College orientation

So I decided to attend a college orientation today, just for the heck of it. Ok, not really, my cousin is starting college in the fall, and my aunt and uncle asked me to come up and hang out, maybe help ask some questions. Anyway, its definaltely odd being on the 5 years out of school side of this. There is lots of talk about resources for students...health, tutoring, career, student life....and the list goes on. I think all of these things were available at my school, but I can't remember really using them. I did use the health services, and I guess the career services to setup interviews. It does seem that they expect the students coming in to be relatively unable to take care of themselves. I suppose its better to assume that they don't know, as opposed to the other way. What I wonder is how capable these students really are? I ddefinatwly remember characters in college, and thinking back, it would have been good for some of them to use the services provided.

I would say though that it seems like even more coddling than in the past. The intro speaker said to give ourselves an applause for getting up and filling in seats all the way to the left. Clearly that's deserving of priase, since a typical monkey might have to be asked twice to do the same. Of course its important to tell a kid that they did good just for trying...really a kid goes to class, they really should be thanked for coming!

It is expensive...I do have to say, I can't imagine having to pay $35000 a year with very little grants. I definately would still ne paying loans. I've tried to explain to my cousins that they'll get a similar job regardless of the brand name school (most of the time)...but they aren't buying it...I guess that it does matter more than I think, since I went to a brand name school for engineering anyway...but it was state and cheap...well I guess whatever will happen with them, will happen!

Good luck class of 2011!