Quick! Let’s turn this American education system into a joke!
This week, Bryce Harper of Las Vegas, a well-known 16-year-old who is called the “Chosen One,” a.k.a. the next All-Star baseball player, has decided to skip the last two years of high school and instead get a GED, a choice made with his parents. This highly-publicized choice has automatically faced criticism from those who believe that although his talents out of class are incredible, he should stay in school to get all of the benefits of a high school education.
This trend of graduating early is becoming more and more intriguing to high school students. Many want to just get out of high school because they don’t like the drama, or they may feel college would be a more comfortable learning style for them, or they feel that they could be doing something better with their lives than sitting in a classroom.
I, myself, am graduating after my third year of high school, and going straight to a university. Many people have called me an idiot for my choice, but I feel I have good reasons for my decision. I have much interest in Computer Engineering, a hot career right now, and I feel like sitting in a classroom learning stuff I will forget next month is completely useless. I applaud Bryce Harper’s decision to graduate at the age of sixteen. If I were recognized by Sports Illustrated already, I would be out of school right away too!
I must say, graduating early is not for all students. The education system is effective. Sure, not as effective as the other countries of the world, but it does its job of expanding the minds of children and young adults. But this system does not fit each and every person. As I see it, the education system fits those kids who need to learn the importance of self-discipline, obviously reading, and thinking outside of the box. But some kids already get the basics of 10th grade when they enter middle school. The maturity range of students is so incredible that, I must stress again, this system cannot fit every single child.
So should we get rid of the education system? NO. Should we accept those who feel it is not right for them? We should more than accept them.
Scott Buscemi
Reference:
http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=955764
Sure, the education system does its job of expanding the creative minds of millions of students, then crushes them with a lack of realistic use until graduating from an overly expensive college and eleven to thirteen years of blatantly monotonous work taught by people that don’t know how to teach. We definitely should not get rid of the education system, but a reform would be extremely helpful. An education system based around application and not testing would require students to understand concepts in and out rather than have a general idea for a short peiod of time. But I’m just fantacizing, theres no way such a system could be created right now, what with the economy in shables and the excessive amounts of money still being used on an education system that just had its funds removed. Looks like it’ll be like this for a while. Well, congratulations on the early graduation, I don’t understand why anyone would call you crazy. And which college are you going to? The Bard one (can’t exactly remember the name)?
As I read your comment, there were a few thoughts that popped into my mind.
Maybe a fix in the education system would help this economic situation…
In other countries, they don’t test students as much as they do in the US. Tests are pointless…
I’m trying to go to a college in New York… but not Bard. Bard turned out to be some sort of a private high school that gives you college credits, but isn’t actually a college. I want to go to a legitimate university.