WonL
The random thoughts of an architect-turned- lawyer from the deep south living in Washington, DC...
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Money's worth
I guess once you reach a certain point, you are really looking for something different in an eduacation than you once were. Unlike high school and perhaps undergrad, it's not just about getting through. You really want to make the most of it, learn the most, and genuinely better your skills, your knowledge, and yourself. (By the way, this is not everyone. There are definitely some in my classes who are there 'just to get through'...I don't really like them much:-)Anyway, I had my LRW class last night and I got a little frustrated. I am already frustrated that this class has the heaviest workload and it is a pass/fail class...no reflection on the "oh so important" 1L GPA. First day, we were told, 3 people get high pass, the rest get pass, unless you really mess up. Of course I have never been one to aim low, but neither have any of my classmates. (This is the small class with only 11 of my section-mates.) Every assignment builds on the next to the final assignment. Nothing is worth a grade until that final one. This cycle is repeated twice for a total of 2 final assignments worth a percentage of our grade. Wait a minute...the damn class isn't worth a grade, so what does a 95% or 90% matter? They both mean PASS! Back to the workings of the class...each small assignment builds on the next. PROBLEM: we don't get our small assignments back until we have already turned in the next step. Our next step is to turn in the draft of the final assignment. Hmmmm...this is going to be a fabulous shot in the dark...I don't feel at all like I know what I am doing. Did I mention, it is against all school rules to get outside consultation on these assignments; not even a person to proof-read my draft. After class, I spoke with a few classmates and each of them is in the exact same boat as me, which is reassuring. On the other hand, I rode the Metro with a few folks from other sections and they were complaining that their prof. had written way to many marks on their first few steps. When I told them my story, they said "okay, at least we are getting our money's worth." That got me thinking: at $2294/semester; 24 classes...I am spending $95.50 on each class period...and I am still lost. I could've used that money to pay our water bill!