you know my advisor for my first term don't you. After the first term the guys in my Fraternity were more helpful in being strategic about class loads. Especially Spring Term. Get out early! No Friday classes!
He can get the acid in my stomach going like no one else...
- Thread starter rayinpenn
- Start date
you know my advisor for my first term don't you. After the first term the guys in my Fraternity were more helpful in being strategic about class loads. Especially Spring Term. Get out early! No Friday classes!
38Chevy454
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Not in my day (graduated 87), my version of the quote would be:
"College is where young men go to drink beer and meet girls". Being in a fraternity was beneficial to both of these
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2006
- Messages
- 23,059
Not in my day (graduated 87), my version of the quote would be:
"College is where young men go to drink beer and meet girls". Being in a fraternity was beneficial to both of these
Sadly, neither one describes my college experience. U.S. Naval Academy 1981
REWahoo
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give
Not in my day (graduated 87), my version of the quote would be:
"College is where young men go to drink beer and meet girls". Being in a fraternity was beneficial to both of these
Not in my day (graduated 69), my version of the quote would be:
"College is where young men go to spend four years hoping that d@mn war ends before I get drafted." It didn't.
Katsmeow
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2009
- Messages
- 5,308
DS graduated a year ago with a Comp Sci degree. In many of his courses, he did not buy the book. Often, the professors told them that they book was needed. That they were required to have one but it wasn't necessary. There were some exceptions.
DS graduated with a B average (lower level of B), most of which was dragged down by his grades early on before he decided on his major. His major GPA was actually pretty good. Despite all of this, he did get into grad school. His GRE score and recommendations were enough. (That said, he ended up quitting grad school because he didn't like it).
DS would probably say that during his college years I tried to micromanage him too much. And, I pretty much did. That said -- even though I know he was intellectually capable of making A's in everything -- I did not feel it was for me to try to convince him to get an A instead of a B (or a B instead of a C). He had one bad semester early on (in CC long before he became a CS major). We did tell him that if thereafter made any grade below a C or dropped a course that he would have to pay for the retake of the course. Beyond that, I felt that it was really up to him whether he wanted to do the work to make an A or a B. That is, if he was in good standing and passing his courses then the consequences of graduating with a B average rather than an A average were his.
DS was never much motivated by grades. He is really smart and capable (hence the fact he did well on the GRE), but he didn't really care about making an A versus a B except in rare instances. That will undoubtedly have some consequences for him in terms of his future life. But, those are the consequences that are his.
From our standpoint, we wanted him to get a good education in a field where he could earn a living. He did that. Beyond that -- it will be up to him.
DS graduated with a B average (lower level of B), most of which was dragged down by his grades early on before he decided on his major. His major GPA was actually pretty good. Despite all of this, he did get into grad school. His GRE score and recommendations were enough. (That said, he ended up quitting grad school because he didn't like it).
DS would probably say that during his college years I tried to micromanage him too much. And, I pretty much did. That said -- even though I know he was intellectually capable of making A's in everything -- I did not feel it was for me to try to convince him to get an A instead of a B (or a B instead of a C). He had one bad semester early on (in CC long before he became a CS major). We did tell him that if thereafter made any grade below a C or dropped a course that he would have to pay for the retake of the course. Beyond that, I felt that it was really up to him whether he wanted to do the work to make an A or a B. That is, if he was in good standing and passing his courses then the consequences of graduating with a B average rather than an A average were his.
DS was never much motivated by grades. He is really smart and capable (hence the fact he did well on the GRE), but he didn't really care about making an A versus a B except in rare instances. That will undoubtedly have some consequences for him in terms of his future life. But, those are the consequences that are his.
From our standpoint, we wanted him to get a good education in a field where he could earn a living. He did that. Beyond that -- it will be up to him.
Cayman
Recycles dryer sheets
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2015
- Messages
- 445
The only Company I interviewed with that wanted a transcript (classes and grades) was Ford.
To this day I rejoice that my GPA was too low for Ford Motor Co to hire me -
Robbie makes a good point. Perhaps your son is best suited for a different career path or will find his own way. I'd also point out that GPA expectations/requirements of employers vary greatly. DH worked for a Fortune 100 and a 500 company. Their cut-off was generally a 3.0 for new college grads - however - neither megacorp requested the GPA of job applicants who had work experience in their field. So, it was common for new grads with lower GPAs to get a first job with a different employer, gain experience, then get hired at the megacorp.
Just general advice, as only you know your student and you are paying the education bill.
Cayman
Recycles dryer sheets
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2015
- Messages
- 445
Redduck! My thoughts exactly. Life is tooo short.
jimnjana
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
This is accurate for Penn State. DS is an Associate professor there and deals with kids coming in from branch campus with schedules loaded with core major required classes. Generally speaking, they account for her worst performing students.
lwp2017
Recycles dryer sheets
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2014
- Messages
- 157
This ^^^^^^
When I was 16 my dad had a bunch of demolition debris concrete curbs and sidewalks dumped on a side fork on our farm road. My main job all Texas summer was to break it into small pieces with a 8# sledgehammer and get the steel out so it wouldn't cause flats. I still remember the drudgery of those humid summer days.
I actually looked forward to hauling hay and help with roofing houses which seemed like better ways to make the day. I was glad when the school year resumed, I liked school.
My goal in college was to join the military then get a job and think for a living.
We made our kids get jobs. The oldest drug her feet. So I arranged for her to work for a family member's estate law firm based in a former residence near the courthouse.
She working sorting file records in an un- air conditioned garage in the Texas summer. She also routinely had to locate hard to find people doing Internet searches and multiple cold phone calls to unpleasant people.
She made straight A in college. With no desire for law school.
Last edited:
Our daughter did well in college in a very hard course with no outside encouragement. Our son, who has a high IQ, was kicked out by the college for a semester, after his first year. He ended up working in fast food for awhile, before going back and getting 4.0 for the rest of his years. He has a very high paying job as a software architect at a huge firm. It just took him longer to mature.
A few years later, I went to an educational training for work and they talked about brain development. They said most women's brains are fully matured by 20-21. Most men's brains are fully matured at 26-28. The part that lags behind is the part that controls impulsive behavior, risk taking and attention to detail. Since I heard this, I've noticed that some young men close to us have had trouble settling into a path until their mid-20's. It may help to think that maybe they are one of those young men who may take awhile to mature.
A few years later, I went to an educational training for work and they talked about brain development. They said most women's brains are fully matured by 20-21. Most men's brains are fully matured at 26-28. The part that lags behind is the part that controls impulsive behavior, risk taking and attention to detail. Since I heard this, I've noticed that some young men close to us have had trouble settling into a path until their mid-20's. It may help to think that maybe they are one of those young men who may take awhile to mature.
So, you're saying that there is still hope for some of us?
REWahoo
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give
CoolRich59
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Agree with tmm99 - very well said.
What I usually tell people is that you get certain opportunities in life. A college degree gives you access to opportunities that would not be available to you without the degree. But, at the end of the day, it's what you do with those opportunities that counts.
I had a friend in college that graduated with a business management degree ... and then did nothing. After bouncing around for a year, he took a minor clerical job that did not even require a high school diploma.
On the other hand, one of my best friends dropped out of high school and went to work for a construction company. 40 years later he's an executive with the company and is about to FIRE.
One had plenty of opportunities and chose not to pursue them. The other had limited opportunities, but made the most of the one he chose.
CoolRich59
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Just an aside: If he wants to work in the IT industry and the accent that bugs him is Indian or Eastern European, he better get used to it or find another line of work.
