I cannot believe the constant whining and crying I hear about education and the experience here at GW. Am I the only student on campus who actually enjoys being at this school?
In a recent Hatchet article (Students say they are dissatisfied with GW, Feb. 14), it was noted that a recent survey conducted by the Student Association found that 71 percent of students don’t believe GW gives them the education for which they pay.
Why wasn’t I given the opportunity to take part in this survey?
I think what students are starting to lose sight of is two specific facts. First, a college education isn’t just about books and dissertations. If you pay $120,000 to go to college for four years simply to study and earn a degree, you certainly have not received your money’s worth – but it’s your own fault. A college education is about the experiences you have with your friends and colleagues outside of the classroom. If all you want is a degree, you can sit at home and take courses at your leisure from a college endorsed by Suzanne Somers.
Second, even though you might have to cough up $34,000 a year, an education is not just going to be handed over to you – you have to WORK for it. No one is going to give you an internship – you have to earn one. No one is going to declare you to be a leader – you have to learn to be one. Your Mammas are not here to care for you anymore. Get off your butt, go out into the world, and experience an education you can be PROUD of!
One of the best things GW has going for it is its location in Washington, D.C., which is also a reason for the hefty price tag. There are so many opportunities in this area, and GW students are some of the few who are fortunate enough to have these opportunities. How many students at Harvard have the same chance as we do to intern on Capitol Hill?
It boils down to one simple concept: if you don’t like what’s going on at this University, you should do something about it. Criticizing the administration and complaining about classroom size is a small start, but instead of just talking about it, solve the problem yourself. Apathy is overabundant at this University, and it’s time for it to stop. Don’t stay at home Wednesday night – go to a Colonials basketball game, pick up a Hatchet and find out what’s going on around campus, stop sitting on your thumbs, and do something for once!
Call me an idealistic fool, or a naive freshman, but here is one last point: 29 percent of the student body – the students that are satisfied with their education – is the same as the attendance for the men’s basketball game last Wednesday. Coincidence? You decide.
-The writer, a freshman in the School of Business and Public Management, is an assistant for University Spirit Programs.
