It seems like more and more university students seem to think that a college education is all about "preparing for a career".

Learning a trade is a SMALL part of a college education. If you want to learn how to make more money, or practical skills, go to a community college or trade school. College is about learning theory and history to give students a more broad perspective on whatever career they end up in.

All this "I'm an engineer I dont need no history lessons" and "I want to be a writer I don't care about science" just shows how much less kids value being educated.

12/19/2010 5:24:02 PM

IT BEGINS

p.s. dont try and use logic and reason with engineers

12/19/2010 5:25:14 PM

schoole

12/19/2010 5:25:47 PM

is cool

12/19/2010 5:26:26 PM

school != schoole

12/19/2010 5:26:51 PM

Ye Olde Trade Schoole

12/19/2010 5:28:47 PM

Nothing to do with logic and reason. It's reality.

Universities aren't trade schools. Trade schools aren't universities.

12/19/2010 5:30:48 PM

And trade schooles aren't trade schools.

12/19/2010 5:31:49 PM

I'm relatively sure NCSU started as a trade school.

There's your history lesson.

Just sayin'

12/19/2010 5:35:08 PM

man, is there anything this guy doesn't know? neon, do you have a newsletter, i would like to subscribe.

12/19/2010 5:36:04 PM

lol @ "neon"

12/19/2010 5:36:38 PM

@wwwebsurfer:

Quote :

"The North Carolina General Assembly founded NC State on March 7, 1887 as a land-grant college under the name "North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts." As a land-grant college, NC State would provide a liberal and practical education while focusing on military tactics, agriculture and the mechanical arts without excluding classical studies. Since its founding, the university has maintained these objectives while building on them."

As usual you post shit that is outright wrong. NCSU has always been a rounded educational institution.

12/19/2010 5:46:14 PM

He covered his ass with "relatively sure".

12/19/2010 5:47:34 PM

it took me 15 seconds to prove his ass was wrong.

Here's a university lesson: before you say you're "relatively sure" about something, google it.

12/19/2010 5:49:30 PM

I would go to a trade school if it could guarantee the job security that a university degree provides. It doesn't. And while I appreciate a broad education, I would rather take humanities at a community college at my leisure.

12/19/2010 5:55:30 PM

engineering programs basically are trade schools, at least in the traditional curricula.

[Edited on December 19, 2010 at 6:09 PM. Reason : and at least at the two schools i attended]

12/19/2010 6:02:08 PM

I like how they all gripe about how they'd go to a trade school if the degree was as valued as a university and then bitch about the very thing that makes it more valued


DAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

12/19/2010 6:07:12 PM

^Excellent point.

And what is you talkin bout, websurfer?

12/19/2010 6:24:46 PM

I wish there was a trade school for what i want to do

I'm AstralAdvent and i approved this message.

12/19/2010 6:26:26 PM

I agree with some of the OPs sentiments, but also think that it's part of the root of the problem to why our industry and economy is lagging behind other nations. You can't have your cake and eat it too. At least not without footing a very large bill.

12/19/2010 8:39:49 PM

^what are you smoking? Our secondary education system is the best in the world. The reason we lag behind the rest of the world is our primary educational system.

The rest of the world flocks to US universities precisely because of the quality of education you get here.

Learning a trade can be taught on the job (and is, largely) which is why so many engineering schools use internship programs, because teaching that material in school is pretty much impossible and not the point of a university.

12/19/2010 9:11:45 PM

Quote :

"Ye Olde Trade Schoole"

lol

12/19/2010 9:27:27 PM

Quote :

"^what are you smoking? Our secondary tertiary education system is the best in the world. The reason we lag behind the rest of the world is our primary and secondary educational system. The rest of the world flocks to US universities precisely because of the quality of education you get here."

12/19/2010 11:55:03 PM

OP is right. Colleges aren't trade schools.

However, about 3/4 of the people in college have no business being there and should be in a trade school instead. Better benefits for them and society.

12/20/2010 12:26:57 AM

Quote :

"about 3/4 of the people in college have no business being there and should be in a trade school flipping burgers or dancing for money instead. "

12/20/2010 12:34:49 AM

^

12/20/2010 3:07:52 AM

About 17 people have already posted in this thread. Which of the 13 people should flip burgers?

ibtmerbig

12/20/2010 4:05:41 AM

OEP you are correct, my brain farted. Thanks for the correction

12/20/2010 4:21:18 AM

You are welcome

12/20/2010 5:44:49 AM

5^ & 6^

12/20/2010 7:22:16 AM

Quote :

"However, about 3/4 of the people in college have no business being there and should be in a trade school instead. Better benefits for them and society. "

been thinking this for a long time.

12/20/2010 8:17:49 AM

^same.

12/20/2010 8:21:07 AM

i'm amused at those folks that think an undergraduate education gives you anything more than a better-than-the-average-person knowledge in a particular area

12/20/2010 8:49:12 AM

I'm even more amused at the people that get a 4year engineering degree and then either get an MBA or a "masters in engineering management"(or whatever Duke's program is called) and expect to get hired into a management role right out of college. I have to stifle the lolz at career fairs when those guys from Duke tell me they are only looking for a project management position when they have little to no actual engineering experience.

12/20/2010 8:55:07 AM

Here is what is pathetic.

I know college educated people who couldn't tell you what a gerund is.

I know college educated people who couldn't tell you the difference between the civil war and revolutionary war.

I know college educated people (okay one person) who thinks a canon ball is something that eats people.

I know college educated people who have to use calculators to tell you what is 10% of 150.

I know college educated people who use then when they should use than (some of which are teachers)

I know college educated people who think capitalism is a form of government that rivals communism (and that communism is the same as socialism)

All of these people were in the top 10% of their high school and completed a variety of North Carolina university programs with 3.5s and above. Our educational system is a joke.

12/20/2010 8:58:26 AM

^^ what MBA program would accept someone right out of undergrad, anyway? i was under the impression that MBA programs wouldn't accept applicants without actual experience...i could be wrong, though, as i've never really looked into it (though it makes sense to me)

^ i get what you're saying, and i agree...but i'll admit that i've forgotten a great deal of general education stuff just because i never have cause to use it...not necessarily any of those things you listed, but sometimes i'm embarrassed that i have to use teh google to refresh my memory on certain things

[Edited on December 20, 2010 at 9:01 AM. Reason : .]

12/20/2010 8:59:32 AM

i just needed my degrees as a permit to carry a job

12/20/2010 9:10:36 AM

Quote :

"Our educational system is a joke."

It's not the system, it's the people in it. You can learn as much (or as little) as you want to in the US education system. It just happens that most of our youth today don't give two shits about being educated or informed or anything else that isn't entertainment related.

12/20/2010 4:51:32 PM

Quote :

"IT BEGINS p.s. dont try and use logic and reason with engineers"

12/20/2010 5:38:43 PM

Quote :

"sometimes i'm embarrassed that i have to use teh google to refresh my memory on certain things"

one of the most important things i learned in college was how to find the information i needed and distinguish bullshit from reliable info

in other words, i learned to use google properly

12/20/2010 5:42:36 PM

a crucial skill, no doubt.

12/20/2010 5:47:20 PM

it's pretty telling that "using google correctly" is considered a skill. i'm not knocking people for using google, (i'm guilty as well) but there was once a time when people actually had to look up information from books.



also, i really am growing tired of snotty engineers at state scoffing at the idea of having to sit through courses they deem worthless. sit down, shut up, and learn something.

[Edited on December 20, 2010 at 5:52 PM. Reason : ]

12/20/2010 5:50:01 PM

Quote :

"it's pretty telling that "using google correctly" is considered a skill"

it's sad that some people lack this skill. seriously, how hard is it to search efficiently?

12/20/2010 5:52:56 PM

Quote :

"It's not the system, it's the people in it. You can learn as much (or as little) as you want to in the US education system. It just happens that most of our youth today don't give two shits about being educated or informed or anything else that isn't entertainment related."

I respectively disagree. Any system that uses 8Million in funds to educate the top 10% of students and 8billion in funds to educate the bottom 10% of students obviously doesn't have the intent of producing the brightest, most capable students.

Educational money is wasted on those who cannot learn, and those who could otherwise get more from the public educational system are left to settle for par.

12/20/2010 6:06:34 PM

Quote :

"Ye Olde Trade Schoole"

LOL i actually choked at my desk.

Noen is such a bloviating turdsniffer

12/20/2010 6:16:24 PM

agree with OP

12/20/2010 6:19:59 PM

i agree that classical education is important, but a 4 year degree in the classics will get you a job as a barista at Starbucks.

no, university education is not a "trade school", but it does in a large way prepare students for a career. unless of course, you major in classic studies such as history or english or psychology or philosophy. then you're preparing for grad school and likely a career in academia (or professional school and career). at least, you better be.

trade schools are purely practical. they train you in the basics of a trade and relevant activities and thats it. university education teaches you how to learn. but coming out of the university, you need to have some science or tech or business background courses/labs to teach you practical skills as well, or you're more likely to be serving espresso drinks when you get out.

12/20/2010 6:37:07 PM

^

12/20/2010 6:48:26 PM