The Long Road

07/28/2003 Archived Entry: "Ramblings on Education"

I used to think that other programs were probably just as hard as CS, but hard in a different way; that was before being asked to program a B-Tree over the Canada Day long weekend last summer. After that, there is no more sympathy from me towards other programs. I’ve obviously never been in any other programs so I’m not stating the most unbiased of opinions but ignorance is bliss so whatever!

I don’t know exactly where it comes from, could be my parents, friends, convention, but I really sometimes have this conviction that colleges are inferior to universities when they’re only different. Of course, being in “the best university in Canada” and being in one of the tougher programs there can also lead to a lot of academic snobbery on my part.

After drinking copious amounts of alcohol, Doug and I talked about the differences between colleges and universities by the camp fire and I like what we collectively came up with.

Colleges prepare you for very specific jobs, a trade. Things you’ll learn are pragmatic and immediately applicable to “real life”. You become an expert in your field, but are limited to it.

On the other hand, Universities are academic. You learn theories and processes and proofs seemingly just for the sake of learning such things. More importantly than any material, university is all about learning to learn (not that colleges don't do this, they just seem less about it). To be able to go out there and pick up something that’s unrelated to whatever you’ve studied and learn about it. The most “useful” material I’ve learnt in University so far has probably come from Econ courses where I can now look at situations in the news and know how some of it came about. Stats 231 *shakes fist* was also quite useful in being able to understand survey methodology, which comes up more often than I thought it would *shakes fist at useful, but horrible course*. Shit, where was I? What I’ve gotten out of my CS courses isn’t specific detail about pc architectures or knowledge of c++ minutia (things I should probably know) but more of general understanding of computers and programming principles.

I think I'll stop here, this turned out a little less coherent than I was expecting. oh well.

Today's quote: "Procrastination is the thief of time"

Replies: 11 comments

(( Raises an eyebrow and nods ever so slightly ))

Posted by Hyperion @ 07/28/2003 09:01 PM EST

Anything I do as a career after my bachelor's here at UW will require some extra training afterwards. This is to say that while my education here is incredibly neneficial, an actual job after this will require me to learn the specifics os something, and that could take anywhere from a couple months to a few more years.

Posted by Romer @ 07/29/2003 02:07 AM EST

My program here is beneficial to me only in helping me study for the professional exams that move me forward in my career. In fact an undergrad degree isn't even necessary but does greatly assist in getting a job. But in the end we'll all get jobs anyway, I think you hardly see people in the welfare line with a post secondary education.

Posted by Mike @ 07/29/2003 09:04 AM EST

Romer: I didn't realize you needed more "education", I wouldn't appreciate finishing a bach and still REQUIRING lots more training.

Posted by Rayne @ 07/29/2003 02:28 PM EST

My BSc in Physics should be completed with a 2 year Technical degree (Electrical) by 2006. Thats all the money I have saved up. I only got into the BSc because it looks good and puts me a step above most of the other Engineers. I fully expect I'll need two full degrees before I'll find a job that I'll enjoy.

Posted by Hyperion @ 07/29/2003 04:58 PM EST

I'm very thankful that I know what I want to do and that I don't need to go to Uni to be able to do it. Though my OFA 3 course was really tough (a semester long Uni course in two weeks!) But I just need two more things and I can become a paramedic! The unit chief here in town told me last night to "Come and see [him] at the station" when I have everything. I think I might have a little more help! :D

Posted by Andrea @ 07/29/2003 04:58 PM EST

Procrastination is my best friend.

Doing nothing from time to time is the best way not to be absorbed by the ultra-fast pace of today's world. Sorry i replied only on your quote, i just tend to disagree with the attitude of filling every spare time of the day with "constructive" stuff. Makes you die younger.

Posted by Étienne @ 07/30/2003 01:25 PM EST

A lot of the time I PLAN on using my time constructively but then I always end up wasting most of it on doing nothing. It's crap. I'm quite bad at using my time effectively and constructively.

Posted by Rayne @ 07/30/2003 09:19 PM EST

Eh, same for me!, do you think i plan to do nothing? :P

Posted by Étienne @ 07/31/2003 11:52 AM EST

erm..sorry, it seemed like you meant that you plan on doing nothing =D

Posted by Rayne @ 07/31/2003 01:51 PM EST

i know i plan on doing nothing. like having naps. i plan those into my day sometimes. like when i'm really tired at work, i'll plan to go home, and do nothing (ie, have a nap)

and about cs: god damn you, fucking b-tree! i mean shit! i thought i'd finished that whole thing, and got it all working, but then i pass not even 50% of the test cases! it felt like such a waste of time... i spent over 30 hours doing CODING, to get 50%!?!? (marks for compiling + passed test = 50%)

Posted by shawnathan @ 07/31/2003 04:48 PM EST