Is my college crappier than others, or is it "normal"?

Question

I saved my whole life to go to college. I got into a second-tier school with good aid (at the bottom of the second-tier of US News and World Reports annual list, that is).

My school feels like a glorified high school to me (though I never went to HS). The kids are dumb--I mean DUMB. Nobody talks, and on the rare occasion they do it's the most inane BS you can imagine. I can't believe these people are in their late teens/early 20's--they act like they're 12.

The faculty memebers are not all-stars by any stretch--a roster of two-bit academics with minor publishing credits and no teaching chops to speak of. I've been "taught" by a number of adjuncts who frankly have no business in a class room.

I'm entering my junior year, and I'm starting to think I've wasted a lot of money and time. I do enjoy the work, but I hate the people and find them all inept....

I'm doing well, I'm on the dean's list, and my GPA is 3.82 out of 4 (that's pretty good, right?), but I feel like at this school anything less than perfect means mediocre. Like weh I get an A-minus in a course, I feel like it translates to a C at a real school. When I get an A, at least I can delude myself that it might have been an A anywhere.

I feel like there's only 20 or 30 real school's in the world, and the rest of us go to BS institutions.

I'm kind of bitter--I want to investigate the college expereince. Any books you can recommend to help me see exactly how lame the other hald of colleges are--how these school's sell the sizzle, and not the steak.

I think most schools are glorfied day camps for the privledged

Answer 1

I would say that your expectations are out of whack; I can't speak to your school, although you seem to have lots of opinions about places you've never been! As someone who has spent time at a few of the top schools, as well as having been on faculty at others, I can tell you that some of the "stars" are some of the least competent in the classroom, and that they are often the least willing to have any contact with students. The benefit to being at a top school was being among top students, which pushed up the level of discussion overall. The best faculty I've had have not been incompetents, but they weren't big names at all. They were people who knew enough about the subject matter, were willing to find out more if needed, and who inspired us to learn.

Now, about dealing with students who aren't the greatest. While, as I said, it can be very exciting to work with really bright classmates, that can be overcome as well. I don't believe that everyone in your school is unbelievably stupid, although it is likely that some are. We all find ourselves in that situation in life. The thing to do is to find the people who can, in fact, challenge you. Even if it is only two or three people, you can create your own environment which allows you to learn and to maintain your motivation.

However, I have to warn you that your negativity is likely to poison your entire experience if you don't get control of it. You are in college now, and what many students don't seem to understand is that what you get out of college has as much to do with what you do as it does with what others "teach" you. Find ways of learning what you need; look for the good, rather than putting everything down and looking for its faults. Life is miserable if you let negativity overwhelm you.

Answer 2

Out of hand I'd say: such is life. But I haven't been to college yet. I have heard stories, though, and I think a lot of them are like that. Crappy is normal.
By and large, people are stupid. That's my outlook on people in general. People. are. stupid. All of them, and I don't hesitate to include myself in that category. At some point in my childhood, I looked around and realized that people just don't grow up. I used to think that, well, one day all the little idiots around me would grow up into intelligent, responsible adults. Now I think "responsible adults" is an oxymoron. And I recently heard a song called "High School Never Ends" that made me laugh and cry. So true.
So I think it's normal. It's not a waste of time and money, though. In theory, unless you're inordinately lucky or extremely conventionally attractive, you'll make more money in the long run once you have a college degree of some sort. Good luck with that.

Answer 3

No I define crappy music as somebody who has to get recogntion from the mainstream to sense demonstrated as musicians. So, enormously lots any present day rock,rap,pop,united states that gets heavy air play. yet some old college rap became astounding interior the 80s and 90s whilst the artist's music meant something particularly than funds, vehicles, and ladies like at present. The exception for united states would be classic united states like Johnny funds, even nevertheless I rarely pay attention to it. exceptionally those bands like Paramore, and MCR ..etc. No offense in case you like them nevertheless yet i hit upon them horrid.

Answer 4

sorry you feel that way but don't complain because so MANY people don't have the money or opportunity to make it to college in this world.

if you are unhappy then change it. go somewhere you feel satisfied. transfer. there are lots of options.

Answer 5

y didnt you really look into the school b4 u chose it? and dont u have to go to HS to go to college unless u have ur GED but u still have to go to some high school b4 u can drop out i think...

Answer 6

how did u not go to high school but go to college???

Answer 7

transfer. or keep up ur good work- nothing is a waste- ur education is important