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Adding to this, much of what is useful about college is what you do with your time there. 80%+ of undergrads don't understand that they should be doing things w

Adding to this, much of what is useful about college is what you do with your time there. 80%+ of undergrads don't understand that they should be doing things with their time as an undergrad: working in a lab; running and managing an active club; volunteering for the campus radio station. Thinking of higher education as something that is administered to students, I think, is a major reason it does so little for so many. Students have spent their k-12 years having education 'done' to them. I would argue that you only really get a successful experience at higher education if you treat it as something you are 'doing' to/for/on yourself. In that sense its very similar to any other kind of bootstrapped education, but very much so, the higher education environment is much easier to do so in.

marnett 9y ago
I completely agree, unfortunately the social pressures of most college institutions are pulling many into another direction. I was fortunate enough to have friends who enjoyed nights of stimulating conversation as I do, but many find themselves in a decentralized social space with no clear social hierarchy (like high school), so that becomes the bigger slice of attention and effort. We are social beings, after all.
thomastjeffery 9y ago
> Students have spent their k-12 years having education 'done' to them. I think you have neatly expressed the root of the problem right there. Education is best approached by the student, not compelled by the teacher.