I'm thinking of dropping out of grad school because the pace of learning is too slow.

gifted and talented wrote:

vivalarepublica wrote:

Alright, hotshot. First of all, give it some time. This is probably your first semester. Things might change after they are done walloping you with the introductory stuff. If things do not change come second semester, maybe this is not your cup of tea and you should save yourself the money and drop out.

Second, the inherent nature of most entry level jobs is that you will be working on something that does not interest you in the least bit, but you will have to do it because you need the experience and the cash to support yourself.

So if you want to study or do something that meets your interests, start developing the proper knowledge and skills that will get you paid to do it on your own, independently, because no graduate program or employer will give that to you.

Things will change a bit, but not a ton. Out of my cohort of 15 or so students, only one or two of them are what I would consider intelligent. The rest are average to dull, and we have more discussion based classes where I will get to listen to their ignorant nonsense 3 hours per week all semester long just like I am now. The main professors in the program are also apparently incapable of providing any actual education or insight into anything, and so class time with them is essentially a waste of my time.

I'm not paying anything financially. I pay for my schooling through work, basically. They waive my tuition and give me a stipend, but it comes with the heavy price of working a ton, being stressed out quite a bit, and not actually doing anything beneficial.

I know how the real world works, but thanks. I spent multiple years out in the working world before going back to school.

In regards to your last line, that's pretty much what I think. One of the reasons I'm so displeased with my current program is that it's taking away my time and ability to teach myself things, and since it is not teaching me anything, it is essentially obstructing my education rather than enhancing it. The only value to finishing the degree would be to have letters next to my name. I would benefit more from not being in the program. Arguing that point to employers will likely be difficult, however.

Conundrum wrote:

OK, nice job. You did get me early but then you had to push the envelop. The good trolls always come back just to see how far they can raise the bar.

You played the annoying arrogant poster too transparently on your last post.

You started strong so

8/10

(Of course the conundrum is that to be so good a troll that you deserve a 10/10, nobody would know that you're a troll so you could never get the 10/10)

gifted and talented wrote:

Things will change a bit, but not a ton. Out of my cohort of 15 or so students, only one or two of them are what I would consider intelligent. The rest are average to dull, and we have more discussion based classes where I will get to listen to their ignorant nonsense 3 hours per week all semester long just like I am now. The main professors in the program are also apparently incapable of providing any actual education or insight into anything, and so class time with them is essentially a waste of my time.

I'm not paying anything financially. I pay for my schooling through work, basically. They waive my tuition and give me a stipend, but it comes with the heavy price of working a ton, being stressed out quite a bit, and not actually doing anything beneficial.

I know how the real world works, but thanks. I spent multiple years out in the working world before going back to school.

In regards to your last line, that's pretty much what I think. One of the reasons I'm so displeased with my current program is that it's taking away my time and ability to teach myself things, and since it is not teaching me anything, it is essentially obstructing my education rather than enhancing it. The only value to finishing the degree would be to have letters next to my name. I would benefit more from not being in the program. Arguing that point to employers will likely be difficult, however.

gifted and talented wrote:

vivalarepublica wrote:

Alright, hotshot. First of all, give it some time. This is probably your first semester. Things might change after they are done walloping you with the introductory stuff. If things do not change come second semester, maybe this is not your cup of tea and you should save yourself the money and drop out.

Second, the inherent nature of most entry level jobs is that you will be working on something that does not interest you in the least bit, but you will have to do it because you need the experience and the cash to support yourself.

So if you want to study or do something that meets your interests, start developing the proper knowledge and skills that will get you paid to do it on your own, independently, because no graduate program or employer will give that to you.

Things will change a bit, but not a ton. Out of my cohort of 15 or so students, only one or two of them are what I would consider intelligent. The rest are average to dull, and we have more discussion based classes where I will get to listen to their ignorant nonsense 3 hours per week all semester long just like I am now. The main professors in the program are also apparently incapable of providing any actual education or insight into anything, and so class time with them is essentially a waste of my time.

I'm not paying anything financially. I pay for my schooling through work, basically. They waive my tuition and give me a stipend, but it comes with the heavy price of working a ton, being stressed out quite a bit, and not actually doing anything beneficial.

I know how the real world works, but thanks. I spent multiple years out in the working world before going back to school.

In regards to your last line, that's pretty much what I think. One of the reasons I'm so displeased with my current program is that it's taking away my time and ability to teach myself things, and since it is not teaching me anything, it is essentially obstructing my education rather than enhancing it. The only value to finishing the degree would be to have letters next to my name. I would benefit more from not being in the program. Arguing that point to employers will likely be difficult, however.

vivalarepublica wrote:

If you are not trolling, your arrogance is your biggest flaw. That will not help you in this world. I am sure that people as experienced as your professors have something to offer, but you are not aware of it.

True, psuedo-intellectuals like yourself are rare, but they have experiences and knowledge that are different than yours, and something to teach you. While I am not that old, I have realized that even the seemingly dumbest of us have something to offer, if you pay attention to the details.

But I know that for the truly intellectually curious, even academia does not provide what they seek. Too many standards, expectations, bureaucracy, and BS.

Only you can provide what you truly seek in this world.

gifted and talented wrote:

Things will change a bit, but not a ton. Out of my cohort of 15 or so students, only one or two of them are what I would consider intelligent. The rest are average to dull, and we have more discussion based classes where I will get to listen to their ignorant nonsense 3 hours per week all semester long just like I am now. The main professors in the program are also apparently incapable of providing any actual education or insight into anything, and so class time with them is essentially a waste of my time.

I'm not paying anything financially. I pay for my schooling through work, basically. They waive my tuition and give me a stipend, but it comes with the heavy price of working a ton, being stressed out quite a bit, and not actually doing anything beneficial.

I know how the real world works, but thanks. I spent multiple years out in the working world before going back to school.

In regards to your last line, that's pretty much what I think. One of the reasons I'm so displeased with my current program is that it's taking away my time and ability to teach myself things, and since it is not teaching me anything, it is essentially obstructing my education rather than enhancing it. The only value to finishing the degree would be to have letters next to my name. I would benefit more from not being in the program. Arguing that point to employers will likely be difficult, however.

gifted and talented wrote:

vivalarepublica wrote:

If you are not trolling, your arrogance is your biggest flaw. That will not help you in this world. I am sure that people as experienced as your professors have something to offer, but you are not aware of it.

True, psuedo-intellectuals like yourself are rare, but they have experiences and knowledge that are different than yours, and something to teach you. While I am not that old, I have realized that even the seemingly dumbest of us have something to offer, if you pay attention to the details.

But I know that for the truly intellectually curious, even academia does not provide what they seek. Too many standards, expectations, bureaucracy, and BS.

Only you can provide what you truly seek in this world.

Interesting assessment given you don't actually know anything about me or the particular professors I'm complaining about. Most professors I've had have been good. The ones I currently have are not. There seems to be a particular culture and style of the department that is quite out of sync with what I would expect in a body of higher education. Also, just because I say I'm not learning anything does not mean I'm arrogant. If I'm not learning anything and could learn more on my own, that is an objective truth. Arrogance and humility have nothing to do with it.

I agree that most everyone has something to offer, but that does not mean everyone is qualified or capable of teaching graduate level classes. That you fail to recognize this distinction tells me all I need to know about your ability to offer relevant advice. People like you have understanding of what life is like for people like me, and thus are you unqualified to give advice.

I do agree that much of formal education is a lot of BS, but not every program is as bad as another. I know because the graduate program I had experience with at my alma mater was head and shoulders above the program I'm currently in as far as providing quality education without the hoop-jumping.

2nite@11 wrote:

Uh we already caught you replying to your own post, fool.

gifted and talented wrote:

Interesting assessment given you don't actually know anything about me or the particular professors I'm complaining about. Most professors I've had have been good. The ones I currently have are not. There seems to be a particular culture and style of the department that is quite out of sync with what I would expect in a body of higher education. Also, just because I say I'm not learning anything does not mean I'm arrogant. If I'm not learning anything and could learn more on my own, that is an objective truth. Arrogance and humility have nothing to do with it.

I agree that most everyone has something to offer, but that does not mean everyone is qualified or capable of teaching graduate level classes. That you fail to recognize this distinction tells me all I need to know about your ability to offer relevant advice. People like you have understanding of what life is like for people like me, and thus are you unqualified to give advice.

I do agree that much of formal education is a lot of BS, but not every program is as bad as another. I know because the graduate program I had experience with at my alma mater was head and shoulders above the program I'm currently in as far as providing quality education without the hoop-jumping.

gifted and talented wrote:

Interesting assessment given you don't actually know anything about me or the particular professors I'm complaining about. Most professors I've had have been good. The ones I currently have are not. There seems to be a particular culture and style of the department that is quite out of sync with what I would expect in a body of higher education. Also, just because I say I'm not learning anything does not mean I'm arrogant. If I'm not learning anything and could learn more on my own, that is an objective truth. Arrogance and humility have nothing to do with it.

I agree that most everyone has something to offer, but that does not mean everyone is qualified or capable of teaching graduate level classes. That you fail to recognize this distinction tells me all I need to know about your ability to offer relevant advice. People like you have understanding of what life is like for people like me, and thus are you unqualified to give advice.

I do agree that much of formal education is a lot of BS, but not every program is as bad as another. I know because the graduate program I had experience with at my alma mater was head and shoulders above the program I'm currently in as far as providing quality education without the hoop-jumping.

vivalarepublica wrote:

gifted and talented wrote:

Interesting assessment given you don't actually know anything about me or the particular professors I'm complaining about. Most professors I've had have been good. The ones I currently have are not. There seems to be a particular culture and style of the department that is quite out of sync with what I would expect in a body of higher education. Also, just because I say I'm not learning anything does not mean I'm arrogant. If I'm not learning anything and could learn more on my own, that is an objective truth. Arrogance and humility have nothing to do with it.

I agree that most everyone has something to offer, but that does not mean everyone is qualified or capable of teaching graduate level classes. That you fail to recognize this distinction tells me all I need to know about your ability to offer relevant advice. People like you have understanding of what life is like for people like me, and thus are you unqualified to give advice.

I do agree that much of formal education is a lot of BS, but not every program is as bad as another. I know because the graduate program I had experience with at my alma mater was head and shoulders above the program I'm currently in as far as providing quality education without the hoop-jumping.

What do you expect in a body of higher education that this program does not provide? Sorry if you described earlier and I did not read it?

Thanks for the laugh and the clarification of your situation. It's quite foolish of either of us to offer assessments of the full breadth of each other's personality through a few paragraphs on this message board. I will not get mired in a personal squabble of judgment and wits.

In my limited experience, each college professor always had a pool of knowledge to offer because of the depth of their education, experience and work, even if it may not have been what I expected from the program or they may not have been great teachers. I cannot think of one professor that did not offer something useful. Academics often spend their careers on a narrow focus, they usually know more about that topic than nearly every student. Which is why they are qualified to teach. They did not get their on pure politics. Or maybe they did, I don't know. If they can share that knowledge in a relate-able manner, is a bigger question.

The intricacies of your program, however, are unbeknownst to me, except for the details that you have described.

What is humility, by the way? Or arrogance? What are the limits of my relevant advice?

Did you come here to get advice? To squabble with inferior humans like myself? To complain? Or get confirmation for what you really want to do?