Colleges Are a For Profit Business

in college •  6 years ago 


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In my very first blog post on Steemit, I criticized the current school system for training students to become ignorant and obedient slaves to the rat race. This brainwashing system, otherwise known as the puritan school system, stunts creativity and critical thinking and forces kids blindly obey whatever the teacher tell them to do. And just so they don't completely forget what they memorized during the morning/afternoon lecture, the teacher gives them homework as practice.
The problem is bad and is now getting worse with the news of the recent US college scandal. See the link below.

https://www.npr.org/2019/03/12/702539140/u-s-accuses-actresses-others-of-fraud-in-wide-college-admissions-scandal

I should probably correct that as I already knew that this behavior was going on and has been going on for decades. Colleges do not stand for education, they stand for profit. That is why coaches get paid more than some presidents. Why some athletes don't even show up for class but are still allowed to retain their status because they bring in outside money from national TV and athletic brands. That is why we have "legacy" admissions. That is why rich kids can find ways to get in with money (as evidenced in the link above).

This creates a bigger problem. When bribery for college acceptance is allowed, then the criminals' children will have the college name and network, giving them access to better opportunities and more lucrative careers. So the rich stays rich with new money being recycled though the same channels.
As for those who decided to work hard and earn their place in the world, their applications to those listed universities were tossed in the shedder in favor of students whose parents have large pockets. Even after they graduate, they are still at disadvantage due to the rich kids having more prestige and powerful networks. So while the rich kids are skating through life's trials and tribulations, the others will be laden with unspeakable amounts debt that they won't be able to pay off until they are 50.

Colleges were supposed to educate and create opportunities for students from all backgrounds to have a successful future. Instead, they are perpetrating the same oppressive system that has increased the gap between the rich and poor.

In conclusion, this college system is a failure. Plain and simple.

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I thought it was common knowledge that colleges, schools, councils, police, military etc is always for profit?

It can't be common knowledge or else there would be a revolution yesterday.

People won't revolt. They've been mired into obedience. Tony Blair went into Iraq on a lie. Which has been proven, yet he's not in jail.

Then it seems that the road to true freedom and independence is much longer and steeper than we all thought.

Yup, and getting steeper each day. The longer it goes on, the harder it'll be to wake up and do something about it.

But it should not be!

Your comment about "the current school system for training students to become ignorant and obedient slaves to the rat race". And "brainwashing system" set me back a bit. I am an educator. I teach my students to think for themselves and prepare them to be successful in the real world. Although you are not addressing college with your comments, I am assuming, please remember that stereotyping is not always the best way to judge a whole system.

I apologize if I have offended you, but if didn't use stereotyping language, then the overall message would be weaker.

It's good that you teach students to think for themselves. But I would imagine that is much easier said than done. Are there any special techniques that you use?

I teach science so it is not difficult. Critical thinking is an essential part of my curriculum. Students are required to brainstorm, think, and collaborate in my lessons. My students are young; 11 and 12 and they are taught how to think. That may sound funny to some that you have to "teach them to think" but it is a reality.

I found college to be a major disappointment, and way to expensive. My experience comes from the STEM side, and I think the way that knowledge is tought is extremely inefficient. Students leaving with a BSc have very little practical skills. They spend more time in their academic career writing papers, cramming and regurgitating then actually learning how to use scientific equipment and conduct a routine experiment or test a hypothesis. They will also be forced to take a whole mess of unrelated courses, that for most contribute to their debt. Of course many will say, that is what grad school is for, get experience. Go a masters and get some experience, blah blah blah. Well, if they dumped a bunch of the fluff classes, and got kids in the labs more and sooner, grad school would not be needed. But...they make more money off grad school, so....Anyhow, I have been noticed the degree requirements are dropping for many good paying STEM jobs over the years. The attitude within industry is that universities are generally behind the curve technology wise, and as long as people know some STEM stuff they can be trained. Art history, literature, calculus III, Metabolism, Advanced Organic Chemistry, so forth and so on not required. But do know the basics, and it really helps if you know how to program. Pick a language in demand and learn it, guided or not.

100% agree. These kids graduate in a field and yet do not know how to establish themselves individually. It's like they were made to take orders from someone else. Your comparison is spot on. Is an engineer still an engineer if he or she cannot use equipment or apply the scientific method to real life?
This is like business majors graduating without a clue on how to start their own business.

It's good that they are dropping requirements in STEM, it's a sign that the industry is no longer blinded by degrees and that they need talent not money.

Business graduates that do not know how to start a business? For real? Wow, colleges just stink on the delivery of so much. Or are you just relating?

I am actually a business major. I was never taught how to run a business. Some schools do have those courses but these are mostly specialty classes and not mandated for all students, which is unfortunate.

It was only later during my career where I voluntarily decided to learn how the world works, not from the perspective of an end user. During my undergraduate studies things like enterprise, critical thinking, and identifying trends was never taught. The dream was to get hired by a top bank to do "analytical" excel spreadsheets that can be complied by a high schooler and walk away with a 6 figure salary (this was before the 2008 recession).

So yeah, a lot of business graduates do not know how to start or run a business. The curriculum at least in my case, was mostly accounting, economics, and management with a dash of computer science. The basics of all of that can be found on the web without having take a plethora of exams and papers.

I strongly suggest anyone going the STEM route to get their foot in the door ASAP. A couple basic science classes can do a lot to get someone a job at startup science or engineering company. An drunk Engineer gave me this advice 20 years ago, and it was the best I ever got.

Funny, I am in the process of switching to STEM. I love that it is a lot more objective than other industries so people who are innovative and hard working can go far. No need to waste 4-7 years in the classroom to get your feet wet.

Just take a few physical and or biological science classes, and get your foot in the door somewhere. Do not wait for university to give you the green light, because they will not for years to come. Its what I did.

I responded to a tweet about this earlier. https://twitter.com/scientist84/status/1107154892098060288?s=19

Everything is for profit, you as well, join the tromsite.com

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