decision time.. what do do about college. (1 Viewer)

[Philip_G]

I'm a senior here at the Univ. of North Dakota, commercial aviation major, so my choices are pretty limited on where I can transfer.
basically UND is pissing me off beyond belief, they have too many students, so they don't bother to listen to us, and do everything they can to alienate us while taking our money. So fuck them.
really it boils down to two things pissing me off, first they've raised the grading scale to something like 93,86,75.
I can't TELL you how irritating it is to get an 85 on a test and realize it's a C.
second they're forcing us to rent a notebook from them for 600 bucks a semester or they'll drop us from our classes. My toshiba, with all the software and hardware theirs have won't do.
so no one listens, my only option is to deal or leave. So the question is do you think I should transfer? this new scale is KILLING my grades, not to mention north dakota sucks.
I'd be looking at embry riddle in either daytona beach or prescott ariz.

 

[Steven K]

they've raised the grading scale to something like 93,86,75.

Wow... that's not bad at all. The college I went to hadhas a scale of 958879.

 

[Philip_G]

but you knew that going in, did you not?
they didn't say halfway through your college career "hey BTW next semester all classes will go from 90-80-70 to this... oh and if you don't like it fuck you"

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I'm a senior here at the Univ. of North Dakota, commercial aviation major, so my choices are pretty limited on where I can transfer.

Based on this statement, I would try to stick it out. After all, you are in your last year, and you state that there are not many other options for your chosen major.
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[Jonathan Lofgren]

I know EXACTLY how you feel. I went to UND last year and I transferred for some of the same reasons you stated. UND has a big school mentality, but if you want that there are plenty of other equal or better schools, especially considering that it's in GF, ND. That new grades thing is kind of stupid too.
With that said I would stick it out for the rest of the year. You're a senior and you're already half way through this semester. Also, UND does have a good aviation program and I wouldn't want to transfer to a new school in a whole new area to go for one semester. In may you can leave Grand Forks and never come back if you don't want too. It's a tough decision and I wish you well with whatever you decide.

 

[Trey Fletcher]

Philip,
One thing to consider is how many credits you will lose with a transfer. It could set you back quite a bit, as many schools do not recognize (hey, have I seen you before?) classes taken at other universities.
I would say that you would be bored in Prescott, but hey, you currently reside in North Dakota

. If you would like info on Prescott from a native Arizonan, let me know. TF

 

[Matt Stryker]

I'll be the flipside to the coin. Think of the opportunity you have in transferring; you'll probably never have an undergraduate college experience again. You could easily just transfer your core classes and go to a small school in the east, a big school in the west, a school with girls and partying or a seriously academic institution. Or come to Georgia Tech, a small school in the southeast with few girls that is just as screwy as the one you came from....but I digress.
Go for it. If you are serious about transferring (especially if you are thinking of changing your major), I'd take an internship or a semester abroad to think about and set it up.
Your undergraduate education is far too valuable a life experience to waste in a place you hate.
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[Ryan Wright]

Not sure, but you should raise a huge stink over the laptop. $1200 a year to RENT a laptop? You can buy a nice one for that, for crying out loud! I'm willing to bet their laptops are also el-cheapo models costing them about $600 a piece in high volume. Quite frankly, it seems like they're in it for the profit. They'll all be paid for after the first semester (and of course, if you break it, they'll want $2500) and for the next few years it's pure profit.
Get a group of students together who own their own adequate laptops or who would rather buy one than rent one for that price. Take them all to the board of directors and demand that this bullshit policy be changed. There is no good reason why you shouldn't be able to use your own laptop. I would also contact the local newspapers, radio stations, or anyone else who will listen. Find out exactly what those laptops are costing them - if you have to, call the manufacturer and pose as an IT director of a company thinking of buying x thousand of them, and ask for pricing information for customers such as yourself. Make sure ALL of the students know exactly how much those laptops are costing the school so they'll know they're being ripped off.
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-Ryan (http://www.ryanwright.com )
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes.
That way, when you do criticize them, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

 

[Philip_G]

I should clarify a few things, it's not the entire university requiring the laptops, just the college I go to underneath the university (always thought that was a screwy system.. I guess all U's use it eh?)
anyway FUCK YES they're in it for the profit. They can try to rationalize all they want but it's a BIG effing money maker for the school I know, because I worked in the computing center briefly (I found out computer science majors don't like pilots with real world admin experience trying to help them? weird.. MAJOR personality conflicts there )
the students as a whole are pissed about the whole thing but the school turns a blind eye, well frankly because they can, for every student they lose theres 5 more waiting and they know this.
with one semester left I'm gonna take my shit grades and get the hell out. I've got 100 credits at like 2.8 or 2.9 so a few c's and a D or 2 will still keep me above a 2.5 I hope.

 

[Philip_G]

Oh and as far as the undergrad experience... I *HATE* college, hate it with a god dman passion.
this is my second stab at it and I can't wait to get the hell out. Doesn't matter where I go, I'm not going to like it. Not to mention the 50k I'm in debt

 

[Eric Scott]

quote: Doesn't matter where I go, I'm not going to like it[/quote]Since this is a fact, you need only to gather your thoughts and remember (above all) what your objective is: A Degree
With that understanding, your sole purpose for the next 6 months will become clear, and easy to accept. You may even develop an optimistic attitude to help carry you through until graduation.
In order to succeed in getting the education you started (some 16 odd years ago) it is imperative that you set aside your bad feelings and just finish the job you started the best you can.
(Borrowing your language) Don't fuck up now!
[Edited last by Eric Scott on October 30, 2001 at 07:52 PM]

 

[MatthewLei]

I'm in my freshman year. I'm thinking of withdrawing tomorrow. I just can't take it anymore..

 

[Philip_G]

matthew-
I know a lot of people that went to college right out of HS and weren't ready for it. If you're not meeting your own expectations (really, fuck the parents, they may or may not foot the bill, but this is your deal not theirs) then take some time off, get a job for a year or two and go back. You'll be amazed how much easier it is once you've decided where you're going and how you want to get there.
besides, companies like "well rounded" employees, and some full time real world experience wouldn't hurt.

 

[Steven K]

Matthew, I dont know what your situation is, but if possible, avoid dropping out of school like it is the plague. Believe me, the job market is very, very tough right now. Being in school is the best bet. If at all possible, try to stick it out and stay.
Oh yeah, and the comment that basically said in so many words; "screw parents, regardless of whether or not they are paying the bill, it's your deal..."
Well, an attitude like that isn't going to get you anywhere in life. It might be the popular thing to think in college, but believe me, if you carry that attitude into the workplace, you're going to get hammered into the ground. Never, ever think that something is "just your deal," especially if someone else is paying for it.

 

[Philip_G]

I disagree.
I see too many students stressed much further than they should be simply because they're under too much pressure from their parents.
college is something you do to better yourself and your life, not something you do to please your parents. If you're going simply because your parents say you should, you're going to do miserably anyway.

 

[Craig Chatterton]

Freshman year in College is weird. For one thing, it's TOUGH! They know that the majority of kids who can't handle college will drop out so they make sure it happens during Freshman year so they don't waste too much money on them. Classes are hard for just that purpose.
But at the same time it's FUN! Party time, away from your parents, living in a dorm with guys (and girls) the same age as you, WHEW! Those who make it past freshman year spend the next three years or more making up for it.
The statistics at my college were 50% dropout rate at the Freshman level, but very low dropout rate for Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors.
So what I'm saying is if you can hack it through Freshman year, then you'll have a much easier time for the rest of it.
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