What does a degree signify? The standards in schools have become so varied that some are questioning the true meaning of a diploma.
Upon graduation, our future employers expect us to have the skills necessary to fulfill the role they need us to. In modern academia however, four or more years of school don’t necessarily demonstrate this ability.
Engaging classes and assignments seem excellent at the time but are only relevant if they improve the student in some way.
Last year, 90 percent of undergraduates at UCLA came from somewhere in California, so I’m sure most of you are familiar with the California High School Exit Exam.
According to the California Department of Education, “The state and federal governments use the CAHSEE as a measure of school and school district accountability.”
However, the same document of FAQs also admits that “the mathematics part of the CAHSEE addresses state mathematics content standards in grades six and seven and the first part of Algebra,” and students who have not mastered the English language “must be permitted to take the CAHSEE with certain test variations” on an exam testing their mastery of the English language.
After proving to California and ourselves that we do indeed know the difference between “their” and “there,” we come to UCLA to strengthen our academic prowess.
We came to this school on the assumed condition that we all have a working understanding of basic reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmatic. At the university we are expected to utilize the resources available to expand our understanding of the world to new heights. But do we really need such obscure departments to achieve this? There is something to be said of keeping our studies on classic academia.
This year’s honor students had a chance to win a scholarship based on an essay. The essay asked each student to analyze the validity of a column entitled, “For Most People, College is a Waste of Time.” The column, written by Charles Murray of the Wall Street Journal, argued, “Outside a handful of majors ““ engineering and some of the sciences ““ a bachelor’s degree tells an employer nothing except that the applicant has a certain amount of intellectual ability and perseverance.”
Jane Rungviatjarus, a third-year physiological sciences student, was one honors student who addressed the question posed in the scholarship application. She disagreed with Murray’s statement, believing that the knowledge acquired during college goes deeper than academia.
“The college experience is about the four years growing and developing as an adult. … You learn academically but also socially,” Rungviatjarus said.
Though many students rightfully believe you can’t disregard social development as Rungviatjarus does, educators in many classrooms should address a bigger priority. You can’t disregard a classical education.
For example, in my political science general education course, I wrote a paper on campaign advertisements. You’ll excuse me if I don’t churn out that cure for cancer any time soon.
This, of course, is coming from a political science student. So that life-saving drug wouldn’t be coming from my very North Campus mind. As far as paper writing goes, this one was pretty fun. Entertainment value aside, however, it really did nothing to add to my political knowledge, shape my analytical skills or really affect me as a student at all. I do not go to classes at this prestigious school simply to be amused.
Perhaps experiences like this led Murray to write his column and propose standardized tests as a new method of potential employee evaluation. He feels that a four-year college degree (much like a CAHSEE-based high school degree) doesn’t say much about an applicant today.
With a focus on creative thinking and inquisition, classes themselves don’t need to get overly specific or creative (M119: Cultural History of Rap? Are you kidding me?). A back-to-basics approach can still make the university everything it should be.
If you have concerns about the quality of education then e-mail Bowers at kbowers@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.