A gentleman from UoP called me last week to see if I was still interested in classes. I made him aware of my concerns about the school, especially COM 140, and he explained to me that the purpose of COM 140 is to introduce one to how online classes work at UoP. He also apologized that no one had explained this to me before. While I still am not interested in taking online classes with UoP (too expensive, and they don't have a philosophy major), I feel much better about the school, and am grateful to this gentleman for listening to my concerns and responding to them with grace and intelligence. He's a real asset to UoP.
A person choosing to remain anonymous, but who I think is the Admissions Counselor I was working with at the University of Phoenix (I'll be responding under that assumption) left this comment on the first post about UoP:
The first class is more than the projects. It teaches you to navigate and use the university services. The total curriculum gets you to your goal. You must realize that general education is a requirement of accreditation bodies throughout the US.
It is too bad your path to a degree ended after one day. It would seem you lack enough evidence to make a worthwhile judgment about the value of the school.
Good luck.
First, I appreciate the good luck wish, especially after the e-mail I sent which showed a great deal of irritation on my part regarding UoP.
Second, I need to point out to my reading public, that I was complaining about one of the two classes that are required as prerequisites. The other class, the one I wasn't complaining about, is "Skills for Learning in an Information Age" (GEN 105). As you can tell from the course description, it is a brilliant idea to have this class as a prerequisite:
GEN 105
Skills for Learning in an Information Age
This course introduces students to learning in an information-rich society. Students will develop strategies for successful distance learning, time management, and for managing the abundance of information available in today's society. Students will also explore the appropriate use of information in an academic environment. Specific topics for the course include computing skills for distance learning, online library use, academic honesty, and the development of effective study skills.
Third, the first paragraph of the first post didn't make it clear that there are actually two prerequisites, and that you do not need to take COM 140 before you can take GEN 105. I have emended the first post accordingly.
Fourth, responding to the comment "You must realize that general education is a requirement of accreditation bodies throughout the US." Yeah, actually I do realize that. I also realize that at the vast majority of colleges and universities out there (and perhaps only at UoP), would I be required to take a writing class as a prerequisite to a math class.
Fifth, as I said on several occasions: I'm not necessarily on a path to a degree. A degree is secondary to my interest in pursuing formal education. My primary goals are to gain more knowledge, become a more critical thinker, learn how to research, interact with other people and their ideas, etc.
Sixth, my goal in taking a writing class is to learn how to write a paper, not how to think of, as part of the final project for that same (apparently misnamed) writing class, "how the business will work, cost, number of employees, etc." Maybe I'm missing something, but I fail to see how those considerations have any part in a writing class.
Seventh, while I appreciate the help and encouragement I got from the people at UoP, I think I've garnered "enough evidence to make a worthwhile judgment about the (silliness) of the" school's prerequisite COM 140 class.
Thanks, and...
...my second UoP rant is now over.
5 comments:
I am not your admissions counselor. I don't work for UOP. I am a graduate and my anonymity is simply that I don't want you sullying up my blog about my real intellectual pursuit with your half-hearted efforts at study and uninformed opinions about UOP.
One last thing about the addition of (silliness) added to my quote. This is an improper use of bracketed additions to direct quotes. Perhaps youneeded the course after all
As an "intellectual wannabe", wouldn't it make sense to understand the class first. I find it hard to believe that you can make a judgment based solely upon a final project. I am a student at UOP and have that every class I've taken builds into the next class. Every school has classes that we don't want to take or feel they don't help us, but it is what it is. The drama in your 'rants' makes me laugh. The courses are also of a 'cookie cutter' format meaning that you can take the course at any campus around the country. I moved recently and was to continue my education. You are being overly harsh about one class that didn't meet up to your standards based upon its description. It sounds to me that you are making excuses and that you will continue to just be an 'intellectual wannabe'.
I stand corrected:
"One last thing about the addition of (silliness) to my quote. This is an improper use of bracketed additions to direct quotes."
Post emended accordingly. Thanks for pointing that out.
You also made several mistakes in your comments. Perhaps I should take the class, and you should re-take it?
Note: I did not include my own punctuation at the end of the following sentences so as not to make the corrections too awkward. Also, I placed quotes from your comments in italics instead of quotation marks because I had to correct your misuse of quotation marks at several points.
1) First comment: I am a graduate should be I am a graduate,
2) First comment: simply that reads better as simply because
3) First comment: "sullying up my blog". This is my blog, not yours.
4) Second comment: Perhaps youneeded the course after all should read Perhaps you needed the course after all? (Unless you intended the sentence to be a declaration, in which case: Perhaps you needed the course after all. )
5) Third comment: The sentence beginning As an "intellectual wannabe". Kudos for setting off the dependant clause at the beginning of the sentence with a comma. However, the sentence, being interrogatory, should end in a question mark.
All the following are also from the third comment:
6) I am a student at UOP should be I am a student at UOP,
7) and have that every class Should the word "learned" be in between the words "have" and "that"?
8) Every school has classes that we don't want to take or feel they don't help us…" This is awkward syntax. Also, I'd drop the extraneous "that".
9) 'rants' should be "rants"
10) a 'cookie cutter' format should be a "cookie cutter" format,
11) I moved recently and was to reads better as I moved recently, but wanted to or I moved recently, and wanted to
12) you are making excuses should be you are making excuses,
13) 'intellectual wannabe' should be "intellectual wannabe"
Now, having gone though all that, I admit I may have misjudged Contemporary Business Communication. Since you have taken it and thought it worthwhile, please explain to me why it is so. Also, please explain why I need to "think about how the business will work, cost, number of employees, etc…" in a class that is supposed to teach me how to write a paper, especially since such considerations involve the knowledge of business development and management. I am astounded that such knowledge is required in a writing class! Perhaps you can also explain why COM 140 is a prerequisite for math classes? Since "[You are] a student at UOP[,] and have [learned] that every class [you've] taken builds into the next class", please tell me how COM 140 lays the foundation for math classes at UoP. I freely admit I am not getting it.
This is odd I have a degree and never was a writing class a prereq for a math of vise versa.
very odd indeed. :)
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