School/University/College

[georgexu94]

College really requires people to do all-nighters. I thought those were just stories. I had little sleep last fortnight.

[7Deadly$ins]

In my experience it doesn't really, if you don't procrastinate and accept that your freetime is going to be greatly diminished.

[georgexu94]

Ell, at least school is interesting and fun even though it's deadly at times.

[Lila]

This might come across as rude, but I really don't think dumb people should go to college.

 

By dumb, I just mean annoyingly ignorant and entitled people who take school for granted/are only there because they feel like they have to.

[requiesticat]

School's going alright for me so far. I just wish that the teachers would be more lenient about the work they give us, or we're going to be swamped with it.

 

Also ugh I really wish I had a different english teacher. She's really eccentric, and not in an endearing way. Almost everyone in the class hates her.

 

It's like every year I get a handful of teachers I like and one or two I can't stand.

 

This might come across as rude, but I really don't think dumb people should go to college.

 

By dumb, I just mean annoyingly ignorant and entitled people who take school for granted/are only there because they feel like they have to.

 

Eh, it's not that rude. I know a lot of people who don't take school very seriously/hate going, and they fit the annoying bill to the point where I'm dreading them going out into society.

[georgexu94]

This might come across as rude, but I really don't think dumb people should go to college.

 

By dumb, I just mean annoyingly ignorant and entitled people who take school for granted/are only there because they feel like they have to.

Yes, it is not rude. That is true. However, I was a bit shocked when you said 'dumb'. Perhaps it's not a good choice of word. Glad that you clarified what you mean by that. I actually consider myself dumb in the sense no matter how well I studied, my grades are still low. I'm just an average student/mage. I like learning though and retain most things after a very long time. It just takes me a long time to learn and remember stuff. Also, I hate memorising things that I don't find meaning to. If I were to do memorisation, I have to first understand it or use a mnemonics at least.

[Lila]

Yes, it is not rude. That is true. However, I was a bit shocked when you said 'dumb'. Perhaps it's not a good choice of word. Glad that you clarified what you mean by that. I actually consider myself dumb in the sense no matter how well I studied, my grades are still low. I'm just an average student/mage. I like learning though and retain most things after a very long time. It just takes me a long time to learn and remember stuff. Also, I hate memorising things that I don't find meaning to. If I were to do memorisation, I have to first understand it or use a mnemonics at least.

Oh yeah, I definitely didn't mean dumb in a "slow"(?) sense. I don't really refer to people's intelligence by that. I just meant a total irrelevant definition I've adopted. My apologies if I rubbed you the wrong way It was a reference to conformity, I guess, not actual intellect.

[georgexu94]

For US, may I ask if you get a break for the Halloween festivities? For how long? That is to say, from when to when?

[Brotato]

Same as always. The staff and board of directors only care about how to pull more government funding, instead of how to better educate their students.

 

 

[7Deadly$ins]

For US, may I ask if you get a break for the Halloween festivities? For how long? That is to say, from when to when?

There is not usually any sort of Halloween break.

[georgexu94]

I see. So you get to have classes even if it's October 31? (Assume that 31 does not fall on a weekend.)

 

Here, we have semestral break because our school calendar differs. We start school on June then October for a semestral break for a fortnight and resume classes in November. We then have a fortnight break again for Christmas. Then resume in January. This continues until March. We have April-May summer vacation.

[purplenewt]

I graduated college five years ago. I double majored in Animation and Writing. I still write, but I haven't finished anything thus far; I absolutely suck at getting anything done without a structural environment! As for the animation, I'm not as into it anymore as I was back then. It's amazing how much you forget in five years. I used to specialize in stop-motion, because I'm a wretched drawer, and I suck at computers. I'm proof you can graduate with a Bachelor's in Fine Arts without being good at drawing! At the time, I did it for fun. Then, my last year, professors got more annoying and picky. I almost abandoned the major until my friends convinced me to finish it just so I can enlist it on my resumes. Blech... they say choose a major you will enjoy, but in my personal experience, choose a major that will get you a good paying job, folks! College is expensive, and being broke but smarter is not all that fun.

 

I absolutely loved the college/university environment, though. Sometimes I still miss it.

[LupaWulf]

I see. So you get to have classes even if it's October 31? (Assume that 31 does not fall on a weekend.)

 

Here, we have semestral break because our school calendar differs. We start school on June then October for a semestral break for a fortnight and resume classes in November. We then have a fortnight break again for Christmas. Then resume in January. This continues until March. We have April-May summer vacation.

That is correct.

 

The random holidays between semesters tend to follow the government schedule. Same for people who work at the university for holidays. We still work during the semester breaks.

[Kestra15]

This might come across as rude, but I really don't think dumb people should go to college.

 

By dumb, I just mean annoyingly ignorant and entitled people who take school for granted/are only there because they feel like they have to.

If they do, then it's they who suffer by the end, having wasted three/four years and a substantial amount of their own money (or accruing a life-long debt) only to fail out because they didn't take it seriously. Yes, it may irritate other class members, but people with that attitude generally end up reaping what they sow. It's if anything the joys of university - it's the one place I've ever come across where karma works in full force.

[wtf]

If they do, then it's they who suffer by the end, having wasted three/four years and a substantial amount of their own money (or accruing a life-long debt) only to fail out because they didn't take it seriously. Yes, it may irritate other class members, but people with that attitude generally end up reaping what they sow. It's if anything the joys of university - it's the one place I've ever come across where karma works in full force.

Most of those people are arrogant and rich, and it wouldn't matter to them if they don't get a job or anything in the future becuase their parents will already have enough money for them to burn for 5 lifetimes.

In my country, getting into universities is all about conenctions, and the richest people have the best connections so I guess that's why so many of them get into the best universities in the first place. Parental influence.

I agree with you wholeheartedly, they waste their lives and become wasted people themselves and will reap what they sow.

[Princess Kiara]

It's sad...I'm still in high, but most of my classmates were like that. That is in part why I returned to homeschooling...that and the lack of much useful information sticking to me, despite my A+ grades...

 

I'm curious, has anyone here studied abroad? Especially in Eastern Europe, though anywhere really I would like to hear your input. What's it like? What should one do to prepare?

[sh20000sh]

Midterm exam is almost end here, but only subject left is in two weeks later

[Wahya]

It's sad...I'm still in high, but most of my classmates were like that. That is in part why I returned to homeschooling...that and the lack of much useful information sticking to me, despite my A+ grades...

 

I'm curious, has anyone here studied abroad? Especially in Eastern Europe, though anywhere really I would like to hear your input. What's it like? What should one do to prepare?

I haven't personally studied abroad, but I do know a bit about it, having heard other people's experiences.

 

First and foremost, the work you have to do is intensive, and varies depending upon program, professor, and location. It's not uncommon for students to have to write close to 10 pages (probably more in certain programs) as a final assignment for their trip, on top of other assignments throughout.

 

Second, it's very, VERY expensive. If you don't have grants or scholarships to cover it, you'll have to take out additional loans (usually the ones the college gives you for the semester aren't enough to cover it, if you're allowed to use them; varies by college).

 

If my life had taken the path I'd planned originally, I would have been at a university that allowed science students to apply to study abroad in Antarctica. That's a huge regret of mine - I would have eaten 10k in debt if that had been the cost just to have the experience.

 

Oh yeah, and something for EVERYONE to think about:

 

I graduated Valedictorian back in 2007. The ONLY scholarship I was offered for my grades (I earned a 26 on my ACT without studying, and only taking it once, mind you) was five-hundred bucks (USD) to the aforementioned university. Good grades does not necessarily = any kind of ride [partial, full, etc.]. I should also mention I started college at 15 via the dual-enrollment program.

Edited November 1, 2014 by Wahya

[Obscure_Trash]

I'm curious, has anyone here studied abroad? Especially in Eastern Europe, though anywhere really I would like to hear your input. What's it like? What should one do to prepare?

My friends who studied abroad (both in HS and in college) all went to places that spoke a language besides English, so my biggest piece of advice is to learn the language of wherever you're going! Studying abroad is an awesome experience and an awesome opportunity. It should be fun! But part of having fun is being able to understand people, lol. It is easier to do so in HS before college, though some colleges really encourage it (my college actually fought me on it even though they advertised students being able to study so much so that I wasn't able to take advantage of it).

[Princess Kiara]

Cool, thanks I am happy and willing to work hard, and already have the rudiments of Romanian at least; also I speak Spanish which is also a Romance language and therefore similar to Romanian

 

I found this page, which is the scholarship I will be applying for (hopefully there won't be much competition since we're speaking of an Eastern European country ). But I feel I still need more information, and the people at the Romanian Embassy here in Mexico will not acknowledge the existence of this program; they are so rude and claim to know nothing. If I use my terrible Romanian on them, they are not as rude, but they still don't know anything...in fact, they told me the only way for me to get the necessary information was to ask for an appointment with the Ambassador Plenipotentiary doamna Ana Voicu herself! O.o Which was of course ridiculous. I asked for the appointment anyway and was brushed off...when I finally got to the Consul, she was very rude and basically told me to quit wasting her time. I got fed up and called the Romanian Embassy in the U.S., where I finally got people who knew something and were friendly and open! Too bad they had to be the ones who couldn't give me any official help since I don't live in the States :/ I'm at my wits' end...The universities I've messaged all say they'll accept me because my grades are good enough, but I have only one year left to earn enough for my plane ticket and to start saving, finish high school, get my student's visa, work permit, acceptance letters, scholarship and passport, etc. I am feeling the press of time... It's so stressful, but totally worth it if I can get to Romania in the end.

[keakeakea]

Community blows. I'm counting down the days until I can transfer and meet new people. Seeing everyone's pictures- going out last night, all dressed up was soooo depressing. I want to experience that, parties and such. There's not much to do at CC, everyone is like double my age. So when I FINALLY transfer, I'm going across the country. Can't wait :3

[Sany]

Ugh, so they opened the database for the junior internship subjects that are available. Literally all the awesome subjects are abroad. Okay, so Maastricht isn't exactly that "abroad", but still, I don't have a car (or license for that matter) and public transport to there is horrendous.

They say there will be more projects uploaded this week, so I hope something interesting near me will be in that one. There's only 1 subject in a hospital even, last year there were more I seem to recall. Ah well, we'll see. If not, I'll just have to find a way to create a teleporting device.

 

Oh, not to mention I'm really confused about some subjects that are like on the other side of Europe. Sadly those of course are interesting too. But make no sense. Uuuuugh.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Sany

[Gsea]

I'm resurrecting this thread because school is pretty much my life atm, so what better way to procrastinate than to discuss school on a forum? =p

 

I'm a high school senior about to dive into the stressful mess of applying to colleges. For the time being I am teetering on the edge of the cliff, overlooking a pit of test scores and fees and deadlines and essay topics, because I am terrified terrified terrified.

 

Anyone know the website CollegeConfidential? The forums on that site are the most revolting thing I've ever seen. Particularly the parents section. I just had the pleasure of reading a post by a parent who, to loosely quote them, "felt their heart drop into their stomach the day their child admitted they were okay with getting a B." On these forums you can also find students complaining that a 2100 (out of 2400) on the SAT is a bad score, or that "National Honor Society is a worthless extracurricular because it's just sooo easy to get into."

 

:/

[Eclipseheart]

I'm resurrecting this thread because school is pretty much my life atm, so what better way to procrastinate than to discuss school on a forum? =p

 

I'm a high school senior about to dive into the stressful mess of applying to colleges. For the time being I am teetering on the edge of the cliff, overlooking a pit of test scores and fees and deadlines and essay topics, because I am terrified terrified terrified.

 

Anyone know the website CollegeConfidential? The forums on that site are the most revolting thing I've ever seen. Particularly the parents section. I just had the pleasure of reading a post by a parent who, to loosely quote them, "felt their heart drop into their stomach the day their child admitted they were okay with getting a B." On these forums you can also find students complaining that a 2100 (out of 2400) on the SAT is a bad score, or that "National Honor Society is a worthless extracurricular because it's just sooo easy to get into."

 

:/

Ah- I'm right behind you friend. I'm a Junior in High School and I have pretty big dreams ahead of me.....but, during my sophomore year, I lost sight of what was important and let school slip a bit. I haven't applied for NJHS/NHS.

 

See, the thing is with school education in general is that everyone's standards have skyrocketed exceptionally throughout the year(s), and it's weighing 'average' students down. As someone who teeters on the edge of a 3.0, I have basically lost all hope in getting into Hawaii Pacific University and pursuing my dream career as an English teacher in South Korea.

 

Standards as of right now, in my opinion, are ridiculously high. To make a living, you have to be put in debt for years to come. But in order to make a living, you also have to ask for help with that debt which is, "your fault for not being born into wealth", to quote my friend's dad. He didn't actually mean it, but I thought it was a pretty good way of looking at what we have to do as far as school to make a living right now.

[Gsea]

Standards as of right now, in my opinion, are ridiculously high. To make a living, you have to be put in debt for years to come. But in order to make a living, you also have to ask for help with that debt which is, "your fault for not being born into wealth", to quote my friend's dad. He didn't actually mean it, but I thought it was a pretty good way of looking at what we have to do as far as school to make a living right now.

Yeppp. I am so worried about paying for college. My family is super average middle-class. In other words, I probably won't be getting any helpful amount of financial aid. But my parents aren't planning to help me pay for college, and even if they wanted to, they wouldn't be able to afford it tbh. We are right on the awful border between "makes a small enough amount of money to get need-based aid" and "makes enough money to not need any aid."

 

My academic stats are good enough to get a near full-ride scholarship from a college in my state. But then I fear I would be selling myself short by going to a college whose average students are below my academic level. My only other option is to attend a college more matched to my abilities, but then, I will be average in that school, and won't get any merit aid.

 

why is life so hard