This is
one of those stories that is, at once, both shocking and not terribly surprising. What were your first two years like after high school? Apparently, there is even less studying and
more partying going on than when I was in college.
Almost makes you want to send your kids to
Bible college — well, not quite.
Shooting fish in a barrel lately, are we? Let's see. If we can get past the snarking of the obviously-pleased-with-themselves VF hacks, and if there really is a statistically significant trend of slacking off the first two years of college (because you and I were such bright-eyed innocents back in our Golden Days), and maybe if we go looking for a serious social explanation to a (maybe) serious social problem....
ReplyDeleteAh! Here's an idea. Suppose that today's high school students are so pressured to perform, so overprogrammed and overscheduled, so stressed out by standardized tests and reams of homework, so sleep-deprived (speak of well-known trends)...that they do what any sane person would do. They sleep! They party! They let it all hang out after all those years of holding it all together.
Crazy, I know. But you might want to check out a little under-the-radar film called "Race to Nowhere." Spoiler alert: A real high school student really commits suicide.
P.S. At Sarah Lawrence, students can't duck reading and writing from day one. But hey, that's what a pricey education pays for! And check it out -- we don't believe in standardized tests. Sacre bleu!!
Why didn't I think of that? Students slack off in college because ... they're victims. Talk about shooting fish in a bowl!
ReplyDeleteOh, how pithy! Bravo!! Ya got me. Uncle!!! Touche! Etc.
ReplyDeleteSaftey Nets. Where is the incentive to actually TRY the first couple of years when you are just knocking out pre-reqs of Algebra and Art history? Even then the repercussions of flunking were nothing but paying to take the class again. They just party and enjoy the ride till it gets serious or you're close to flunking out. Then they'll be told to take a leave of absence and come back and try again in 3 months. More tuition payments. And the cycle repeats. Saw it happen to my roommate. (coincidentally, came from a town much like ours. Small, Rural, Graduating class less than 60 people. Small town boy in big brand new city with no parents for 150 miles. Never drank or did drugs. Then BOOM. He went out of control. Flunked. Told to go home and sober up then come back to try again.)
ReplyDeleteFred Shakeshaft, you make a good point. While there is good PR value for colleges in having a high graduation rate, they do have another interest in seeing those kids flunk some courses. Paying to take a course a second time means double the tuition.
ReplyDelete