I wonder what number of college kids actually care?

College Life
1

<p>And think of college for an intrinsic value in lieu of an instrumental one. Perhaps this will sound a bit jaded, since I am a lower-middle income HS graduate at Community college, where as most of my high school friends and associates are upper-middle income families at four year schools. The average family income of my school is about $138,000, and it would much higher if we just looked at the "IB" portion of it. Frankly, most of them (mostly the IB crowd) seems to have the need to go to college because of their parents, or to "get rich". Few of them want to try to make the world a better place, in any way possible.</p>

<p>I was in IB classes, but did not test due to money issues (actually being told by my IB counselor to quit, if I wasn't testing), all of my friends/associates were IB diploma, or certificate of merit.</p>

<p>When applications were sent out/received, and decided on, many of my classmates actually felt sorry for themselves, and complained that they weren't attending their "dream school", or only going to our state flagship school. I guess this one part of society has forgotten these luxuries we feel we are entitled to.</p>

<p>Anyway, now that we've all graduated, and most of them are beginning college, I'm beginning to wonder how much college actually matters for kids. I did a poll among my class (local area of 2011, not just my school), asking what three things people were most excited for about college. The most common answers were "Freedom from family", "sleep friendly schedule", and "meeting new people". This is from a list of choices, and "learning new material" was actually the least chosen.</p>

<p>This worries me, as I've always seen college as...ya know...first and foremost, a place to be a scholar, an academic, and have a passion for learning. Oh sure, meeting new people is a great thing, and freedom/sleep are great, just the huge precedence over learning is...disheartening. </p>

<p>My best friend is at a school in Northern California. He's more concerned that his friend has a cool car (a hummer I think), that he's learning to longboard, and the weather, than any of his classes (and, he's in the honors program...somehow). Of course, he's in the "get rich" party.</p>

<p>Now, one might think "Oh sure, of course business people are self centered, and the liberal arts purposes are a bit scattered. But what about STEM kids? They want to make the world a better place" Sadly, not quite. Most of the potential engineers I know want to do the laudable thing and get a BS<MBA<then consult or manage, again, to make money. Even the kids I know who want to be doctors, oh sure, helping people is on their list, but the salary and job security is the thing that attracts them most.</p>

<p>Honestly, if there are any GOOD college kids in this world, who want to help people (by any means), make the world a better place, and care about their education, regardless of WHERE it is, please help me out here. Give me something to hope for.</p>

2

<p>Funny part is that the thread below this is the " I don’t care about anything" thread</p>

<p>Sent from my HTC HD2 using CC App</p>

3

<p>I’m at a funny in-between place. My real passion is art and English. I love reading, have loved it ever since I was a kid, and I really like drawing too. I’m one of those few who enjoyed analyzing books in English class, and I consistently get the highest grades in English. My aptitude for it is such that I didn’t even have to study SAT II Literature - I went in and got a 780 with no effort beforehand. </p>

<p>However, I’m a computer science major. Why? Because English majors are everywhere, they don’t make much money, and I have no idea what I can do with a degree in English. Computer science, on the other hand, is something I have some interest in and am -relatively- competent at - however, I know that I will never be a great revolutionary computer scientist or anything, my interest in it isn’t high enough, nor is my aptitude in it. However, I want to be able to live comfortably, and an English major will not be able to provide me that with much certainty.</p>

<p>I’m at college because I want to learn, definitely - it’s one of my top reasons. I am interested in computer science and am not opposed to having a career in it, but I look forward to my humanities electives a lot more than to my actual engineering classes. As for helping people, I help whenever I can - it’d be great if I can somehow create a start-up that benefits the world, but my skill isn’t quite there. But money definitely plays a part into why I’m here.</p>

4

<p>I’m majoring in Mass Communications/Media Studies at my school. I do plan on going to grad school afterwards, of course. The main reason I am majoring in this is because I know I will something incredibly valuable out of this: a better me. My family is working class (less than 20k income) and I’ve dealt with huge financial situations. My dad lost his job during the recession a few years ago, so we were making $0 for five years. Five years. My grandparents helped us by wiring us money electronically; and not very much, just enough to pay the bills, so we had no extra money for clothes, food, leisurely activities. I also lost 15 lbs during this time period because of stress in high school.</p>

<p>I’ve always had an interest in the media, especially for film and television. I was always intrigued by the depictions of society/economy through film and television; you can learn so much by watching movies, it’s not even a joke. When I got to my university, I was planning on majoring in something “practical” like agricultural science or engineering just for the money, but after a while, I realized that it’s not always about making money in this world. I’ve grown up my whole life without a lot of money; no birthday presents, no gifts, etc. And my family’s financial situation made me even appreciate my deep interest more now that I think about it.</p>

<p>Doing something just to earn money, in my opinion, will not get you far in life. Not everyone is cut out to be a doctor or some brilliant engineer. From experience, it takes deep interest in something and dedication to get far. I believe that achieving success is about learning who you are and utilizing your educational skills to practice in the real world. That is why I go to school and do what I love to do. I love how much I’ve grown in the past couple of years, and I want to show everyone how much I’ve grown and how I can help others see the world in a more “worldly” perspective. My goal, really, is to help other struggling young people like me out there. I love my classes; they’re hard, but extremely rewarding and valuable. Of course, money is a concern, but when you put so much effort and dedication into what you’re doing, you will definitely get recognized for it. Success comes your way when you least expect it.</p>

5

<p>Open up your world view. Everyone has different things that are important to them.</p>

<p>Questions to ask:

  • What does education, by itself, have to do with making the world better? Is it any use if you don’t apply it?
  • Why does making the world a better place motivate you?
  • Is there any difference in primary and secondary motivators if the end result is that everyone is better off?</p>
6

<p>I hope this is a joke thread or you’re an aspiring beauty pagent contestant, either way you need to grow up. I’d get it if you were a 5 year old kid and wanted to make the world a better place but you need to get back to reality. </p>

<p>The only reason I’m in college is because everyone else is expected to go to college after high school. Also I want to make money when I enter the real world (wall street hopeful). The classes are okay and all but if I didn’t have to go to classes and still get A’s you bet I wouldn’t put in the effort just so I can have a paper with my name underneath something that says " so and so has been awarded the Bachelor of Science degree for recognition in completion of a major in Finance" Don’t get me wrong though I’d still hang it up along with my MBA and other achievements. </p>

<p>Also I couldn’t imagine going to a school that has nothing to do. I like that we have one of the biggest greek communities in the nation, we have a lot of bars that always have specials going on, a lot of restaurants, and our football team is sick. </p>

<p>I only applied to one college and it just so happen to be a top 15 public in my state and has one of the biggest alumni support in the nation. My main reasons for going was to meet new people, have a great social life, and get a degree from a great school.</p>

7

<p>I just like learning…</p>

8

<p>I went to college to get out on my own, have a lot of fun, and get a degree so I can get a better job. I don’t particularly like school and while I’m interested in some things (psychology) to me that’s more of a bonus. I picked my school based on where I would have the most fun. In my life right now I view class as what I have to slog through each day in order to be able to do the things I enjoy more about my current life (hanging out with friends, partying, having fun). And I’m okay with that. When I graduate I will get a degree which will most likely be more useful to me than if I didn’t have one, so that is an additional benefit for me as well.</p>

<p>My reasons for going to college are not better than yours. It’s a road we’re all going down; some people are oriented towards what lies at end of the road, some people are all about the journey (and all for different reasons). Just because someone isn’t in college for academia’s sake or to make the world a better place doesn’t mean they aren’t a “good” college kid or that they shouldn’t be there. College is an institution that people come to for all sorts of reasons and they are ALL valid. Even the people who just come to party, or the people who came to get a degree to make money, or the people who come because they don’t want to work due to the economy, or the people who just come to meet others. Who are you to judge anyone’s reasoning for doing anything? You don’t have that right.</p>

9

<p>Sorry buddy, not a lot of hope for you. Personally, I hate classes for the most part, and I am just getting a degree because you basically have to these days. Otherwise, I certainly would not bother going to college. I think that most people feel the way I do.</p>

10

<p>I love school and I love learning. The degree is more of a bonus for me. I would happily spend 4+ years reading books and being intellectually stimulated even if there wasn’t a degree at the end of it.<br>
That being said, I recognize that to really go anywhere in todays society you need to have a degree, usually in something considered “practical”.</p>

11

<p>@cahzriel, I don’t think that’s egotistical at all. It’s not bragging if it’s true.</p>

<p>He’s simply stating that he’s very talented in English, but chose to major in something more marketable.</p>

12

<p>There is no reason to think less of a kid who is going to college to better himself financially.</p>

<p>You have a lot more chance to do some good in the world once you have economic power. </p>

<p>When I visited Johns Hopkins, they had a wall with the names of a number of those non-caring business people you mentioned in your post, each of which donated $8 million to the university. </p>

<p>These people did more good, in my opinion, than someone who simply marches in a protest against budget cuts in education.</p>

<p>I am a history buff. Benjamin Franklin did a LOT of good in the world, but first he had to become economically self sufficient. No one would ever have paid attention to him if had never risen above that first printing shop that he started.</p>