As a high school senior, I have observed that a high school education consists primarily of teachers relaying as much information at you as they possibly can, and then asking you to recite it.
That’s all high school is: a contest to see who can most efficiently imitate the qualities of a sponge.
It is a rare thing to see the students intellectually involved, to see the student asking the questions. But do you know what? That’s ok. The average high school student, for the most part, really doesn’t have an aptitude for a life-altering education, at least not yet.
That’s what college is for, right?
But from what I have observed, most popular colleges seem to reflect the characteristics of high school. As a senior entering college, I have been bombarded with college brochures for the past two years, and every one of them is the same: Pictures of smiling college grads, framed by picturesque campuses in the background. Perhaps a list of fun activities will accompany the graphics, or a catchy, italicized quote from some successful college grad saying how much you will absolutely love this college. What is a confused high school senior to do- compare who has the broadest smile?
This tragedy is the result of a simple, yet sad truth: An honest description of the educational qualities of a college doesn’t sell, but social perks and comfort do. It’s a battle of the marketing departments, not educational merit.
Popular colleges, as advertised, consist of worlds that are “fully continuous with the American entertainment and consumer culture [students] have been living in.” (Mark Edmundson, Why Read?)
But I don’t want to be entertained. I don’t want to recite pointless information. I’m tired of filling in the blanks, memorizing archaic dates, and plugging in numbers. I want to explore something significant in my life. I want a real, liberal arts college education, which these useless brochures certainly aren’t helping me find.
But let’s look at the situation from a different angle; let’s look at the college’s perspective.
I like writing college essays. I think they’re reflective of a student’s capabilities. I also enjoy composing a list of extracurricular activities, leadership roles, awards received, etc. This is useful information for a college, it gauges how the student has progressed, how the student has transformed and matured to an intellectual level deserving of a college education.
Then there’s the ACT. I especially dislike the ACT, and so do many people until they score that 30-34 they’d dreamed of. Then it’s all “Oh, isn’t the ACT wonderful?” from there.
But what does the ACT really reflect? Apart from the math and writing portions, it’s back to yet another contest of mimicking a sponge: The reading, English, and even the science section all measure how well you can absorb a page-long essay and play Where’s Waldo with questions like “In line 52, the word ‘Apprehension’ most nearly means?”
WHY does this matter? Do colleges really care how well you can spot the answer in a mess of confusing vocabulary? It seems to me that most colleges are really measuring your ability to store and interpret information, which is simply an enhanced version of high school.
The real problem is that our education system (as well as funding) shuns creative thinking and in-depth conversation. Teachers are paid to provide information and teach the standardized test, nothing else. Thus, the sacred gift of imparting knowledge, which is the key to humanity’s evolutionary survival, has been brutally impaired by a substitution of entertainment and information for a meaningful education. Teachers satisfy the bare minimum: Relaying information, receiving a salary, and getting a good review.
But I’m not insinuating that all teachers are this…. entertaining. Contrary to my pessimism, I know there are valuable teachers in both high school and college, teachers who go beyond what is expected of them by the Board of Education. There are teachers who impart knowledge, and some who take that extra step with exercises in critical and creative thinking.
I have been blessed with insightful teachers, found right here in Riverside Brookfield High School. They are here, those who rise above what is expected, those who really make a difference.
Therefore, I would like to advise anyone pursuing an education: Take the difficult class.
Ask for the teacher that nobody likes, because his grading is too hard.
Life isn’t easy, so why should your education be a walk in the park?
More specifically, my advice to those of you seniors entering college is to take into account the proportion of education verses entertainment you expect to receive in your selected college: Are you looking at those fun activities and smiling faces, or are you focused on course descriptions and content? Your focus determines your reality, and your chosen education will determine your future influence.
Choose wisely, and good luck!
--Submitted by Pete Jansen, Staff Reporter |
