Comments on: Reasons Why Young People Fail in College

By: rizzom

rizzom — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 05:36:01 +0000

I disagree with this. The good students, in any major, look at the more difficult courses, which are incidentally almost always mathematics or natural science courses, as a challenge and an opportunity to learn.
If someone looks at this opportunity as boring or difficult; it makes them lesser qualified as a student.
In the end, life is about problem solving, and not about GPA. Would I want to hire a doctor or a lawyer who flunked calculus because it was ‘boring’ and ‘difficult’ over someone who relished the challenge and the opportunity to learn about the world? Probably not. That is reality. I want a doctor or a lawyer who can solve problems. And in my experience, one of the best ways to test problem solving abilities, in a general sense, is in those types of courses.
It’s not a test of whether or not you ‘like’ algebra or biology, but a test of whether or not you can meet the challenge of learning a mentally rigorous topic.
You must learn!

By: Brett

Brett — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:13:04 +0000

I agree with the people right above me…I think college is somewhat of a sham in some ways. I don’t get why someone that wants to major in English needs to take a biology class, that makes no sense at all.

By: Studenomist

Studenomist — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:30:26 +0000

Bryan I agree with you 100%! I was just thinking about this the other day. Pretty much everyone I spoke to about this said their program has those few courses that are so difficuly, yet completely unrelated.

I have heard all of the counter-arguments to this and I don’t buy them. I understanding diversifying your skills but your GPA should not br affected.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:52:20 +0000

I just think one problem is that students are forced to take required classes like algebra and biology. Some of the required classes have nothing to do with what they are going to school for. These classes are boring and extremely hard. W,hos to say someone who couldnt pass algebra and dropped out because of it, wouldnt have made the best lawyer ever. But that student couldnt graduate because of a required class that had no value to what they wanted to become.
I understand that a college degree means you have the ability to learn but should one required class be the final judgement on that?

By: Philip

Philip — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:01:22 +0000

I would have to put a contradiction on the work issue, not that it is wrong just there is more. I know that when I had a job while in college some of my time was better defined and I knew that I had to schedule everything and the responsibility level was increased. This meant that I would go to class better because you can not skip work like you can classes and therefore you were already up and ready to go on a Monday or other people would ask why you are there etc. Just some other perspective.

By: Studenomist

Studenomist — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 01:21:29 +0000

Thanks everyone for the great comments and valuable input.

It’s not secret that Facebook is a major distraction for pretty much every single college student. If all the hours spent on facebook were used for studying then everyone would have an A average.

Credit cards are another killer for students. It is easy to resort to plastic when you have no actual cash to spend on your desired purchases.

Having to hold a steady full time job doesn’t help matters either. Any time taken away from your studies dilutes your focus on what truly matters.

I appreciate all of the additions/comments and hope to have more!

By: Dustin McClure

Dustin McClure — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:36:11 +0000

One other thing you could add is credit cards and student loans – A lot of students these days are broke when they get out of college or before they even graduate.

Pay for college as you go.

By: John

John — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:54:18 +0000

How about the most obvious? Teachers who are so inadequately paid that all they do is read the book to the class? Or ones who let their own political or religious convictions influence their curriculum? I dropped out of college because it was just flat boring. How about colleges that charge extremely to much for tuition? No I’m sorry the primary problem is that college is A boring B too expensive and C is no real indication of your ability to do anything but read and regurgitate information. Hopefully soon employers will start to realize this and end this silly dependency on college degrees in exchange for performance based evals.

By: Jerry

Jerry — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:08:33 +0000

Being a very recent grad from college, I understand why so many people don’t graduate (including myself whom took the longer five year program). I think that most people who didn’t graduate had no sense in what direction they wanted to head.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:05:36 +0000

Having to work, IMO, is one of the BIGGEST reasons many fail in college! I am a living example of that… not that I’m failing in college or anything, but it sure makes it tough. I was recently married and am now working full time while going to college almost full-time; it makes it REALLY, REALLY hard!

Try to adjust your schedule to where if you are taking a full 12 credits that you’re only working 20 hours a week.

You should be fine.

Honestly, it’s not even that though… the biggest reason is that our time isn’t spent wisely and we waste a lot of time rather than studying!

FACEBOOK is the real monster here!