[Rhodes22-list] Free Education

[brad haslett]

Slim,

I have to agree with you on the China thing.  My wife
tested for college right as the Cultural Revolution
ended and had to compete with 10 years of students
instead of just the high school seniors.  THEY picked
geo-physics for her.  She left in 1989, got a masters
in geo-physics, then asked "what now?"  She stayed in
school and got a second masters in computer science. 
One of the reasons the Asian kids do so well in school
here is their willingness to sacrifice however much
time is required to excell.  Its not for everyone but
it sure works for them.

Europe seems to have a pretty good system.  More
emphasis is placed on learning a job skill and less on
a four year degree.  I don't regret the time and money
I wasted, uh, rather invested in college and grad
school but it doesn't entitle me to anything!  I'm
glad my kids chose college but I constantly preach to
them "you have to produce something to be of any value
to an employer!"  It probably goes in one ear and out
the other.

Brad


--- Steve Alm <salm@mn.rr.com> wrote:
> Brad and Lloyd,
> Yeah, I think you're right.  College isn't for
> everyone nor should it be.
> Brad, what you're talking about in China is what we
> call in this country,
> "Tracking" and it's considered a failed strategy. 
> YOU scored well on the
> tests so you become a physicist.  YOU scored poorly
> on the tests so you
> become a carpenter.  This just doesn't wash with
> Americans, esp. the
> educators.  They have the Henry Higgins attitude
> that they can educate
> anyone.
> Slim
> 
> On 1/23/03 4:55 PM, "brad haslett"
> <flybrad@yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> > Slim,
> > 
> > There is a lot of wisdom in what you said. 
> Frankly, I
> > think there is too much emphasis placed on
> college.
> > We need auto mechanics, heat & air folks,
> carpenters,
> > etc.  Try and find a good one!  Kids graduate from
> > four years of college with a BA in Underwater
> > Basketweaving and then bitch about not being able
> to
> > find a job. Grad school makes it even worse. I
> like
> > China's approach; you have the grades, you go to
> > college, poor grades and you go to trade school or
> > work.  My father taught me to believe that all
> work is
> > dignified.  There are enough "suits" in our
> economy.
> > Now if I could just convince my very expensive
> college
> > age children of that!
> > 
> > Brad
> > --- Steve Alm <salm@mn.rr.com> wrote:
> >> As our illustrious former Gov. Jesse Ventura said
> >> after cutting millions
> >> from the Univ. of MN spurring an immediate
> tuition
> >> hike, "If you're smart
> >> enough to get into college, you should be able to
> >> figure out how to pay for
> >> it."
> >> 
> >> Although it was yet another example of his
> >> shoot-from-the-hip comments, I
> >> think there's a little wisdom there.  Maybe just
> a
> >> little.  But if a college
> >> education was a free and easy thing, wouldn't
> that
> >> make any advanced degree
> >> more common and less distinguishing?  Further, in
> >> order to make their
> >> programs look like they're working, there would
> be a
> >> big push to get
> >> everybody graduated--so they'd have to dumb down
> the
> >> programs to achieve
> >> this.  Instead of "No child left behind" it would
> be
> >> "No dorm-squatting,
> >> reefer-blowing coed left behind."  [grin]
> >> 
> >> Show me the money!  We have enough trouble
> funding
> >> K-12.  But I'm in favor
> >> of finding ways to make college more available to
> >> more people.  Bush is now
> >> at loggerheads within his own cabinet on
> Affirmative
> >> Action.
> >> Quotas...whatever!  Let them in.  Let everybody
> in.
> >> Even ere on the side of
> >> letting anybody in.  But Don't lower the bar to
> get
> >> out!!!!  Not even the
> >> first class.  Calculus 101 isn't supposed to be
> >> easy.
> >> 
> >> But for the good students, we need to find more
> >> creative ways of helping
> >> them get through.  For you parents out there who
> are
> >> putting your kids
> >> through college, OWCH!  I feel your pain. 
> Tuition
> >> is outrageous.  Bring
> >> back the GI Bill.  What do you say we make a new
> tax
> >> (gasp!) on companies
> >> that require a college degree for employment? 
> That
> >> money goes to the
> >> colleges and universities (but not Bob Jones
> >> University) and offsets the
> >> tuition. We could call it the dorm-squatting,
> >> reefer-blowing tax.
> >> 
> >> Last thought: Cuba has one of, if not the highest
> >> literacy rate in the
> >> world.  And almost everybody goes to college. 
> Has
> >> that helped Cubans or
> >> Cuba herself?  I'd like hearing from any of you
> who
> >> know more about higher
> >> ed in Cuba.
> >> 
> >> Slim
> >> 
> >> _________________________________________________
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> > 
> > 
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