Gah!
Caboose
title = name(self, handle) Join Date: 2003-02-15 Member: 13597Members, Constellation
title = name(self, handle) Join Date: 2003-02-15 Member: 13597Members, Constellation
in Off-Topic
Ok, here it goes, I have been accepted into a school that I want to go to for college. Thing is, I'm not sure if I can handle it. It's a fairly expensive technical school, and It just seems like so much work. All the paperwork I need to fill out and whatnot and then paying for it.
I just have a question to those of you already in college. Is it a lot more work than I'm used to in highschool? And I don't mean a little more either, I mean, a big jump.
I just have a question to those of you already in college. Is it a lot more work than I'm used to in highschool? And I don't mean a little more either, I mean, a big jump.
Comments
Or a wohle lot mroe if yuo wree nveer led anwyehre. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
^ If you type like Cold NiTe, then you may indeed find college to be a challenge.
I just have a question to those of you already in college. Is it a lot more work than I'm used to in highschool? And I don't mean a little more either, I mean, a big jump. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Paying for college should not be a primary concern, regardless of the expense. If they accepted you, it means they want someone like you to be there. If you also want to be there, then the combination of these two things will mean they'll offer financial aid, and you shall look for scholarships the school itself doesn't offer directly. Put both together, and you'll be able to pay. Paperwork? Yes. But sitting bored in front of a lot of paperwork for one or more full days sure beats paying an extra $1000 or more.
As for workload, if their admissions department is worth anything, the fact that you've been accepted means you <i>can</i> do well at that school -- at least as well as you did in high school. In some classes you will do more work. In some classes you will do less work. Most importantly, after the 1st semester or few, you've not only gotten used to the school/living away from home, you've also started taking courses in your major. Taking courses in your major = taking courses you actually have an interest in, and the extra fun factor means even your hardest classes will seem easier than they really are.
If you want to go to the college, go to the college. So long as you're willing to put effort into the academics and tuition, both can be dealt with.
Much the same for me. All the teachers in High School would say things like "In College they'll expect you to get everything in on time and wont give you warnings every day about when it's due, and exams are between 50-100% of your grade!"
Where only that last statement is sometimes true. Maybe it's because I took one of the cheapest universities in UWSP (pffft, you think I'm paying for Madison? pfft that), but I find it incredbly easy. In fact, I have less work now than when I had AP Physics my senior year of High School. I don't have classes on Monday (more thanks to my 'leet' scheduling skills and ability to already have nearly a year's worth of retroactive credits). If I can I plan on transferring to UWM after I go to Germany and finish my major.
Financial Aid is incredibly easy to get; you can even apply online now. I've got about 2000$/year in interest free Financial Aid (until 6 months after graduation/drop-out) for a little over 5000$/year tutition. Scholarships would be good, and I'm sure if I tried I'd get plenty...but damn am I lazy. If only they didn't want you to write 500-5000 word essays and give thoughts about useless crap you know everyone's lieing about in the first place. At least there's 3 really good professors that I've had so far. None of them seem to be really ornery...it's a lot like High School....with your own tiny little cramped apartment and internet that sucks worse than dial-up ("Dude, hook up your paper cup, I want to talk to you!" <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> ).
Considering employers check your grades before caring about where you studied, I figure you might as well go somewhere you like and study something you like.
Sometimes you have to drop classes, or have scheduling conflicts, or perhaps crap is going on in your life. Whatever the reasons, the important thing about going is that you finish, not when you finish.
The other side of that is that, while they tell you what courses to enrol in to complete your chosen course, universities are not single, coherent entities like high schools are. Different departments may have totally different ways of handling things like practical registration and getting to speak to lecturers (even when based in two halves of the same building!). Also, things like being "put in" units you don't possess the pre-reqs for accidentally can and will happen, and when it does <i>you</i> are responsible for realising and sorting it out. Depending on what uni you go to, scheduling pracs and tutes so that you have time for any extra-curricular stuff (like your job, if you have one) may be a challenge; depending on how complex your course is (a double degree, for example) it might require some agile handling just to avoid clashes with lectures!
In short: you're responsible for yourself - nobody else is. It's quite liberating, actually. You do need to get out of the mindset of following other people to classes and\or assuming that people congregating in some place are there for the same reason you are.
As for the workload itself... the nice thing about uni is that you really can put in as much effort as you want. If you go to all the lectures anotating the lecture notes, read the assigned reading every week, do all the prac questions in advance and attend all the pracs - yeah, it's a pretty full load. If you're slack and sharp enough to get away with it then it's a light load. In short, it's exactly as much work as you want it to be, and your results will reflect it. However, unlike high school you'll be doing a course that you've hand-picked as something <i>you want to do</i>. Being there for your own reasons, answering to nobody but yourself, is a great feeling.
Sometimes you have to drop classes, or have scheduling conflicts, or perhaps crap is going on in your life. Whatever the reasons, the important thing about going is that you finish, not when you finish. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
i dont know about you but being in college for 8 years doesnt sound like a lot of fun. especially when i couldve been finished in 4 years.
For example: at my university you need to take a 'Enviromental Literacy' course, detailing, in some form, with ecology and ethics. It can be "Enviromental History', 'Enviromental Impact of Civilization', 'Enviromental Business Ethics' (...pffft, that one sounds beyond boring <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->), 'Modern Culture and the Enviroment' and so on. One of the aspects of general education universities is to give you a diverse and fairly in-depth knowledge of things you're not even focusing on. While it does assist in your understanding of the world, many people feel it's a type of busy work. So they throw on various GDRs to give you more basic knowledge (Environmental Literacy, Humanities, Minority Studies, etc.).
...Pretty sure you said you're planning on a technical college, and they're a fair bit more direct, so you shouldn't really need to deal with that aspect.
Many people take more than 4 years, especially depending on the depth and type of their degrees. If you think a good doctor only takes 4 years, or a college professor, or a good lawyer...you might want to check into that. Of course, sometimes basic degrees (especially when taken in spare time) will still take more than 4 years, as will failing classes, getting a below requirement GPA and other things...
Basically I feel as though it was a huge waste of time and money.
Basically I feel as though it was a huge waste of time and money. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
couple of my HS friends went to platteville, They changed to UW: mad or stout <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Well, the campus has no housing. There are a great number of appartments in the area though. I'll probly live at home for a while though.
I have to have my mind fully made up by Wednesday though...
You get scholarships for being a bad student?!?
I AHM SO RICH!!
You get scholarships for being a bad student?!?
I AHM SO RICH!! <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
You are fisking kidding?
Basically I feel as though it was a huge waste of time and money. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
couple of my HS friends went to platteville, They changed to UW: mad or stout <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I would like to point out UWSP, aside from International Programs, is just as bad as Platteville...which is why I want to switch over to GB or M.
You get scholarships for being a bad student?!?
I AHM SO RICH!! <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You are fisking kidding? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I ahm so NOT. I got a scholarship just yesterday, the message that came with it was "Hang in there buddy! Here's money for the rope! =)"
Thing was I may have misread it...
Where only that last statement is sometimes true. Maybe it's because I took one of the cheapest universities in UWSP (pffft, you think I'm paying for Madison? pfft that), but I find it incredbly easy. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Stevens Point? Hell i have a highschool buddy in that school, and I've gone there disc golfing with him often. Maybe when i go over there next you can come by his place and play some hack.
If you go to classes... college is a snap. It seems hard simply because of the lazy basturds who find themselves in the college life (like me). Its a piece of pie.
Got into a Good Liberal Arts college (Oberlin, OH).
The course work is compleatly different.
I never studied in HS, I rarely cracked a book before I was actualy in class, My papers were generaly done in one day.
In college things are very different.
You have to study, as you generaly are covering double the amount of information in 1/2 the time (compared to HS). You will end up having to teach your self alot of what you are suposed to learn (via books).
You will not have anyone reminding you to do your work, you will beable to slack off with absoloutly ZERO negative effects (until lyou just fail the class). Most profs will not comment on you not showing up to class and will simply fail your sory arse. No one will tell you that your paper sucked (aside from the big red number) unless you go a persue it.
Basicaly, Everytihng is up to you. however included in this is the fact that you have these resources now:
Direct and easy access to your Profs (just go in to their office hours and they will help yah out)
Tuors that you can set up a schedual for nearly any time with.
Deans that are there to help you adjust to everything,
Uperclassmen who have been through it al lbefore and are honestly willing tah help you out.
College is compleatly different from HS (or atleast it was for me).
Oh, and my bais on all of this is that I am a College drop out b/c I couldn't adapt fast enugh. don't let this happen to you <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->