Discussion
The purpose of the current study was to find a relationship between time involved on campus and its effect on GPA. Based on the findings of this study, time spent weekly involved had no direct effect on the participant’s GPA. However, the plotted data from this specific sample showed a positive trend. This would indicate that the participants who spent more time weekly involved on campus were more likely to have a higher GPA at the end of that specific semester. The descriptive statistics for this study explored the participant’s perceived academic accountability from their organization, the academic support received from each organization, career preparation, and satisfaction. The data suggested that those involved in Greek Life were more likely to be held academically accountable than any other organization; of those involved 94% of them stated being kept highly accountable for their grades. Accountability for grades included disciplinary measures or some form of probation when academic standards were not met. The data also looked at how well each organization prepared or helped the participant study for courses; resources such as study groups, library hours, or tutoring were factored into the rating scale. The participants involved in Greek Life were more likely to report having received academic support from their organization. Participants who were involved in Religious Groups, Performing Groups, or NCAA Athletics reported receiving zero to little academic support from their organization. Looking at these statistics can provide a better framework for how each different organization can benefit a student.
The findings from this study contrast the findings from Yin and Lei’s study. Yin and Lei (2007) found a nega...
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While some say that college is a good investment due to its tendency to grow a student's character and intellectual ability, the downsides to college sorely outweigh the potential benefits that it has. While college does grow a student in multiple ways, “57% say that the higher education system in the United States fails to provide students with good value for the money they and their families spend.”(Doc F). This majority opinion demonstrates that the growth you can achieve in college is sorely outweighed by its economic cost, and not worth doing.
Summary #3 – “Campus Diversity and Student Self-Segregation: Separating Myths from Facts” by Debra Humphreys
The experience college can give is remarkable. College is a valuable experience because individuals who attend will have a lower chance of being unemployed, will be in better health, and paying off debts will be possible! Unemployment is on the rise, always trying to be avoided. By obtaining a degree, the chance of being out of work is reduced. Baum, Ma, & Payea (2013) claim, “The 2012 unemployment rates for 25- to 34-year-olds were 9.6% for those with some college but no degree and 7.2% for those with associate degrees” (p.20).
Based on Three Reasons College Still Matters, there are three main reasons why a college education is so important. From an economical standpoint, an education is most of the time needed to earn enough money to live comfortably. Attending and completing college provides a possibility for future economic stability. Within a highly competitive workforce a college degree can put a foot in the door to a job of a person’s choice. Statistics show that people who obtain a bachelor’s degree or higher get paid more than those who do not obtain one. Many question the worth of a college degree because of how expensive it is, though some say that the money spent is an investment on a person’s future. One can say that the worth of a college education is within the eye of the beholder. Many q...
Greek Life, or the presence of fraternities and sororities, exists in many colleges and universities. According to Michael Grandillo in an Encyclopedia article, “there are more than 5,500 chapters on 800 campuses throughout the United States and Canada.” Although Greek Life is so common, participation in such organizations can be a controversial topic, particularly when critics suggest that hazing can be detrimental to students' health and college careers. For those who do not know much about Greek Life, or the process that one goes through to become affiliated with this system, there is first a week called “rush week,” where fraternities and sororities host parties in attempt to cajole students into joining their organizations. If members of a fraternity or sorority like a particular student, they will vote to give that student a “bid,” which gives that student the opportunity to pledge their organization. If the student accepts the bid, his pledge process will begin, which generally lasts between six to ten weeks. Assuming the student sticks it through, he will be admitted into organization and will be rewarded with the benefits of membership for the remainder of his life. Despite the fact that some Greek organizations engage in intense hazing practices that may result in reduced grades for pledges, it is beneficial for students to participate in Greek Life because organizations force students to create strong bonds among one another while learning important lessons, they prepare students for their future careers, and they provide students with great networking opportunities.
Nathan performed many observational studies that compelled her to voice the disparity between the formal and informal areas of college life. The "undergraduate worldview" (112) is composed of an in-class, intellectual side that goes vastly unnoticed beside the behemoth that entails living in an environment filled with thousands of young adults. The partying, dorm life, and other non-school sanctioned aspects of living in unsupervised quarters encompass both a student’s time and mental capacities. She found that a majority of conversations surrounded topics of sports, the opposite sex, and TV shows. They find solace in the communal suffrage of going to class and seldom discuss how difficult classes can be. This demeans the intellectual side of college by turning the topic against cl...
College corrupts people, changes people and segregates families. Many people know the risk of pursuing a college education and still decide to move forward with their decision. We must ask ourselves if the cost is worth it.
Owen and Sawhill maintain that college can positively affect one’s life by “affecting things like job satisfaction, health, marriage, parenting, trust, and social interaction. Additionally, there are social benefits to education, such as reduced crime rates and higher political participation” (Owen and Sawhill 640). By expressing this, Owen and Sawhill are trying to bring to mind the idea that by going to college, you will be an all around better citizen, which definitely plays with emotions because who doesn’t want to be a good citizen. Furthermore, Owen and Sawhill remark on the college decision process. Here, thier general claim is that when choosing a college, it is better to choose a college that will benefit you financially, not just the one you
In Barnett and Hughes’ (2010) article that focuses on the “three important milestones” that lead to college completion, the authors dissect the best practices used across the country by colleges and high schools to get their students on the track to success in college. They found that dual enrollment of classes, which occurs when high school students are allowed to take college courses at the same time, and earn college credit upon completion, addresses the three main milestones identified. Dual enrollment also adds value for students and assists in helping students become acclimated to college. Although some states have restrictions on who can take dual enrollment, (ex. Must have a 3.0 GPA) the focus seems to be shifting away from those restrictions to target the populations that may not have been interested in post-secondary education (Barnett and Hughes, 2010).
It seems as though the majority of college students these days aren’t looking to further their education because it’s what they really want, they do it to please their parents, to be accepted by society, or because there’s nothing else for them to do (Bird, 372). These expectations have led to students being unhappy and stressed, and have pushed them into a school or a job that they don’t particularly care for.
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By attending college, students guarantees themselves a better job that the average Joe. Because the world is changing rapidly, and many jobs rely on new technology, more jobs require education beyond high school. With a college education, an individual will have more jobs from which to choose. In addition to obtaining a better job, people who go to college usually earn more money than those who do not. College furnishes you with proper credentials and documents to land high-level jobs. Figures from an A&E television program on ‘The Working Class’ show that in 2004 the average earnings were $23,895 for a high school graduate and $41,478 for individuals with a bachelor’s degree. Getting a college education is simply a stepping stone in ensuring yourself with a good start in life. Some may agree that college students are open minded and knows exactly how to expre...
College for an incoming freshman is exciting, however, it is often focused on the social aspect such as the connections that can be attained through Greek life, parties and independence. Due to the social interactions, freshmen tend to drop out of college after their first year. Focusing on what college is meant for can prevent these situations. The pressures of college such as impressing parents, and maintain a high standard GPA-wise can lead to stress and freeze a student from achieving the proper academic performance. During the mid 1900s, college was considered more of a luxury than anything; people would attend college exclusively to acquire knowledge in hopes of obtaining a career after graduation. People in the twenty-first century, however, attend college to get away from home and enjoy freedom at parties. Education is taken lightly, and those who feel that education isn’t the main focus of college should not apply for sakes of the greater good.
Stuart, M., Lido, C., Morgan, J., Solomon, L., and May, S. (2011). The impact of engagement with extracurricular activities on the student experience and graduate outcomes for widening participation populations. Active Learning in Higher Education, 12(3), 203-215.
college success just as much as being in the classroom. Unfortunately, many of these people are