General Education Reform: A Case Study

Community colleges in the United States develop rapidly and have become a vital component of the postsecondary education delivery system. As of 2011-2012 school year, 45% of all undergraduate students were enrolled in public two-year colleges, approximately 8.3 million students (Knapp et al., 2012. Cited by AACC Fast Facts). And it seems that with globalization and Obama’s education agenda, the trend of growing enrollment in community colleges won’t change. A high school graduate who decides to pursue postsecondary education may face with a dilemma--whether enroll in a community college or a traditional four-year college. Even within a community college, a student may be faced with a choice—enroll in a vocational program and enter workforce after graduation with a vocational certification, or choose an academic program with an intention of transferring to four-year institutions.

In the article "Why Focusing Too Narrowly in College Could Backfire," writer Peter Cappelli argues that while specializing in post-secondary school is beneficial and could possibly lead to a future career that is currently trending, parents and students should look into broadening their skills by taking courses that widen their communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. This may enable them to work where there are prevailing industries.

College is a place of higher learning and somewhere dreams can be made into reality. Whether it’s getting a degree to do your dream job, find someone to marry, become a better person overall, the possibilities are endless, and these possibilities are facilitated by how we are taught by our professors and the choices we make. However, are we learning everything we need to know for our post college careers? We are learning exactly what we need for our field or chosen career, but there are some skills that we need for the more “real world” aspect of life. There are several lessons a university can provide to aid graduates in the real world and there are specific skills and education that should be provided in a college education to help us prepare for the real world.

College can be found to be a place of better intellect for individuals, a place where thinking critically is encouraged. The educational system has been structured in order to meet the needs of many students and few instructors, so lectures is considered as a base for teaching. Not many venture to find new ways of breaking this foundation of education, and so colleges have kept the existing standard. More students are becoming more intellectual as time progresses, so individuals need to find more diverse ways to teaching the generations to come. Technology and the many forms of art can benefit the educational system by encouraging higher levels of cognitive thought.

More people than ever before are attending college due to the endless opportunities that it provides. Louis Menand, a college professor and the author of “Live and Learn: Why We Have College,” explains the meaning of college through three theories that have been developed. Theory 1 supports the idea of the sorting-out process that separates the highly intelligent from the less intelligent. Menand’s second theory explains that college provides opportunities for developmental growth, personal growth, and teaches individuals about the world around us. These are valuable lessons that will not be learned anywhere else. Theory three supports the idea of people attending college to specialize in a specific vocation. I

Education teaches one everything such as better knowledge, what is right and what is wrong and gives one the opportunity to learn new stuff. When students start going to school, they start learning basic studies and then at the college level, they are ready for a job. College is the last stage in students’ life where they get ready for a job or career. Bird suggests right, college education should enhance student’s chances for a good job because after many students get a degree in whichever field they like; however, they sometimes don’t get a good job or get a low paying job. “Other field most popular with college graduate are also pathetically small (Bird 128).”

Describing the process where credit hours earned at a community college transfers for acceptance at upper-level institutions, articulation ensures a student’s time and effort correctly awards. By meeting with transfer counselors, prospects can ascertain existing articulation agreements employed at colleges and universities of interest in addition to other requirements of consequence. Nevertheless, the pitfalls of transferring individual coursework opposed to entire curricula or specific degrees can evolve into a painful cautionary tale. Generally speaking, most students benefit by transferring an associate’s degree rather than individual courses affording far closer scrutiny. Additional or unexpected course requirements following a transfer

There isn't anything more important to community colleges than the certainty that they can and should provide all qualified people who are looking to be accepted with admittance (Vaughan). The people of the community college represent forty-four percent of all undergraduates and forty-nine percent of students attending college for the first time (David). These students include a lot of minority students, students with a low social standing and the non-standard (age twenty-five and older) student who commonly enters college less academically equipped (David). Most community colleges have made immense advancement in reducing a lot of geographical and economic blockades that have in the past limited college admittance (David). Community

What we get out of the college experience, we use in our day to day lives. Even the things we think aren’t important or useful end up becoming helpful. The material we learn in college is fundamental when it comes jobs and life in general. We are taught to make choices. We are taught how the real world works, and how to turn our education into our way of life. “…the really significant education in thinking that we’re supposed to get in a place like this isn’t really about the capacity to think, but rather about the choice of what to think about.” (Wallace 199).

Students go to college in search of knowledge, a new lifestyle, and the hope of a job after graduation. For many young adults, college is a rite of passage into an independent, mature new lifestyle. Not only is higher education a rite of passage, for some, it is also an opportunity to have a better life. Overall, college is a wonderful part of many people’s lives, yet the way the college education system is conducted wastes students time and money. College is basically composed of two parts: general education classes and major specific classes. General education courses are the source of wasted time and money, and should not be required of students. A few of the problems associated with general education classes are that they are

General Education courses may be one of the most hated requirements in college by students. These courses are required amongst all college students regardless of one’s major or minor. General Education courses may vary with schools but usually consist of: the arts and humanities, social science, natural science, mathematics, and writing. These courses should be optional; students should be able to take them at their own interest such as with elective courses. Without General Education courses it is understood that students will not have completed or received credits needed to graduate. Required college courses should be based solely on one’s major or minor. Students should not be required to

Writers of the online website, Elder College, A Center for Information on Senior Colleges (Staff Writer, 2011), believes that a non-traditional learner is an adult deciding to return to college either to finish a degree once started, but never completed, or to obtain an advanced degree for better career future (Staff Writer, 2011). Recently, community colleges have seen a large influx of non-traditional students due to America’s changes in the workforce climate. A tradition community college student is a student that enrolls directly have completing high school or obtaining the GED. Both traditional and non-traditional students have experienced and overcome many different challenges such as for the non-traditional students; Financial - 1) Balance of cost of education with other financial obligations, including basic living expenses, 2) Financial aid program assistance is typically available to full-time students, non-traditional students are often working full-time hours and desire part-time class hours therefore, have had problems with financial aid requirements (Women in

As a transfer student, the number of credits obtained from my time at a community college has had an influence on these circumstances. Between my time at a community college and at Washington State University, deciding on a career path was difficult. Taking courses to become introduced and explore the vast career path options was something that increased the number of my attempted units. However, this is how I was able to decide on a career path. The number of my attempted units increased as I took courses to complete program and graduation requirements. This was beyond my control because I am unable to determine how many units each course is worth and what program and graduation requirements for the University are. The number of maximum attempted

College students get to analyze other subjects that they may have not shown an interest in before; that will help them construct their career. Getting the necessary skills students need, will assure their success on anything they choose to do. “It is the education which gives a man a clear conscious view of his own opinions and judgments, a truth in developing them, and a force in urging them” (Newman, 54). Education gives students a better understanding their own opinions, and judgments; it creates anxiousness in developing them, a fluency in expressing them, and a power in urging them.

When you think of college the two words that usually come to your mind are freedom and independence. College is known to be one of the most exciting experience in your life. It is the start to change and becoming more mature and adventures, but it’s also the time were you determine what you want your future to be. Going off to college can be exciting because you are finally able to study what you are interested in and what you want your future job to be. But one of the biggest downfalls to college are the general education class that you have to complete before you are able to go into your career. General education (also known as Gen Eds) can be very costly, most students describe it as a waste of time, and they throw students off track. Although general education has been adapted into our society, Gen Eds are costly and not necessary.