At the risk of beating a dead horse, I want to talk about the cost of a college education. Specifically, how taking a writing class on education has made me view my own educational experience differently.
I know, I know, I’m sorry… but I promise I’ll try to keep it as interesting as possible!
From Tenor
The course I’m currently taking explores different types of education and the accompanying views that different scholars and people share regarding the way in which our world should be educated today. In addition, the course investigates what methods should and shouldn’t be employed when attempting to educate our society today.
People have been discussing this since the beginning of time and I could drone on for hours about which educational techniques I find to be the most successful and what type of schooling I believe to be most effective, but, I won’t. Instead, I want to discuss how this course has changed my perception of a college education and how I feel that I should be making it worthwhile.
I grew up in private schools. Elementary school in Bethesda Maryland at a prestigious school and then a college prep school in Minnesota for middle school and high school. Everyone who surrounded me at school expected to go to college and beyond. My high school graduating classes average GPA was 3.5 and the average ACT score was 30.
From SuperheroHype
Daunting… I know.
This environment made me feel average because I constantly felt that everyone was doing more than me. In a sense, they were, because I consistently found ways to cut corners and take the path of least resistance. I realize now, looking back, that I did not squeeze every last drop of knowledge out of school. I barely made a dent in the opportunities available to me. Hindsight 20/20.
I told myself college would be different. I promised that I would make it worthwhile to pay 60 grand for a private liberal arts education. I looked up after first quarter freshmen year and I realized that I was falling back into my habits of taking for granted the opportunities I had.
The course I took second quarter required me to read and write on different types of education and to consider the different paths people can take to success. I realized through my work and reflection that I am not special. If so many people can find success through community college, technical school or other options, why was I struggling to keep up even with every opportunity possible available to me?
I’ve come to realize it all comes down to work ethic. I’ve learned the hard way that on any level of education in any school or type of school across the world,the most important thing you can do to set yourself apart is nose to the grindstone hard work.