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You know what I learned in college? That you can pass all the classes with very little studying, provided that you -learn- the material instead of thinking you

You know what I learned in college? That you can pass all the classes with very little studying, provided that you -learn- the material instead of thinking you can just memorize it. Some classes don't even require that. I also learned that teaching yourself is WAY faster than having someone hold your hand. And it sticks better, too. I learned that the only good thing for me in college was being forcibly introduced to new things that I didn't know I needed or liked, and sometimes didn't need and disliked. (But at least now I know!) I learned that the world sometimes grades on knowledge that isn't actually relevant to the matter at hand. At the time, I thought it was just college, but now I know it actually applies in business, too. I learned that the right paperwork (homework/degree) means more than actually knowing things and being able to use them. At least, for some people. There are a rare few (bosses and teachers both) that know how to assess people properly. And I learned that the next time I want to learn something, it will cost me 10s of thousands of dollars less to buy the equipment/supplies and some books and just start doing it myself. (Along with a healthy helping of internet, of course.)

excid3 16y ago
While I agree with most of that, there is a lot of value that you get out of it that you may not directly perceive. Making contacts with all these fellow classmates and professors is worth a lot. Sure you would have met a lot of people skipping college but it's a different class of people.
vacri 16y ago
The other thing about the "I learned nothing in college" mantra is that folks dismiss what they have learned if it's not directly related to earning a paycheck. Intro chemistry isn't going to help you in programming, but at least you'll better understand it when you see chemical labels on bottles. I am constantly amazed at how much basic stuff the general public does not know, with a passing familiarity with statistics probably being the greatest, deepest hole. I can't service my own car. Even if I could, I don't have the time nor the facilities to do so efficiently. But even if I had learned how to do that kind of work when I was younger, I'd be a fool to say "I didn't learn anything from it". Just because I'm not using the knowledge proactively doesn't mean that it's not knowledge, or not useful. I feel the lack of that knowledge when people start talking about motors - it's a world I don't have any purchase on, and this common knowledge would benefit me socially even though I wouldn't be proactively using it.

excid3 16y ago

While I agree with most of that, there is a lot of value that you get out of it that you may not directly perceive. Making contacts with all these fellow classmates and professors is worth a lot. Sure you would have met a lot of people skipping college but it's a different class of people.

vacri 16y ago

The other thing about the "I learned nothing in college" mantra is that folks dismiss what they have learned if it's not directly related to earning a paycheck. Intro chemistry isn't going to help you in programming, but at least you'll better understand it when you see chemical labels on bottles. I am constantly amazed at how much basic stuff the general public does not know, with a passing familiarity with statistics probably being the greatest, deepest hole. I can't service my own car. Even if I could, I don't have the time nor the facilities to do so efficiently. But even if I had learned how to do that kind of work when I was younger, I'd be a fool to say "I didn't learn anything from it". Just because I'm not using the knowledge proactively doesn't mean that it's not knowledge, or not useful. I feel the lack of that knowledge when people start talking about motors - it's a world I don't have any purchase on, and this common knowledge would benefit me socially even though I wouldn't be proactively using it.