You know what I don't get...

[Tera, First Chick]

yeah all this math talk just sounds like Charlie Brown's teacher to me. I'm fine with being exposed to a little of everything in HS but as an adult when I go to college and pay for a degree I don't like being told what I must be exposed to because I might like it? I might like it but I'm not likely to change my career or degree choice as a result. College is expensive enough as is if I didnt have to pay for useless classes I'd feel a little better about it.

[Carrie]

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "I don't understand how you could compare Harry Potter to Twilight. Other than being fantasy and they have a werewolf character. They don't have anything in common with each other. I do like both se..."

That's exactly what I've been thinking for the last 48 comments. lol. ;)

[Carrie]

Michelle wrote: "Why do you think people who don't read graphic novels or Janet Evanovich are book snobs? We just prefer other kinds of books.

Sorry, you're right. I didn't mean to be off-putting. In my mind's..."

I know a few people who have this attitude myself. I once met a girl in a college lit class who refused to speak to another classmate who admitted (a little overenthusiastically) to liking the Twilight series. Book snobs exist. ;) But so far I haven't seen any around here...lol.

[Michelle]

Book snobs exist. ;) But so far I haven't seen any around here...lol.

A snob-free zone. I love it!

I think people who are widely read have an advantage when it comes to obscure jokes and other references. I like to watch the Simpsons and impress my kids with the fact that I understand the Tom Wolfe references.

(Actually, my kids aren't too impressed...)

[Irene]

OK, I am going to flaunt my ignorance now... But, reading through the postings on required college courses prompted a question for me. Isn't that the difference between a technical college and a libral arts college? If a student wants to focus on aquiring technical skills, without the requirement of taking courses in disciplines outside that field, isn't there the option of attending MIT RPT or NY School of Design? I thought libral arts institutions operated out of a different philosophy of what education should be. Do we need to re-design college curriulum or do the options already exist?

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

A technical college is something like ITT where you take classes to learn a trade like electrician, plumber etc. A liberal arts college is where you take classes in like English, Math, History etc and it is more emphasis on the arts and literature. I went to a liberal arts college.

[Vicki]

You know, I wasn't completely against having to take some of the core required classes. Personally, I wasn't completely ready to declare a major right out of high school and though I did, I changed too many times than I'd like to admit. While some of the classes would never change my mind, the way the college classes were structured as compared to high school it opened up areas that I never would have thought of, if not being required to take those classes. In addition, since I took those classes early on, I wasn't set behind when I did change my major.

[Priya]

Viola wrote: "I think what Brenda wrote about her son is exactly on point. You don't always know what you'll be interested in in the future. And having a well-rounded education prepares you to go into any direct..."

It can work both ways- my elder daughter was a Math whiz- she enjoyed it but found that she'd have to continue with Physica and Chem to be an engineer, so she went back to her other love- media studies. Now she finds she wants to be well-rounded , so she wants to do her Masters in Political Science and Sociology and is looking for a scholarship! Circles!
I did history, Pol Sci and Soc in my undergrad course and then did Law, all of which helped me write Middle Time.

[[deleted user]]

Such an interesting discussion! I don't believe one ever becomes 'well-rounded' and therefore complete - especially when young. You can round until you're the size of a helium balloon, and still have more to learn. Since school I have learned a range of subjects not taught in my classroom days, from ancient history to quantum physics to creative writing, all through books. If you can read, you can round out forever.

[Sheila , Supporting Chick]

Malla wrote: "Since school I have learned a range of subjects not taught in my classroom days, from ancient history to quantum physics to creative writing, all through books. If you can read, you can round out forever..."

Excellent comment Malla! And I completely agree. I have learned, and continue to learn, so much through reading.

[Irene]

A helium balloon... Well I accused a number of my profs of being full of hot air, now I realize I was right. hahahahah

[Michelle]

You can round until you're the size of a helium balloon, and still have more to learn.

LOL!! I love that!

I teach at a community college (which, I guess, would be like a technical college). Yes, most of our students are on their way to getting degrees in more 'hands-on' professions like nursing or food preparation, but they are very insightful. My school does not have a liberal arts focus, but that doesn't mean the students (and faculty) aren't interested in courses in literature or humanities.

[Mary]

Tera wrote: "yeah all this math talk just sounds like Charlie Brown's teacher to me. I'm fine with being exposed to a little of everything in HS but as an adult when I go to college and pay for a degree I don'..."

The worst part was that they cut back the required number of hours for structural design to 3 from 5 so they could fit in the extra humanities courses. How does that make sense in a civil engineering program?

[Mary]

Irene wrote: "OK, I am going to flaunt my ignorance now... But, reading through the postings on required college courses prompted a question for me. Isn't that the difference between a technical college and a l..."

Are you referring to my engineering degree? Because the required courses are set by a committee of people and are the same across the board. If an engineering college is accredited, then the requirements are the same for all the other accredited schools. The course I took at the University of Missouri is the same as that at MIT civil engineering. And, to answer your question, yes. I do believe that degree requirements could use some tweaking.

Malla, I like what you have to say. And I totally agree. Probably 85% of what I use in my job I learned after college by reading books. We didn't take timber design (there wasn't enough time what with all the American poetry - lol), but that's what I use every day so I just learned it on my own.

[Irene]

Mary, As I said, I was flaunting my ignorance. I honestly thought that the amount of courses required in areas of study outside of a person's focus differed at a libral arts verses a technical college. So, if a person were to pursue an engineering degree at Prinston or William and Mary, I was under the impression that their required courses would mandate far more work in the humanities and social sciences as opposed to a student pursuing the same engineering degree at MIT or RIT. If I am wrong, which I probably am, what does set a libral arts school apart from a school like MIT or RIT which is not considered libral arts?

[Mary]

Irene, I'm probably not the expert since the school I went to mostly only had technical degrees (engineering, math, physics, etc.) but don't universities tend to have different schools within the university? For example, The University of Missouri at Columbia (not where I went) has the School of Journalism, School of Engineering, School of Nursing, etc.

I would think that a purely liberal arts school wouldn't necessarily offer technical degrees and that, if they did, it would be divided up into different schools within the university.

I have no idea.

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

I went to a liberal arts college and I had to take courses in each of the core requirements.