Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

[Beer Pong Horn]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

No offense to you, but this perception by science-minded kids really bothers me. Just because you have more class hours doesn't mean that you don't spend as much time studying as a Humanities major. Those hours that you spend studying for a test or in lab probably come close to the average time a humanities student (a hard working one, anyway) spends in the library doing research for papers and writing them. While it definitely sucks to have 3 or 4 comprehensive exams, writing 100+ pages on several subjects isn't exactly a walk in the park either.

/rant
Sorry.

This is true, but a better way of saying it is, "...18 credits of fluff Humanities classes where if you just show up you get a B." There's a lot of easy Humanities classes at Tech - some amazingly difficult ones too, but plenty of ridiculously simple ones.

 

[Twitch Boy]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

No offense to you, but this perception by science-minded kids really bothers me. Just because you have more class hours doesn't mean that you don't spend as much time studying as a Humanities major. Those hours that you spend studying for a test or in lab probably come close to the average time a humanities student (a hard working one, anyway) spends in the library doing research for papers and writing them. While it definitely sucks to have 3 or 4 comprehensive exams, writing 100+ pages on several subjects isn't exactly a walk in the park either.

/rant
Sorry.

Sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean it that way. Most Techies like Humanities classes like they like a hole in the head Also, a lot of them have the "creampuff" reputation that BPH mentioned - in many the prevailing attitude is "okay, you have to take this, I have to teach it, let's get it over with." I'm sure it's different at places that focus on them.

The point I was trying to make is that a small number/credit amount of what one would consider "hard" classes can be much worse than a large number/credit amount of what one would consider "easy" classes. Especially if the classes pull dirty tricks with labs like I mentioned. I wasn't trying to call anyone's major "easy" or "hard" (unfortunately, that's exactly what I did )

I guess I'm officially an arrogant engineer. I'll go root for Michigan now.

 

[thecomicbookguy]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

Sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean it that way. Most Techies like Humanities classes like they like a hole in the head

The point I was trying to make is that a small number/credit amount of what one would consider "hard" classes can be much worse than a large number/credit amount of what one would consider "easy" classes. Especially if the classes pull dirty tricks with labs like I mentioned. I wasn't trying to call anyone's major "easy" or "hard" (unfortunately, that's exactly what I did )

I guess I'm officially an arrogant engineer. I'll go root for Michigan now.

What you described is what it was like for UNH engineering majors, too. I think my sophomore year, we were expected to take Intro to Materials Science (with a lab), Thermodynamics, Mechanics (statics), the 2nd half of the advanced intro Physics course (with another lab), Multi-Dimensional Caluclus, Differential Equations, Micro Economics, and I can't even remember what else (probably a couple of electives). Most engineers who wanted to graduate in 4 years had close to 20 credits/semester their Junior and Senior years (as well as doing whatever else they did). That's why 17 didn't seem like all that much for an engineer to me.

Of course, of those classes I listed above, I managed to do well in the Math classes, Economics, and Mechanics (after I took it a second time in summer school). Yeah, I didn't last long as an engineer.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

No offense to you, but this perception by science-minded kids really bothers me. Just because you have more class hours doesn't mean that you don't spend as much time studying as a Humanities major. Those hours that you spend studying for a test or in lab probably come close to the average time a humanities student (a hard working one, anyway) spends in the library doing research for papers and writing them. While it definitely sucks to have 3 or 4 comprehensive exams, writing 100+ pages on several subjects isn't exactly a walk in the park either.

/rant
Sorry.

Engineering majors at Tech spend half their time rehashing the same old jokes about business, STC, and humanities majors. I'd expect no less from Twitch.

Of course, Twitch and BPH are also correct about the reputation of the average 1000/2000-level MTU humanities class.

 

[Twitch Boy]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

Engineering majors at Tech spend half their time rehashing the same old jokes about business, STC, and humanities majors. I'd expect no less from Twitch.

STC = Skipping Tough Classes.

/actually almost was one

 

[Patman]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

No offense to you, but this perception by science-minded kids really bothers me. Just because you have more class hours doesn't mean that you don't spend as much time studying as a Humanities major. Those hours that you spend studying for a test or in lab probably come close to the average time a humanities student (a hard working one, anyway) spends in the library doing research for papers and writing them. While it definitely sucks to have 3 or 4 comprehensive exams, writing 100+ pages on several subjects isn't exactly a walk in the park either.

/rant
Sorry.

No, but humanities people can't work on something for 6 hours and still be utterly and hopelessly wrong.

 

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

writing 100+ pages on several subjects isn't exactly a walk in the park either.

/rant
Sorry.

And I thought the Aerodynamics outline I had to do (33 pages) was hard...

Quite a few classes can seem easy until you take them...

 

[Beer Pong Horn]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

No, but humanities people can't work on something for 6 hours and still be utterly and hopelessly wrong.

No - they can work for 6 years on a book and still be utterly and hopelessly wrong.

 

[nmupiccdiva]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

Sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean it that way. Most Techies like Humanities classes like they like a hole in the head Also, a lot of them have the "creampuff" reputation that BPH mentioned - in many the prevailing attitude is "okay, you have to take this, I have to teach it, let's get it over with." I'm sure it's different at places that focus on them.

The point I was trying to make is that a small number/credit amount of what one would consider "hard" classes can be much worse than a large number/credit amount of what one would consider "easy" classes. Especially if the classes pull dirty tricks with labs like I mentioned. I wasn't trying to call anyone's major "easy" or "hard" (unfortunately, that's exactly what I did )

I guess I'm officially an arrogant engineer. I'll go root for Michigan now.

That in itself is doing a disservice to everyone involved. There are benefits to taking those other courses. It may not be as evident as your core classes for the major, but it's there. Then again, this is the education major in me speaking. I took math/science related classes to remind me what it's like to struggle a bit and to keep that in mind with future students who may struggle in my classes.

 

[MissThundercat]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

I enjoy being able to set my own work week hours. It means lots of ten hour days, but the "upside" is that it also allows me to work many four day work weeks. Like today for instance.

Just completed a four hour ten minute round of golf with three strangers...all of whom turned out to be good guys and accomplished golfers.

I didn't hit it well off the tee, but did absolutely everything else spectacularly well [for me]. Played from the blue tees on a course measuring 6,498. Par seventy-one. Par rating: 71.1. Slope:125.

Shot a 39-37=76, five over par. That included two bogey sixes on par fives on the back nine. I had six pars on each side. Only one three-putt green all day and I had eight one-putt greens. I was draining everything in sight. I couldn't find my swing on my tee shots today, but otherwise, played as well as it's possible for me to play. Golf sure is fun when you play with accomplished players and traffic ahead of you on the course is moving at a decent speed. Looking forward to get in another round this coming weekend with good friends.

I hope everyone's week is off to a good start.

It is; washed 7 loads of dishes today, 2 loads of laundry, made some fantastic grilled chicken, and actually got some rest today!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

- OR -

Beauty is only a light switch away.

Beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder.

Evening, Lodge. 7 mile run coming up in the morning... gonna be a good one.

 

[Twitch Boy]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

What you described is what it was like for UNH engineering majors, too. I think my sophomore year, we were expected to take Intro to Materials Science (with a lab), Thermodynamics, Mechanics (statics), the 2nd half of the advanced intro Physics course (with another lab), Multi-Dimensional Caluclus, Differential Equations, Micro Economics, and I can't even remember what else (probably a couple of electives). Most engineers who wanted to graduate in 4 years had close to 20 credits/semester their Junior and Senior years (as well as doing whatever else they did). That's why 17 didn't seem like all that much for an engineer to me.

Of course, of those classes I listed above, I managed to do well in the Math classes, Economics, and Mechanics (after I took it a second time in summer school). Yeah, I didn't last long as an engineer.

If you're anything like Tech, that curriculum sounds like it's designed around preparing you for the FE exam. That's why I ended up having to take Thermo/Fluids as a Civil

 

[Beer Pong Horn]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

That in itself is doing a disservice to everyone involved. There are benefits to taking those other courses. It may not be as evident as your core classes for the major, but it's there. Then again, this is the education major in me speaking. I took math/science related classes to remind me what it's like to struggle a bit and to keep that in mind with future students who may struggle in my classes.

Ideally, science and humanities challenge you in entirely different ways - science is more about successfully replicating what's been done before, and humanities are more about coming up with a completely different explanation for what's been done. I love both if they're taught well. At Tech though, even the humanities classes are presented with an underlying engineering mindset, that sort of "to reach the conclusion, follow these steps and check your work along the way" way of working through problems methodically. Most liberal arts colleges have a much more freeform system of learning where the professor doesn't have a specific goal in mind, and that would just be frustrating to the majority of students at Tech. Likewise for a philosophy or art major, a goal-oriented engineering class would likely be very trying.

In short: know your audience.

 

[wolverineTrumpet]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

I guess I'm officially an arrogant engineer. I'll go root for Michigan now.

If you want to be an arrogant Michigan engineer you have to learn the terminology: L S & Play (Michigan's school of literature, science and the Arts, known as LS&A).

LS&Play classes were easy. But so were some of my engineering classes.

 

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

Ideally, science and humanities challenge you in entirely different ways - science is more about successfully replicating what's been done before, and humanities are more about coming up with a completely different explanation for what's been done. I love both if they're taught well. At Tech though, even the humanities classes are presented with an underlying engineering mindset, that sort of "to reach the conclusion, follow these steps and check your work along the way" way of working through problems methodically. Most liberal arts colleges have a much more freeform system of learning where the professor doesn't have a specific goal in mind, and that would just be frustrating to the majority of students at Tech. Likewise for a philosophy or art major, a goal-oriented engineering class would likely be very trying.

In short: know your audience.

Agreed. I found Public Speaking difficult, not because I was nervous speaking in front of a large group (that was part of it, but after I started talking it went away), but because in aviation we speak short, to the point, fast, and using a broken English. Filling the time was my biggest challenge, as I just wanted to speak in bullet points rather then explain. Talking twice as fast as everyone else certainly didn't help that time get filled either. Still got an A though.

 

[Twitch Boy]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

If you want to be an arrogant Michigan engineer you have to learn the terminology: L S & Play (Michigan's school of literature, science and the Arts, known as LS&A).

LS&Play classes were easy. But so were some of my engineering classes.

CS can stand for either Computer Science or Counterstrike.

STC (Scientific and Technical Communication) stands for Skipping Tough Classes as I mentioned.

The basic Geology class is called Rocks for Jocks because **** near everyone has to take it and it literally has a curve on top of a curve (the exams are curved, and the final grade itself is curved.)

I've heard of the intro level Circuits class being called Circuits for Nonbelievers.

 

[Bakunin]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

Credit hours aren't created equal. In my final year of school, I think I had 13 cr one semester and 14 cr the other semester - because they completely underrated the credit hours for my courses. Between the lectures and labs, I was in class over 20 hours per week and studying my *** off. Then there was the whole clinical rotation bit where it's basically like having a full time job, only you don't get paid and your credit load is too low to qualify for much financial aid.

Oh, and for those who were non-science majors, I will point out that there are these things called "lab reports" - when I was a chem major, I had to write those *'ing things for every lab I did, and they were often pushing 10 pages and were done weekly. So no, science majors don't escape writing requirements.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

Agreed. I found Public Speaking difficult, not because I was nervous speaking in front of a large group (that was part of it, but after I started talking it went away), but because in aviation we speak short, to the point, fast, and using a broken English. Filling the time was my biggest challenge, as I just wanted to speak in bullet points rather then explain. Talking twice as fast as everyone else certainly didn't help that time get filled either. Still got an A though.

I thought maybe you just followed some bad advice, like picturing all the women nude which then caused you to brick.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

Oh, and for those who were non-science majors, I will point out that there are these things called "lab reports" - when I was a chem major, I had to write those *'ing things for every lab I did, and they were often pushing 10 pages and were done weekly. So no, science majors don't escape writing requirements.

My senior thesis paper was all of 10 pages, 14 including biblio and data. Econ majors got out of writing papers.

 

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

Oh, and for those who were non-science majors, I will point out that there are these things called "lab reports" - when I was a chem major, I had to write those *'ing things for every lab I did, and they were often pushing 10 pages and were done weekly. So no, science majors don't escape writing requirements.

Most lab reports follow a format, don't they? Which makes them relatively "easier" then a regular paper. Mind you, I'm not calling them easy by any means...

/science major that didn't have to do lab reports

 

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 81: Trickle-Down Lodganomics

I thought maybe you just followed some bad advice, like picturing all the women nude which then caused you to brick.

Luckily I was smart enough to know that would happen so I didn't bother with that trick...