That they are. No, I'm not, I'm in my second last year of high school (junior year).

Oh ok, nevermind then, right in my high school I'm taking nine classes as of now

1a. Algebra 2

2a. Afjrotc

3. Sat prep

4a. Arts class

5a. Psychology

1b. Chemistry

2b. Spanish 2

4b. English 3

5b. U.S history

My favorite is chemist class.

Wow. Even when I was in high school, I only had 8 classes a semester, and that was one more than most people at my school (I had an extra period at the end of the day). I'm honestly not sure how you could ever keep 9 courses going simultaneously.

You guys might not see it now but I can assure you that you will use more than you think in the "real world". English is very important if you want to be able to write anything and have people take you seriously (if you write and spell like a 5th grader than people will not take you seriously). Math and science are those weird subjects that you use but at random times, there are lots of times where I encounter a situation where I think back to my math or science knowledge. For those of you looking to do law enforcement expect to use a lot of math when you conduct traffic crash investigations. We didn't go to in depth in my police academy but our instructors offered us a little bit of insight on full traffic crash investigations and they use A LOT of math, thinking about it made my head hurt. Anyone looking to go into an aviation field or into the military (regardless of your MOS) can also expect to need to know math. Knowing history, economics, and government will help you if you want to be an educated voter and understand what people are talking about. If you don't know much about those subjects you will get lost quickly when it comes time for elections.

 

Point is, pay attention and do well in school. I know when I was in high school and college I always questioned why I was learning these stupid subjects but in the end I've ended up using what I learned even if it was for something not important. It is good to just be knowledgeable about as many things as you can, that's part of being educated.

Good point, me I'm happy to have all nine of my classes and think there awesome (the beauty of a block schedule). Knowledge is power.

Edited September 13, 201411 yr by Chester199

You guys might not see it now but I can assure you that you will use more than you think in the "real world". English is very important if you want to be able to write anything and have people take you seriously (if you write and spell like a 5th grader than people will not take you seriously). Math and science are those weird subjects that you use but at random times, there are lots of times where I encounter a situation where I think back to my math or science knowledge. For those of you looking to do law enforcement expect to use a lot of math when you conduct traffic crash investigations. We didn't go to in depth in my police academy but our instructors offered us a little bit of insight on full traffic crash investigations and they use A LOT of math, thinking about it made my head hurt. Anyone looking to go into an aviation field or into the military (regardless of your MOS) can also expect to need to know math. Knowing history, economics, and government will help you if you want to be an educated voter and understand what people are talking about. If you don't know much about those subjects you will get lost quickly when it comes time for elections.

 

Point is, pay attention and do well in school. I know when I was in high school and college I always questioned why I was learning these stupid subjects but in the end I've ended up using what I learned even if it was for something not important. It is good to just be knowledgeable about as many things as you can, that's part of being educated.

I do agree that English is good for learning how to write, but nobody is ever going to ask you for the noun and the adjective of a sentence. For me, learning sentence structure is pointless. I took a composition class and that did a much better job at teaching me how to write paragraphs, sentences, ect.

For that matter, things you learn about sentence structure in high school English class are often actually wrong, as you'll learn if you take a linguistics course in college.

I'm still confused on the American definition of 'college'.

Speaking of college, for those of you in college is it true that it is mandatory that you take a geography class your first year in college?

 

I'm still confused on the American definition of 'college'.

 

We call universities colleges and colleges colleges. They are different, colleges generally being 2 year schools and universities being 4 (or more) year, but we call pretty much any education after high school "college."

 

Speaking of college, for those of you in college is it true that it is mandatory that you take a geography class your first year in college?

 

I've never taken any type of geography class, in college or high school.

We call universities colleges and colleges colleges. They are different, colleges generally being 2 year schools and universities being 4 (or more) year, but we call pretty much any education after high school "college."

I've never taken any type of geography class, in college or high school.

Eh well I still take one, either political geography or physical geography.

I do agree that English is good for learning how to write, but nobody is ever going to ask you for the noun and the adjective of a sentence. For me, learning sentence structure is pointless. I took a composition class and that did a much better job at teaching me how to write paragraphs, sentences, ect.

You would be surprised, just the other day one of my sergeants asked me a grammar question and since I didn't pay that much attention in my English classes I couldn't answer it. It had something to do with writing an evaluation on someone and these evaluations are looked at by higher ranking NCO and could be used to determine if you get promoted or not. So those "pointless" rules I learned in English class could have a big impact on how far I get in my job.

 

I'm still confused on the American definition of 'college'.

I think they call it university or post-secondary school in Europe. Basically it is where you go to get a degree, not just 2 year degrees but 4 year and high level as well.

 

Speaking of college, for those of you in college is it true that it is mandatory that you take a geography class your first year in college?

Depends on the school/state. The college I went to did not have that requirement.

 

We call universities colleges and colleges colleges. They are different, colleges generally being 2 year schools and universities being 4 (or more) year, but we call pretty much any education after high school "college."

 

Wasn't aware of a difference. I've never met anyone who made a distinction between the two terms. To me universities are places you go to achieve a Bachelors degree or higher and college is just a generic term to describe any school that offers a degree. I went to a university but I don't think I ever referred to it as a university unless someone asked me where I went only because university was in it's name.

I'm still confused on the American definition of 'college'.

col·lege

 noun, often attributive ˈkä-lij

: a school in the U.S. that you go to after high school : a school that offers courses leading to a degree (such as a bachelor's degree or an associate's degree)

: a part of an American university that offers courses in a specified subject

 

 

More than 53% of Russian adults between the ages of 25 and 64 had some form of higher education in 2012, more than in any other country reviewed by the OECD.

 

Well, I'm Russian and familiar with the situation on the ground. Almost everyone here are university grads.

 

First reason: our army drafts males from 18 to 27. University students have 4-5 year draft deferment (bachelor degree) Master degree gives you another 2 years. Then you need to hide from the draft only 2-3 years more.

 

Second reason: too many 'universities'. Nowdays it's easy for an educational facility to obtain university status. Brings more money. 

 

Third reason: almost all employers consider university degree a must-have thing. College grads usually hold worst positions (drivers, cleaners, police patrolmen, etc) 

 

As Yard1 said, it's quantity other quality. Only few universities in some cities give really good education. And our best students study in Germany or UK :D

Edited September 14, 201411 yr by Hastings

I'm still confused on the American definition of 'college'.

 

"College" basically refers to undergrad (i.e. working towards associate's or bachelor's degree); people don't normally say they're "going to university" like I think they do in the UK. For institution names, "college" generally means "undergraduate and teaching-focused", while a "university" has grad students and a strong research focus as well (not that universities don't care about teaching, but it's not the only priority there). As a rule, universities tend to be more prestigious, but that is by no means always the case -- Reed College is one of the most respected schools in the country and doesn't offer Ph.Ds, while the University of Phoenix is...not very respected (it's a for-profit online school, and those types of schools have a reputation of trying to sucker in as many people as they can to get sweet federal student loan money).

 

Speaking of college, for those of you in college is it true that it is mandatory that you take a geography class your first year in college?

There is literally nothing that is mandatory at every college (in fact, there's an [ivy League!] college [brown] which is famous for having no requirements to graduate besides "pass 30 classes" and "complete a major", though it looks like they did add a writing requirement a few years ago). Schools have lots of variation in their non-major requirements, but I can't imagine very many schools requiring geography in particular - it's more common (I think) to see broader requirements like "2 courses in the sciences" and the like than to see more specific "biology" or "geography/geology" or "poli sci" requirements. Schools all differ, but I think more are like the former.

Good point cp702, one other thing I did learn about college is the other day my teacher was saying most professors are just going to give you the syllables and say "here's what we're doing for the entire month either turn it in or you don't" I'm fine with that, another my teacher told me is that I really need to get better at my paraphrasing and note taking skills because I have this tendency where every slide I see in the PowerPoint I copy Everything down (I know bad habit), he said most professors will spend only a certain amount of time on the slide and move on, never goes back.

Edited September 14, 201411 yr by Chester199

You would be surprised, just the other day one of my sergeants asked me a grammar question and since I didn't pay that much attention in my English classes I couldn't answer it. It had something to do with writing an evaluation on someone and these evaluations are looked at by higher ranking NCO and could be used to determine if you get promoted or not. So those "pointless" rules I learned in English class could have a big impact on how far I get in my job.

 

You have a point, I just don't see how learning parts of speech would help you in the real world. Unless you are going to be a Language teacher.

There is literally nothing that is mandatory at every college (in fact, there's an [ivy League!] college [brown] which is famous for having no requirements to graduate besides "pass 30 classes" and "complete a major", though it looks like they did add a writing requirement a few years ago). Schools have lots of variation in their non-major requirements, but I can't imagine very many schools requiring geography in particular - it's more common (I think) to see broader requirements like "2 courses in the sciences" and the like than to see more specific "biology" or "geography/geology" or "poli sci" requirements. Schools all differ, but I think more are like the former.

 

An example of this would be my school's general education requirements. There are no specific classes required, just subjects that you need to have covered in order to graduate. These classes are usually taken in the first 2 years of attending, and you focus on your major(s)/minor(s) the last 2 years.

 

 

Good point cp702, one other thing I did learn about college is the other day my teacher was saying most professors are just going to give you the syllables and say "here's what we're doing for the entire month either turn it in or you don't" I'm fine with that, another my teacher told me is that I really need to get better at my paraphrasing and note taking skills because I have this tendency where every slide I see in the PowerPoint I copy Everything down (I know bad habit), he said most professors will spend only a certain amount of time on the slide and move on, never goes back.

 

It depends on the professor. In my experience, the professors always post the powerpoints online so there is no need to copy everything down. It's actually best to print the slides before class if they are available and write notes on them based on what the professor says, or bring a laptop if you are allowed (some professors might not allow technology) and have the powerpoint open on it. I don't personally do this, but I'm sure it would be helpful. Some professors will have all of the assignments and the dates they are due on the syllabus, but others might say or post them throughout the semester. With homeworks, everything has been online so we are always responsible for making sure it is submitted before the due date/time. This semester is actually the first time I've had written homework due at the beginning of class. The due dates are all written out on the syllabus.

Good point cp702, one other thing I did learn about college is the other day my teacher was saying most professors are just going to give you the syllables and say "here's what we're doing for the entire month either turn it in or you don't" I'm fine with that, another my teacher told me is that I really need to get better at my paraphrasing and note taking skills because I have this tendency where every slide I see in the PowerPoint I copy Everything down (I know bad habit), he said most professors will spend only a certain amount of time on the slide and move on, never goes back.

Some professors are like this, some aren't. Mostly, it depends on the size of the class -- in a 200-person intro course, the class may not really be able to stop whenever there's a question, and you'll be asked to take it to office hours. This is generally a bad trait for a class to have, though, and I've been in big classes where you can absolutely ask a question; if you have a question, there's a fair chance others also have it. In seminars, you're expected to participate, and if you tune out in class, the professor will notice and be annoyed (participation is often part of your grade in seminars).

As for work: In many classes, no, there's no immediate consequence to not having completed work (you just put it on the table, no one really notices if you don't have it). In smaller classes, people start to notice if you don't turn stuff in. With things like seminars, the professor often *will* notice not turning in work, and (if they're nice) ask you what's going on. For some professors, they'll have checkpoints for students (e.g. draft must be in by XXX time, present your basic idea to the class, etc.) For others, there'll be weekly psets, feedback delayed while TAs get to it (or not; in my math course last year, second semester, much homework just went ungraded), and no one telling you "you haven't been turning stuff in" until you get your final grade.

What *is* fairly universally true is that you have to be self-motivated to a fair degree. Good professors are more than willing to help you if you're having trouble, but they normally won't come to you and say "hey, we need to talk". The rule is that you are responsible for ensuring your work is done on time, for keeping up with class, for studying, and for recognizing if you have problems and getting help (e.g. my school has extensive tutoring services for students, all free to the student, in addition to the help that professors and TAs are willing to provide during office hours; however, under most circumstances, you have to decide yourself that yes, you need them, and go use them).

On powerpoints: Really depends, here. My view is a bit biased by almost all of my courses being presented at a chalkboard/whiteboard, so there simply is no slide set to post online. If you miss something, you need to read the book, ask a friend, or go to office hours.

@Willpv: My school has even more general requirements: by graduation complete 2 science, 2 social science, and 2 humanities courses, and by end of junior year complete 2 writing, 2 quantitative reasoning, and 1-3 (depending on a placement test) foreign language requirements. Again, pretty general; you don't have to particularly front-load them (there are progressively increasing requirements for each year), though lots of people do end up finishing them early (it's really not hard to do it without even trying; I'm done except for language and 2 humanities/1 writing OR 1 humanities/2 writing).

Some professors are like this, some aren't. Mostly, it depends on the size of the class -- in a 200-person intro course, the class may not really be able to stop whenever there's a question, and you'll be asked to take it to office hours. This is generally a bad trait for a class to have, though, and I've been in big classes where you can absolutely ask a question; if you have a question, there's a fair chance others also have it. In seminars, you're expected to participate, and if you tune out in class, the professor will notice and be annoyed (participation is often part of your grade in seminars).

As for work: In many classes, no, there's no immediate consequence to not having completed work (you just put it on the table, no one really notices if you don't have it). In smaller classes, people start to notice if you don't turn stuff in. With things like seminars, the professor often *will* notice not turning in work, and (if they're nice) ask you what's going on. For some professors, they'll have checkpoints for students (e.g. draft must be in by XXX time, present your basic idea to the class, etc.) For others, there'll be weekly psets, feedback delayed while TAs get to it (or not; in my math course last year, second semester, much homework just went ungraded), and no one telling you "you haven't been turning stuff in" until you get your final grade.

What *is* fairly universally true is that you have to be self-motivated to a fair degree. Good professors are more than willing to help you if you're having trouble, but they normally won't come to you and say "hey, we need to talk". The rule is that you are responsible for ensuring your work is done on time, for keeping up with class, for studying, and for recognizing if you have problems and getting help (e.g. my school has extensive tutoring services for students, all free to the student, in addition to the help that professors and TAs are willing to provide during office hours; however, under most circumstances, you have to decide yourself that yes, you need them, and go use them).

On powerpoints: Really depends, here. My view is a bit biased by almost all of my courses being presented at a chalkboard/whiteboard, so there simply is no slide set to post online. If you miss something, you need to read the book, ask a friend, or go to office hours.

@Willpv: My school has even more general requirements: by graduation complete 2 science, 2 social science, and 2 humanities courses, and by end of junior year complete 2 writing, 2 quantitative reasoning, and 1-3 (depending on a placement test) foreign language requirements. Again, pretty general; you don't have to particularly front-load them (there are progressively increasing requirements for each year), though lots of people do end up finishing them early (it's really not hard to do it without even trying; I'm done except for language and 2 humanities/1 writing OR 1 humanities/2 writing).

Well thanks for the tip, I'm still a junior right now so I got some time left, one more thing as for cost for college I'm not too much worried on that as my teacher also said it's not always that expensive to go out of state (because I want to go out of state) he said this because

1. They want you to live there

2. They want you to stay after you graduate.

So yeah there's thousands of scholarships out there waiting for you to apply for them, anyways thanks again for the advice.

You have a point, I just don't see how learning parts of speech would help you in the real world. Unless you are going to be a Language teacher.

I just gave you an example. Ya know, the whole thing you quoted me on about the NCO performance evaluation and getting promoted thing, that is a real world example of how it would help you. You don't have to believe me, you will see when you get there.