base course choices on a who a teacher is rather than the material. Many students want to go take classes with material they enjoy. Students cannot be entirely blamed for not being broadly learned, some of the blame falls on the school systems.

 

[franznietzsche]

Oh please, spare me the ideological BS. Like I said before, a liberal arts program is not good at making you an intellectual, but a good BSer--like you seem to be. You said earlier before that you are taking an intro to Chem course. Honestly, being a chemistry major myself, learning spectroscopy is a waste of time if you are never going to be a practicing chemist in the future. Please tell me how learning to interpret NMR and IR data etc. is going to help you put food on the table in the future unless you are a chemist. That is the problem with you librals and your liberal education, it is based on ideological fantasy, not reality.

If you ever call me a liberal again, i will hunt you down. I'm about as liberal as Kissinger, and very insulted right now. In person, i would have just hit you.

That said I'm a physics major. Spectroscopy may very well prove useful to me. But unlike you I'm not obsessed with money i don't need. I'm doing it because i enjoy it. Thats no fantasy, that's reality.

 

[gravenewworld]

It wasn't personal until you made it be in your previous post.

 

[Andromeda321]

Oh please, spare me the ideological BS. Like I said before, a liberal arts program is not good at making you an intellectual, but a good BSer--like you seem to be. You said earlier before that you are taking an intro to Chem course. Honestly, being a chemistry major myself, learning spectroscopy is a waste of time if you are never going to be a practicing chemist in the future. Please tell me how learning to interpret NMR and IR data etc. is going to help you put food on the table in the future unless you are a chemist. That is the problem with you librals and your liberal education, it is based on ideological fantasy, not reality.

I am currently an astro/physics major with a history minor who plays in the university's orchestra. Do you see a lot of money coming from that? You're right and I don't see much money coming out of it either. But I love each subject dearly and could not imagine not persuing one or the other. I like studying them because I love to learn, pure and simple. I write my papers and practice my scales because it makes me happy.
I never liked high school because it was filled with kids planning on going to Ivies part because of the money they thought they'd receive at the other end and part because they were told it was the best thing for them to do. If you asked one of these kids what they wanted to study and you would get a vague "premed" or "buisness;" if you instead asked what their favorite subject was their eyes would light up thinking about computer programming or analyzing sonnets. If you asked them what they were going to do after they got their degree you would get a bewildered look: they had no idea. They had no dreams beyond what they had been told was the most successful thing to do and I pity them for it. Money helps you be happy easier but if you have nothing that makes you happy what good is it for?
So now I'm going to go be a good Renissance Woman and begin writing a paper on Babylonian godesses. I'm not particularly excited about that this very moment and I don't see it translating into dollar signs down the road but at the end I'll find a deep joy in exploring the relationship between Ishtar and Ianna. And that's not something a bad stock market could ever take away from me!

 

[Smurf]

One thing that will always bother me is how much people in general hate learning. Even people in college. If you hate it so much, get out and stop wasting everyone else's time. I will admit i hate my chemistry course this quarter. Not because i think its worthless, i know its not, i just hate the lab for it, the lecture is reasonably interesting. But first quarter intro chem lab is not (well a few spectroscopy labs were, but mixing ionic solutions is not). But i know its important for me to know.

I cannot find words to express my frustration with your attitude. Then again, I'm the kind of person who reads literature and philosophy purely for intellectual stimulation, an idea that is probably as foreign to you as that language they make you take.

Franz if only you were a little less conservative we could get along famously, these were my exact thoughts when I read that.

 

[franznietzsche]

I am currently an astro/physics major with a history minor who plays in the university's orchestra...

But I love each subject dearly and could not imagine not persuing one or the other. I like studying them because I love to learn, pure and simple. I write my papers and practice my scales because it makes me happy...

Money helps you be happy easier but if you have nothing that makes you happy what good is it for?

... at the end I'll find a deep joy in exploring the relationship between Ishtar and Ianna. And that's not something a bad stock market could ever take away from me!

EVO! EVO! I found a younger version!

I think I'm in love :!) :!) :!)

Why don't people like you ever exist near me??

 

[gravenewworld]

I am currently an astro/physics major with a history minor who plays in the university's orchestra. Do you see a lot of money coming from that? You're right and I don't see much money coming out of it either. But I love each subject dearly and could not imagine not persuing one or the other. I like studying them because I love to learn, pure and simple. I write my papers and practice my scales because it makes me happy.

You didn't read what I posted earlier. I AM NOT KNOCKING THE SUBJECTS THEMSELVES. I have no problem if someone wants to study philosophy or the humanities, what I have a problem with though is forcing people to study them who have no interest in it. Good you CHOSE to study orchestra/history, I have no problem with that. However I would have a problem if I was forced to take orchestra myself, since it will have no relevance to my interests or career in the future.

 

[Hurkyl]

I've never taken a subject in which I didn't develop an interest. (Whether I was interested when I took it is another question...)


You're all high and mighty now, but you might change your tune when a clueless business major starts signing your paychecks.

 

[Andromeda321]

You didn't read what I posted earlier. I AM NOT KNOCKING THE SUBJECTS THEMSELVES. I have no problem if someone wants to study philosophy or the humanities, what I have a problem with though is forcing people to study them who have no interest in it. Good you CHOSE to study orchestra/history, I have no problem with that. However I would have a problem if I was forced to take orchestra myself, since it will have no relevance to my interests or career in the future.

Well let me tell you something interesting: I had no intention until a few months ago to major in history to the point where my high school teachers in the subject were in shock when I told them. I only realized how much I liked the subject when I was required to take it for my core classes.
Cheerio!

 

[JasonRox]

I take the courses I want. They have requirements, but I ignore it. I'm suppose to be kicked out of the program by now, but it hasn't happened.

I don't have to take very many other courses, but the reason I don't want to take them is that, like you said, there stupid and dumb.

I'm in school to learn. I'm not there for the damn degree.

Aren't we all in school to learn?

People say to get a degree because you can get $$$ out of it, but in reality this is only true for business students. When it comes to mathematics/science, it doesn't mean ****. My opinion might be very small, but in math/science you can show your skills and work.

I don't see why it takes a degree to tell someone you know something.