Addressing the myths and misconceptions about colleges; how colleges contribute in overall development of a student; college instills sense of responsibility.
20s is an interesting age for almost everybody. There is the new-found freedom that is quite thrilling. But the fact that you are going to step into a college just makes it terrifying and still exciting.
College life is an experience that cannot be compared to anything else. It is something that teaches a person so many things. While there are the more serious things like the great gatsby essay that a person has to write, there are some fun things that can be explored only during college life. However, it is quite easy to get a few things mixed up. Here is what we think are some interesting facts about colleges that a person should know.
While everybody dreams of going to a college, it may not be possible for everybody. The college education is quite expensive – especially when you consider the IVY league or even the more reputed names. Community colleges do happen to be a little less expensive. Yet even they can be out of the grasp of an average middle-class family.
Many people start a college fund for their kids very early in life. However, at times this fund is just enough to cover the cost of tuition. There are additional expenses like dorm fees, meal plans, books, etc. that need to be factored in. When these expenses are combined with the tuition, the cost of college can skyrocket.
There was a time when a person would graduate after 4 years of college. However, there is a major change that many schools are bringing in subtly. They are adding to the tenure a student has to complete for graduating. There are some colleges that now require their students to complete 5 years as the graduation term.
This is adding on to the cost of graduation because the student has to spend one more year and pay for tuition, room, library, etc.
Most colleges prefer to maintain a campus that is nothing short of a resort. They have huge hallways, hotel like swimming pools, high end fitness centers, well stocked libraries, entertainment centers, and cafeterias. The look of the campus is a big selling point for most of the colleges and hence is maintained with very high standards. However, the dorm rooms can be filthy. They can be small, cramped up, and not really clean. They may provide a small kitchen but it may not be really functional.
One good thing about colleges that hardly anybody can deny is that there is food available 24×7. The college cafeteria is always open for the students who often burn the midnight oil for their projects and assignments.
In addition to the college cafeteria, there are many community groups or local centers that set up their own food stalls in the colleges. Students can pick up food from these vendors.
There are also a lot of companies from the food and beverages industry who set up their sampling units on campus. They hand over free samples of their food or drink product to the students to try.
Thus, it is safe to say that students can always find enough eating options at the campus.
Contrary to popular misconception, colleges do encourage their students to travel and gain real life experiences. There are many cultural exchange programs conducted where colleges host students from abroad while sending their own to other countries. This cultural exchange programs are meant to expose students to a drastically different culture, lifestyle, economic and social conditions, and family values. These experiences are often life changing ones for the students as they get an opportunity to really experience diversity in life and value it more. It also gives the students the confidence that is often needed to tackle some real-life challenges in the future.
Many people think that college is all about studies and exams and grade. However, most college administrations beg to differ. They focus more on designing an experience for their students that helps them grow as a person. This experience is not just limited to academic excellence.
They also have programs that promote:
● sports,
● performing arts,
● music, etc.
There are also special events that are organized to allow students to mingle with each other and make new lifelong friends.
Many people believe that college promotes academic excellence which leads to professional well-being of the students. However, for many students, college is a time of real self-discovery. It is a time when they are exposed to so many new things in life. They try out different subjects, sports, jobs, etc. It is a period where they can afford to try their hand at something and miss.
Colleges do encourage this self-discovery process in students by allowing them to choose different subjects. Most colleges also have on campus counselling facility for students who are not able to decide what they would want to do with their life.
If you think college life is full of frat parties and booze orgies, you are wrong. There are many things that happen in a day, not only parties and events. You can wear your school’s sports clothes, such as University of Cincinnati shirts, to feel like you belong and make new friends when you study at UC and support the Bearcats, for example. The college experience teaches students about teamwork, hard work, and responsibility. It will help them grow up, choose a career for themselves, and take on bigger responsibilities in life.
Most of the colleges invest very heavily in security systems to keep their students safe on campus. In addition to the security systems and surveillance technology, colleges also have protocols in place to handle panic or potentially dangerous situations. Students are made to undergo security drills so that they know how to react and what to do when under a certain type of threat.
Most colleges also have a direct access to law enforcement and medical centers around them on top priority in case of an emergency.
Today, many colleges offer courses that do not require the students to attend classes on campus. These are online education courses that can be attended by the students from anywhere. The lectures are video streamed and online chat rooms are used for group discussions.
The projects for such courses are to be submitted online. Similarly, the exams for such courses is also conducted online. This means there is no need for the student to even be on campus.
Many colleges today have recycled bins and have rainwater harvesting in place as part of their green initiatives. They encourage their students to be conscious of the climate change and do their bit to contribute.
There is so much more to the college than meets the naked eye. One has to really dig deeper into the education system to know how colleges are contributing to an individual’s growth.