Posted on Jul 29, 2018
Sinking Standards And Indoctrination: A Veteran's View Of The College Experience
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When I graduated high school I immediately enlisted in the military. After months completing OSUT at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and a brief vacation home for HRAP, I was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. Over the next few years, my education would come in the form of deployments, field training exercises, structured self-development courses, and professional development schools. I wanted something more though. I looked forward to a time where my career would be at such an optempo as to allow for me to complete my formal civilian education. That time never came. Instead, I found myself medically retired at the age of twenty-four. After a brief stint of wallowing in my own self-pity, I decided to get my life back on track and, ten years after graduating high school, I found myself front and center in a college classroom.
I had previously imagined how college would be. I was never a great student in high school; more often than not, I was a slacker who managed to skate by with good test scores. In my head, I thought that, at best, I would be roughly a B student if I put some real effort into my work. Due to the VA educational benefits that I had earned, I did not have to split my time between working some part time job to pay the bills and use my spare time to complete schoolwork. No, I could completely dedicate myself to my studies. I soon found that my vision of what college would be was nothing close to the reality of it.
I soon found that I was not expected to put in the kind of effort that I had set out to do. Surrounded by hordes of young kids, ranging in ages between 18 and 22 mostly, I was easily one of the oldest people in each classroom. Most of the students didn’t do the assigned readings, turned in homework late, and scored terribly on midterms and finals; did they know something I didn’t? Yes, they did. It would seem that the American education system had morphed from a place to broaden one’s formal education and promote critical thinking to a daycare of sorts where these teenagers and early-twenty-somethings could prolong their childhoods for a few more years while the teachers, in what can only be rationalized as an effort to keep their jobs “useful”, tossed passing grades on to transcripts. Eventually, without learning how to even properly format a paper, these students would graduate with Bachelor’s Degrees in their various disciplines. This is not at all an exaggeration, sadly.
Just recently, I completed a condensed three credit hour course during the summer 2018 semester. I didn’t have to study, I didn’t open up the books after the first week, and I spent most of the lecture time arguing with the professor. I ended up with a final grade of over 99%. How did this happen? Well, because the course was simple to begin with. I was always going to get a low ‘A’, but the reason that it was nearly a perfect grade was because the professor continually added extra points to exams and assignments in order to ensure that every student received a passing grade. If this sounds asinine to you, it should. The idiotic professor’s disgusting and intellectually dishonest practice allowed me to receive a 121% on an exam just so a few more undeserving idiots could pass. This is what the American education system has become.
Now, I have spoken before about a professor that I have become quite close to; in fact, if it were not for our professional, student-teacher relationship, I may go as far as to say we were friends. She has not yet been taken in by this system of inflating grades to ensure the survival of her position, but even she has voiced how the standards that students are being held to are abysmal at best. Reading comprehension is non-existent, the ability to write a coherent paper of over a page and a half is rare, and it would seem that grades are seen, by students, as not earned by virtue of hard-work and demonstrated understanding but rather they are bought and paid for via their tuition. This may be a symptom of the rampant entitlement that seems to be almost ubiquitous amongst this up and coming generation. Sadly, I belong to this generation.
At the very same time that students are being shuffled through their university education, many professors take the opportunity to vomit their vile personal beliefs from the lectern. In the army we always joked about fighting communists as if it were a thing of the distant past, but it would seem alive and well. I never imagined having to defend the American way of life in a classroom and yet, time after time, I find myself defending the constitution, capitalism, and the rule of law from whole groups who believe that the founding fathers had it all wrong. If the fact that students were getting unearned diplomas was not enough to anger me, listening to students and professors preach the many blessings of communism surely did the trick.
After two more semesters I will graduate with my BA in English; I am on track to graduate with honors. I will be throwing my application for admission to a short list of institutions and I have no doubt that I will be allowed to attend one of them. I can only hope that graduate school will not be tainted with the same practices as undergrad.
If attending college has taught me one thing so far, it is that traditional, four year degrees should not be sought by everyone. In fact, I have become a firm believer in the value of technical schools and trades. Were it possible to go into my field, teaching, without a liberal arts degree, I would. What has become apparent is that the often spoken lie that one cannot be a success without a college degree has been espoused so many times that we all seem to believe it and that is sad. I have an entire group of very close friends who have never attended college, some of them dropped out of high school, and they are all on their way to making far more money in their careers than I can ever hope to make as a college English professor. Perhaps we would be better off if students understood the value of some of these careers or at least understood the necessity of hard work.
I had previously imagined how college would be. I was never a great student in high school; more often than not, I was a slacker who managed to skate by with good test scores. In my head, I thought that, at best, I would be roughly a B student if I put some real effort into my work. Due to the VA educational benefits that I had earned, I did not have to split my time between working some part time job to pay the bills and use my spare time to complete schoolwork. No, I could completely dedicate myself to my studies. I soon found that my vision of what college would be was nothing close to the reality of it.
I soon found that I was not expected to put in the kind of effort that I had set out to do. Surrounded by hordes of young kids, ranging in ages between 18 and 22 mostly, I was easily one of the oldest people in each classroom. Most of the students didn’t do the assigned readings, turned in homework late, and scored terribly on midterms and finals; did they know something I didn’t? Yes, they did. It would seem that the American education system had morphed from a place to broaden one’s formal education and promote critical thinking to a daycare of sorts where these teenagers and early-twenty-somethings could prolong their childhoods for a few more years while the teachers, in what can only be rationalized as an effort to keep their jobs “useful”, tossed passing grades on to transcripts. Eventually, without learning how to even properly format a paper, these students would graduate with Bachelor’s Degrees in their various disciplines. This is not at all an exaggeration, sadly.
Just recently, I completed a condensed three credit hour course during the summer 2018 semester. I didn’t have to study, I didn’t open up the books after the first week, and I spent most of the lecture time arguing with the professor. I ended up with a final grade of over 99%. How did this happen? Well, because the course was simple to begin with. I was always going to get a low ‘A’, but the reason that it was nearly a perfect grade was because the professor continually added extra points to exams and assignments in order to ensure that every student received a passing grade. If this sounds asinine to you, it should. The idiotic professor’s disgusting and intellectually dishonest practice allowed me to receive a 121% on an exam just so a few more undeserving idiots could pass. This is what the American education system has become.
Now, I have spoken before about a professor that I have become quite close to; in fact, if it were not for our professional, student-teacher relationship, I may go as far as to say we were friends. She has not yet been taken in by this system of inflating grades to ensure the survival of her position, but even she has voiced how the standards that students are being held to are abysmal at best. Reading comprehension is non-existent, the ability to write a coherent paper of over a page and a half is rare, and it would seem that grades are seen, by students, as not earned by virtue of hard-work and demonstrated understanding but rather they are bought and paid for via their tuition. This may be a symptom of the rampant entitlement that seems to be almost ubiquitous amongst this up and coming generation. Sadly, I belong to this generation.
At the very same time that students are being shuffled through their university education, many professors take the opportunity to vomit their vile personal beliefs from the lectern. In the army we always joked about fighting communists as if it were a thing of the distant past, but it would seem alive and well. I never imagined having to defend the American way of life in a classroom and yet, time after time, I find myself defending the constitution, capitalism, and the rule of law from whole groups who believe that the founding fathers had it all wrong. If the fact that students were getting unearned diplomas was not enough to anger me, listening to students and professors preach the many blessings of communism surely did the trick.
After two more semesters I will graduate with my BA in English; I am on track to graduate with honors. I will be throwing my application for admission to a short list of institutions and I have no doubt that I will be allowed to attend one of them. I can only hope that graduate school will not be tainted with the same practices as undergrad.
If attending college has taught me one thing so far, it is that traditional, four year degrees should not be sought by everyone. In fact, I have become a firm believer in the value of technical schools and trades. Were it possible to go into my field, teaching, without a liberal arts degree, I would. What has become apparent is that the often spoken lie that one cannot be a success without a college degree has been espoused so many times that we all seem to believe it and that is sad. I have an entire group of very close friends who have never attended college, some of them dropped out of high school, and they are all on their way to making far more money in their careers than I can ever hope to make as a college English professor. Perhaps we would be better off if students understood the value of some of these careers or at least understood the necessity of hard work.
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The problem in our country is it is moving away from God, and away from His Word. This country is being influenced by the author of liars, Satan and his fellow fallen angels. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness and high places," Ehesians 6:12. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him," Hebrews, 11:16. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness," 1 John 1:9. "For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?", Mark 8:36. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life," John 3:16.
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I enjoyed my college experience. It was unusual. I had already served six years enlisted, was married with a child and two jobs on top of a full load in college. It was a busy productive time.
In short, having a background of high production in the military and learning to overcome whatever was placed in front of me made a huge difference in my college experience.
In short, having a background of high production in the military and learning to overcome whatever was placed in front of me made a huge difference in my college experience.
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College has become a substitute for landowner status in the military. That way we get to maintain the old class system. Upper class people (well, rich, but that's our modern upper classs) go to college and give the orders, a substitute for the old British system of buying rank and giving the orders. Neither is actually much preparation for giving orders, but at least the old British aristocracy did give one the experience of ordering peasants around.
Both generally just mean your daddy has money, or at least more money than those who can't afford college.
On the other hand, at least in our paradigm, one can break into the upper class (people wealthy enough to send their kids to college) by making good decisions--IE, place getting a college degree above all else, and by especially not getting married at an early age if your daddy ain't rich. This paragraph is to answer in advance all those who "made it on their own". It's possible to do, but it isn't generally done.
In the old time Brit militaries, some one rich but not of the aristocracy could become an officer, but would never be accepted by other officers as "one of us". Just exactly like "ring knockers" whose parents have enough influence to get their kids into one of the academies.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. People are people to the extent that the Soviets even had their version of this, THEIR upper class was the Party elite. So as soon as the peasants revolt, they replace the rich upper class with the Party upper class and all that really changes is the individuals on top.
I'm so glad I'm out of that shit. Yeah, I'm out of it, not just the military but I no longer have to be concerned about doing what any other person requires me to do. Governments, yes, they can order me around, but not other individuals.
Except my wife. And then only until I get tired of her shit.
Both generally just mean your daddy has money, or at least more money than those who can't afford college.
On the other hand, at least in our paradigm, one can break into the upper class (people wealthy enough to send their kids to college) by making good decisions--IE, place getting a college degree above all else, and by especially not getting married at an early age if your daddy ain't rich. This paragraph is to answer in advance all those who "made it on their own". It's possible to do, but it isn't generally done.
In the old time Brit militaries, some one rich but not of the aristocracy could become an officer, but would never be accepted by other officers as "one of us". Just exactly like "ring knockers" whose parents have enough influence to get their kids into one of the academies.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. People are people to the extent that the Soviets even had their version of this, THEIR upper class was the Party elite. So as soon as the peasants revolt, they replace the rich upper class with the Party upper class and all that really changes is the individuals on top.
I'm so glad I'm out of that shit. Yeah, I'm out of it, not just the military but I no longer have to be concerned about doing what any other person requires me to do. Governments, yes, they can order me around, but not other individuals.
Except my wife. And then only until I get tired of her shit.
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I went to college after serving in the Army in Vietnam. The choice of a university is key to the enjoyment of the college years. I went to St. John´s University; a private, catholic university where we had to really sweat our grades in the business curriculum. I did not get any breaks for being hispanic nor did any minority students. This meant that my degree was as good as anybody´s. I had a fantastic relationship with my professors and fellow students which I have always treasured. I had to work because the tuition was high and spent many sleepless nights finishing papers and studying for tests. I can look at my bachelor´s diploma with pride even at my old age of 73.
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As we most of us, the Army "matured" us. Those kids in your classes have never and probably never will experience what you have experienced. You are ahead of them. You know how to be a team player and how to lead a team. Good luck on your future.
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Something that occurred to me today, as I was discussing things with my kids, who are now college age, and attending junior college.
The first class i took was a summer class in 1994, it was English 101 freshman composition. First day of class the instructor told us how hard she was going to make the class, because she felt that junior college was not rigorous enough, and she needed to prepare us for places like UC Berkeley. After derided us for a few minutes I raised my hand and asked if she had ever taught anywhere else. To which she replied "No.", and to which i responded, "If you have never taught anywhere else, how do you how hard the work is supposed to be?"
There was another professor who was known around campus for never giving out "A's". He liked to do stuff like pull surprise pop quizzes, especially if there were a number of students missing the class.
I had a math professor who did the same thing, she would mark me down for sloppy work, the answer was right, she knew it and i knew it, but because i wrote the fraction sloppy, she would mark me down, saying "If someone comes behind you and sees this they are going to think the answer is this other thing." to which i responded "No one is going to come behind me, and not check my math." it was a stupid reason, but it was a way for her to feel superior.
There is a difference in deliberate sabotage of a person's academic career because you are angry you were not smart enough or good enough to teach at a university, or maybe even work in your field. And keeping a high standard.
Some of the people here act like they would feel better about themselves if they failed a bunch of classes. Somehow, i don't think that is true. If you did the work, you earned the grade.
The first class i took was a summer class in 1994, it was English 101 freshman composition. First day of class the instructor told us how hard she was going to make the class, because she felt that junior college was not rigorous enough, and she needed to prepare us for places like UC Berkeley. After derided us for a few minutes I raised my hand and asked if she had ever taught anywhere else. To which she replied "No.", and to which i responded, "If you have never taught anywhere else, how do you how hard the work is supposed to be?"
There was another professor who was known around campus for never giving out "A's". He liked to do stuff like pull surprise pop quizzes, especially if there were a number of students missing the class.
I had a math professor who did the same thing, she would mark me down for sloppy work, the answer was right, she knew it and i knew it, but because i wrote the fraction sloppy, she would mark me down, saying "If someone comes behind you and sees this they are going to think the answer is this other thing." to which i responded "No one is going to come behind me, and not check my math." it was a stupid reason, but it was a way for her to feel superior.
There is a difference in deliberate sabotage of a person's academic career because you are angry you were not smart enough or good enough to teach at a university, or maybe even work in your field. And keeping a high standard.
Some of the people here act like they would feel better about themselves if they failed a bunch of classes. Somehow, i don't think that is true. If you did the work, you earned the grade.
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SGT Joseph Gunderson
I agree that if you earned a grade you should be pleased but you assume that there is an objective standard under which that grade can be measured and my contention is that there is no objective standards. An A does not mean anything if it is handed out and thus there is nothing to be proud of. You fail to take into consideration the ramifications of "handing out" A's. Are those students going to be prepared for the job market? Do they even understand what they supposedly received the grade for? Are they not being handicapped by their substandard education? Will that handicap not manifest itself in substandard performance after school? I agree that profs marking grades down for the sake of marking grades down is inane but the opposite end of that spectrum - what I have pointed out is occurring and many others have testified to either being privy to or experiencing directly the same events - is equally inane.
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SPC Chris Ison
Okay so let us look at how the education process works, FYI this is called MATRICULATION.
A bachelors degree is broken down into two levels: Lower division and upper division.
The lower division level is generally something like 75% General education mad 25% major courses.
Upper Division is broken down into like 25% General education and 75% major specialization.
Courses are, generally, numbered 100 for freshman, 200 for sophomore, 300 for Junior, and 400 for senior, with graduate courses being numbered 500 and 600. anything less than 100 is a non college course and anything 900 and above is basically grammar school.
Junior colleges are focused on general education and teaching and you can only get lower division credit here, it is one of the best places to get a solid foundation, as you get taught by actual instructor's and not an RA.
at the lower division level you have survey courses (generally numbered 100 or 101). Survey courses are introduction courses are meant to be easy, the standard is to familiarize you with EVERYTHING in the field. So, taking physics 101 is like an entire year of high school physics, and if all you have ever encountered are survey courses that is why the shit is easy.
If you are going to major in physics you take, at the school i attended, a three course of lower division physics 160 A, B, and C. These require calculus to take as you will do all the math. it is recommend you have calculus BEFORE doing these classes but since they do not teach calculus in high school anymore many people take them concurrently and for calculus there is also a three semester course two single variate courses and a final multi variate course.
You take calculus and there is a standard you have better be able to do the math; you take physics and there is a standard.
I guarantee NO SCHOOL is handing out grades in math and physics, every school is trying to create an academic reputation for making students.
Nursing, Accounting, Computer Science, Philosophy, and even English require a certain amount of prep in order for your school to have any academic weight and get you into graduate school or pass your state exams.
All of you whining the classes are not hard enough have one of the following problems:
You are not taking major courses and have only been taking GE survey courses, or you school has no academic weight and you are already shot yourself in the foot by picking the wrong school.
A bachelors degree is broken down into two levels: Lower division and upper division.
The lower division level is generally something like 75% General education mad 25% major courses.
Upper Division is broken down into like 25% General education and 75% major specialization.
Courses are, generally, numbered 100 for freshman, 200 for sophomore, 300 for Junior, and 400 for senior, with graduate courses being numbered 500 and 600. anything less than 100 is a non college course and anything 900 and above is basically grammar school.
Junior colleges are focused on general education and teaching and you can only get lower division credit here, it is one of the best places to get a solid foundation, as you get taught by actual instructor's and not an RA.
at the lower division level you have survey courses (generally numbered 100 or 101). Survey courses are introduction courses are meant to be easy, the standard is to familiarize you with EVERYTHING in the field. So, taking physics 101 is like an entire year of high school physics, and if all you have ever encountered are survey courses that is why the shit is easy.
If you are going to major in physics you take, at the school i attended, a three course of lower division physics 160 A, B, and C. These require calculus to take as you will do all the math. it is recommend you have calculus BEFORE doing these classes but since they do not teach calculus in high school anymore many people take them concurrently and for calculus there is also a three semester course two single variate courses and a final multi variate course.
You take calculus and there is a standard you have better be able to do the math; you take physics and there is a standard.
I guarantee NO SCHOOL is handing out grades in math and physics, every school is trying to create an academic reputation for making students.
Nursing, Accounting, Computer Science, Philosophy, and even English require a certain amount of prep in order for your school to have any academic weight and get you into graduate school or pass your state exams.
All of you whining the classes are not hard enough have one of the following problems:
You are not taking major courses and have only been taking GE survey courses, or you school has no academic weight and you are already shot yourself in the foot by picking the wrong school.
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Not all schools are the same. Not all programs are the same.
Without knowing what school you attended I can not address why your school or program may have felt that way to you.
I will say this. Your pissy attitude about school is a reflection of your ignorance and your bias against "liberals".
Maybe you think Trump is a genius, i do not know, but for a man with an "ivy league" education he sure seems to have a lot of bankruptcies.
I do know this. When compared to every other educational system, the U.S as a whole is nowhere near the top. Canada, the UK, etc all have subsidized higher education. So that "communism" you keep railing against must be doing something right. Same with the Nordic countries, and Germany, Japan, china, and even the Soviet Union.
See when the state pays for the education, they can MANDATE a specific standard, and if that standard is not met, they just remove the fuck up, and add a new student. It is only in universities where the students pay, that the university is beholden to them for sustenance, and thus must lower standards to stay in business. That is your "free market" for you, simple supply and demand. In ignorance people think because the state pays anyone can go, nope that is not how it works. You keno why there are so many Asian students getting educated here? Impel they could not get into a state university in their home state, not because they are not qualified but because their just is not enough room, and so even top students get passed over. Same with why Arabs get educated here, not enough room in the "state" schools.
I read an article recently that said out of Yales 600 million endowment it only spends like 200 million dollars a year on students, and its endowment grew something like 13% this year. Think about that. Why should poor students have to take out student loans to pay for an Ivy League education when universities like Yale, Harvard, and Princeton have plenty of money for financial aid? Why should your education forma n ivy league school cost as much as your house? Again that is your "free market".
Maybe instead of bitching about your educational institution, you spend some time outside the classroom reading books like Plato's republic, Machiavelli's the Prince, John Stuart Mills Utilitarianism, Wealth of Nations, and yes the Communist Manifesto. Have you read these books? Because getting a 121% on an exam might be "annoying" but, you maybe overlooking the fact that while you are super student at a shit university, you are still not getting an education, AND THAT, SIR, WOULD BE PISSING ME OFF MORE.
Without knowing what school you attended I can not address why your school or program may have felt that way to you.
I will say this. Your pissy attitude about school is a reflection of your ignorance and your bias against "liberals".
Maybe you think Trump is a genius, i do not know, but for a man with an "ivy league" education he sure seems to have a lot of bankruptcies.
I do know this. When compared to every other educational system, the U.S as a whole is nowhere near the top. Canada, the UK, etc all have subsidized higher education. So that "communism" you keep railing against must be doing something right. Same with the Nordic countries, and Germany, Japan, china, and even the Soviet Union.
See when the state pays for the education, they can MANDATE a specific standard, and if that standard is not met, they just remove the fuck up, and add a new student. It is only in universities where the students pay, that the university is beholden to them for sustenance, and thus must lower standards to stay in business. That is your "free market" for you, simple supply and demand. In ignorance people think because the state pays anyone can go, nope that is not how it works. You keno why there are so many Asian students getting educated here? Impel they could not get into a state university in their home state, not because they are not qualified but because their just is not enough room, and so even top students get passed over. Same with why Arabs get educated here, not enough room in the "state" schools.
I read an article recently that said out of Yales 600 million endowment it only spends like 200 million dollars a year on students, and its endowment grew something like 13% this year. Think about that. Why should poor students have to take out student loans to pay for an Ivy League education when universities like Yale, Harvard, and Princeton have plenty of money for financial aid? Why should your education forma n ivy league school cost as much as your house? Again that is your "free market".
Maybe instead of bitching about your educational institution, you spend some time outside the classroom reading books like Plato's republic, Machiavelli's the Prince, John Stuart Mills Utilitarianism, Wealth of Nations, and yes the Communist Manifesto. Have you read these books? Because getting a 121% on an exam might be "annoying" but, you maybe overlooking the fact that while you are super student at a shit university, you are still not getting an education, AND THAT, SIR, WOULD BE PISSING ME OFF MORE.
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I had no problem with the college atmosphere at all. I started full time as a froshman at 24 after 6 yrs active duty, and graduated with a masters at 30. Loved every minute of it. I went back into the reserves after graduation and did 2 24 month tours as an Army Reserve recruiter and the rest of my 21 yrs for pay purposes as a normal reservist, teacher, micro biologist, and business owner. Had a great work experience but most of all, my Army and college experience was the bomb.
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US warriors have dumbed down and butchered by military specification Rx Vaccine human experimentation, nevertheless, all is not lost.
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