On September 15th applications for the English Teaching major are due. Applications? Didn't I already write an essay, take the ACT, and maintain a decent GPA in high school to apply for Brigham Young University? I already went through the torture of waiting to know if I would be accepted and now I have to do it again, only this time I have to provide multiple essays and a video of me teaching a lesson. I thought I was going to learn how to do that once I was in the program. Isn't that what the program is for?
Universities all over the world require one application process, combining the undergraduate degree application with the application for the university itself. While this forces students to know what they want to major in when they begin college, it allows students to get out in the work force quicker or go on to graduate studies and it eliminates general education requirements. Most universities in America have closed majors and require students to come to the university for a couple years and then apply for a major. This makes it easier for high school students to not focus on what they want to do with their lives, because of the mindset that they can do it their first couple years of college. It also influences the phrase of being on the "five year program" making it longer to graduate and enter the work force.
Being a student in America we have the privilege of going to school for free for thirteen years. Each year there are subjects we are required to learn, including english, reading, math, science, and social studies or history. These exact subjects are found in the general education requirements. Perhaps it's just me, but after thirteen years of science I know for a fact I do not like biology or physical science, yet I had to take them for my GE requirements and this time I'm paying to take the class. Now many of my GE classes I enjoyed, but they were classes I was able to choose and most of them were in the field of study I will hopefully get into...if I get accepted.
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Inteded audiance? It seems like you are talking to the world rather than targeting someone. Also, your second paragraph makes no sense. It doesn't really fit with your introduction. The first paragraph talks about the need to apply to your major area. Then the second paragraph explains how the world does majors, then you narrow it back down to US Universities. Isn't the method explained in the second half of your second paragraph the same thing that BYU is doing? We declare our majors when ever, but we apply to our college after 2 years of study.
ReplyDeleteI guess they're trying to weed out who really wants to get in, and you'll have to prove yourself... this is really interesting though and well written --- a claim at maturity
ReplyDeleteAlex, I think Emily sees a lot of holes in BYU, and is addressing all of them. I do agree with you however that Emily seems to go back and forth on her scope of her opinion from paragraph to paragraph. I guess that should be addressed.
ReplyDeleteJessie I have thought about this argument and I think if universities were to change how they did the applications it would require students to know what they wanted to do early on (high school), but one could always work after high school if they needed more time. Students would focus more in their studies and there would be fewer college drop outs.
ReplyDeleteAlex and Josh I guess I need to make myself more clear, but basically i just think american universities should look at universities in europe and australia for ideas. There are so many students in college just wasting away taking generals and never making it to graduation for many reasons, but if students were applying to a program when first applying to college it would help focus their studies and less money would be wasted for just those just going to college with no plan.
Oh my!I am in the process of torture also. I am applying for the Nursing program next semester! yikes. I think your article was written wonderfully, very fun and witty to read. However I think I do see the reasons why BYU must have reapplications for the programs. One reason being to see how students are doing in college. Another being, that is how to keep it competitive. It is expensive to train smaller specialized groups, and the program doesn't need dropouts wasting the universities money.
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