I attended a city university for my undergraduate education. I have always said that dollar for dollar, I got a better education that most of my friends who when to expensive, higher rated schools. Since that time, I have made a career in higher education and I've noticed something over the years.
Last night, I helped one of my younger cousins navigate their syllabi and planned out his semester with him. This is young man already has a year of college at a state school under his belt and is going to school closer to home this year. As I walked him through what stuff he needed to be on top of, I realized that there were numerous basis tenets of being a college student that he had not been taught: study techniques, calendaring, and how to adjust to college learning. I'm almost positive that as an accredited institution of higher learning, that these services are available at his school. However, as was with my college experience, you have to go FIND them.
My colleagues and I teach this stuff to our students every year during orientation which is extensive and protracted. Needless to say, the students find it laborious but in the end, it prepares them better. And therein lies the major difference: the students services piece of education. No-one advised me to see my academic advisor, set up an appointment each semester to speak to my professor, nor did anyone teach me how study to be successful in college. I "survived" but I always said that if I had a little more guidance, I would be in a much different place today. At times, I feel like we coddle our students but last night I had a completely different opinion on this. I see how detrimental the absence of these services can be and how easy it is to get lost in the system.
I pledged to make sure that my young cousin gets the support that he needs from me and that he demands it from his institution. With that, I also offer a word of advice to guardians and families of college aged students: take the time to walk them through the basics of transition to college and/or make sure the seek it out from their school. You would be so amazed by the difference it can make.
5 comments:
As a new tutor at a community college. I support this post.
Thank you for doing that Leon! I told my cousin that he shouldn't be ashamed of going to a tutor. It's not for dumb people. In fact, the people who sees in class that seem to be getting the information and seem to be smart? Well sometimes the way they got that way is through tutoring!!
You know as a teacher I have to point out this post on higher education was full of typos...sorry.
Now on to my commentary:
It is extremely sad to say that most city schools from elementary to high school spend a significant amount of time teaching to the "tests". By the time I have these students as seniors in high school I make it my business to teach them basic skills that they will need for higher learning and/or work force.
I have speakers come in to discuss the first year of college and what to expect. I spend time helping them create resumes (many of them have been working since 10th grade and don't know what one is!) I stress relentlessly the importance of speech. Today's students cannot communicate effectively at all!! I make sure that when my students cross that stage they know what they are getting themselves in to.
And while I may forego some of the mandated curriculum, oddly enough, my kids still pass those pesky "tests".
As someone who has gone back to start over college many years after the fact, i have to agree with this. As a student I'm doing more things now than I did the first time around. Tell your cousin to sit in front of the class and to make sure his professor knows him by his name. i also learned that talking to the professor gives you incite on what he is thinking about the class as a whole which will give you inside scope on things you need to know.
*raises hand*
My name is Aisha and I am a school snob. Sorry I am and due to your post above. I know too many people who went to four year institutions and it took them five or more years to graduate and often they say it was due to lack of information from administration?? What??? I pay money and no one is there to help? Sorry. That's now how my education went and I know it is because I paid a premium for it. Thanks again for being a guide to my cousin. I love you more for loving my family so much.
Aisha (the nekkid's guys wife)
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