In college I couldn't balance my checkbook but I could talk at length on..

[NNguyenMD]

the latest research in cell and molecular biology. Because I couldn't perform a simple "real life" task, does that mean I was a stupid college student even though I was adepth in my field of study?

I graduated undergrad in 2003 btw.

[varkam]

1. According to legend...

Einstein wouldn't wear socks and refused to memorize where he lived - and I wouldn't call him stupid.

[DaveJ]

2. Uh, no...

Balancing a checkbook is a human construct. Science is too but it is at least an attempt to discern reality. Why do you ask?

[NNguyenMD]

3. I think when these pundits comment on "stupid college students" they're

just knee jerking to a stupid shallow study that is FAR from comprehensive in assessing how prepared college grads are for the real world. I can relate to a lot of college kids who feel a little inept at certain basic real world skills, like doing my own taxes, balancing my check book, understanding a credit card agreement, or understanding an editorial, but I would hardly use that argument to justify calls close the doors of college to students, or recommend that everyone not in the top 25 or 30 percent go to trade school.

College isn't for everyone, but I think everyone deserves a chance to make that decision for themselves. All this talk about sending kids to trade school and crushing their hopes to do well in college is really disheartening, even worse when baby boomer pundits are calling us recent college grads stupid.

[awoke_in_2003]

5. two benefits the repukes would get

with less college attendance- 1. Fewer liberals, and 2. Lower educated (thus lower paid) work force.

[DaveJ]

6. Repukes won't benefit

Let me correct you on that. It's a subtle distinction. They are just too dumb to realize it -- that the only ones benefiting from a less educated society are in the top .25%.

They are the ones drinking the Kool-Aid and being made to vote against their own best interests.

I think there are foreign entities behind this dumbing down of America. They own huge mega corporations that invest in media campaigns to dumb us down. Evidence of it is all around us. They want us to feel as though stupidity is integral to prosperity.

With regard to "real life" skills vs. college, my time in college was spent doing research to better society. Now I work at a car insurance company, which is hardly benefiting society. The guy sitting next to me was one of 6 people who aced his ACT, and now he too is hardly benefiting society. I just realized that my real life has nothing to do with work or paying the bills but the research I am doing in the few spare hours I have trying to start my own business. My advice to anyone in college is to avoid the real world. It is a trap.

[awoke_in_2003]

11. I stand corrected

and agree with you on some points, the biggest being; the REAL world isn't all that. But the one benefit of college is that it usually teaches you to think critically, use YOUR reason to make decisions. That is why YOU are choosing your path (and I wish you all the luck, I really mean that).

[Skidmore]

4. Stick you out in a field stark nekkid,

could you survive?

Human constructs are fine but sometimes you need the benefit of touching the earth and knowing your relationship to it.

[carolinalady]

7. I spent years balancing checkbooks and thanks to modern

technology I was able to kick the habit. The bank does a much better job. I pay all my bills on line, use my debit card for everything and write about 4 checks a month for the kids school lunches. Whenever I need to see what the balance is-I just log on. No more bad math errors!-BTW I was a high honors student at Penn State when I graduated a long time ago. Make lots of money and let the bank do the accounting!

[bleedingheart]

9. sorry but while it may be convenient...I still keep a ledger

I have caught many banking errors in my time. In fact, while going over my canceled checks I found a check that a retailer actually modified for a higher amount...literally forged over my check in a different color ink....I raised high holy hell...

I adhere to the idea that when you write checks you are more in tune with where your money is going...for instance..when the cable bill increases or the electric bill is out of sight...you tend to be more in tune with your current finances when you interact with them directly.

Now I will pay stuff on line but I have also seen that be screwed up. I tried to convince Allegheny power for three months that I did not have direct checking payments...(someone else had been paying my light bill for 3 months...which created this huge reserve of cash in my account because I continued to pay my own bill)...it took a long time to sort that out and the big kick in the leg was that the morons at Allegheny power were going to charge me more...

[bleedingheart]

8. sorry but you won't get sympathy from me...

it is important for people to have a clear understanding of how to manage the mundane tasks of life. There are many "genius" types who have been bilked out of personal fortunes or seriously taken advantage of because they either didn't care or didn't know how to take care of their basic needs.

Additionally, I have known many intelligent engineers who couldn't communicate their ideas properly and they had others steal their ideas because those individuals knew how to communicate the idea or theory.

[DaveJ]

10. unclear

Knowing how to perform the mundane is important, but I think you are overemphasizing that point. In most cases that knowledge comes with time. In many cases, spouses can be helpful to each other. My wife buys all my clothes for me, for instance, and I help her with other things. Society is much better served when intelligence is applied more toward progress goals. I do not care if Gandhi, for instance, could balance a checkbook. Others pointed out that Einstein lacked some common skills yet he is famous as well. I'm sure the list goes on.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. I still can't balance my checkbook

and I don't know diddly squat about molecular biology.

But I am a gainfully employed professional. Go figure.

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