College kids

[SnarkyPie]

I agree with the OP on some points, but as a college student myself I have to ask that you don't lump all of us in together. The school I go to is one of the more "ritzy" schools in the country, and I know a lot of the students here are pure and utter dipshits with rich daddies. However, a lot of the people that I know and socialize with are here because they plan to work their asses off and succeed in life. I was worried when I started school last year that I would be surrounded by morons, but the friends that I have found are some of the most understanding and intelligent people I have ever known. So just realize that "good" students do exist, we just tend to be more subtle than Paris Hilton's campus fan club.

[Chanlin]

I bet if you stop and pay attention to the number of people who don't exhibit the qualities mentioned in the OP on campus or in class you will find by and large there are more stable people than complete and utter morons. While I know there are alot of complete and utter morons out there (my job brings me into contact with them every day) there are equally as many if not more well off, socially well adjusted people who are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves.

And I won't say much since it borders on fratching territory, but NCLB was quite possibly the worst thing to happen to the US education system.

[Sharsarannon]

Some kids are honestly morons, but some kids are really just that naive and are at college to learn the hard way, and there is hope, they do learn.
The ones who don't Will Get Theirs. Karma. Have faith in the Karma.

Most of the people at the University I went to were there because they wanted to be. The idiots who were sent involuntarily usually dropped out once they realized mommy couldn't get to them out here in the big world.
But even those with the best of intentions were occasionally so sheltered that they were CLEARLY here to learn. Case: I had to teach several girls in my dorm how to separate and run loads of laundry. They had never done it before.
College is for learning, thank goodness.

[ravenrose]

I was born and raised in a college town for one of the biggest (by that I mean most-spread out) universities in FL. I just moved back here recently, and I must say, it hasn't changed one iota.

It is a school that has always bragged that it has the lowest number of graduating students in debt after graduation because of student loans. They are implying that it is either really cheap, or has great financial aid. It is in fact neither. Its tuition is one of the highest of the public universities, and most of the students that are accepted have parents who one or both are doctors/surgeons or are some political figure.

98% of the students have no regard for others because "Daddy will pay for it". They drive recklessly because if they have an accident, "Daddy will fix it". I lived in another town where the drivers were just plain terrible, couldn't drive to save their life, the kids here just don't care. I felt safer with the terrible drivers.

And yes, I do speak from experience. I know a bunch of students there from all ages, and all but 1 are spoiled brats who grew up in the rich neighborhoods and went to private schools. Their cars were brand new when they got them, and paid for by their parents, they work only about 10 hours a week (and that's only because the parents want them to learn "responsibility"), and don't pay their insurance or any bills. Their tuition is paid by their parents.

I used to live right next to one of the worst areas in town, and felt more comfortable there than when I lived closer to campus.

Sorry if this sounds a little bitter. I just get a little irritated at the fact that I haven't lived with my parents in 7 years, but can't get financial aid because I'm still considered a dependent (but don't have my parents tax info, and they haven't claimed me in years), but these kids get everything handed to them and they don't appreciate it at all.

[blas]

Totally feel for you, ravenrose. I was turned down for financial aid because of how much money my parents make. Nevermind that I'm NOT a dependent, so my parents' income should have been irrelevant. I guess so many kids around here are getting a free ride that they just assume.......meh, not my parents. I was so "irresponsible" and "disrespectful" as a kid that I'm not getting a penny for college. Which is fine, ya know, it helps with learning to be independent and all.....but it really screws me over with being turned down for financial aid and having too many loans out and having to work full time and live on my own.

[Nephy]

I work in a college town, so we were recently inundated with 30,000 idiots (Okay, okay, they are not all idiots, I know.. it just seems like it).

I havn't run into them not being able to count money. I have however, come to realize that they have never had to shop for their own necessities before.

They will find me in an aisle, minding my own business trying to get my work done, and latch onto me like I'm their mother and they're 2 years old. I then have to practically hold their hand as I walk them around the store to find what they need.

And it's not as simple as "Shampoo is in aisle 6" or "Let me show you where it is *walk away*" They need help locating the shampoo they use.. not because of our huuuuge selection (which we don't have), but because mommy always bought it for them, so they don't even know the brand. All they know is that it comes in a green bottle, or that it "smells good".

They then proceed to buy 20 of everything they need. God forbid you'd have to shop more then once during your college career. No, no, it's better to spend $600 now, then have to make a trip again later, when you run out, like normal people. I'd really like to know where the hell these kids plan on storing all this crap in their tiny dorm rooms.

Although it's been hell these last 2 weeks, it has been very fabulous for my store's numbers, so there's a little bit of silver lining.

[MystyGlyttyr]

I never really did the whole college experience. I did, however, attend Arkansas Governor's School for six weeks during the summer before my senior year of high school. I was living in a dorm, had a roommate, had to attend classes, etc., so I guess it counted. Before I went, my mom got me in the laundry room and explained to me very carefully what to do and what not to do, and had me practice a few times before I went.

I still live at home and she does most of the family laundry, but she at least made sure that I COULD do it if I had to. (And I figured out all on my own that you can wash towels with whites if you don't care what your towels look like, heh heh.)

Of course, now her method of teaching me how to do stuff involves throwing me into a bank or loan office or wherever and saying "Go for it" which just...ick. I'm not looking forward to my first car buying experience.

[PepperElf]

my thoughts are... blame the school system and the parents. and the government too.

The whole "no child left behind" policy? Nice idea on paper, but what REALLY happens? School systems force teachers to pass failing students. Even if the students deserved to fail.

Plus, in some schools they've even stopped teaching spelling. This coming from a 5th grade teacher who was pretty horrified...then she showed us the essays her class turned in, most of them with horrific spelling errors.

Another teacher I know of (a co-workers best friend) actually had to quit after a year. Her students refused to study and spent most of their time arguing and threatening lawsuits over getting homework. One father even physically threatened her to pass his son... who was failing because he wasn't doing any of his schoolwork... The final straw came when the school board ordered her to pass the failing students anyway.

Basically, there's no incentive for kids to achieve high marks. At least not with the school system. Unless their parents take an active - and mature - role in their education.

[JLRodgers]

my thoughts are... blame the school system and the parents. and the government too.

The whole "no child left behind" policy? Nice idea on paper, but what REALLY happens? School systems force teachers to pass failing students. Even if the students deserved to fail.

Or they do something even worse -- only teach what's on standardized tests and nothing else. So all the focus goes on addition and basic stuff -- and little to no time's spent on things that are actually used in life.